SWITZERLAND. 301 



. 



pounds in weight. They are never out of the stall, not even to water. 

 It seemed an unusual occasion for them when be had them till led out 

 into the yard for my inspection. ^XT*4 f 



At or near to Thalweil, I secured the statistics of a iflairy using the 

 milk of seventy-five cows. These seventy-live cows furnished TOO quarts 

 daily, or about 10 quarts each, year in, year out, not counting the milk 

 retained at home for the use of the families owning the cows. In July, 

 850 quarts daily are sent to the dairy. The milk is sold at 10 centimes, 

 or 3.2 cents, the liter at this place, when not made into cheese. 



The Cham Condensing Company pay the farmers 134 centimes, or 

 2.6 cents, per quart or liter of 2 pounds. 



A fair average for Schwytzer cows in Canton Zurich would be about 

 10 quarts daily for three hundred and sixty-five days in the year. Of 

 course this average differs in the different districts of the country, and 

 especially in tho mountainous cantons, where the product is less, though 

 the quality is considerably richer, owing to tho sweeter grass. So much 

 for the Brown Schwytzer as a milker. 



CHARACTERISTICS OF BROWN SCHWYTZERS. 



In appearance, the Brown Schwytzer is not really brown at all, but 

 mouse- colored, and the nearer she is to the mouse color the more likely 

 is the stock to be pure. She is round and plump in -form, with very 

 straight back; has sleek hair, large, mild, black eyes, smooth, white 

 horns, tipped one-third their length with black. Ears large and lined 

 with an abundance of white or cream-colored hair. The neck is rather 

 short and powerful ; breast deep and broad ; the head is finely shaped ; 

 nose black with white ring about it ; tongue also very black and rough. 

 The udder is large, well shaped, and quite white, milk veins very prom- 

 inent. Owing to her general plumpness of figure, she looks some smaller 

 than she really is, as she is in fact a large cow. Her ordinary weight 

 will average 1,300 to 1,400 Swiss pounds, and often more. Altogether, 

 she is as handsome a cow as exists anywhere in Europe. The accom- 

 panying cuts and photographs give a fair representation of her form 

 and appearance. 



Ordinarily, though there are single exceptions, the Swiss cows are 

 fed only grass and hay, summer and winter, and this, in the valleys at 

 least, is always carried to them in the stalls. The Swiss cattle stalls 

 are usually low stone houses, with little or no ventilation, and are almost 

 dark. They are kept very clean, however, and the cattle are cared for 

 almost as well as Americans care for fine horses, many being even cur- 

 ried and cleaned daily. Every pound of manure is saved in a reservoir 

 and put into the meadows in liquid form. 



FEEDING AND CARING FOR BROWN SCHWYTZERS. 



By extreme care of meadows in the way of manuring, draining, water- 

 ing, and preventing stock trampling them, large and excellent grass 

 crops are secured; and, aided by a moist and temperate climate, three 

 grass harvests are obtained yearly. In Canton Zurich grass land is 

 valued at $300 per acre, and good Schwytzer cows at from $125 to $150 

 apiece ; and yet, by their unusual care of both meadows and cattle, 

 Swiss farmers earn from 8 to 10 per cent, on the investment, and sell 

 milk at cheaper rates than are demanded anywhere in the United States. 

 Naturally, the query is repeated, What profits might Western American 

 farmers make on milch cows, with land at $50 an acre and cows at $40 



