SWITZERLAND. ^l> 



in some parts of the canton of St. Galle. I visited one stable where 

 fifteen cows were kept. The stable proper was about 25 feet long by 15 

 feet wide, and not to exceed (> feet high in ceiling ; there was no win- 

 dow in the wall, except a hole, low down to the iloor, about 1G inches 

 in diameter, by which the stalls were emptied of the manure. The 

 stench was simply unbearable, and yet I was told that this was the 

 "old way "of stabling cattle in Switzerland, and it was thought by 

 many that the cows produced more milk than if they had more air and 

 room. The cows stood eight on each side, with scarcely room enough 

 for the peasant to push himself through behind the cows to clean the 

 stable, and so close together that it seemed impossible for them to lie 

 down, certainly not with comfort. Advanced dairymen and expe- 

 rienced breeders take the common sense view that, while heat greatly 

 assists in the milk secretion, yet impure heat and air cause disease in 

 cattle, and consequently cause the milk to sour and taint more easily. 



HANDLING- AND CAKE OP CATTLE IN THE ST. GALLE DISTRICT. 



In the cantons of St. Galle, Appenzell, Graubundeu, &c, the cattle are 

 handled through the year as follows : 



Caring through the icinter. Through the winter, from the middle of 

 November until the end of March or April, the cattle are continually 

 kept in the stables, and are fed almost entirely on dry hay, which has 

 been made on the meadows which lie in the valleys, and which are 

 mown two, three, and four times a year, owing to the quality of the soil 

 and the manner of manuring. These meadows are drained by open 

 ditches when necessary, and are well manured twice a year, and some- 

 times three times a year, with stable and artificial dungs. The cattle 

 are fed three times a day. Milch cows are sometimes fed a small por- 

 tion of corn-meal or turnips in addition to the hay. They are watered 

 twice a day by being led out in the open air to a running stream, or to 

 the tank of an artesian well. The young cattle do not receive much 

 fat food, and are often fed the whole winter through on the wild grass* 

 of the high Alps, which, however, is said to contain highly strengthen- 

 ing qualities, consisting of large quantities of very nutritious and aro- 

 matic herbs, said also to be very good for milch cows. 



The conditions under which agriculture is followed here are so pecu- 

 liar that it would be hard to compare Switzerland with either England 

 or America. 



The higher the altitude the more* herbs and the more the grass is 

 filled with spices ; in fact, one might say the middle and higher alpine 

 pastures of my consular district consist almost entirely of herbs, as 

 they are situated from 3 ,700 to 3,000 feet above the level of the sea. 

 Only in the lowlands and valleys are the cultivated grasses grown, and 

 even about the towns and villages in this part of Switzerland the 



* This grass grows on the highest (vegetation altitude) Alps, and is very difficult 

 to cut and take caro of. Tho mode of harvesting is as follows : In the haying season 

 the peasants go up on the mountains, and begin mowing on the almost precipitous 

 mountain side with sickles or short scythes. The peasants, before beginning their 

 day's work, however, make themselves fast by means of ropes tied about their 

 bodies, and securely fastened to a stake driven in the ground or tied to the rocks. 

 When tho hay is cut and ready for transport, a long rope is made fast on tho mown 

 ground and continued down the side of the mountain until tho valley is reached. Tho 

 peasants tie largo bundles of hay. together, and placing them on their backs and 

 shoulders begin their dangerous descent by taking hold of the rope with one hand 

 and using it as a sort of banister or "hold-back" until the perilous journey is at an 

 end. It often happens that the rope breaks or gives way under tho pressure of several 

 peasants at a time, and tho result is breakage of limb or loss of life. 



