188 Switzerland. 



powers, but have as much independence among them- 

 selves as each of the United States, each self-govern- 

 ing. A parliament (Bundesversammlung) of two 

 chambers the Nationalrath of 145 members corres- 

 ponding to the House of Representatives, the Standes- 

 rath with 44 members, equivalent to the Senate 

 represent the interests of the whole federation. The 

 administration of the cantons lies in the hands of the 

 "great" and "small" councils, with an executive 

 ministry of three members chosen for two years by 

 the former council. The administration of the Bund 

 is in the hands of the Bundesrath of 7 members, elected 

 by the parliament, which also elects one of the mem- 

 bers as president for one year. The Referendum, 

 which, if 30,000 voters demand it within 3 months, 

 requires reference of any law to the direct vote of the 

 people is used as a check on legislation. 



Although the larger part of the population of 3 

 million people is German, parts of Switzerland are 

 French, and other parts Italian. 



From this brief statement of the political develop- 

 ment of the country it will appear that the develop- 

 ment of forestry must also have varied. 



1. Forest Conditions and Property Rights. 



Topographic and soil conditions necessarily had 

 also their influence on this development. In the 

 plains, the plateau, and the hill country, the distinc- 

 tion of forest and field as it now exists had been in 

 general attained in the 15th century, while in the 

 mountain country, forest destruction began only in 

 the 18th century and continued till the middle of the 



