192 Switzerland. 



the forestry association for reforestation and engi- 

 neering works in the Alps. This grant was changed, 

 in 1871, by voting an annual credit of $20,000 to be 

 expended by the Bundesrath for similar purposes. 

 The floods of 1868 brought such distress in certain 

 cantons that contributions from all other parts were 

 required to assist the flood sufferers; and $200,000 

 of the collections were appropriated for reforestation. 

 Finally, in 1874, through the effort of the forestry 

 association, it was determined to create a central 

 bureau of forest inspection for the whole Bund in the 

 Department of the Interior, and an article was in- 

 serted in the constitution declaring the superior right 

 of oversight by the Federation over the water and 

 forest police in the high Alps, at the same time pro- 

 posing to aid in the engineering and reboisement work 

 necessary to correct the torrents, and to take measures 

 for the preservation of these works and forests. 



The result was the installation of a federal forest 

 inspector with one assistant, in 1875, and the enact- 

 ment of a law, in 1876, which determined the area 

 within which the federal government was to exercise 

 supervision. The execution of the law was, however, 

 left to the cantons the jealousies of State rights as 

 against federal rights being even more strongly de- 

 veloped in Switzerland than in the United States. 

 Each canton proceeded in its own way, or neglected 

 to proceed, and hence no uniform progress in applying 

 the law was made. Indeed, not a single prescription 

 of the law was applied within the prescribed time, 

 although again and again extended, and even to-day 

 some cantons have not yet complied. Stubborn 



