18 AGRICULTURE. 



and the olive, the caper and the cotton-tree, with 

 all kinds of garden fruits and vegetables, are culti- 

 vated here : the soil knows no repose, and much of 

 it yields annually and uniformly two crops of grain 

 or three of grass."* These are the miracles of ir- 

 rigation ; not a drop of water is lost. Besides the 

 permanent supplies furnished from lakes, ponds, 

 rivers, creeks, and springs, even the winter torrent 

 and summer shower are everywhere intercepted by 

 drains and led to reservoirs, whence they are dis- 

 tributed at will to the neighbouring grounds. 



In 1770 an agricultural school was established at 

 Milan, consisting of 220 boys, who were instructed 

 in theoretical and practical husbandry. This insti- 

 tution has escaped the notice of travellers ; and we 

 are unable to say whether it has or has not fulfilled 

 the intentions of its projectors.! 



IV. Switzerland has 1444 square leagues of sur- 

 face,{ and presents an assemblage of mountains, 

 one rising above another, until the summits are lost 

 in masses of snow and ice, which never melt. This 

 short description sufficiently indicates the character 

 of both the soil and the climate ; yet, unpropitious as 

 these are, we find a population of 1242 inhabitants 

 to each square league ! " This is, perhaps, the 

 country of the world which presents the most hap- 

 py effects of an industry always active and per- 

 severing. The traveller who climbs her mountains 

 is struck with admiration when he beholds vine- 

 yards and rich pastures in those places which be- 

 fore appeared naked and barren rocks. The traces 







* Geographique Mathematique, &c., article Italic. 



i Since this treatise was written, we have notice of the estab- 

 lishment of agricultural schools in Prussia, France, Ireland, 

 Russia, and in most of the German States ; and a school, upon 

 a very broad and liberal basis, is in contemplation in England. 

 J. B. 



t The superficial area of Switzerland, as its boundaries were 

 established by the Congress of Vienna, has been differently es- 

 timated from 14,000 to 18,000 square miles. 



