SWITZERLAND. 311 



in early spring starts the milk secretion ; later on, when the good effects 

 of this are on the wane, the milk production gets a fresh stimulus from 

 the nutritious grasses on the "Maisass." Further on there is another 

 change to the fine short grass and aromatic herbs of the " Hochalpe," 

 where the milk is richest in flavor and contains the most milk-sugar. 

 Its delightful sweetness and flavor is unattainable by any other feeding 

 in the world, and this is imparted to the butter and cheese, which, 

 when well made, are in the highest state of perfection. 



It should be understood, however, that high alpine grazing is not 

 generally followed by the larger farmers or dairymen where several 

 cows are kept, for in such cases the herd is stabled and grazed in the 

 valleys in the neighborhood of the towns and villages where the milk 

 is sold. 



The high Alps are grazed by herds of young cattle and cows owned 

 by the peasants, which are picked up by ones and twos all over the 

 neighborhood of the alp. The herd, when made up to the number 

 which the alp is by law registered to graze for the season, is driven up 

 to the u Alphiitte," " Sennhiitte," or ehale't, where the cows are milked 

 and given a little salt and bran boiled in whey with a little hay, after 

 which they are allowed to rest a few hours in the stables. They are 

 then taken out to the pastures, where they remain until the evening, 

 when they are driven to the " hiitte" to be milked and sent out again 

 directly afterwards. On very hot days they are kept in the stables 

 during the hottest part of the day, also in cold rainy weather they are 

 stabled, especially if there is no woods on the alp. 



DAIRYING ON THE HIGH ALPS. 



The " Sennhiitte " is usually intended for summer occupancy. It is 

 a long low and rudely constructed shed, mainly built out of roughly 

 hewn pine logs with one end mortised into the rocks of the mountain 

 side, and the others laid across each other, and fastened together with 

 lon' beech-wood nails. The solid roof covering consists of heavy beams 

 of 1.V feet in diameter, with boards 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 

 about 3 feet long laid on top. These are fastened down by having 

 several long poles stretched across them and weighted down with a lot 

 of heavy stones weighing from 50 to 100 pounds to keep the roof from 

 being blown off. The site selected for the stables must have near it 

 plenty of fresh running water, necessary for the cattle and important 

 in the care of the milk and butter. At one of these stations on the high 

 Alps the milk and butter retain the sweetness for weeks without the 

 least taint. The " Sennhiitte " is residence, cow-shed, milk-house, and 

 butter and cheese manufactory all together. The milk-house, butter 

 and cheese department is generally in one room. The cow-sheds, where 

 the milking is done, adjoins and is connected by a door with the milk, 

 butter, and cheese room, and the room occupied by the tenders of the 

 herd. The services of two people are generally required to attend to the 

 dairy properly, and are usually a man and woman ; they are called the 

 " senn" and " senneriu." The cows are milked twice a day, and the 

 product of each milking is weighed and placed to the credit of the owner 

 of the cow separately, and at the end of the season a balance-sheet is 

 made out showing exactly what has been the product of the cow during 

 her stay at the u hiitte." Alpiculture in Switzerland is of very old stand- 

 ing. It is said that some alps have declined within the last half century 

 50 per cent. Some have increased slightly of late years on account of 

 cantonal and central government premiums being offered for the im- 

 provement of alpiculture. 



