44 [Assembly 



There is a variety of the turnip which is quite a favorite among 

 the Swiss cattle-breeders ; I allude to the ruta baga or Swedish 

 turnip. So root crop is better for railch cows, or yields tiner or 

 richer food for fattening neat cattle. In this line, the pota- 

 to and mangel wurtzfl are inferior. The plant in its infancy 

 struggfes against bogs and worms, which are very destructive. 



Cabbage does not form a prominent branch of gardening in the 

 Helvetic Confederation, nor is it grown in the open fields, as in 

 France and many parts of Germany. The leadin2; varieties 

 raised for sourkrout are the Sugar-loaf and the Monmouth white 

 cabbage. The latter has a beautiful white color, and is very 

 delicate. The lower leaves when turned yellow are stripped 

 from the plant and given to cattle. Even the stalks are not 

 wasted, but also converted into food; but then they are in general 

 mingled with hay for the purpose of economizing and making the 

 food palatable for the domestic animals. There is a singular 

 custom in the country, after having severed the plant froxii the 

 soil, to heap the heads up and leave them a few days. This pro- 

 cess is thought to add to their color and taste. 



The oil-bearing plants are not extensively cultivated in the 

 Swiss cantons. The Colza might be grown in any of the grain- 

 growing parts of the land, but it takes no stand among the pro- 

 ducts which are raised either for home consumption or foreign 

 market. Rape seed is less common. Flax, however, is raised for 

 its oil and textile qualities. Good flax is grown in Thurgau, 

 and on the great plain between the lakes of Geneva and Con- 

 stance. But the last staple is found on the Great Emme, near 

 Burgdorf, in the canton of Berne, where it is manufactured on a 

 large scale. The fabrics coming from the Swi^s loom in this line, 

 are very creditable to the taste and industry of the country. To 

 understand how to handle the distaft"and draw the thread from 

 the spindle is one of the great feats of female economy, and 

 what is more, the wives of millionaires at Basle and Zurich pride 

 themselves on making the linen for their household. Oil made 

 from flax is an important article of commerce, and the cake, the 

 residuum after expressing the oil, is excellent food for cattle. It 

 keeps them fat and sleek. The mode of preparing the fibre, and 



