46 [Assembly 



States, even it is brought into the confederation from the United 

 States and West Indies. 



Wormwood is grown in Mutiers, in the canton of Neufchatel, 

 for distillation. The liquor mingled with brandy forms a power- 

 ful beverage, and under the name of absynthe it finds its way in 

 all the first class of hotels, and even is sought for in France. 

 Many Swiss and German taverns keep the article in the United 

 States. 



Tinctorial plants have not as yet found their way in the Swiss 

 course of husbandry. France sends a vast quantity of madder 

 and mead, and other dyeing plants, into the confederation. The 

 duties being so extremely low in Switzerland on foreign dyes and 

 stuifs, where labor is so much cheaper, it would be hard for the 

 natives to compete with foreigners in these raw materials so ex- 

 tensively consumed by the large manufacturing establishments of 

 the land. Dye-growing plants are, notwithstanding, cultivated 

 on a limited scale here. 



Time would fail me to speak of medicinal plants which are 

 found in this land, but it may be safely asserted that no country 

 in the temperate zone is richer in aromatic and medicinal herbs 

 than this country. 



The general culture of good fruit abounds in the cantons of 

 Basle, Argau, Thurgau, Zurich, Salenn, Berne, Vaud, Geneva and 

 Tessin. The manufacture of cider is very extensive in Thurgau, 

 and some parts of the other cantons. Many of these cantons 

 abound in fine apples, pears, cherries and prunes. Kirschwasser 

 is the great staple of the Swiss peasantry, and I am sorry to add, 

 one of their m^t intoxicating drinks. The cherry tree is found 

 by the side of the walnut (Juglans nigra) strewed over the fields. 

 The fruit of the former presents a great variety and excellence, 

 and the soft-shelled walnuts form the dessert of the poorest pea- 

 sant, and even from this valuable nut he expresses a very good 

 burning oil. The fig tree (Ficus carica) grows well at Basle and 

 Geneva as well as the peach and apricot (Prunus Armeniaca)^ 

 while Tessin blooms with the citron, orange and pomegranate 



