FORESTRY IN SWITZERLAND. 



227 



PRIVATE FORESTS. 



Allusion has been made above to the comparatively low yield of private 

 forests in the canton Zurich, and it was remarked that imperfect care and 

 cultivation were the principal causes. The cause in turn of this imperfect 

 care and cultivation appears to lie in the fact that the so-called "private for- 

 ests" consist in this canton alone of no less than 70,000 distinct small 

 patches of woodland, some of them less than half a square acre in dimensions, 

 and the largest not over 80 acres. This easily accounts for the lack of syste- 

 matic cultivation, as contrasted with that applied to the cantonal, township 

 and corporation forests. The following table shows the distribution of the 

 private forests in the canton by districts : 



TOOLS USED IN CULTIVATION. 



As best illustrating the character of the tools and implements in use in 

 the Swiss forestry service I quote from Professor Landolt's interesting report 

 on the forestry department of the Swiss National Exposition of 1883. He 

 says : 1 



Among tree-chopping implements the polished, well-wrought axes of the pontoniers 

 especially pleased the eye. In the hands of a lusty wood-chopper, well used to handling them, 

 they unquestionably possess an advantage over the ordinary axe, yet on this side of the Alps 

 workmen find it difficult to become accustomed to them. In Jura a good felling axe is in use, 

 and one which is constantly growing in favor, and the more so for the reason that there are 

 unfortunately so many other defectively constructed kinds in use. From present appearance, 

 American axes are destined to come more in use, as they possess manifold advantages over 

 ours, both in shape and material. It is still a question whether the American two-man saws, 

 with the new system of teeth, are preferable to the Steyer bow-saws, with straight teeth, which 

 are in ordinary use here. At all events they present a good appearance. There was almost a 

 total absence of the old-fashioned frame hand-saws with reversible blade, notwithstanding they 

 possess a decided advantage over those with fixed blades. The hand-saws which work for- 

 ward and back deserve special notice, for the reason that in skillful hands they materially 

 advance the work, but care should be taken not to make the frames too heavy. 



