94 
Franco-Swiss Dairy-Farming. 
when everything is so surrounded with filth. Pigs are kept, 
and, strange to say, they are cleaner than the cows ; the cattle 
get washed now and again by the rain, but they are not taught 
to keep themselves clean. 
The chief dairyman makes the butter and cheese ; of the 
other four men, one is the boundary walker, and the rest are 
general helps. They all milk the cows. 
The whole of the mountain cheese is sold in one lot to one of 
the many purchasers who annually make a tour in this district. 
The amodiers are obliged to sell in one lot, as merchants will 
not buy small parcels, on the plea that the first-comer picks 
out the best cheeses, leaving the worst for those who come 
after him. The cheeses are nearly all made of whole milk, 
little butter being produced beyond that required for the amo- 
dier's family, A higher price is obtained for mountain cheese 
than for what is made in the villages. Very good butter is 
made, and could be manufactured in large quantities ; but 
an objection lies in the prevailing fact that the peasants like 
to be partly paid in butter for the use of their cows ; the 
amodier has also to supply the butter to them at 10 centimes 
(Ic?.) cheaper than it can be sold at wholesale in the market ; 
or 1 franc 35 centimes instead of 1 franc 45 centimes per 
kilo, which means about Qd. to Ihd. per lb. avoirdupois. The 
cheeses weigh from 50 to 90 English pounds each ; they are 
salted every day, and take from five to six months to cure. 
They are sold in the market under the name of Gruyere. They 
are removed immediately on the close of the mountain season,, 
hence the purchasers finish the curing themselves. 
The value of a cow on the mountain is gauged by her ];nilk, 
which is weighed three times during the season ; and for every 
kilogramme (2^ lbs.) of milk obtained per day, 6 francs (4s. 9i^rf.) 
is paid for the hire of the cow. 
Thus, if a cow when gauged gives 9 kilogrammes of milk 
in the two milkings for the day, her value for the four 
months would be 54 francs (43s. 2(/.). It must be remembered 
that on the mountains cows give more milk than elsewhere. 
The account of one chalet visited would stand for this reason, 
approximately as follows : — 
Expenditure : — Francs. 
Rent 2500 
Dairyman 300 
4 men averaging 100 400 
73 cows at 73 • 50 5365 
Sundries (salt, &c.) 300 
20 pigs 400 
Total ,. 5)265 
