The country is divided into 19 entire and 6 half states or cantons, which are a unit towards foreign powers, but have as much independence among themselves as each of the United States, each self-governing. A parliament (_Bundesversammlung_) of two chambers--the _Nationalrath_ of 145 members corresponding to the House of Representatives, the _Standesrath_ with 44 members, equivalent to the Senate--represent the interests of the whole federation. The administration of the cantons lies in the hands of the “great” and “small” councils, with an executive ministry of three members chosen for two years by the former council. The administration of the Bund is in the hands of the _Bundesrath_ of 7 members, elected by the parliament, which also elects one of the members as president for one year. The Referendum, which, if 30,000 voters demand it within 3 months, requires reference of any law to the direct vote of the people is used as a check on legislation. Although the larger part of the population of 3 million people is German, parts of Switzerland are French, and other parts Italian. From this brief statement of the political development of the country it will appear that the development of forestry must also have varied. 1. _Forest Conditions and Property Rights._ Topographic and soil conditions necessarily had also their influence on this development. In the plains, the plateau, and the hill country, the distinction of forest and field as it now exists had been in general attained in the 15th century, while in the mountain country, forest destruction began only in the 18th century and continued till the middle of the 19th century, stimulated by the development of the metal industry and the improvement in means of communication. The clearings made here were turned into pasture and, being overpastured, became waste lands. Thus, owing to topographic and soil conditions, a very uneven distribution of forest has resulted and we find a variation in forest area from 9% (Genf) to over 39% (in the Jura) of the total land area of the different cantons, the average being 20.6%, leaving out of consideration the area above timber limit (5,000 to 7,500 feet) and the waters and rocks below. This is less than in Germany and Austria, more than in France; but, if allowance is made for unproductive soil which is included in the German area statements, the percentage of forest area on productive soil would about equal that of Germany. In the last 25 years, the area has increased by 10 per cent. to 2,140,000 acres. This area is insufficient to supply the demand, from 15 to 25% of it being imported. In 1907, the imports had risen to nearly 25 million cubic feet, valued at $9 million.