yet it actually imports butter and cattle. It consumes more animal food than the contiguous countries, viz., twenty-two kilos. of meat, twelve kilos. of cheese, five of butter, and one hundred and eighty-two of milk per head per annum. To the Swiss may be applied the words of Cæsar as to the ancient Britons: “_Lacte et carne vivunt_.” The country is well adapted for the keeping and breeding of cattle, being favored with good grass, water, and air. Large sums are expended by the various cantonal governments upon schemes for the improvement of the breed of cattle and for the facilitation of their transport from the place of production to the market. The cattle for milking, draught, and fattening are not kept and treated separately with a single object only being kept in view; the Swiss cow is expected to unite all these qualities at one time within herself. It is believed that a cow is positively benefited by being put to the plough, especially if the work be done in the morning; and few bullocks, but many cows, are frequently seen serving various draught purposes, not with the yoke, but with harness similar to that used for the horse. A cow which, at the time of calving, fails to give eighteen litres (litre = .88 quart) of milk is not considered of any value. A fair average for the Swiss cow is ten quarts of milk per day the milking year through, and five thousand three hundred and fifteen pounds of milk per cow is an annual average yield for the milking season of nine months. In England the famous short-horned cows furnish only an average of four thousand six hundred and eighty-eight pounds, and the highest average of milk received at the best dairies of the State of New York reaches a little over four thousand pounds, making a difference in favor of Swiss cows of over thirteen hundred pounds. The federal government makes an annual appropriation for the improvement of cattle, and in the distribution of the subsidy confines itself to those Cantons where cattle-breeding receives local assistance and encouragement. All subsidies are made subject to various conditions to secure the fullest benefit therefrom. These require an annual examination of all breeding-bulls to be held at a district show; prize bulls must be used in the Canton for at least one year after the awarding of the prize; breeding-bulls must be registered, and none unregistered may be so used; prize cows must also remain a certain time in the Commune, and must not leave the Canton before calving. The Swiss have superior breeds of cattle for yield of milk, aptitude for fattening, and capability of working, as well as handsome in appearance. From reports made by United States consuls, the two best-known and highly-prized breeds of cattle appear to be the parti-colored and the brown; the difference prevailing in each being, mainly, in point of size and greater or less degree of fineness. The parti-colored breed is seen at its best in the valleys of the Simme,