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SWITZERLAND.

The soil of the country is very equally divided among the popu- lation, it being estimated that of the two millions and a half inhabi- tants of Switzerland, there are but half a million having no landed possession. Of every 100 square miles of land, 20 are pasture, 17 forest, 11 arable, 20 meadow, 1 vineyard, and 30 uncultivated, or occupied by lakes, rivers, and mountains.

Trade and Industry.

The Federal custom-house returns classify all imports and exports under three chief headings, namely, ' live stock,' ' ad valorem goods,' and ' goods taxed per quintal.' According to this classifi- cation, the import and export trade of the Confederation, in the two years 1867 and 1868, was as follows : —

Imports

1S67

1868

Live stock head

Agricultural instruments, carts and railway carriages for travellers, and merchandise, ad valorem ..... francs Goods taxed per quintal, including loads re- duced to quintals. . . quintals

Exports Live stock ... . head Wood and coal, ad valorem. francs Goods, per load and quintal. quintals

242,931

406,458 19,006,133

219,553

938,696

17,292,449

120,418 6,102,833 2,486,668

127,681

7,802.515 2,609,138

Being an inland country, Switzerland has only direct commercial intercourse with the four surrounding states — Austria, Italy, France, and Germany. The trade with Austria is very inconsiderable, not amounting, imports and exports combined, to more than 25,000 francs, or 1,000/. per annum, on the average. From Italy the annual imports average 30,000 francs, or 1,200/. in value, while the exports to it amount to 1,500,000 francs, or 60,000/. The imports from France average 500,000 francs, or 20,000/., and the exports to it 5,5 I »0,000 francs, or 220,000/. The intercourse with Germany, imports and exports, are nearly equal, averaging each 500,000 francs, or 20.000/. per annum.

Switzerland is in the main an agricultural country, though with a strong tendency to manufacturing industry. According to the census of 1860, there are 1,095,447 individuals supported by agricul- ture, either wholly or in part. The manufactories employed, at the same date, 216,468 persons, the handicrafts 241,425. In the canton of Basel, the manufacture of silk ribbons, to the annual value of 1,100,000/., occupies 6,000 persons; and in the canton of Zurich silk