Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-03-19
SOMETHING ABOUT SWiTZER.
LAND.
EXTRACTS FROM A PRIVATE LETTER.
HOTEL DE PARIS.
1ONTREUX. SwITZ.. Feb. ~. 1856.

HOTEL DE PARIS, I
MONTREUX. SwITZ., Feb. ~. 1856. {
We have been in Switzerland over 81,
months, and have found it delightful
country; its people quiet and industri
Gus. This place, the warmest and most
sheltered in the country. is noted for its
good schools and efficient teachers
These have been an attraction to us
Thousands are here from the British Isles
FOR the purpose of educating their chill
dren. every winter. The kursaal. where
% musicians give two concerts daily. is
within stones throw of US. MontreuX
is lovely place. but so different from
any | ever saw in America. 1t is COM
pletely hemmed in by lofty mountains.
which are very steep and have their tops
covered with snow. The sides. towards
the tops. are covered with spruce; lower
down with beach and a variety of white
ash. while the lower parts are terraced
with massive walls and planted with
vines about two feet apart one way and
'hl'' I'tt llI' olHtT. these vines are.
when young, cut of about ten or twelve
inches from the ground; and every wear
the old wood is cut back to the top of the
old stumps as first cut, about a foot from
the ground, and from three to five stocks
of new growth allowed to stand for the
next crop. The vines are kept up, while
growing and bearing in summer. by
small stakes, to which they are usually
tied. | think | saw no VINEYARDS i'm
switzerland where the vines were five
feet high when the grapes were ON.
Many of the vines are very old and at the
ground two to three inches in diameter.
| should say Vermont vines pruned in
the way they are here were ruined.
prefer more grapes on each vine. even if
they are more difficult to pick. The Swiss
seem to delight in pruning vines and trees
all they will live under. The horse chest
nut is used much in the towns in Switz-
erland for shade: and it is surprising to
see how soon by trimming these trees
make lovely. shady walk. They cut
the tops off every year, and do not allow
them to grow more than eight or ten
feet. but spread sideways. so as to shade
much ground. They trim the locust in
the same way and make of it Il most beau
tiful tree.
The black walnut is very common in
many parts of Switzerland. and it grows
to an enormous size. much larger than
ever saw in Ohio. Indiana orin kentucky.
where they seem to thrive best in .Alncri-
ca. The largest black walnut trees |
have seen in switzerland were in the
beautiful little town of Intcrlaken. which
lies at the foot of the most celebrated
glacier of the Alps. the Jun gfrau."
Onc of these trees j. said to measure. two
feet from the ground. - feet around its
trunk. | saw many others there that
were from five to six feet in diameter.
The black walnut is used for furniture
here. as in America. The pine. and. in
fact. most of the trees growing in New
England can be found in switzerland. as
well is many varieties have never seen
in New England. have never seen the
maple in Europe. Shrubs and towering
plants are extensively cultivated here
and are very beautiful. Christmas roses
were in bloom here until the 9th of De
ccmbcr. and then came frost.
The domestic animals in Switzerland
are very fine. The horses are all fat and
very fair travellers. They take great care
If their cattle. | never have seen "A lean
'ow or OK in switzerland. Even the
ionkeys forget to.bray, as their wants are
so well supplied.
Since writing the above this morning |
nave taken walk among the VINEYARDS,
md found them now pruning their vines
NEW, leaving nothing to grow from the
stump except from three to five stubs of
ines about two inches long. 1t really
ooks as though they intended to kill their
Vineyards.
We intend to leave here within month
or Germany, Heidelberg and Weisbaden. |
where we may stop for three or four
weeks then down the Rhine into Bel |
rum and Holland. | want to be in Lon |
Ion in May, and | hope we shall be pre-
Jared to leave England for America in
une or July. Yours truly,
tOLIMBUS SMITH.
THE PROGRESS OFACENTURY.