St. Tammany farmer., 1911-03-11
he weather experienced last
winter in Switzerland was of a
siieness unparalleled for fifty
years. vet the pumhor ~ mao

a
= Viieness unparalleled for fifty
ii years, yet the number of peo-
pie who went to Alpine resorts
~ search OF health and amusement
suffered no apparent diminution. Da.
vos had its usual three thousand Eng
iish visitors, and other favorite places
were proportionately full. The fact Ia
tnat almost everyone who has once
tried the sports practiced on snow and
Ice not only returns to them himself.
out persuades his friends to accom-
pany him.
would be possible to enlarge the
purview of these notes by discussing
lne attractions Of Norway, Sweden, tho
BLACK Forest and the Austrian Tyrol.
But we refrain from doing SO because
a present it is in Switzerland only
tnaf adequate provision is made for
those who wish to do something more
man ski all day and every day. There
Rre toboggan runs and ice rinks out
side the frontiers of the playground Of
Europe, but they are little used, and a
suf1cient number of suitable compan-
ions is absolutely necessary for the
curler and eminently desirable for the
tobogganer or skater. Even in Switzer-
land itself skiing is so far the DOM
tnant sport that at some of the smaller
resorts a skater may discover that he
has the rink too much to himself, and
the keen curler find himself unable to
get a good game regularly. Leuzer-
heide, for example, was for two sea-
Sons the headquarters of the Winter
Alps club, and then there was much
excellent skating and curling on the
Kurhaus rink. But when that club
decided to become migratory body
the visitors who filled at once the pla-
ces Of its members, took to the snow.
Skaters and curriers' became less
numerous, and less proficient Much
the same thing has happened at
Montana, where, as at Luzerheide, the
ski slopes are of the first quality. In
fact, II we say that at most places
where only one or two hotelesare=oRen
in the winter skiing has, to some ex-
tent, swamped curling and skating,
we shall be stating general propo-
sition as true as most of its kind.
1t is not very easy to find satisfac-
tory basis of classification for the va
rious Swiss resorts. Perhaps it will
be best to arrange them according to
the special facilities which they afford
for different sports. Whatever sys-
tenn be adopted, St Moritz. Davos and
Grindelwald must form the first class.
They resemble the golf courses on
which championships are decided, in
SO far as they are the places where
the experts meet to compete and cd-l
operate with one another. Each has
its peculiarities. st. Moritz is long
way of, and by considerable num-
ber Of feet the highest Of the three.
Some consider that these accidents of
position are the great advantages Of
the place; others are deferred by
them from going there. Everything,
the hotels, the Cresta Run. the skat-
Ing and curling Kinks, is on a magni-
ficent scale, and consequently life is
expensive. But for those who can af-
ford the expense and are sufficiently
expert at tobogganing to 60 down the
Cresta, or at skating to take part in
a long.combined figure, or at curling
to be welcome in rink which wastes
very few stones, st. Moritz is ideal.
Davos has of late years gone ahead
Of its ancient rival In the department
Of EngaAsh figure skating, and may be
described as the home of that art
The curling is less good, and the ice run
ia not to be seriously compared with
the Cresta. Both places provide first
class facilities for bobsleighing and
skiing. Both also contain sanatoria
for consumptive patients, and there
are not a few healthy people whose
enjoyment Of the life is marred by the
knowledge that all Is not well with
some of their fellow-visitors. 1t is the
boast of the Grindelwalders that their
Ice rinks consistently provide the best
surface for skating and curling which
can be found In Switzerland. Their
contention can hardly be gainsaid.
But their beautiful ice is purchased
at a price; the sun does not shine up
on the rinks for any appreciable time
until February is half wasted. This is
delightful for the expert skaters and
curriers'. who are to be found in large
numbers at Grindelwald, but disap-
nointing to those visitors who have
come out to chase the sun. Such will be
tempted to go skiing in order to get
out Of the shadow Of the Eiger, and
they will find good and varied country
available for either long or short ex-
peditions. There is a long and toll
erably amusing toboggan run. and the
ardent bobsleighist has his chance of
breaking his neck on the Interlaken
road.
At no Swiss resort are evening en-
tertainments unknown; but the visitor
to Zweisimmen, Morginis, ST. Beaten.
berg and Leuzerheide will have to
blame himself if he sits up late more
than two nights q week. We must
not be understood to affirm that at
so1ne places peace and quiet are not
10 &c obtained. and at others there
aiis Is nothing to do In the evenings. Ev-
sesrryysFhere the individual Is at liberty
fo please himself. But our experiences.
Il that the man who at home settles
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