EEPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 221 



done. In nearly every locality where stations have been established 

 the results of their work are seized upon and put into practice. The 

 stations are heartily cooperating with the people by furnishing 

 advice, new seeds, etc., and in turn the people are right loyally sup- 

 porting the stations according to their ability to do so. 



NUTRITION INVESTIGATIONS. 



Sixteen years ago the nutrition investigations of the Department 

 of Agriculture had just passed the organization period and begun 

 the period of development which since that time has been steady 

 and continuous. The purpose of these investigations is to study the 

 use as food of products of farm, ranch, and garden, and to bring 

 the results obtained to the attention of housekeepers, and thus help 

 them in making the best, most rational, and most ecojiomical use of 

 available resources. 



A great variety of questions have been studied, and the results 

 obtained have been of very decided value to the housekeeper, as well 

 as to the producer of food supplies and those who manufacture, 

 handle, and market them. As a whole the investigations have pro- 

 vided and made accessible a large amount of data regarding the 

 composition and nutritive value of American food materials, their 

 properties, and their uses. Special investigations have been numer- 

 ous, as is shown by the references which follow. 



DIGESTIBILITY. 



The relative digestibility of bread made from different sorts of 

 flour has been studied exhaustively, the conclusion reached being 

 that coarse flours are somewhat less thoroughly assimilated than fine 

 grades, but as a whole all are well digested and are very valuable 

 foods. Similar studies have been made of the relative digestibility 

 and nutritive value of meat of different kinds and cuts. Whatever 

 the cut, mutton, beef, and other meats were found to be very thor- 

 oughly assimilated and valuable sources of protein and energy in the 

 diet. Cheese has been studied exhaustively, and, judged by its thor- 

 oughness of digestion and other nutritive qualities, it is to be re- 

 garded as a staple food suitable for use in quantity rather than as an 

 article for occasional use. Studies of the digestibility and nutritive 

 value of cereal breakfast foods and other cereal foods, of food and 

 food products, of nuts, and of vegetables of different sorts have also 

 been carried on. 



From these and other studies which have been made to learn the 

 thoroughness of digestion of ordinary foods of different sorts pre- 

 pared in the usual ways average figures have been deduced, with the 

 aid of which thoroughness of digestion can be computed with rea- 

 sonable accuracy — a great convenience under many circumstances. 



