32 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



It is also proposed to study tlu» ivlative value as sources of energy 

 in the body of butter, lard, beef fat, olive oil, and other edible or 

 culinary fats, a matter on which data are much needed in considering 

 problems of special interest to the Department of Agriculture at the 

 l)resent time. 



Studies already made and in part reported have shown the value 

 as an integral part of the diet of fruits and of preserves, jams, jellies, 

 dried and evaporated fruits, etc., and of nuts and nut products, a 

 matter which is of importance to all w^io are interested in growing 

 fruits and nuts and the manufacture of food products from them. 

 The additional studies of such materials which are needed involve 

 the use of the respiration calorimeter for the measurement of factors 

 which have not as yet been determined. 



It should also be said that no other means of experimenting offers 

 so much hope of ultimate success as the respiration calorimeter in the 

 study of the relative enci*gy expenditure required of the body for per- 

 forming different kinds of farm and household work and in studies 

 of the relation of physical work of this and other sorts to food sup- 

 ply, a question of special value at a time when high cost of living 

 makes reasonable economy desirable in a large number of families. 



Investigations of the food value of meat of different kinds and cuts 

 prepared for the table in a variety of w^ays have been carried on for 

 several years as a part of the nutrition investigations. As the result 

 of this work, and some special tests which have been undertaken, a 

 summary of data has been prepared for publication regarding the 

 use in the home of the cheaper cuts of meat in palatable waj^s, a 

 question Avhich is of much importance in economical household man- 

 agement. 



The question of supplying food under municipal or philanthropic 

 auspices to needy school children is one which is assuming great im- 

 portance, and data regarding many j^hases of this question are fre- 

 quently requested from the Department of Agriculture and can be 

 supplied from the accumulated results of past experiments. How- 

 ever, some additional information should be sought by the improved 

 methods of experimenting noAv available. 



Many requests are also made by institution managers for advice 

 and suggestions regarding food problems presented by the feeding 

 of a large number of persons under more or less uniform conditions. 

 In this case also it is possible to supply a large amount of informa- 

 tion on the basis of facts accumulated from past experiments, though 

 additional data are needed. 



The work of the Department in nutrition investigations and kindred 

 lines has a vital relation to the work of the agricultural colleges. In 

 response to a widespread demand among farmers and other people, 

 these colleges are conducting courses in home economics in which 



