EDITORIAL. 7 



" These, however, are questions of animal physiology. In effect 

 they ask how does the animal mechanism operate when supplied with 

 different raw materials or placed under varying conditions. They 

 are problems for rigorous scientific research and too much stress can 

 not be laid upon the importance of such research." 



Another main line of experimental effort suggested relates to the 

 economic application in practice of the principles discovered by in- 

 vestigation — a wide field for fruitful experimental work; and here 

 especially a coordination of effort and of opportunity was regarded 

 as highly important. 



In papers by Dr. F. G. Benedict, of the Carnegie Institution, and 

 Dr. C. F. Langworthy, of this Office, timely suggestions were made for 

 the study of the protein requirement of animals, the relation of pro- 

 tein to carbohydrates, and the influence of mineral matter. These 

 large problems were thought to present good opportunity for coordi- 

 nate action or cooperation by stations working under different condi- 

 tions of feed supply and environment. The possibility of using small 

 animals, which complete their life cycle in a ishort period, was sug- 

 gested as a means of getting data on some points associated with the 

 relation of food to growth, in a preliminaiy way. 



Taken as an introduction to the new society, the papers presented 

 at its first meeting are so suggestive as to give promise of a career of 

 great usefulness in directing thought and action in the field of animal 

 feeding. The society, as Dr. Armsby said, owes its origin largely 

 to a feeling of dissatisfaction with the more or less fragmentary and 

 elementary nature of feeding studies in the past, and is the embodi- 

 ment of a desire on the part of investigators for closer relations with 

 each other and a more broadly conceived programme of investigation. 

 As a foundation for this the beginning was most propitious. 



