468 EXPERIMENT STATION REfORD. 



IHiidiii sliidics in ] rniiont fanners' fnniilics. J. L. Hills (pp. 7-10). — Four 

 (lii'tary sdidics were niado. throe in farmers' families in conifortaI)l(' cinMiin- 

 slances and one in the family of an ollicer of th«' Vermont Station, nn an 

 average, the eost of the food was L*."! cts. per man i)er (hiy, its i)rotein content 

 beinj: 104 gm. and its fuel value 3,402 calories. One of the studies was made 

 in the summer and anot4ier with the sauie family in the winter. 



" The cost of the summer dietary is 25 cts. and that of the winter dietary 2S 

 cts. per man j)er day. The diflterence seems mainly due to the higher cost of 

 eggs and dairy products during the winter. Both are higher than the average 

 found in 91 farm dietary studies made tlirougliout the United States, but in 

 the opinion of the author the fact that so many of the prices quoted are market 

 prices applied to home-grown products makes a fair discussion of the relative 

 economy of these studies out of the question. In any case they are not expen- 

 sive, considering the circumstances of the family. Each of tliem, but the 

 winter one particularly, is an excellent illustration of the fact that with intel- 

 ligence and care the liome maimer on the farm can provide a diet as varied and 

 attractive as her sister in the city, and at a moderate cost." 



Dietary studies of families living in the mountain region of eastern Tennes- 

 see, C. E. Wait (pp. 21-110). — A brief historical sketch of the Tennessee moun- 

 tain settlements introduces this report of 64 dietary studies made with moun- 

 tain families, one of these in the suburbs of a large city, 44 near a town of 

 about 3,000 people, and the remainder in families more remote from large 

 centers of population. The majority of the families such as were selected for 

 study live in log houses or simple frame houses and the furniture, etc., is very 

 simple. 



On an average, the families living near towns obtained 85 gm. protein, 117 

 gm. fat, and 505 gm. carbohydrates per man per day, the energy value of the 

 diet being 3,050 calories, and its cost 9.3 cts. In the case of the 19 studies in 

 remote districts, the diet supplied 82 gm. protein, 131 gm. fat, and 5(>0 gm. 

 carbohydrates per man per day, the energy value of the diet being 3,731 calories, 

 and its cost 7.4 cts. 



" These studies fully confirm the popular impression that the diet among 

 the iieople of whom these families are typical is extremely simple and cheap 

 and unattractive, judged by the usual standards. Corn meal, wheat flour, 

 and fat cured pork are the principal kinds of food, to which a few other mate- 

 rials are added in varying proportion. In general, it may be said that these 

 three items make up about three-quarters of the total diet. There is, on the 

 whole, more variety among families living in or near the towns than in remote 

 mountain districts. These differences are probably mainly due to differences 

 in the buying facilities in the various sections. Even the most varied of tliese 

 diets, however, are mucli simpler than the majority of those of families else- 

 where observed. 



" Of the animal foods, pork is by far the most common, and in the majority 

 of cases it is used cured or salted. . . . Buttermilk was more conunonly 

 used than in any similar studies: skim milk was also in fairly common use, 

 but whole milk appears in only nine cases. In general, milk was most freely 

 consumed in families where a cow was kej)!. . . . 



" The most common vegetables were white and sweet potatoes, but beans, 

 both dried and fresh, cabbage, turnips, onions, tomatoes, etc, are occasionally 

 seen in the lists. Fresh fruits appear to be little used, even in summer. Dried, 

 canned, and jellied fruits ai'e mentioned occasionally, sometimes in forms 

 peculiar to the locality, such as dried goosel)erries and blackberries." 



"On the whole, these dietaries represent as much energy as is usual but 

 rather smaller anu)unts of iiroteiu than those indicated by the standards as 



