PROBLEMS IN ANIMAL NUTRITION. 519 



No simple and catoeorioal answer is possible to this question. 

 Diverse conditions and abilities must always be reckoned with. At 

 the same time, certain thinos may be sufj^ested, with special refer- 

 ence to this pai-licular subject l)nt of more or less (reneral a])plication. 

 It may be remarked, in the first place, that in any such undertaking, 

 whether along the lines suggested by this paper or relating to other 

 subjects, there is need for a degree of coordination of effort. I am 

 well aware that T am here treading on delicate ground, but Avithout 

 stirring u|) smouldering fires, may we not freely and fully recognize 

 the fact that, tyhUe (hiplication of work, of which we have heard so 

 nnu'h, far from being discouraged should be encouraged, a certain 

 conuuon understanding of the broader features of the problem and 

 of the most in-omising means of approach to it — to a degree, even a 

 program — is essential to satisfactory progress? 



The fact is we have been carrying on a guerrilla warfare around 

 the edges of the subject. Indeed, in pessimistic moments, I have 

 sometimes feared that our stations and colleges have been quite as 

 successful in capturing prizes at fat-stock shows as in developing 

 the science of feeding or imparting pedagogic value to the subject. 

 "VAHiat we need is to plan a campaign against the unknown. Let me 

 hasten to add, however, that this military metaphor, like all others, 

 should not be made to " go on all fours.'' It does not necessarily 

 imply military discipline or a commander-in-chief. What is impor- 

 tant at the present time is that there should be some means of 

 inspiring and jDromoting serious and systematic work in this field, 

 guided by a broad view of the subject. 



The writer hopes to be able to contribute something to the progress 

 of science along this line, and recognizes gratefully that circum- 

 stances have i)ut greater opportunities at his disposal in some par- 

 ticulars than most of our investigators have hitherto enjoyed, but a 

 few workers in a single institution seem like a forlorn hope when we 

 contemplate the vast territory to be occupied. We need a dozen 

 calorimeters instead of one. Above all, we need some means of 

 guiding and to a degree coordinating the work of the younger men 

 in our stations Avithout depriving them of their initiative or of their 

 individual credit for their investigations. Moreover, we need pro- 

 A'ision in some way for Avhat may be called the drudgery of the work, 

 for the computation of results, for the compilation of literature and 

 other work of the sort. 



How this shall be accomplished. I am far from undertaking to say. 

 The stations as a rule. I think, appreciate the importance of the 

 matter, but, as I took occasion to say recently in another connection, 

 the pressure upon those in responsible charge of our experiment 

 stations for results of immediate utility is such that it requires 

 exceptional conviction and courage to set aside liberal sums for pure 



