508 



as far as practicable, tlie fundameutal idea beinjj to brinj;- all these 

 agencies to bear in such ways as to best help the farmer to help him- 

 self. The extent of the investigations, the defiuiteness of the results, 

 and their practical and educational value are shown in the reports. 



No other experimental inquiry regarding tlie feeding of domestic 

 animals has for a number of years excited so much interest among 

 farmers in Germany. Doubtless this interest is partly due to tlie share 

 which their fellow farmers have had in the inquiry. But the chief 

 reas(m is that the results enforce a doctrine which, though not entirely 

 new, now comes before the public with so strong a support of experi- 

 mental test that it demands the most careful attention. 



The doctrine is in substance as follows: We are constantly imi)rov- 

 ing the breeds of our domestic animals. A large part of the imjjrove- 

 ment is increased productive capacity. We have cows that give more 

 milk; neat cattle, sheep, and swine tliat fatten better; and horses and 

 oxen that do more work than was expected in formeryears. For the larger 

 production they need better nourishment. The food that formerly suUiced 

 <loes not till the need for the larger production which is wanted aiul is 

 most profitable to-day. In Germany this principle is expressed in the 

 statement that the old feeding standards do not suffice for the production 

 demanded of the imi)roved stock of to day. To utilize the luddintive 

 capacity of such animals, more liberal leeding is essential, and what is 

 needed to lit the food to the donand is increase of i»rotein. Woltrs 

 standards provide enough non-nitrogenous material but not enough 

 nitrogen. Kations richer in i)rotein and with narrower nutritive ratios 

 are needed. 



These experiments are of interest to us in the I'nited States in two 

 ways: In the first place they illustrate one of the ways in whi<h our 

 experiment stations may be useful. The exjteriments were nn\de l>y the 

 station in coiqieration with intelligent farmers. In the jilanning and 

 in the executitm of the work the teachings of science and the demantls 

 of juaetiee were both carefully considered. Had the ]>rimary object 

 been the study of chemical and physiological laws the investigati(»ns 

 might better have been restricted to the laboratory, the stable, and the 

 resjjiration ai>i)aratus. But the object was rather to help the farnu'r 

 apply the teachings of s<'ience to his ])ractice and find in what ways it 

 could be nuule more rational and profitable. To this end a subject of 

 immediate importance was in each case selected; the questi«)ns were 

 made narrow and si)ecific; the specialists of the university and the most 

 intelligent prai-tical men contributed the fruits of tlu'ir study and 

 ex[)»'rience; the results of information already gained and the teachings 

 of abstract science were utilized. No reasonable i)ains were spared to 

 make the investigations accurate and thorough, and they are being 

 repeated not only iu a number of different i)laces, but through a st-ries 

 of years. In the second place they enforce alesson of luactical \ alue lor 

 farmers. The results inqdy very distinctly that the best ]M(»ducli(»n 

 of meat and milk is brought about by liberal feeding and especially by 



