524 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



feeding requires a more thorough understanding of the fundamentals 

 of animal nutrition, the relations of supply to demand in animal 

 economy and between cause and effect. 



There is a feeling that the limit of scientific advancement in feeding 

 Irv the ordinary methods of investigation has about been reached. 

 Many experimenters, realizing the weakness of their present position, 

 are making feeding work a less prominent feature than formerly. We 

 are ready for the more fundamental work, and the need of it is far 

 more widel} T felt than it was a few years ago. The real problems of 

 feeding and nutrition are felt to be very intricate, far too much so for 

 the experimenter without special training and equipment. They 

 demand the undivided attention of specialists, with a reasonable assur- 

 ance of continued support for a term of years. 



Little advancement in scientific cheese making was made until the 

 nature of the changes, the causes operative, and the effect of condi- 

 tions on the development of these causes had been found out. Then 

 a sound, intelligent basis for action was at hand. The same applies 

 to the feeding question, although there the problem is even more 

 complex and individuality will always have to be taken into account. 



With the sentiment which has developed in recent years there should 

 be abundant support for this higher research work in animal nutrition. 

 The problems presented are national ones in their breadth of interest 

 and importance, and hence the participation of the General Govern- 

 ment in carrying on the investigations seems particularly fitting and 

 desirable. Having devised and built in this countiy an apparatus 

 which is regarded as a model for this character of investigation, it is 

 greatly to be desired that opportunity be afforded for utilizing it to 

 the fullest extent and getting the most possible out of it. 



From every point of view, therefore, the action of the Pennsylvania 

 board of trustees in setting this work off b} T itself and indicating a 

 policy of fostering it b} T liberal appropriations seems worthy of special 

 commendation. Investigation of this high order lends solidity to the 

 station work in animal husbandry, and by reflection affects the stand- 

 ing 1 of the work as a whole. 



