No. 4.] SALT MARSH HAY. 55 



little rain and a high run of tides immediately before cutting, 

 we frequently see the salt hay with the crystals of salt on it 

 so they will fairly glisten in the sun. At other times when 

 we have had a low run of tides and there has been a recent 

 rain, you can scarcely taste it. Therefore in any analysis it 

 would be very important that the condition of the grass at 

 the time of cutting should be known. 



Professor AVhitcher. There is another difficulty the 

 chemist has to deal with. He has to deal with hay as farm- 

 ers use it, and we have to go to the hay stack and take hay 

 you are going to feed. We cannot take selected samples 

 and put them under our coats and keep them out of the rain, 

 and cure them as you would a bunch of herbs ; but we have 

 to take an average sample of hay, and then we have what 

 you are talking about, not ideal hay. The analyses I have 

 given here to-day may seem low ; still when you take into 

 consideration the question of digestibility, I think they are 

 not misleading. 



The Chairman. Gentlemen, I regret very much to cut 

 off a discussion that seems interesting, but it is getting late, 

 and I must bring this meeting to a close. We will now 

 adjourn until half-past seven o'clock this evening. 



Evening Session. 



The evening session was opened at 7.30 o'clock, by the 

 first vice-president, Hon. James S. Grinnell, who said: — 



The subject this evening, as you know from the pro- 

 gramme, is "The nutrition of soil, plant, beast and man," 

 to include advanced methods of cooking food, with a practi- 

 cal demonstration, by Mr. Edward Atkinson of Boston. 

 Mr. Atkinson is known not only to you but to all the people 

 of Massachusetts and to all the people of the civilized world, 

 wherever the English language is spoken, certainly, and 

 perhaps in other places, as one of the advanced theorists 

 and writers and benefactors of the family. He has a great 

 subject here, and has, I suppose you understand, to begin 

 with, some nutrition in process of proi)aration. He will 

 instruct you how it can be applied to all. I take pleasure 

 in introducing Mr. Atkinson of Boston. 



Mr. Edward Atkinson. Ladies and gentlemen, I think 



