REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 15 
beast that serves him, by so much is it of more consequence 
that the relation his food bears to his health, strength, and 
purse should be understood. ‘The experiment stations of the 
country have been studying the feeding of the plant and the 
animal. ‘They are now turning their attention to the food and 
nutrition of man. An inquiry into the economy of the food of 
the people of the United States has been going on for some 
years, by the aid of an appropriation from Congress, and under 
the direction and authority of the Department of Agriculture. 
This inquiry is being carried out in cooperation with the experi- 
ment stations and other institutions in different parts of the 
country from Maine to California, and from Minnesota to Ala- 
bama. ‘The immediate charge of these investigations has been 
given to the Director of the Storrs Station. The Legislature 
of Connecticut has wisely given to the Station a supplementary 
appropriation for this purpose. ‘The details of so much of this 
work as is being carried out in Connecticut are published from 
time to time in the Reports and Bulletins of the Station. 
Dietary Studies.—By means of dietary studies we are enabled 
to learn the quantities of nutrients consumed daily by people 
of different occupation, and of different age and sex. ‘These 
studies bring out, also, the peculiar dietary usage of different 
families, their methods of purchase and preparation of foods, 
the amount wasted, and the ways in which improvements 
could be made to the advantage of both health and purse. 
One result of these studies is to indicate that our diet, like the 
food we are feeding to our animals, is one-sided; that it lacks 
protein; and, furthermore, the same policy by which the farmer 
increases the nitrogen of his crops and of the fodder for his 
stock will increase the protein in the food which he produces 
for the support of the community. Thus science and practice 
are working together harmoniously, not only to improve the 
nourishment of the plant and the animal, but, what is incom- 
parably more important, to improve the food and nutrition 
of man. 
Digestion Experiments.—We have to-day a reasonably fair 
idea of the chemical composition of the food materials most 
commonly used in the United States. Their nutritive value, 
however, depends upon not only the proportions of the different 
