Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1908 [PAGE 422]

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

[Dec. 10

how our fish fauna is related to that of the country at large. The manuscript of my general report on Illinois fishes is now being typewritten for the printer, and will follow in press closely upon the plankton bulletin now being printed. I am planning next to enter upon a department of survey work not heretofore undertaken by us, in which, however, a considerable and rapidly increasing interest is manifested by the public at large. The law establishing the State Laboratoy of Natural History at the State University provides that the director of the laboratory "shall conduct a natural history survey of the State, giving preference to subjects of educational and economic importance." A subject of special economic importance is the .maintenance and increase of the supply of our forest products, and the necessary foundation of an intelligent practical program to that end is a survey of our present forest area, and particularly of those parts of it little likely to be eventually cleared for agricultural use. I propose, consequently, to begin, during next year, a piece of forestry survey work in the hill-lands of southern Illinois, to lead to the publication of a bulletin on the subject next fall, and hope to have the cooperation and assistance of the United States Forestry Department in this preliminary work. With such a beginning I should expect to be able to interest the State legislature in a suitable provision for its continuance and expansion according to its present and prospective importance. Respectively submitted,

S. A. FORBES,

Director of Laboratory. NUTRITION INVESTIGATIONS. 11. From Professor Grindley a report of the progress in the matter of nutrition investigation.

LABORATORY OF PHYSIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. -

December 10, 1907, President Edmund J. James, University of Illinois, DEAR PRESIDENT JAMES—I submit herewith a report of the progress of the nutrition investigations. The work in all lines has been thoroughly organized, and the complete details involved in the original plans are being at present carried out. The investigation grows rapidly as we proceed with it. The undertaking is even much greater than we had anticipated. Notwithstanding this fact as yet we are able to manage the work successfully. To accomplish this is requiring much help, and the expense attending the entire investigation is large. The people connected with the researches last month not including the Nutrition Club itself numbered 50 and the pay roll amounted to $1,461. Of course a considerable number of these helpers devoted only part of their time to the work. I t will be necessary for us to add two or three more analysts in the very near future. The experimental data including the analytical ,clinical, medical, and bacteriological, are at present accumulating rapidly and forming a very valuable collection of information. The members of the Commission, namely, Professors Chittenden, Abel, Smith, and Mathews, will meet in conference here at the University Friday afternoon and Saturday, December 27th and 28th. The detailed plans of the various lines of work have been placed in their hands some time ago, and at the coming meeting these will be thoroughly gone over and the members will be shown in full the laboratories and the equipment which we are using in carrying out the work. At the same time we wTill put before them as far as possible the data at that time available. If my report to you of October 16th was not presented to the Trustees. I should think it desirable that this should be done, since it would place clearly before them the condition of the work at that time. If you deem desirable, we should be pleased to have a committee of the Trustees or the entire Board inspect the work in so far as they desire. I enclose herewith copies of the detailed methods which were sent the Commission some time ago. Yours very truly,

H. S. GRLNEDLEY.