Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-09-01
SOME CURIOUS FACTS.
Gathered From all Over this Big
World.

~ H"No Diuc HyuTaHSeaS water the
plant with water in which alum is
dissolved.
Paris, with population of about
2,5OO,OOO, has fewer than 100 negroes
within its limits. 1t is claimed that
the colored population of all France
is less than $50.
The tomato may be traced back to
the sixteenth century, and although it
is mentioned since then by several
writers, it did not become marketable
until 1929.
Caterpillars from 10 to - inches
long are said to be not uncommon in
Australia, while species which vary
in length from six to eight inches are
said to be numerous.
Poppy seed has no sedative property.
In the East the oil is pressed out and
used as substitute for salad oil in
cookery. The refuse OF the seed is
then used for fattening poultry.
There is said to be about 100000
acres OF forest in Hungary. OF these
the government owns about $500 600
acres. and buys each year, and refuses
to sell any that it possesses.
Gladwin county, Mich, boasts of
having the largest frame barn in the
world. 1t is 156 feet long, so feet
wide. The structure is three stories
high, and is 73 feet from the base to
the apex OF the roof.
The moccasins worn by many of
the western tribes OF Indians are now
made in Maine. 1t would be interest
ing to know what percentage of profit
the simple red man makes in selling
these "relics" to tourists.
The flowers OF the pineapple are
very brilliant, and the plant consists
OF a bundle Of leaves. The natives cut
off the upper tuft, or crown, of the
fruit and plant it in the earth. In
such simple mann er is this luscious
fruit propagated.
Great is the power Of the waves. 1t
is related by the ancient fishermen OF
Cape Ann that one rock, since esti-
mated to weigh 62 tons, was carried
shoreward some twenty rods in the
great gale which tore down Minot's
light house in 1851.
The Smithsonian institution has re-
ceived from China pair of stockings
manufactured from human hair.
They are worn by fishermen over COT
ton stockings (being too rough for the
naked skin), and under straw shoes, as
a protection against moisture.
The date tree is a species of palm.
1t grows to the height of 1OG feet. As
the tree advances in height the old
leaves fall off, leaving the stem bare.
In its bearing state the leaves are from
six to eight feet long. The trees are
male and female in distinct plants.
In upper Egypt whole families
exist almost entirely on dates. The
stones are ground and given to their
camels, which relish them. Usually
200 to 300 fruit bearing date palm
trees belong to one family. Some OF
these dusky fruit growers own over
1000 trees.
The French manufacture q paper
linen 80 cleverly that it is almost i'm
possible without examination to de.
tect the difference between it and
damask; and even to the touch the
articles made OF paper are very much
like linen and are used for many pur-
poses where linen is applicable.
Two Frenchmen, the brothers FORE,
have invented new kind of harp,
made entirely of wood. Instead OF
strings, the inventors use American
fir. The sound is produced as in the
ordinary harp by contact of the fin
gers, but the players wear leather
gloves, covered with resin. The tones
of the instrument is of remarkable
purity.
+ In 1927 there grew on the farm of
Brent's a parish of Kirkmichael,
Dumfrieshire, Scotland, a root of rye
the size of Portugal onion, from
which sprung 6S stalks, each provided
with well-filled head. When ripened
it was pulled up. The grains were
then counted, and found to contain f.
O96 kernels, presumably the greatest
quantity ever produced from one grain
OF rye.
An ant three-eighths of an inch
long, carrying burden of one-sixth
Of grain, moves at the rate of one
mile in eleven hours. This weight
small one compared with what they
sometimes carry-is eighteen times
their own. In carrying this weight
they compare with man 81 feet high,
weighing 140 pounds, carrying ton
and a half of lead from St. Louis to
Jefferson City and back again in 224
hours.
The commercial travellers of this
country now number over 250,OOO,
and reach in their journeyings every
town and hamlet in this country;
they are the greatest distributors of
goods, shipping about 800 900 tons out
100000 tons now carried yearly by the
railroads, and they spend over 81 ,75O,.
600 per day, or about 1862 ,OOO, 900 per
travelling year of nine months, which
is distributed among the carriers,
hotels, shopkeepers and producers.
An enthusiast on the subject states
each head of clover is composed of
about 60 distinct flower tubes, and