The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-06-26
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

CUh1Vuo CUNUENSA1AONo.
The term 'haud," used in measure
ing horses, means four inches.
There are $4,000 different kinds of
postage stamps in the world.
The cross on the dome of ST. Pc
ter's in Rome is >l4S feet above the pave
ment of the portico.
The term Gods acre." as applied
to Il cemetery, is the old Teutonic and
Saxon designation.
The mules that drew Neros chariot
were Shod with silver shoes; while those
for his wife's 'turn-out." We're of gold
The shape thereof "deponent saith
not"
William H. Priest of Linwood has
made of walnut shells complete parlor
suite of furniture, consisting of center
table, rocker, sofa. armchair and four
straight back chairs.
Several handsome monuments in
Dale cemetery, Sing Sing. y. Y. have
been defaced by some one throwing upon
them chemicals, which have the effect of
Streaking them us though with iron rust
-Maine's forests are being made into
paper ut the rate of about $1,000 tons of
pulp and paper every year. Some 5000
men are employed in the pulp and paper
Industry. and $13,OoO,OOO capital is in
vested in it.
The nearest thing we find to the
horseshoe of today, was found in the
grave of an old King of France. who died
in 1871. There were four nail holes in the
shoe. and this is the first mention of nall
ing on Il shoe.
Mr.. Harrington, NJ. P. says agricul-
tural depression in Ireland is SO great
that if there now existed the organization
of some years ago the people should have
an agitation tenfVld more bitter than
thar of 1856.
The first Christian church erected in
England was 1T Canterbury. in the sub
urhS of st. Martin. ChapelS were for
merly places set apart in haronial resi-
lenceS for private worship. but in course
IF time the term became Of general adap-
1ation 70 both Roman Catholics and Pro-
teStants.
The phrase drunk as lord arose
out of an older 4,rUverb. Drunk us Il
heSgar. and we are told that it was
altered owing to the vice Of drunkenness
prevailing more among the members of
the ariStorracy. Drunkenness was pun
exemplary severity.
1t is reported that the Germans, who
recently made heavy purchases of Amer
lean apples. intend to use this fruit in
the manufacture Of champagne. by an
entirely new and secret process. Wheth
tr this be true or not. the American
apple is gaining Il firm foothold in En-
rnntan markets.
queen Catherine. when she wanted
a salad. was obliged to dispatch mes
Senger to Holland on purpose. Their
fruits were neither numerous nor good.
being chiefly confined to gooseberrie>.
currantS and strawberries: the apples
and pears We're generally indifferent and
their rlums and cherries bad.
The kitchen gardens of England
were but Scantily supplied with vege-
teenth century. 1t was not until the
reign Of Henry VIII. that any salads,
carrots. turnipS or other edible roots
We're produced in England; the little of
these vegetables that was used was i'm
ported from Holland and Flanders.
1t has been estimated from the stamp
duties paid by patent medicine makers;
that 4.MDNn pills are taken by the in
hahltants of the United Kingdom every
week. In France the quantity is about
half. Only about 100000 are taken
by the people of Russia. The Austria
llanS are the biggest pill-takers in the
world.
No mention of the cat occurs in the
Bible or in any Assyrian record. Even
in India. Prof. Max Muller is quoted dis
saying, it was but recently known as a
domestic animal. Its Sanskrit name is
marjara. from Il root meaning to clean,
from the creatures habit of licking itself
at its toilet. The cats housing habits
were we'll known to the Romans, and
even to the Etruscans.
1t is said that DR.. Carver of st. Au-
gustine, Fla. is living in the Oldest
house in the United States. 1t was built
in 1902 and was occupied by Spanish
monks before St. Augustine was found
l.
rounded himself with a collection Of an
tiquities connected with the history of
Florida and the Spanish. who once ruled
it, that is of itself veritable museum.
California shipped out of the state
1881 carloads of fruit, nuts, wine,
brandy and vegetables in 1895. IN in
crease over 1894 of 5346 car
loads. Of fruit alone the ship
ments We're 81, 100 carloads. In
1880 the shipments of fruit were only
1915 carloads. If all the orchards in
out a full crop this year the exports of
fruit should, it is estimated, reach $4,000
carloads.
One of the treasures which have add
ed to the interest of the rooms Of the
American board of commissioners for
Foreign missions in New York was a
cabinet of curios gathered by mission
aries. IN THIS CABINET was Il collection
of idols from the Hawaiian islands,
These images, all of the most hideous
aspect and of strange composition. have
for more than half a century attracted
the attention Of visitors.
Wood Pulp Screws.
\ bolt rusting itself loose is of course
detrimental. Wire nails. or in fact any
sort Of nails will also develop rust in
damp places. OF course there is a GER
tain stage in the rusting process during
which it tightens the bolt or nail in place.
Makers of wire nails roughen the surface
sometimes so as to afford a grip to the
wood. but it has been proven that this
weakens the nail. A point in favor of
the wire nail is that it can be driven
into the wood at an angle, which in
creases the grip about a third Ordi-
narily woodscrew will take too firm a
grip upon the wood, which is a draw
back. as it may be desired to remove
it sometime. The curvatures of the
thread on the screw sets firmly into those
of the timber and when an attempt is
made to remove the screw, the head is
likely to snap off. leaving the lower part
imbedded. Besides a wood screw has
tendency to warp out of line, to splin-
ter, crack, break, etc. The principle
of having wood against wood is in favor
of screws made from wood pulp and in
tcrested parties have undertaken to ex-
pertinent on this line, with the result
that some fairly good samples of wood
pulp screws have been nrmiucad