The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-12
Philadelphia Record
Answers to Queries

The THE NOON 100 w RI Boonyille; What 1t, is is
some farmers prefer to plant potatoes, and what
is the light of the moon ~
The moon when not eclipsed always
presents to the sun an Illuminated
hemisphere, but the whole of this can
be seen only when the sun, earth and
moon are in a straight line and the
earth is between the moon and the
sun. When the three bodies are in a
straight line and the moon is between
the earth and the sun, no part of her
illuminated disk can be seen by us.
In the first case we have the full or
light of the moon.'' and in the latter
case 1.-The dark of the moon" The ira
ditions which some farmers follow as
to planting in the dark of the moon,
sowing garden seeds, cutting timber,
killing hogs and the like during that
period are founded neither on fact nor
rational theory of any kind and need
only to be tested to prove their entire
absurdity,
LEAP YEAR,. B. c.. City. What is the
rule for ascertaining If certain year viii be a
leap year? What was the reason that 1900 was
not leap year? -
A leap year is one of 366 days 1t
so happens that the leap years coin
eide with the years that are Invisible
by 4 without remainder. Prior to
the adoption of the Gregorian calendar
there was much confusion, so 1t was
ordained that every hundredth year
should not be leap year excepting the
year 1000, and every four hundredth
year thereafter. In order to minimize
the variance In time so as to bring 1t
down to So minutes 40 seconds In 100
years. 1t was further ordained that
the years 100, 1900 and 1900 be taken
out of the list Of leap years. The diff
hot {c%-
civil and the natural year by this ar
rangement is about % seconds a year
or about six hours in 1000 years.
TRIAL BY JURY-G. S. Lvermore what IL
the origin Of trial by jury?
1t is generally understood that the
form Of trial by jury is derived from
the institutions of the Greeks and
Romans. In ancient Athens a number
of freemen of the city were appointed.
usually several thousands from whom
were selected by lot q certain number
for every case to be tried at law and
to hear and determine the questions
that might arise in the case under the
direction of a presiding magistrate.
In Rome similar system was adopted
There the complainant in the case
came before the praetor and stated his
grievance, the defendant made answer
and the praetor then referred the ca Sc
to the JUDGES to determine the facts.
No specific number of these JUDGES
was required.
SAVE THE FLAG-Subscriber. CITY. who
was 1t, during of the American wars that
used the expression, Lay down and save the
flag" and what the incident that brought
forth that expressionf
At the battle of Winchester, July "a.
1854, Colonel James A. Mulligan. in
command of the Twenty-third Illinois
infantry. led charge on the Oonfed-
crate lines, in which he was mortally
wounded. A squad of men, seeing him
fall, came forward to carry him of the
field. As they were taking him toward
the rear he saw that the regimentaI
colors were endangered Turning to
his bearers he said: Lay me down and
save the flag" They hesitated. when
he repeated the order peremptorily
and they obeyed. Before the men re-
turned the wounded hero had been
carried off by the enemy and two DAYS
later died.