Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-18
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

O. why doesn't the Post Office deem
postage stamps for cash2 A. II. r.
A.. Adhesive postage stamps are not
redeemed in cash because there is no
authority in law for go doing II is a
measure 0f protection against the use II
starn-rs for remittanccs which tise is
contrary 10 the interests Of the postal
service, since IL diverts the postal reye-
nues from their proper channel, causing
the mailing post Office 10 do the work
while the selling post office gets tho reve-
nue. Another objection to redemption ~
that it would afford opportunity for post
office burglars 70 realize upon their
plumber.
O. Where do bananas conc from and
how do they grow1 a. Nj. W
A. Bananas are imported chiefly from
the West Indies and Central America,
although some are produced 81 liawan.
California and Florida. The banana
plant ia a great perennial herb. IL grows
from ten 20 thirty feet tall and produces
n bunch Of fruit. after which the stalk
dies or becomes weak. Ia the meantime
suckers have arisen from the root atalk 70
take ifs place. and bear in their turns.
strong sprout should bear when twelve
to eighteen months old.
O. Which are the oldest life insurance
companies J.. Il. -.
A The oldest existing life insurance
companies are the Royal Exchange As
sirance Corporation and the London
Assurance Corporation. both IL which
were chartered in 1920 and began issuing
policies IN i72l
@. What IS the death-ratc for babies in
India O. =. A.
A. The infant death-ratc for indIa IS
more than iwice as high as hat u Eng
land. Almost two million babies under the
age Of one year die each year. and ~ least
half of these deaths arc prcventablc \
great effort is being made ~ help these
Indian mothers ~ the care Of children,
since manv Of these deaths can be laid a
the door Of ignorance and poverty
@ Who arc Druaea2 e. II.
4 DrIses are people ~ mixed origin
who inhabit "A district IN syria. Their
religion Il fundamentals Mohammedan
but their faith mIngles the teachings 81
the Mosaic law, the Christian Gospel.
and the Suf aIlegorics with those ~ thr
Koran. They believe IN the fransmigTa-
ton of souls with constant advancement
and purifcation Their teachings cnjnir
abstience from wine and tobacco, from
profanity and obsccnItv, and polygamt
II unknown among them There are 2
few hundred of this scct in thn United
States.
@. Has tho Yuma project been 4 suc.
cesq? q Il NJ
A. Work on the reclamation of the
Yuma mesa in Arizona began IN 1908
and watcr for irrigation purposes wa.
first available in June of 1912 The tofa
cost IF his work up to December 1919
was 80 600 000. while the total value "a
crops harvested wae $50 Az 5f3
This shows that IN less than seven year.
the Yuma project has more than twicf
paid for itself For the year 1919 the croT
value per acre was close to $50. probably
leading All other sections in the jnitec
states bv very wide margin
O. How arc the batting averages q
baseball PLAYERS figured? M T..
A. To determine batting averages
divide the total times at bat INTO the tota
number of base hits. For cases where thi
remaining fraction il one-half Or over,
point Is added to the average.
o. VIII you please tell me whether the
infantry Or artillery had the highest per
centage of casualties n the World Wal
j. G. r.
4. out Of each 1000 enlisted men II
infantry service. fortv-six were killed 81
died Of wounds: infantry officers ffty-tive
out of each thousand were killed; ii ar
tillerv, sax enlisted men and eight officer:
in eacn thousand were killed.
O. Why are furs bringing such higt
prices? W A. IT.
4. The demand for furs, which seen
10 be worn the year round IN this country
has brought on enormous rise IN prices
The popularity of fur coats, especially
of Hudson seal, has advanced the pric'
Of brown muskrat from one dollar a pelt
two wears ago, 10 FIVE dollars and feT
cents, and the demand continues at tor
prices. The United States, with the eXcep
ton Of Russia, Is probably the creates
consumer oT fuT garments IN the world
O. Please give me information on tn'
building Of the Statue of Liberty. /. l.. \
A. The Statue Of Liberty Was designed
by Bartholdi, the French sculptor, anC
presented by the people OF France 10 th'
people of America 70 commemorate th'
Tooth Annlversar'- Of American Indepen
dence II was 81 dica od on October -
1886 The fig reit Il Is 305 feet 4 lnche:
above mean ID The statue lS made
principally of iron and copper The naterl
Il FOR the base on which il stands wa;
provided bt funds raised from the Amer
can people Tor the purpose
Q. What i the name Of the animal H hlcI
has the least number Of teeth, and whai
do they number L. B.
\. The Bureau Of Biological Surves
says that ne elephant has the icyvest
teeth. They number ten counting the ,Ne
tusks The ant-eater, however, has ug
teeth whatever.
Any reader can get the answer 10 Any
question by writing Every Evening In
formation Bureau. Frederic ] Haskin.
Director, Washington, d. c. This offer
applies strictly 10 information The
Bureau cannot give advice on legal
medical, and financial matters, Ii does
not attempt to settle domestic troubles,
nor tos undertake exhaustive research
an any subject. Write Your question
plainly and briefly Give fun name and
address and enclose two cents IN stamps
for return postage All replies are sent
direct 70 the inquirer
Chemical Workers Dine