Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-10
QUESTION S AND ANSWERS

@. What is the origin OF the expression
"buncombe?" G. H.
A. This word, meaning empty talk,
or pointless speech-making, has IFS origin
in the name Of county in North Caro-
lima, and came about in this wise:
Years ago, in Congress, the member
from this district arose to address the
House without any extraordinary powers
in matter or manner, 20 interest the
audience Many members left the hall
Very naivelv he told those who remained
that they might go too: he should speak
for some time, but he was only talking
for BlIncombe. the idea being that
the speech would be printed and dlstrib-
uted back home.
@. Can stars be seen by the naked
eye during bread daylight, on a fair
day, when a person is standing at the
bottom of a brick smokestack, one
hundred sixty-four feet in height? L.
NJ L.
A. The Naval Observatory says that
such Of the brightest stars as come
within the field Of vision as seen from
the bottom Of this smokestaCkt should
be visible to the naked eve in daylight,
provided that the sun is not very near
the field Of view
O. Does the Scotch song Comm
through the Rye" mean coming through
rye iield2 A. a. II.
4 This song refers to the River RYe
in Scotland its significance m&y be
found in the old Scottish custom which
permitted young men % take toll Of
kisses from lassies whom they met on
the stepping stones when crossing the
stream.
O. What size is the largest gun in
A. The War Department saws that
the largest gun used in the military
service is the l6-inch gun. which is the
type used on the Panama Canal.
q. What makes the best roughage
feed for cows. oats, wheat, or corn?
A. G.
4. Exclusive use Of wheat or straw
as a roughage fsr breeding cows viii
produce premature, weak or dead off,
spring. A complete ration can be made
from the corn plant. 1t will give nor
NAL growth and reproduction.
q. When Is Green Thursday? t.
A. The Thursday preceding Good
Friday is known as Maundy Thursday
Holy Thursday, or Green Thursday
This last name came into Use about
300 and may have been so-cahed be-
cause the Twenty-third Psalm was
usually the selection for the day.
Q. What State Is called the Centennial
State? T. V B.
A. Colorado was given this nickname
because it was admitted TO the Union
in 1876 when this country was having
its centennial celebration of the Declara-
ton of Independence.
Q. Why does charcoal absorb gases?
X. L. NJ.
A. The property of absorbing gases
and vapors is explained by the porositv
of wood-charcoal. The fetid gases pass
into the pores of the charcoal and there
meet with the oxygen previously abb
sorbed from the atmosphere; oxidation
ensues and the unwholeSome efiiuvia
are decomposed This action, however,
is usually wholly mechanical, the gases
being absorbed
O Is there a milestone in Washington
from which distances are measured?
Z. f. ".
A. There is a stone known as the
Zero Milestone which has been placed
on a drive directly south of the White
House grounds. The plan is to measure
distances on the national highways
from this point, which IS on the meridian
of Washington, q degrees west OF Green
wich.
@ Please give a recipe for picked
onions ". A. I.
A. Select small white onions and
sort into two sizes, y inch diameter
In one and q inch IN other. Peel.
cover with fresh water and let stand
for two days, changing the water on
second day Wash and put into brine
for four days, changing brine at end Of
second day. Drain and let stand in
boiling water for 10 minutes, then put
into cold water for two hours Drain,
and pack into jars, putting in few
small red peppers, and garnishing with
sprigs of mace Fill jars to overiowing
with spiced vinegar
@. Why does blotting paper absorb
ink? NJ. Il.
A. Because it is made of porous materl-
al which is not pressed and rolled as
hard as other paper stock