Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-05
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

/
/ any question by writing Every Evening
| Information bureau Frederic j. Has
KIN. Director. Washington, -. g This
bureau cannot giye advice on legal
| medical and financial matters. "a does
not attempt 10 settle domestic troubles
on any subject. Write your questions
plainly and briefly Give fun name and
address and enclose two cents IN stamps
for return pdstape: Al replies nrc sent
disct TO the inquirer
@ THE old-tlmers all say We will
have n hard winter because the musk
rats have heavy pelts. the squirrels
are laying up an unusually large store
lof nuts. and ducks have been seen going
South earlier than usual. Is this
true7 r. @. w.
A. The Weather Bureau says that
none Of these things Is any Indication
Of how severe the weather will be.
The unusual thickness Of the musk
rats fur Is probably due to a good
food supply this ycar. A squirrel
gathers all the nuts he can, and the
crop Is good in many sections. Ducks
have been unusually abundant for
several years past and hence the early
! hAeAtAf AthfA 'ttA AANtAtth AAttfA IMAM
usual.
Q. Is Il true that longevity runs In
families? L. II. A.
A. Scientists seem generally agreed
4 that longevity Is inherited that IL.
the son OF a man who lived to a great
age ia more apt 10 live TO a great age
than tho son OF man who died early
Of natural causes Alexander Graham
Bell established this fact By a study
OF the famous Hyde geneaiogy. An
other authority estimates that so to
20 per cent Of the death rate ia due 10
heredity- that Is, that percentage Of
deaths are due TO Inherited eonstifu-
tional conditions, and could not have
been postponed any considerable
length Of time by change Of environ
mental conditions.
q Has anything been done in
California and other sections thai
have suffered from earthquakes 10
prevent damage from that eourea9
G. A. L.
A. Recently an effort 10 survey the
fault lines in the earth. along which
earthquakes occur. from an airplane.
was made in California and was part
" successful. Exact knowledge Of
these fault lines makes It possible 10
avoid placing many structures where
they are in danger. Building houses
of wood rather than brick is con-
sidered the best protection against
earthquakes. Earthquakes themselves
have done little damage in California.
I y has usually been a fire or some
other catastrophe following the earth
quake that did most Of the damage.
q. What is the size Of the worlds
wheat crop this year2 G. r.. S.
A. The wheat crop Of the 20 chief
wheat producing countries for 1921
IL estimated by the Department Of
Agriculture at s2.461 .49O 900 bushels.
q. When viii there be an eclIpse
ef the moon? r. n
a. A partial eclipse Of the moon
viii take place October 18th. but If
viii not be visible from the greater
part Of North America.
q. Are there any unexplored
iSiaf"s ieIt! $. w. l..
A. There are islands which have
not been completely explored. For
example. Carl Lumholz. the well
known explorer. who is engaged in or
ganizing an expedition to New Guinea
an island near Australia. saws that il
offers great possibilities to exploration.
There are believed to be birds and ami
mails in it unknown 10 science and
savages who have never seen a white
man.
q. is there any law against wear
ing the feathers Of any bird? d. w. q.
a. There is no law in this country
against the wearing Of feathers
There Is law prohibiting the sale Of
aigrettes, the plumage Of the white
egret, but no law to prevent one from
wearing these feathers who already
own them. The tariff act of 1913 pro-
hibits the importation of the feathers
o. wild birds into the United statsg
for commercial purposes. This law
4 said to have caused much snugplfps,
especially Of bird-Of- paradise ulunas
q. How long win a frame building
last? A. A. p.
A. This depends upon a great MAN.,
factors including climate, kind of
wood used, and care taken; but il
may be stated that If we'll cared for
frame building may last for CEN
turtles. There is an old meeting house
at Easton, Maryland, which is said
to have been built in 1853 and is still
IN fair state of preservation. This
is said to be the oldest frame house
in America.