Evening star., 1923-07-29
Bananas Produced
In Nations Capital

are dried at a temperature of about
100 degrees Fahrenheit and are then
placed in a machine that separates
the kernel from the shell. They are
sliced by rapidly revolving saws, one
piece after another being cut off, fer
the core Is generally cracked and
useless. They are then spread out on
sieves and subjected to a higher tenn
perature, until every bit of moisture
is out Of them and their original
bluish-white tint has changed to
pure ivory white or cream color.
This drying-out process takes about
ten days, and no matter how much
the tagua nut may be soaked or
swollen in the subsequent processes
OF manufacture it always returns to
its state Of hardness. The pieces.
being Of different sizes, are sorted
by machinery and again gone over
by hand and any defective or cracked
ones thrown out They then go TO
the button turner's.
The pieces are now immersed in
steaming hot water until the tagua
is just soft enough to be worked
properly. A revolving tool on each
sue CuIS the DultoH ~ IT'S pEOpeE
shape and the residue falls TO the
bottom of the compartment in which
the turner is working. Sometimes
the waste is used as fuel.
Machinery is again employed and
the tagua is fed to machines that not
only drill the holes but ream their
edges, so that the thread, when it
goes through the apertures. will not
be chafed or cut. A good machine
will drill more than 200 gross OF but
tons a day.
The next step in the process TO
which the white ivory button Is sub
jected is that of coloring, giving the
shades and designs to match and har-
monize with the latest materials.
Many Of the prominent men of this
country have been keen students of
bird life, notably the late Col. Roose-
Welt, President Harding, Postmaster
General New and Senator Reed Smoot.
All Of these have been recognized as
experts.
At the Pan-American Union build
ing are several cases that contain
specimens of rare birds that the gen
eral public knows but little about. and
If one has the time to spend looking
at them he will be more than repaid
for his trouble.
The hoatzin is without doubt the
most remarkable bird living today
Those who have made a lifetime
study of birds say that no other has
the same characteristics. It's grace
Is batrachian rather than avian. Its
body has g. pungent and extremely
musky odor. It's mentality does not
permit 1t to leave the habitat of its
ancestors, so we find it self-caged
unwilling to move from accustomed
haunts.
The nest OF the hoatzin is not what
one would call an extra fine piece OF
engineering. In fact, 1t is a rather
precarious home for the young ones
near the bank of a muddy stream.
often the new nest is built on top Of
the remains of an old one. The
mother bird, when the nest is ap-
, preached. does not stay to defend
her young, but flies to a point near
at hand and tries to encourage it to
fight the battle alone. The tones OF
the mother bird are more gutteral
than those OF the male. One might
say that the deep tones are like a
croak
When the nest is violated the
young bird dives like a seal to the
water below. He then swims to the
shore and waddles his way to the
foot of the particular tree in which
his homo Is located. He goes to the
trunk of the tree, then sticks out the
little bone protuberances that are on
each wing and lifts himself inch by
inch by the horned pieces on his
wings, up to his nest. He never
makes a mistake in either the tree
or the limb on which the nest is To-
Gated.
Ornithologists have frightened the
same bird time after time, to see IL
he really knew his home location. and
never once did the hoatzin make a
mistake. either in tree or in limb. AS
the bird grows older and his wings
attain their full growth the horns
drop of. When the bird has attained
maturity its flight Is like that of
fat chicken. The young hoatzin 10
perhaps one of the few living crea-
lures that combine the qualities OF
air fight, swimming. walking and the
ability to climb trees.
Another group of birds that is OF
kinterest. consists of the fycatchers.
Certain species of them are very
secretive in the manner and the rlace
in which they build their nests. Some
select retired spots in the thickest
parts OF the forest, others mask their
homes by selecting a bunch OF heavy,
| leaves while some use-the very tops
Of the trees al the place to hatch