New Britain herald., 1925-12-12
QUESTIONS ANSWERED


You can get an answer to any
question Of fact or information by
writing to the Question Editor. New
Fritain Herald, Washington Bureau.
1922 New York avenue, Washington,
j. c.. enclosing two cents in stamps
for reply. Medical. legal and marital
advice cannot be given. nor can ex-
tended research be undertaken. Al,
other questions will receive a per-
sonal reply. Unsigned requests can
not be answered. All letters are
Observation-Disclosures.
Q. How should bcgonias be cared
for as house plants?
A. They thrive best In q mixture
OF sand. loan and leaf mold. They
require shade and plenty OF water.
Keep the soil damp. Give them only
moderate amount OF the morn.
Ing sun.
e. Is there such a thing as color.
ed snow?
A. Yes 1t has been seen in
Greenland and on the mountains in
southern Europe. The usual color is
red or green, the celebration being
due to minute organisms konwn as
fro'ococcus nivalis. A yellowish de-
post has also been precipitated from
snow, which examination has shown
10 be the pollen of pine trees.
q. What is papyrus?
A. 1t was the writing paper OF
the ancient Egyptians. In its manu-
facture a layer of thin longitudinal
strips OF the stem or pith of the
papyrus plant was overlaid with A
similar layer at right angles. These
were then soaked in water, pressed
and dried to form a sheet.
Q. How can the lettering on
cloth flour sacks be removed?
a. Try boiling them in the fol-
lowing solution: l cup household
ammonia, two gallons of water, one
cup of washing powder. Boil for
thirty minutes and let the sacks re-
main until cold. Rinse well and
bleach by freezing, or drying in the
sun. This process may have to be
repeated. depending upon the
strength Of the dye used for letter
Ing the sacks.
y. When the Indian speaks OF
"a sleep" what he mean?
A. Indians refer to a night as "a
s'eep'. They often speak of three
sleeps for three nights"
Q. Can YOU describe briefly Sui
grave Manor" the Washington an
cestral home in Northamptonshire
England?
A. A description taken from
Washington Twins Life of George
Washington reads as follows: "The
writer OF these pages visited sulgrave
some years since. 1t was a. quiet
rural neighborhood, where the farm
houses were quaint and Anticipated.
A part only of the manor house re-
manned, and was inhabited by a
farmer. The Washington crest, in
colored glass, was to be seen In q
window Of what was now the but
terry. A window on which the whole
family arms was emblazoned had
been removed to the residence of
the actual proprietor of the manor.
Another relic of the ancient manor
of the Washingtons was the rookery
In a venerable grove hard by. The
rocks, those staunch adherents to
old family abodes, still lowered and
cawed about their hereditary family
nests. In the pavement of the par
ish house we were shown a stone
slab bearing effigies on plates of
brass OF Laurence Washington, gent,
and Anne, his wife, and their four
sons and eleven daughters. Tho in
scription in black letters was dated
1854"
9. Docs the President Of tho
United States hold higher place
in the army Of the United States
than full General?
\. The President of the United
States is the Commander-in Chief of
the L. s. Army and of course is
higher in authority than a general.
Q. What is verditsr,s?
A. 1t is a green crystallizcd sub
stance of mixture OF several basic
cupric acctateS obtained by the &C
ton OF dilute acetic acid on copper;
used as a pigment, in medicine, and
In the arts.
Q. Is there cruiser in the United
States Navy called The United
States?
a. There have been two vessels
In the IT, s. Navy bearing this name.
The first was Ealing frigate OF
1876 tons carrying "A guns, author.
eide by act Of Congress, March 2T,
1874. 1t was used in the Naval War
with France and the War of 1872.
In 1S49 it was laid up in ordinary
at Norfolk Navy Yard; set on fire
hut not destroyed when that yard
was abandoned by the Federal forces
in 1851. 1t was used by the Confcd-
crates as a receiving ship until 1862,
when she sunk, but was afterwards
raised; December. 1865 placed in
dry dock and broken up. The sec
end ship by this namo was Battle
t'TUlStT NJ. y, OTh WAS NIItifu
suspended on the construction Of this
vessel February s, 1922 upon sign
ing Of tho treaty limiting naval
ornaments in view of the probable
scrappirg Of certain capital ships.
The treaty was duly ratified, effect
i've on August 17,192S, on which
date the contract was definitely can
celcd. The vessel is being broken up
and scrappod in accordance with
the terms OF the treaty.