Evening star., 1925-10-28
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. H4SKIN.

@. How much mail does mail
plane carry2-D. A. G.
A. The Post Office Department says
that planes in the Air Mail Service
carry between 800 and 400 pounds of
mail matter. The quantity varies.
however, with the time of flight, as
much lighter loads are carried at
night because of the additional equip
ment necessary for night flying.
Q. What are some OF the purposes
served by the elephants trunk?-V.
S. Y.
A. The elephant breathes and smells
by means Of his trunk; with 1t he puts
food and drink into his mouth, throws
dirt or hay on his back to protect
it from fi4es, pulls down trees, lifts
heavy burdens or safely picks up the
most delicate. fragile things. 1t serves
the purpose of a hand, having a SEN
sjttve touch which enables 1t to unite
knots. open doors, or give itself a
shower bath.
Q. HOw many veterans Of the
World War carried war yisk insur-
ance?-D. X. d.
A. The number Of men who have
carried this insurance y approx
mately 4,S84,0 Claims have been
awarded TO 1.567 of thoss carrying
Government insurance because Of
permanent total disability.
@. What is a balanced aquarium?-
K. w.
A. 1t consists OF green pond weed,
either floating or rooted, a few snails.
tiny animals known as water feaS
and fish. The animals eat the plants
and give off organic waste from which
the plants make their food. The
plants give off oxygen to the ami
mails and the animals give carbon
dioXide TO the plants. Thus the bal
ance exists.
@. Could Death Valley be farmed?-
c. II. w.
A. SO far as the soil is concerned,
it might be possible to grow crops
over considerable portion of the val
ley If irrigation water were applied.
1t is probable that the soils are quite
salty, and II might be necessary to
remove excess OF salt through the
operation of flooding and teaching
combined with thorough underdrain-
age.
@. I have some letters and records
over 100 years old. The ink has faded
until the writing is very hard TO read.
WIN anything restore FTP. NJ. X.
a. When writing on old manu-
scripts has become faded and ilIegible
it can frequently be restored by the
following method: The effect on
parchment IS usually Of q lasting ma
ture but fresh applications are neces-
sary on ordinary writing paper. Lay
the paper as fat as possible and
dampen it evenly with clean, cold
water Brush over the writing with
a fiat camel-hair brush dipped in a
solution of sulphide Of ammonia,
when the writing will Immediately ap-
pear plain and readable.
Q. Where can find the quotation:
There is a divinity that shapes our
ends Nv. c. +.
A. There is a divinity that shapes
our ends, rough hew them how we
will is from Hamlet" Act V, scene
2, line 10.
O. When were elements discov-
ered?-R. D. b.
A The term element was first
given its modern meaning by Robert
Boyle, an English scientist, who lived
from 1927 TO 1891. Certain Of the ele-
ments, however were known to the
ancient alchemists, but their concep-
ton was not clear.
Q. How warm should a house be in
A. In rooms where people are
actively engaged the temperature
should be lower than in rooms used
for sedentary work. The temperature
of living room varies from 6S
degrees to - degrees. To avoid
discomfort and colds it is wise to be
come accustomed if possible to the