Evening star., 1926-03-20
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

@. How long do farm horses live?-
A. II. B.
A. The average life Of a horse on a
farm is between IA and Is years, al
though both horses and mules have
been known to live 20 years. and there
Is record Of one having lived 35
years.
@. How long have dictionaries been
In use?--C. r.
A. The first dictionaries were used
by the Assyrians and BabylonianS to
explain not words. but signs. The old
est surviving dictionary, compiled by
Appolonius Of Alexandria, in Au-
gustus' time, is glossary Of Homer's
words.
@. Which States are officially en-.
titled commonwealths?-G C..
A. Massachusetts. Pennsylvania, Vir-
ginia and Kentucky.
@. What plant produces the sweet.
est sugar?--D. J.
A. The common artichoke produces
the sweetest Of all sugars.
q. How many banks failed in 1925?
What were the total liabilities?-
A. n. f.
A. -Four hundred and sixty.four
banks, with liabilities totaling 1884,
69s.516, failed in 1925 in the United
States. ! -t
y. Which is the largest Of the Aus.
trallan states?-D. X. NJ.
A. Western Australia is the largest
state, almost four times as large as
lexas. Victoria is the smallest, a lit
tie larger than Idaho.
@. With what kinds Of food should
eggs be served?-R L.
A. Their highly concentrated nutri-
tive value renders it necessary to use
them in combination with other foods
rich In starch. such as bread and po-
tatoes. In order that the stomach
may have enough to act upon, a GER
tain amount OF bulk must be furnished.
q. How many pounds OF coal out
OF ton are actually used in creating
energy?-R. II. G..
A. The Bureau of Mines SAYS that
roughly speaking about so per cent
OF coal in the vein reaches the CON
sumer. This is burned with a furnace
efficiency of about 60 per cent to pro.
duce steam. Steam is used at an eff.
| f1ciency Of 16 per cent to produce
power. Roughly. per cent Of the
| energy of the coal in the vein is finally
| used as power.
@. What is the birth rate in Eng.
land?-M. d.
A. According to the registrar gen.
eral, so years ago the birth rate of
England and Wales was s5.4 per ,oO0 90
population, While in 1925 it was 1873
per 1000.
Q. How much time should be allow
| ed per pound when roasting neat
w. n.
A. Some authorities suggest allow.
ing about Is minutes for the meat to
heat through and then the following
schedule is followed: Beef well done)
IS to Is minutes per pound; beef (rare,
II to 10 minutes: lamb, IS minutes
veal. 80 minutes; pork, 80 minutes
| mutton. 20 minutes.
Q. What are dum-dum bullets and
| from what do they get their name?-
| L. B. r.
| "A. They are bullets which are SO
made that on striking a body they ex
pand. thus creating an ugly wound
| They get their name from the town OF
| Dum-Dum, in Bengal, India. where
| the British government maintained
| troops for many years. At the Dunn
| Dunn foundry hollow-nosed dum-dun
! bullets were manufactured for use IL
East Indian frontier fighting, owing tc
| the failure of the usual type of bullets
to stop the rushes Of fanatical tribes
men. Other forms of bullets having
the character of expanding on striking
have been devised from time to time
and are called by the same name.
| Q. Why is a foolish person called
| a moonraker?-M. c.
| y. There is an old story Of a rustic
in Wiltshire, England, who, seeing tn,
reflection OF the moon in a pond, tried
to- rake it out, thinking it IL cheese
The explanation is given that the maj
was raking the pond for smuggle'
brandy. and upon being surprised b,