Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-22
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

@. How many new motion picture
plays are shown each year,. w.
A. 1t Is estimated that there Is an
average of 500 feature motion pic
lures presented each year in the
United States. In addition, there are,
Of course, numerous short subjects,
but it is not possible to keep an accu.
rate check on these.
@. j. q man committed a crime in
New J1Isey for which the penalty
| was hanging-if the State changed
| it's method to electrocution before
| sentence was imposed-would the
man be hanged or electrocuted?-J.
| A. c.
A. The New Jersey State prison
says that this story no doubt Is a
| Pickering of a certain murder and
hanging case occurring during the
| time Of the introduction and passing
| of our electrocution law in 1906. This
| particular murder case occurred in
Middlesex County, this State. and upon
conviction the murderer was sen.
| fenced to be hanged. This occurred
after the electrocution law had gone
| in effect. The sentence of hanging
was due to the fact that the crime
was committed before the act provid-
| ing for electrocution became a law.
| This man was hanged according to
| the sentence and was the last hang
| ing in New Jersey. This occurred
some time in 1907"
@. How do the majority of deaf.
mutes communicative. E. d.
A. OF the 81 ,230 deaf mutes, 10
years of age or over, in the United
States, reporting on their means of
| communication. 16,9Q1 were able to
read lips; 1926 used speech. finger
spelling. writing and sign language.
O. Are swans considered edible?-
B. d.
A. The meat of the cygnet or
young swan is a greatly esteemed
| delicacy and "swanpits" are main
| tanned for the fattening of these
| birds. A royal license is required for
| the keeping of swans in England, the
| birds formerly having been exclu-
sively the property Of the crown.
O. How many street cars are in use
| in the United States?-I. D. T.
| A. The number of passenger cars
operated by electric railways in the
United States is approximately 10000.
@. How can a sunfiower plant be
! made to produce double fiowers?-D.
p. d.
A. The Bureau Of Plant Industry
says that it Is not uncommon for a
sunfiower to produce double flowers.
The species can be perpetuated by
planting the seeds Of the double.fow'
cred plant. While every flower will
| not be double, there will be an in
creased number. This has been
worked out by botanists In the past
and seed for double.fiowered sunfiow.
ers are now on the market.
@. Why are people from Indiana
| called Hoosiers?-M. NJ.
| A. The origin OF the word
"Hoosier" is obscure. 1t first ap.
peared in literature January 1, 1888,
| in a poem by John Finley, entitled
1.-The Hoosier Nest" and soon after.
ward the newspapers were discussing
| the origin of the term. Among the
theories suggested Is one advanced
by James Whitcomb Riley, according
| to whom the earlier settlers were so
pugnacious that they even bit off the
| ears of their opponents. Any one.
| therefore, seeing an ear lying upon
| dramshop floor would merely inquire
| "Whose carr" Another idea Is that
! the term came from the custom OF
| Indiana settlers of answering knock
at the door by calling, who's yere?'