Evening star., 1927-04-22
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

@ How can a hawk soar 30 great
heights without Tapping its wings?
M, ID. H.
A, The Biological Survey says that
the same principle is involved as that
by which kite is flown; the bird
rides an ascending air current.
@. Where did American pioneers
get their Salt?-N. NJ.
a. In colonial days I'm this country
salt was secured by allowing sea water
to eEaporate in open pans. The
product was not pure. but it was the
best obtainabe. The first salt works
for producing this crude article was
operated in Virginia about 1920.
q. What crop last year was so
valuable that it was stored in banks?
What is it used for?--J. c. B.
A. Probably YOU refer to mint oil
1t has brought as high as $50 n pound
and has been kept i'm large receptacjas
i'm vaults. The oil is used incidentally
and for confectious. Perhaps the
largest consumer of m.ut oil is the
chewing gum industry
O. How many West Point gradu-
ates were overseas during the World
A There were Sosl West Point
graduates in the Army during the
| World War OF these LISA. or 5S per
cent, saw overseas service.
@. Is the trailing arbutus OF Mas
sachusetts called m0yiiower?-F. IL.
A The trailing arbutus. or ground
laurel. is called mayfOwer in this
country In English history and lit
erature the hawt horne ais so desiE-
mated
/ O. DO beans depreciate or i'm
I prove with age R II. e.
/ A. Dried beans or beans In the
4 shell neither depreciate nor improve
/ The water continues to evapnrate
/ with age and a longer time will he
required for cooking.
/ @ In what way would it be help
/ ful if earthquakes could be predict
! ed Pr. NJ.
/ 4. COL. f. Lester Jones, director Of
/ the Coast and Geodetic Survey. SAYS
I that the possibility of predicting
/ earthquakes accurately ia extremely
remote. However when any natural
peril is understood protection be-
/ comes largely an engineering prob
/ lem. and such problems can be
/ solved. Natural phenomena may not
/ pe SUBJECT 10 Hultdii totlipit bVl
their disastrous effects can be min
! imized by taking protective meas
ures based ON careful scientific re-
search.
Q. Does the usual drug store have
+ more or less customers than the or
| binary grocery store w. ID. r.
4 The United States Census Bu
reau recently announced figures
showing that each drug store has
| about 400 potential cuStom"'S,
while a grocer has less than 500. The
shoe merchant has about 5000. the
4 5 and 10 cent store about 10000 and
the book store over $4,000.
O In New York state. how much
time off do prisoners get for good
| behavior2--A. w
a. DR.. budding of the Prisoners
Relief Society says that it depends
upon the length of sentence. Five
days a month are allowed toward
shortening q years sentence for good
behavior i'm all the State prisons In
/ New York. Seven days month are
likewise allowed ON a three-year SEN
tenee and eight days a month on 4
4 five.vear sentence. On longer sem
tences larger proportions Of days in
the month are allowed.
@. Has any elephant brought 20
| America equaled Jumbo in Sizes. K.
/ A. None has equaled Jumbo in size
T or weight The weight of a large
/ elephant is about five tons. Jumbo
| weighed six tons and was IL feet
/ inches in height
| @. Where are the Straits Settle
| ments?-H G. r.
/ A. The whole of the Malay Pen.
/ insula. from the southern boundary
/ Of Siam to the Strait Of Singapore, is
/ known as the Straits Settlements. 1t
/ includes Singapore Penang, Malacca.
Labuan, Cocos Island and Christmas
/ Island. The settlements have an en-
/ tire area of about 900 square miles
I They form a British crown colony.
/ This is q special department deroted
| solely to the handling Of queries. This
| paper puts at BoNr disposal the serr-
I ices Of an CrteHsfCe organisation In
/ Washington to SerUe BOH in ann
/ capacity that relates 10 Information.
7 This serrice is free. Failure to make
/ use Of it depriUes Bou of benefits TO
! 1tbich Bou are entitled. Your Obfigd-
/ ton is only ttcO cents in stamps iHcloS-
/ cd lcith pour inquiry f0r direct repiB.
( iddreSS The EreniaJ Star IHfOrHG-
ti0g BureGU, Frederic i. HdSkjH,
director. Washington, ID. &.