Evening star., 1928-04-30
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

Stop a minute and think about this
fact You can ask our Information
Bureau any question Of fact and get the
answer back in a personal letter. 1t Is
a great educational idea introduced into
the lives of the most intelligent people
In the world--American newspaper
readers. 1t is part of that best puT-
pose of q newspaper There
is no charge except cents In
stamps for return postage. Get the
habit of asking questions. Address your
letter to The Evening Star Informa :
ton Bureau, Frederic j. Haskin, di-
rector, Washington, D. G.
@. What is broccoli?-S. K.
A. Broccoli is hardy cariety Of cab
bage resembling caulifiower.
@. What causes some paints to dis
color?-P. D. C.
A. Laboratory officials who have
made a study of this problem maintain
that the paint discoloration is usually
found on houses built in late Summer.
Fail or Winter, particularly in cases
where the woodwork has accumulated
excessive moisture from some source.
Plastering in cold weather, 1t Is claim
ed. accounts for many cases Of paint
diScoloratiOn. Part Of the moisture
evaporated from the plaster condenses
on the back Of the siding wood and
sooner or later passes through the sid
ing to the under layer Of the paint
film. Experience indicates that IN
houses which have been thoroughly
dried out before painting this con-
denSation OF moisture and the conSe-
quent blistering and diScoloration Of
YlQtY1f tho outside nf the hsfIlffnU
are usually avoided.
O. What is normal sea-level pres
sure, and what is the average pressure
for height Of $3.50 feet?-H. E. A.
A. The normal sea-level pressure
varies to some extent with the latitude
AT middle ATTITUDES it is such as to
give a reading of the barometer Of
about 1920 inches. assuming the tenn
perature of the mercury in the barome-
ter to be that OF melting ice. Under
the same conditions. the height Of the
barometer $3.50 feet above sea level
should average about 27.24 inches.
@. Please tell me the cause and
remedy for Shiny mold on fish that
are in small concrete pool fed with
filtered water. 1t comes on the mouth
and fins and rots off fins and flesh
where 1t starts, causing fish to die in
few dayS.-C. S. r.
A. The Bureau Of Fisheries says that
If the tail OF fish is fringed or frayed
out, this IS caused by a fungus growth,
and II is advisable to give them a salt
bath frequently Use the solution as
strong as they can stand it. This
should be done two or three tunes a
week. according to the seriousness of
the case. The solution can be made
strong until the fish squirms This is
a sign that the solution is too strong
@. Why is Brazil called the Land of
the Holy CroSS?'-M. NJ C.
A. Pedro Alvarez Cabral. who is gen.
orally credited with the discovery of
the country. named it Terra de Santa
Cruz" which is translated the Land OF
the Holy Cross"
@. How may nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium be added to soil2--
NJ. E. r..
A. Nitrogen may be added to a soil
In the form of farm manure. nitroge-
nous fertilizers and green manure
crops like clover and soy beans. Phos-
phorus may be added by applying pfos-
phate fertilizers or farm manure. Po-
tassium may be added 10 q soil in the
form OF farm manure, crop residues and
potash fertilizers.
@. Who was the first man to invent
a machine for the making of elec-
trieity?-B B.
A. Michael Faraday conducted the
first experiments in the making OF dy-
namOS in 1891. The first machine to
give continuous current was that made
by Sir Charles Wheatstone in 184l.
@. Is an ex-sailor with honorable
discharge entitled to burial in Arling-
ton CemeteFy2--W. A P.
A. Any soldier. sailor or marine who
has received an honorable discharge is
entitled to burial III any national ceme-
terry.
@. Is there any difference between
the yitaphone and the movietone?--
E. r. N.
A. The novietone works on an en-
tirely different basis from the Vita
phone In the former the sound and
the picture are recorded together. and