Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-29
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

been reported from time TO time that
snow either red. blue or green In color
has fallen in certain localities. This
is caused by the action of such fungi.
The black snow is comparatively rare.
@. Did Bellini paint the Portrait Of
Sultan Mahomet" at court?--A. B. S.
A. Gentle Bellini visited Constanti-
nople. 1t is, however, improbable that
he painted this portrait at court, be-
cause of Mohammedan prejudice
against the representation OF living
things. The portrait was probably exc
cuted from memory.
@. Why was the dollar bill having a
picture of History Instructing Youth"
withdrawn from circulation?-E. l.. B.
A. The certificate is of the series OF
1896, which had as the ornamental pic
ture the figure of a woman pointing
out to a child the Constitution of the
United States. The Constitution, OF
course, was in very fine letters-so fine,
in fact, that only with the aid of a
powerful magnifying glass could the let
tiers be deciphered. The word tran
quillity" was misspelled, only one az
being used. Because of this and other
defects, the misspelling not being most
drawn from circulation.
O. What is the difference between a
sanitarium and Sanatorium?-A. M.
A. A sanitarium Is a place where well
people go to keep well. A sanatorium
is place where sick people go to get
well.
@. What is the distance around the
Tidal Basin by following the road along
the waters edge?-M. B. D.
A. The Bureau of Public Buildings
and Roads says that 1t is about 2 miles.
or II 900 linear feet, around the Tidal
Basin by footpath.
@. What per cent Of our foreign COM
merce is carried on with American
ships?-R. C.
A. In the fiscal year 1928 it amounted
to 80 per cent of the 100000 long
tons, valued at $4,000 900 900. Before
the World War American ships car
ried only 10 per cent Of our trade
abroad.
O. What is the emblem placed on
the door post of an orthodox Jewish
home, which the guests touch when
they enter?-E. E. c.
A. The emblem referred to Is called
"mezuza." which literally means door
post" 1t is placed there in fulflllment
of the command in the fifth book of
Moses, And thou shalt write them
upon the door posts of thy house and
upon thy gates" The emblem contains
small piece of parchment or paper
on which is written by hand the above
quoted passage and others to remind
Jews of duties toward their religion.
@. What is the ratio of automobiles
to persons in Los Angeles and Detroit?
p. G.
A. In Los Angeles there is one car
| to 25 persons. In Detroit the ratio
is one car to 3.5 persons.
@. Does a quarter section Of level
land contain less actual ground space
than rolling one?-H. T.
A. The Geological Survey states that
| when land is surveyed for division 1t Is
! treated as a plane surface. Therefore,
| a quarter of section of level land con-
| tainS the same amount of land Is q
| quarter Of section of rolling land, but
there may be actually more surface or
earth in the rolling section than In the
level section.
@. How many rooms are there in the
White House?-M. L. D.
A. The White House says there Is
no official record Of the number Of
rooms in the White House, as it de-
| ponds entirely upon what one would
call rooms. Practically all of the bed
rooms have attached to them valet
rooms. There are corridors used as
sitting rooms and waiting rooms which
could also be counted; then one might
| include the pantries and kitchens. On
such basis there are over so rooms in
the White House.
@. For whom was Byrd's ship, the
Eleanor Boiling, named?-J. S. B.
| A. The ship Eleanor Boiling was
named in honor of Comdr. Byrd's
mother.