Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-05

cannot during his lifetime avail her
self of it, cannot be diverted from her
use after his death.
Q. When was the American flag first
unfurled on land?-C. D. L.
A. 1t was first used in the fight at
Goochs Bridge, Del, in September,
1777.
O. How far is Monte Carlo from
Paris?-H. c. c.
A. 1t is about 687 miles.
Q. What does the magic word "abra-
cadabra" mean?-D. A. S.
A. 1t is supposed TO be derived from
AbraScaS and was used as an incanta-
ton against fevers, Inflammation and
agues, according to the earliest known
authority, Serenus Sammonicas, agnos-
tic and physician in the second century
to the Emperor Caracalla marcus
Aurelius). Serenus prescribed that the
word be written in the form of an in
verted cone, the paper to be folded in
the form Of a cross and worn on
linen band as an amulet for nine days
and then before sunrise thrown back
ward into stream flowing east. This
procedure made the spirit of the dis
ease lose its hold on the patient.
@. How many people does it take to
handle the applications for patents?-
e. v.
A. In the Patent Office there are 81
| divisions with to 10 examiners In
each division. More than a thousand
applications for patents are received
each day.
@. In reshingling a roof is It adj
| visable to lay the shingles over the
old ones, or should they be removed?
w. A. r.
A. The Bureau of Standards says
in general it is advisable to apply new
wood shingles over the old. All loose
shingles should be securely nailed, pro-
truding nails driven in, and warped
edges of shingles cut off with chisel
to make the surface as uniform as
| possible. To obtain a neat job and to
retain good roof lines, cut away a few
inches of the old shingles at the caves
and gables and lay in, where they are
cut away, Turing strip, or batten, to
hide the sides and butts of the old
shingles.
@. When were the pyramids built
in Egypt?-S. E. K.
| A. The pyramid period in Egyptian
history ended about $500 BIC. It had
lasted about 1900 years. during which
PyldlIlluS were DSlIlR us
part OF a continual government build
ing program.
@. How much oil is produced irr all
the world annually?-U. F. A.
A. The world production of petroleum
for 1929 was approximately a billion
and half barrels.
@. Are there plants which devour
insectS?-O. B.
| A. There are great many varieties
of insectivorous plants which grow al
most all over the world. The first
group of these plants is known as the
pitcher plants. which have the blossom
in the form of pitcher which acts as
a death trap for flies and other in
sects. The insects are attracted by
| fragrance or some other lure, enter the
mouth of the pitcher and crawl down
toward the bottom, being forced onward
by small spikes downward pointing
| from the sides of the pitchers throat.
The poor fly is thus given no chance to
escape and when he reaches the bot
tom he is caught in the sticky mass OF
fluid there and his body juices absorbed
by the plant. Two other types OF in
| sectivorouS plants are the Venus fly
trap genus and the Dionaea, which
grows only in the low coast regions OF
North Carolina. This little plant is
probably the most famous stem variety
| of the insect-eating plants. third
type is a Sundew Drosera, which IS
common to Australia. This is also
large genus containing great variety
| of species.