Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-30

country produces about 90 per cent or
the available supply Of iodine.
@. What is q meridian stone"?--A.
l.. II.
A. It is a marker for the longitude
of place. Most county seats now have
them, and they are commonly located
just outside the city limits, away from
disturbing noises which might affect
the delicate magnetic needles OF COM
passes placed upon them for determin-
ing direction. They are set up by the
United States Coast and Geodetic Sur
vey.
O. What life insurance companies
have the largest assets?--K. Nice.
A. The companies which are strictly
life insurance companies having the
largest assets are the Metropolitan
Prudential, New York and Equitable.
@. Did the chemists from Antioch
College who went on scientific ex-
ploration into the Western deserts find
, any plants of commercial value?-M. Ct.
A. ProXimate analysis of specimens
to date, according to announcement Just
made from the Antioch Laboratories,
shows promise of several plants easily
propagated or already growing in album
dance each Of which may prove to be a
veritable drug store" in itself. Al
though the commercial possibilities of
these desert products are not yet GER
tain, it seems probable that they can
be so utilized.
@. Do animals have cancer?-A. c.
A. Birds, animals and fishes have
cancers. Gr0wths Of much the same
nature are common also in the vege-
table kingdom.
@. When did Great Britain acquire
the Fiji Islands?-N. r.
A. The sovereignty Of the Fiji Islands
was offered to Great Britain in 1858.
This was at first declined, but was later
renewed and accepted in 1874.
@. What are ultraviolet and mira
red rayS?-B. NJ. Z.
| A. The eye Is not sensitive to light
of wave length shorter than about 5000
angstroms, but it is known that there
are much shorter waves called ultra
violet, lying beyond the violet portion
of the spectrum and that they are in
visible. A delicate thermometer or
thermopile shows that beyond the red
of the visible spectrum lies great
range of wave lengths belonging TO what
is known as 1nfra-red light.
@, Are the values given in coin cata-
| logues the retail values of coins?-A. r.
| A. The values given are the prices
paid by dealers. Retail values are in
general anywhere from 10 to 100 per
cent higher, depending on current de-
mand. Coins vary greatly in value, ac-
cor6ing to condition and preservation.
A rare coin in ,uncirculated condition
will bring much higher price than the
same coin which shows more or less
wear. Coins which are fairly plentiful
may bring a small premium in choice
condition, but no premium at all if in
ordinary condition.
@. How did the Nickel Plate Rail-
road get its name?--H. L. D.
A. The following explanation APP
peared in the Service News of the
Nickel Plate road: 1.-The Nickel Plate
was built in 1881 and 1882 to be COM
petitor of the Lake Shore Sc Michigan
Southern. But within month after it
had begun to operate it was purchased
by the Vanderbilt interests, which al
ready controlled the Lake Shore, and
William H. Vanderbilt became its presi-
dent. An old yarn has 1t that one of
| its purchasers remarked Well, for
the price We paid for it, it ought to be
nickel-plated,' and thus christened the
infant"