Evening star., 1932-09-05
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKlN.

which grows from 18 to IS feet high
and has pods three feet long. There Is
a type of gourd, Legenaria vulgaris,
known as guada bean. guinea butter
bean, or Hercules Club gourd. which
comes nearer to these proportions than
any other vegetable with which that
bureau is familiar. This plant is not
bean, the gourds being members Of
the cucumber family, Cucurbitaceae.
Q. What is the most easterly ma
tional park?--J. S.
A. 1t is the Acadia National Park,
with an area of 18 square miles, on
Mount Desert Island, Me, and the ad-
joining mainland.
Q. How long is this Polar Year to
last?-G. D.
A 1t will extend from August /.
1882, to August 81, 1893. This is the
second Polar Year in history. The
first was so years ago and proved so
successful that it was decided to make
similar series. of studies beginning
August J., 1882.
O., How are silk fishing lines made?
M McC.
A. The silk glands or vessels con-
sist of two long thick-walled sacs run
AilS 0AOAAS IilC VI IIIt DOQN,
open by a common orifice-the spin
neret or seripositor-on the under lip
OF the larva. AS the larva ap-
proaches maturity these vessels be-
| come gorged with clear viscous fluid,
which upon being exposed to the air
Immediately hardens to a solid mass.
| Advantage is taken of this popularity
to prepare from fully developed larvae
silkworm gut used for casting lines in
rod fishing and for numerous other
purposes where hghtneSs, tenacity,
flexibility and strength are essential
The larvae are killed and hardened
by sleeping some hours in strong
acetic acid: the silk glands are then
viscous fluid drawn out to the condi-
ton of fine uniform line, which is
stretched between pins at the ex-
tremity Of board. The board Is then
! exposed to the sunlight till the lines
dry and harden into the condition Of
gut.
@. Does the color that freight car
is painted have an effect upon its tenn
perature?-G. E. N.
A. In a study of refrigerator cars,
engineers of the Bureau Of Agricultural
Engineering found that the color with
| which a car, was painted had much
to do with the degree of penetration
Of solar heat into the car. There was less
penetration of solar heat through light
colored paints than through others.
Under like conditions Of radiation and
exposure to sunshine, car surfaces
painted red were hotter than those
painted yellow, but were cooler than
those painted black 1t was found
also that the difference between air
and surface temperatures for station
ary cars was about twice as great as
for moving cars.
@. What is the oldest commercial
vessel still in use in the United
States?-N. B.
A. The Saltesea Of Providence, r. L,
| operated by the American Oyster Co.
| She was built in 1922 at Poughkeepsie,
| N. Y, for Alban Rust. She was
christened the James Morgan. Her rig
and tonnage have been remodeled sew
eral times and she is now an oil-burn-
ing screw vessel Of "a gross tons. In
her Ito years of service, she has had
but owners. Her present owners have
operated her since 1893.
@. When does a cadet who was ap-
pointed to West Point enter the
academy?-A. L. M.
A. If the applicant is appointed he
reports to the academy on the first
week day in July before IL o'clock noon.
If appointed in 1888, he would take
examination in March, 1888, and enter
the academy In July, 1888