Evening star., 1932-11-23
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKlN.

ligious organizations, but sometimes Just
private individuals, usually under the
vow OF perpetual poverty, who carried
In their journeys palm branch as the
sign of having completed pilgrimage
to the Holy Land. They were held in
great esteem and were usually kindly
entertained.
@. How long have the Russians used
samovars?-H. W.
A. For not more than 100 years. b.
@. Why did the custom of placing
flowers on graves originate?-W. H.
A. The ancients believed that the
dead enjoyed the fragrance Of the
flowers.
@. Why is wool clothing the warm
est?-M. c.
A. For the purpose of conserving
body heat wool excels all its substitutes
because not only does its woven fabric
diminish the radiation Of body heat
but its fiber Is a poor conductor Of
heat. Furthermore, wool can be spun
into more bulky yarn than cotton or
flax and hence is often preferred for
making textile fabrics when thickness
is desired. r-t
@ Where and how tall do balsa trees
grow?-H. W.
A. Trees Of the genus occur in
Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad
and elsewhere in the West Indies and
! in Honduras. British Honduras and
| Guatemala. They reach height OF
| from 40 to so feet and a diameter Of
from / to feet. They attain their
best development in open places In the
forest and in abandoned fields along
| the watercourses, where there is con-
siderable moisture They grow rap
| idly The lightest wood, which is con-
sidered the mcst desirable, is produced
| by the fastest-growing trees, which are
| said to attain diameter Of II to 18
inches in four o. five years.
O. What are the different forms Of
! civilized government?-M. K.
A. The principal forms Of govern
ment in the world today are: Limited
monarchieS, as Great Britain; absolute
monarchies, as AbysSinia; republics. as
the United States; relationships, such
as Italy and Russia: protectorGtes, such
as Morocco. In addition, there are sew
eral independent principalities.
| @ How much money did the United
| States Government lend to France after
the armistice and how much was in
the form of postponed payment for
supplies?-H. NJ.
A. OF the principal sum Of $2.997,-
477,000 lent to France S1,027, ,477,OOO
was advanced after the armistice OF
this post-armistice sum S407, ,341, las
represented purchases by France OF
war and relief supplies.
O. Who was the first actor to play
in New York?-T. D.
| A. Anthony Aston Is said to have
| haav, Aha fret
@. Where Is Crystal Cave In PENN
sylvania?-B. c.
A. It is between Reading and Allen
town. Crystal Cave was opened to
visitors in 1878 and so has been in
service longer than any other cave IN
the State. .,4.5....s.s .s.-.-se
@. How many cattle are there in Rus
sia?-N. G. w.
| A. The total number. including both
beef and dairy cattle. reported for the
entire u. S. S. r, In 1880 was 53, 800 900,
compared to total Of 59,730,Oo0 cattle
in the United States.
@. Are there still lands which have
not been explored?--A. H.
A. There are regions in the Far
North and Far South which remain un-
explored, especially the region north OF
Siberia. There are also vast stretches
of unexplored territory, such as the
west portion Of the Sahara, portions OF
the Cobb Desert and the forests Of ST.
IBERIA and the interior of Labrador. The
general facts concerning these regions
are known, but they have not been ex-
plored in detail, and there are thou
sands of square miles where no man
has set foot, so far as Is known.