Evening star., 1934-03-14
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Q. Who drafted the Constitution Of
the United States?-L. H.
A. Fifty-five delegates were able to
attend the convention which drew up
the Constitution. To Gouverneur
Morris is due the chief credit for the
literary form Of the document.
@. When was Walt Whitman's
Leaves Of Grass" first published?-
j. d.
A. Poems were first issued under
this title in 1855 and there were re-
issues with additional poems several
times during Whitman's lifetime.
@. Where Is George Washington's
birthplace, how may 1t be reached
from Washington, who owns it and
what is its present condition?-I. 8.
A. Washington was born In . house
facing Popes Greek, in Westmoreland
County, Va, but the house burned on
December IS, 1880. The old homesite
has been included In the George
Washington Birthplace National Mon
ument, and the house restored be-
tween 1880 and 1882 on its original
site. The old family burial ground,
containing the bodies Of Washington's
father, grandfather and great-grand-
father, is included on the 400-acre
reservation. It Is open, free to the
public, every day Of the year. A Gov
ernment-owned tea room Is In opera
ton at the monument, where meals
are furnished at reasonable rates.
The George Washington Birthplace
National Monument is 80 miles from
Washington on United States route /
and Virginia State route 3, over hard
surfaced roads. An alternate route is
via the Morgantown- Colonial Beach
ferry.
@. OF what country is the sweet pea
a native?-G. @.
A. 1t is a native of the Island of
Sicily and was first mentioned in 1896
by an Italian monk, who sent seeds to
England and Holland. The seeds of
sweet peas became an article of COM
merce as early as 1924. Sweet peas
have been grown for over q century
in America and all of the varieties
known in Europe were grown here.
There was a wave Of popularity for
the sweet pea In America between
1885 and 1900, while the tide, which
received its great impetus through the
introduction Of the waved or Spencer
type. was just beginning to rise at the
sweet pea celebration in London in
1900.
@. Who decides on place names in
Canada?-T. T.
A. All decisions in connection with
geographic nomenclature and orthog-
raphy in the Dominion rest with the
Geographic Board Of Canada, which
was established by the Dominion gov
ernment in 1897. With regard to
names Of geographical features along
the international boundary, or which
cross the boundary line, the Geo.
graphic Board of Canada maintains a
close cooperation with the United
States Geographic Board in the
adoption Of names which are accept
able to both countries.
@. What stone most nearly resem-
bles the diamond?-A. w.
A. The gem stone nearest in ap-
pearance to the diamond is the color
less zircon. The index of refraction
OF this mineral approaches that Of the
diamond, but it lacks the dispersive
properties of the diamond and does
not show the bright red and blue
flashes Of the latter stone The zircon
has a hardness less than that of the
diamond. These stones are found in
Ceylon, but are usually obtained by
decolorizing colored stones by careful
heating. They are sometimes called
Madura diamonds. They are claSsed
as semi-precious stones.
@. Please give a short biography OF
Senator La Follette.-M. c.
A. Robert NJ. La Toilette was born
February 6. 1895, in Madison, Wis,
the son Of Robert NJ and Belle (Case)
La Toilette. He married Rachel Will
son Young September Z, 1890. He was
his fathers secretary for six years and
was elected United States Senator to
fill his fathers unexpired term Sep
tember 20, 1925; reelected 1928. He
makes his home at Maple Bluff Farm.
Madison, Wis.