Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-10-03
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.

reader can get the ansuer to any
question OF fact By Dritino The Washing
ton Evening Star Information Bureau.
Frederic J. Huskin, Director, Washing
ton, D. c. Please inclose staup for renIv.
O. What is the record for amphibian
planes?-G. F. S.
A. A world record of 23o.O3 miles an
hour was set at Detroit on September
IS by Maj. Alexander P. De Seversky,
@. Who was the first person to give
his blood for Senator Long2-R. w.
A. Lieut.. Gov. James A. Noe was the
first to give blood for a TRANSMISSION.
Q. How many McGuffey Readers have
been sold?-J. J. F.
A. Their sales are estimated at 1922
00o,0 copies.
@. What Is an oil Scout?-R. J.
A. He Is petroleum geologist who Is
sent into the field by oil companies to
prospect.
@. How many dentists are there in the
United StateS?-H. w F.
A. There are about II 900.
@. How old are the box hedges in the
garden at Mount Vernon?-H. D.
A. They were planted in 1893 or earlier.
@. Who was the Young Chevalier?-
A. This title was given to Charles
Edward Stuart, son of the Old Pretender.
Q. OF what materials is soil made?
p. r. T.
A. Soil is the surface layer of earth
on which the land plants grow. 1t is
derived from and therefore is made of
the same constituents as the rocks, but
1t has been subject to the action of air
and water, which have altered and re-
moved some of the original components
SO that the proportions of the various
substances in the soil are not the same as
in the parent rock. The mineral par
ticles constitute the basis or foundation
of the soil, but not the whole of it. In
any region where rainfall and tempera-
ture conditions are favorable, vegetation
rapidly springs up, obtaining its mineral
nutrients and its nitrogen from the soil.
The plants build up complex organic
matter from the carbon dioxide of the
air, using for this purpose the energy
OF sunlight, and when they die and their
dead remains fall back on the soil there
Is introduced new group of constituents,
organic substances containing nitrogen,
phosphorus. calcium, potassium, ETC., and
also stored-up energy. These two COM
ponents, the mineral substances derived
from the rock and the organic substances
from 0F
plants constitute soil.
Q. How many telephone calls are made
annually in the United States?-J. L.
A. Telephone users in this country
made $4,000, 900 900 local and long dis
lance calls during 1893.
@. To what denomination did Bee
thoven belong?-W. c..
A. Apparently, the great musician had
no formal religion. He was, however,
deeply religious. Just before his death
he received the sacraments of the church.
@. Please give some information about
the Hare Indians.-S. F.
A. They are a tribe of Athapascan
stock, living in the extreme northwest of
Canada. They rely greatly upon the
Arctic hare for food and clothing hence
their name, but also fish, and hunt the
caribou. There are about TOO of them.
@. What is the superstition about the
elder?-T. P.
A. The elder and the spirit of the elder
appear frequently in the mythology of the
peoples of Northern Europe. The Danes
believed it bad luck to use the wood for
furniture. The Russians believed the
elder drove away evil spirits. There was
also a medieval tradition that Judas
hanged himself on an elder.
| @. How is the corn removed from the
cob at the large canning factories?
| N. T. N.
A. The National Gamers Association
says that commercial canneries use
series of cutters forming a circle and
the corn is cut as it passes these sharp
circles.
Q. Where is Morehouse College,
j. H
A. 1t is college for Negro men at
Atlanta, Ga With it is affiliated Spell
| man Seminary, training school for
| Negro women, teachers and nurses,
/ AApAAy VA "AAShA navy 6OAAS Go MISSIONARIES
! to Africa.
| Q. When was Cadiz an important
city?-P. L. F.
A. Throughout its long history this
city OF Spain has maintained its prom-
nence in the world since its earliest
! founding by the Phoenicians about HOO
BIC. 1t has been occupied by many
races: In sol BIC. by the CarthaginianS;
in 49 BIC. by Rome, when it was known
as the Joyous City, its cooking and dane
ing girls being famous throughout the
civilized world. After the discovery of
America it became the headquarters of
the Spanish treasure fleet and was
known as the wealthiest port of West
ern Europe. 1t was burned and sacked
by Sir Francis Drake, by the Earl Of
Essex and by Lord Charles Howard, but
each time recovered to a greater splen-
dor. About 1765 its wealth was said to
be greater than that of London.
@ What was the date of the assas-
sination of Gov. Steunenberg of Idaho?
| M. p.
A. 1t was on December 80, 1905.
@. Please describe the depository