Evening star., 1936-09-02
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

A reader can get the CnsDer to any
question OF fact BY iprttino The Euentng
Star Information Bureau, Frederic J.
Haskin, Director, Washington, d. c.
Please inclose stamp for reply.
@. attended the races at Washington
Park in Chicago recently and was in
terested in the fact that when the
horses went to the post the loud-speaker
was attached so that the audience could
hear the instructions of the starter.
Has this idea been used anywhere
else?-H. r.
A. Starter Roy Dickerson began using
this device last year at Washington
Park, but as yet the idea has not been
adopted anywhere else. The expressions
from the patrons seem to be very much
in favor OF 1t.
@. How many postage stamps we're
sold in this country last year?-G. T.
A. In the past fiscal year, $4,000, ,000.-
900 were sold, the largest number
since 1882.
@. What was the name of Barnums
home at Bridgeport. Conn.?-W. T.
A. The famous showmans home vas
called Iranistan and was modelled after
the Brighton residence of King George
Nv of England.
G. Please explain how the radio beam
works to keep a pilot Of an airplane
on his course.-C. E. H.
A. 1t is a series of signals sent from
an airport which aids in keeping the
pilot on his course. Wearing earphones,
the pilot listens to the signals. which
are the two code letters A (dot dash)
and N dash dot. If the pilot is
little off his course to one side the sig
nal will predominant in signal strength.
If he is little off to the other. he will
hear the N signal more distinctly. II
he is exactly on his course the signals
will merge into one long dash. There
fore, without even glancing at the bea-
con light ahead. or If poor visibility
obstructs it altogether he may follow
a direct course by flying his plane so
that at all times the long dash predom-
mates in his earphones.
@. Which Of the popular perfumes
use musk as a base?-J. H. G.
A. The American Perfumer says that
many perfumes contain musk as a flxa-
tive, either natural musk or artificial
musk. 1t does not know of any that
use musk as base, although some Of
the Oriental perfumes manufactured in
Egypt and Persia use musk for that
purpose.
@. Do convicts in chain gangs in
Georgia still wear chains?-O. L. K.
A. Some convicts on the Georgia chain
gangs do wear chains and some do not.
according to their grade as to conduct
and tendency to try to escape.
@. Please explain the brilliance OF
comets.-C. H. r.
A. According to Dr. Abbot of the
Smithsonian Institution, comets are be-
lieved to be composed of swarms Of
meteoric particles held together by their
own gravitational attraction. AS the
swarm approaches the sun and becomes
warmed by its rays, the gases ooze out
and are presently repelled by the pres
sure of sunlight to form the tail. Partly
by reflected sunlight, but mainly because
of luminescence. the comet glows bright
er and brighter until in its orbit It
comes nearest the sun. Then begins a
return journey which may take it a
billion miles away, or even out to space
never to return.
@. Most pictures of the West show
men who are armed with rifle and res
volvers and wearing only one cartridge
belt. Did the same ammunition At both
weapons, or how was it caTried?-
w. McA.
A. The National Rifle Association says
that in the Rugged West" it was GUS
tomary for men to carry a rife and
revolver in which the same cartridge
could be used. The 1920. 38-40 and
A-40 cartridges fitted both revolvers
and rifles.
Q. How many plants produce pollen7
e. r. W.
A. There are $4,000 varieties of plants
in the United States that produce pollen.
@. Where is President Jane X. Polk
buried?-L. r.
A. His tomb is in the park surround
ing the State Capitol at Nashville, Tenn.
Q. How long have pies been made?-
L. E. F.
A. DR.. Vizetelly says: "The word pie
used to designate a baked crust with
meat in it, dates from the year 1900
AID. In Langland's Vision of Piers
Plowman.' written in 1862. he refers in
the prologue to cooks and knaves here
'cryen' hote pies. hote! Goode gees and
grys. Cove dyne, gowe! This refers
to pies filled with goose meat and goose
greese. both formerly in popular favor
in rural England AS early as 1872 the
occupation of pyebaker was recognized
and noted in 'Promptorium Parvulorum.'
an English-Latin dictionary compiled by
Godfrey, the grammarian."
@. How many grounds for divorce are
there IN the United States?-C. G.
A. In all. there are 81 legal grounds
recognized in the United States.
@. Can foreigners be naturalized in
Peru?-J. T.
A. At the present time they cannot.
New regulations are being drawn up.
immigration into Peru and activities of
foreigners in Peru are limited.
I.,s~~n~.