Evening star., 1939-08-19
Answers
To Questions
By Frederic J. Hnskin.

eric J. Hdskin, director, Washington,
D. c. Please inclose stamp for replp.
O. When was John Philip Sousa's
washington Post March first played?
e. j. H.
A. Dedicated to the paper Of the same
name, the march was first played by the
United States Marine Band under
Sousa's baton on June IS, 1889, on the
grounds Of the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington, D. C.
Q. What is the largest star sapphire?
-E. D. B.
A. The Star Of India, weighing 503
carats. Is the largest known. 1t was
brought from India over 80 years ago and
is now in the Morgan collection OF gems
at the American Museum Of Natural
History in New York.
@. Where is the cigar capital Of the
world?-L. T. H.
A. Tampa, Fla, Is so-called. The Gu.
ban section of the city is lined with shops
and cigar factories, and over 1900 900
Havana cigars are made daily.
@. Is the word dice both plural and
singular?-C. S. M.
A. The word is the plural of die.
@. Please give the origin Of the name
Pail Mall.-E. H. G.
A. Pail mall was an ancient game In
which ball was driven through a ring
with mall or mallet. Pail is from the
Italian word palla, meaning ball and
mall is from maglio, meaning mallet.
The game is said to have been played
In or near the famous street in London
that bears that name.
@. Why do the inhabitants Of Tibet
wear earrings?-P. S. r.
A. In Tibet earrings are worn by peo.
pie Of all classes, because Of the wide
spread belief that a person whose ear
lobes are not pierced will be reborn in
the next life as a donkey
q. What is the most unusual animal7
j. H. M.
A. The duckbill of Australia is some
times referred to as the strangest Of all
animals 1t has beak and weblike feet
like duck, but is covered with hair and
feeds its young on milk. The male duck
bill Is the only poisonous mammal in the
world 1t bears on its hind legs grooved
spurs connected by long tubes with poi.
son glands situated near the thighs. The
voice of these animals is like the growl
OF an angry puppy.
@. What is the highest price per 100
pounds that sugar has been since 1902?
j. D. S.
A. Since 1902 the highest price for 100
pounds of sugar was in 1920 when the
price was $25.97 wholesale in New York.
@. Do many women in Italy attend
college?-S. j. T.
A. In 1878, out of total enrolment
OF 74,9O9 students in Italian universities
and institutions of higher education,
there were only 1858 women.
Q. Does it ever rain in Death Valley,
Calif.?-E. J. r.
A. The average annual rainfall there
Is less than an inch and half.
Q. What is engraved on the block OF
stone IN the Washington Monument
which was contributed by Kentucky?
M. K.
A. The granite block bears the fol-
lowing inscription: Under the auspices
Of Heaven and the precepts Of Washing
ton, Kentucky will be the last to give up
the Union. United We Stand, Divided
We Fall" The stone is placed on the
inner wall on the 230-foot landing.
@. How long does it take a ship to 90
through the Panama Canal?-W. K.F.
A. The passage of the canal, which is
81 miles long requires about six hours.
O. Who was the first white man to 20
to the South Sea Islands?-D. J.F.
A. On March 6, 1921, Ferdinand Ma.
gellan landed on Guam. the southern.
most island Of the Marianas group.
O. What is the legend of the laurel
tree?-J. M. H.
A. In Greek mythology, Apollo loved
the nymph Daphne. When he descend
ed to earth to WOO her, she fed from
him, and begged her mother, Gaea, the
earth goddess, to save her Through
the intercession of Gaea, Zeus turned
Daphne into a laurel tree. From that
time Apollo made the laurel sacred and
winners in the Pythian games, as well
as great poets, were crowned with the
leaves.
Q. Is there Beebe Foundation to aid
musicians?-S. P. c.
A. The Frank Huntington Beebe Fund
Tor Musicians at Boston is for the pur-
pose Of sending talented young Ameri-
can students abroad for musical study.
In default of suitable candidates in this
field, 1t offers the same opportunity to
students of painting
@. Please give the origin of the Con-
cord grape.-H. B. S.
A. In 1910 some boys Of Concord,
Mass, gathered wild grapes in the near
by woods On their way home they
threw some Of the seeds on the land of
Ephraim Bull. Mr.. Bull preserved one
OF the seedlings that sprang UP, and
when 1t fruited he planted its seeds. One
OF the second generation OF plants proved
superior to the others, 80 he preserved
this, which became the parent Of that
variety OF grapes.
Gold in Anher