ASK THE WITCH DOCTOR

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 252, 24 October 1931, Page 2 (Supplement)

ASK THE WITCH DOCTOR

Porthos wonders what Is tlie best manure for vegetables such as carrots, beetroot and turnips, and how it should be applied?— Superphosphate and potash forms quite a suitable manure for the vegetables you mention. This should be applied to the ground before planting, being lightly sprinkled on the surface (about 2oz to the square yard) and lightly forked in. The mixture is 3 parts of superphosphate to ■ 1 of potash.

Seeker asks how lie can make some strong paste.—An ordinary llour and water paste should be all that you require. To make this mix flour and water together to form a thin paste. To this there must be added a clove or two and a little alum, after which the paste is boiled on the stove until it'becomes thick. Constant stirring Is necessary to prevent the paste from becoming lumpy. A (b) Questions of controversial nature are not answered in this column. - : .

Electric wonders: (a) How many volts will a cycle generator give at a speed of twelve miles an hour? (b) What wire would I wind it with to increase its output, or would a transformer be better? — (a) There are two sizes in cycle generator sets. The most common are those which use -4.5 volt lamps. The output or such generators would be about 3 watts. The output is limited by the size of the generator, and also by the fact that the generator is of the permanent field magnet type. Although voltage rises with speed, the amperage or total output is not much greater. With no load a generator of the usual type attached to a bicycle travelling 15 m.p.h. should register about G.S volts if tested with a voltameter, (h) No benefit would he obtained bv increasing the number of turns in the winding as the output. is limited by the size or the generator. Rewinding could only give a greater voltage and less amperage, or vice versa. A fans former would have almost the same results, giving either more voltag-e or increased amperage, according to tno design.

i ii i ill in in in nil ii r Mill i ii lilt ii ii i in hi I nil Star Fish wonders: (a) llow it is that a shooting star does no injury wneu it lalls to earth? (b) llow does one join uio tramping club?—(a) What we usually call "snooting .stars" are really meteorites, or stones wmch come shooting towards tne earth, and become incandescent duo to the Xriction of the earth's atmosphere. The reason wny these stones do no damage is that although'many of them dasu towards us during tne year, only a very lew reach tne eartu in a solid state. Tne majority are burnt to dust by the friction, and so reach us as dust. Probably if one of the largest meteorites that, is Known fell in the midst of a populated area considerable; damage would be done, (b) Most tramping clubs require members to be over tne age of 18. To joins the Auckland Tramping Club one should make application to the Secretary, c/o P.O. Box 18, Auckland.

Tomcat wants to know: (a) What causes the Aurora Borealis? (b) Wlio is the world's strongest man? —(a) TJie Aurora Borealis is the ".Northern Lights" seen in the Arctic regions of the Rortheru hemispiiere. This strange phenomenon is caused Dy. tlie collision or tne electric particles arriving from tlie sun and tlie particles of the rarified gas on tlie outskirts of the earth's atmosphere, (b) A definite reply is impossible, as various strong men m various countries claim tlie distinction, in America-a giant named A. Paris /weight \ sst) Is creditea with laying lifted a yacht in which 12 men' .were seated, by placing his Dack under the rais--mg it off two stands—total weight —SSln, or 41b more than one ton. Ten years ago Clarence Weber, oi' Melbourne, • luted a sack of sand weighing 30211) from the lloor to liis . shoulder and carried the load tor 1 Dyds. In 1902 at Paris a sjxong man known theatrically as Apollyon (18st 101b) 11 ileawith one hand a barbell weighing ouOlj. Last January a Fren'ch Canadian, A. Danduraud (14st 81b and 53 years old/ luted from lloor to shoulder in a test at Canada, a model T Ford engine weiglinio 35-lib. And at Philadelphia three years ago H. Steinborn (14st -lib). A, raised a barbell weighmg •i°4lb the iloor to liis shoulders, then squatted down hv bending- his knees and stood up afeam, still retaining the weight All these men have claimed to be the of uieli - respective countries; and tn^ e n^ e^p^ t '' t men in Germany who do simdai weight-, lifting gtunts, 1