ASK THE WITCH DOCTOR

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 37, 13 February 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

ASK THE WITCH DOCTOR

Manama asks: To what country does the poinsettia belong?— This plant belongs to Jtfexico' and Central America. Tides asks: (a) What Is exactly the procedure of the tides each day (regarding time taken to run in, how long it stays in, and how * long to run out again) ? (h) What difference in time Is there between the tide in the Waitemata Harbour and that or the Manukau Harbour? —(a) A tide day averages 24 hours 48 minutes. The tide runs in (i.e. flood tide) on an average about 6 hours and runs out (i.e. ebb tide) on an average about 6 hours, but this time varies with the spring (very high) and neap (very low) tides, and is also affected by the local weather conditions. Slack water in midstream averages from 20 to 30 minutes at high and low water, (b) There is a difference in the times of high water at Walternata and Manukau, Harbours as rollows. It is high water at Manukau Heads 2 hours 37 minutes after high water at Auclfiand. It is high water at Onehunga whaiT 3 hours 37 minutes after high water at Auckland.

flfllM Sootoh Lad wonders what to do to keep black bugs and slaters (woodlice) away from his beehive.—There should not be much trouble with black bugs and slaters ir the hives are kept out or shade, that Is, in the sun, and in a dry location. Sometimes, however, it is found an advantage to place the bottom- board on Dottles let into the ground. * » » *

Christopher IH. wants to know: (a) What are the meaning's ol' the names Iris, Monti and Jean? (b) Wliat makes our hair stand on end with fright?—(a) Iris is of Greek origin, and it means the rainbow, a name given to one of .the messengers of the gods. Mona Is probably rrom the Greek word monos meaning alone. /Jean Is the feminine or John, and means "a gracious gift of God." (b) We know that both in ourselves and in many of the lower animals the hair can and does stand on end with fright. At the root of the hair we find a tiny muscle so arranged that, while the hair usually lies slantwise, when tills muscle is set working the hair stands upright. Tire best reasons we can give fo.r this peculiarity are that this movement may help to keep the root of the hair ,in order by a sort of massage, or that it may serve in keeping the slciii clean, or, most likely of all, that it may make such an I animal as a cat, when its hair is standing oil end, look very much bigger and more terrible to an enemy.