? Ask ? The Witch Doctor

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 189, 12 August 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

? Ask ? The Witch Doctor

AUGUST 0.

Each week in this column questions that puzzle our Juvenile readers will bo answered. It is not intended that recipos, household hints, controversial matters or subjects of interest to adults only should be covered in this column, the main fjrposo of which is to supply answers to tho many queries that spring from the natural curiosity of boys and girls. Questions relating to hobbycraft will also be touched upon here.

C.T.B. asks where lie could obtain a hook on home-made traps ana snares Tor birds and animals of New Zealand.—l know or no book devoted to tills subject.

Hard Up is anxious to obtain an American dollar in exchange for an equivalent amount of English money.—An American dollar could be purchased from Cooke's Tourist agency at the cost or about 5/G.

Aero wants to know where to get plans for a model overhead railway.—At the moment I cannot suggest where plans- for an overhead railway might be obtained, perhaps one of: Our readers could supply some information on the subject.

Scientist says: Can you tell me where I can purchase a small Crookes' X-rax tube, and the approximate price?— One would need to have a good deal of experience before being able to satisfactorily handle an X-ray tube. The cheapest obtainable costs about £40.

Miniature inquires the market value of a miniature copy of tho "Sydney Morning Herald" containing the news or Queen Victoria's death.—No market value can be given for such special editions. Possibly by advertising you could llnd someone interested enough to oiler a price Tor the copy. „

D.A. wants to know where he can buy the "Boys' Journal," a magazine or science, literature, adventure and amusement. —I do not know this magazine. There is, however, a "Boys' Magazine" published by Ilia Allied Newspapers, Withy Grove, Manchester, which sells at 3d per copy.

Nutmeg's query is: What can a pet hedgehog- he reel on? —A pet hedgehog will eat any odd scraps of food, which should be given to him only if they arc wholesome and fresh. lie will eat vegetables, hut should also be given some raw meat every day, and will enjoy nibbling a bone occasionally. A little bread and milk may also be given to the hedgehog in the morning.

Farmer J. is worried as to what to "do Willi a lerhon. tree the fruit of which is going bad on the tree. Whitish coloured patches, are noticeable /on the find of affected'fruit. —This condition of the tree is due mainly to the wet, and when the weather becomes better the tree will get more healthy. Splaying with a lime and sulphur solution, in the proportion of one part mixture to fifty parts of water is to he recommended, two sprayings being given at Intervals of ten days.

Toffee would lilce a recipe Tor making honeycomb.—To make honeycomb boil together two pounds of white sugar, half a pound of glucose and a little water in a deep saucepan. The mixture must bo boiled until a little dipped out with a spoon and dropped into cold water becomes brittle and will crack easily. Remove the saucepan from the lire and quickly stir in a. teaspoonrul of baking soda. The syrup will rise quickly, and so all should be ready to pour it out as soon as the soda is added. The honeycomb can be poured into a greased baking dish standing, in a cool place. , ■ „

Sea Lover wonders: (a) Why the Royal salute is of 21 guns? (b) What is the meaning of 11.M.5., H.M.A.s. and R.F.A. before the names of certain warships?— There is 110 reason why the Royal salute should consist of 21 guns other than the fact there is a definite scale or salutes laid down in the Royal Navy, or which 21 guns is the highest in New Zealand .waters. This Is the Royal salute given to royalty, and also as a National salute. In Indian waters a hundred and one guns are iired as a salute to the King, and thirty-three lor a Viceroy. (b) H.M.s. stands ror His Majesty's ship, H.M.A.s. for His Majesty's Australian ship, and R.F.A. for Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

La Basi wants to know how to make invisible Ink.—To make a good Invisible Inlc dissolve one drachm ot' chloride of cobalt and one drachm or gum arable in one ounce of water. This Ink will remain invisible until the paper is heated.

Kurio King asks for an address where the the Iron Cross and similar decorations may be purchased.—Write to Messrs. Baldwin and Son, Numismatists, Duncannon Street, Charing Cross, London, for particulars concerning the sale ol' war medals and decorations.

Harrier asks: (a) What Is a good exercise to increase stamina for long distance races, and (b) the New Zealand record for the three miles track race, and the holder of the record?—(a) Skipping and long road rnns are exercises recommended to those who want to Increase their stamina for long distance running, (b) Randolph Rose holds the three mile track record, his time being l i.29,

Please inquires: (a) How much it would cost to import n model aeroplane valued at 2.50 dollars in America? (b) Where could a book on break bowling' be obtained? (a) Tt is estimated the cost or landing ihe model aeroplane would be 14/ plus 60 per cent of that amount, bringing- the total to about 22/. A money order could be used to send the 2 dollars 50 cents to America. (b) "On Getting Wickets," by Grimmett, is tho only book ol" which I know that deals specially with bowling, and It Is now out of print.

ACCEPTED AS READ

From a letter received from Jack Tunnicliffe we take the following. Perhaps readers may care to check liis work! Here is an interesting problem I had to do in an algebra test:— "In how many ways may a pack of 52 cards be divided equally among four players 1" Answer: Four hundred and eightynine thousand four hundred and seventyone billion billion, one hundred and twenty-two .thousand eight hundred and twenty-one million billion, seven hundred and nine thousand four hundred and thirty-three billion, three hundred, and eighty-six thousand nine, hundred and eighty-two million, seven hundred iyid thirty-two thousand. Or, to put it in numerals: 489,471)122,821,709,433,380.982,732,000.

AFTER RAIN.

(By ESlsn. Flavell, P.O. Box 313, Hawera, age 16.) How fail* the earth is always after rain, When through the parting clouds the euli shines forth again; How sweet the songs of birds from dripping trees, The reawakened scents that pass along the breeze. Ho\v much like glowing jewels do the raindrops slrine, Strung on soft spider webs or fairy gossamer flare-I How fresh and tender then -the newwashed air! Oh! after rain the earth, is always wondrous. fair.

NOT THAT KIND.

(Sent in by Margaret Bowmar, Ainslie Road, Pueroa ; ago 13.) "Tliat, my son, is Sir Timothy ,Topnot," <said Dicky's father, as he pointed to a statue in the museum. "He gave large sums to the schools." "So that's him, is it?" grunted Dicky Punce. "Well, why on earth didn't he do the silly old sums himself."

Fisher, Miriam McLaren, .roan Hart, Frank Millar, Eileen Ilorlock, Connie Morrow, Bonnie Hunt, Phillip I'lahU, Frances Jacobs. Josephine Purchase, Phyllis Jones, Lola T'i.ve, Minnie Kelly. Helen Watson, Nola Loreridge, Betty Woods. Arthur Mackenzie, William 'Wright, Ernest AUGUST 7. Hat'rell, Catherine Leutih, Miriam Birnie, J. Douglas Leaper BeutrU Bland, Jessie Lusk, !».& ar-Kun^ Mr Kir^een Davidson, Ross Owen, Nancy Dic.kiiiKon, Elsie ' { - v,u 1 1 ' iriorence Gregory, ltuth Sanderson, Florence Ciriflin. Margaret lvs Johnson. Maurice A' 1 V.I" V.-f,-n Larsen, Polly - vIlp ; ' „ Lawrie, Margaret \oung, Dou„las AUGUST 8. Andrews, Joan ' Kemp, -J""" \ii<iri>\vM Jaiut'S Miller, huna Ansell. Miriam o^S'etlehVn Ashurst, Belle Pin icy, *etUli n u.iir Vor i Rullcdge, t. Buckley, Gladys Simins. "j 'if Mni-rnret Stewart, Molly O iIV Krie Weber, Aln.ar Dillon, Ethel White. . Dunnliv. Noolonc Wlute, ului . <> ;rav Edward Winkleinan Peggy Jenkins. Rosalie Wilson. Nnlene Johnston. Margaret Yeoman, Jean Johnstone, Helen AUGUST 9. Billies, Dulcie ■]"'' n f n l ; n^ orotby Billing. Elsie ?-''Tn Henry Bounfe' 'l'liHlip V Brown.' Frederick 1 Cameron, Dossie Miles, Dorothy Chllds, Gordon Chisholm. Albert I'ratt, Eldon Fteher, Eileen fyke. Gilbert Alan Road, Audrey Gilbert! Jack Samfilers, Bobbie Jaggur-Smith, Voice, Minnie - AUGUST 10. \hercromble, Elva llaynes. Eijwin Baker, Winnie Lambert, lerence Baldwin. George Liters, James Bishop, Ray Martin, Ivy Rrnce Edna Mathews, Helen Parr Alan McNeil, Meryyn Chester, Wallace Meade, Sheila Davidson. Sydney Molloy Patrick Delany, Marie Qiulter, FieU. cle Manser, Ruth Sexton. Sidney Duncan, Jean Shaw, John Edwards, Stanley Taylor, Ronald Forney. John Terry, Leslie C.essen. Emily • l |iuk '"' ,7 °sL Goodwin, Gladys Trimble, Kffle Gurr, Margaret Warner, Hei'K>rt Harrison, Rona Warren, Robert AUGUST 11. Adnams, Jean McNeil, Amy Beckett, Phyllis Meikle, Hons Bovce Eric Plank, Ethel Hurray. Joan .O'Meara. Dorothy Heron, Eunice Pople, Rodney llickey, 11. Ree/1 Jean ,lesson, Robert Snntli, Brian Kelly Pearl I'hnmson. Clifton Loiteh. Robert Todd. Lorna T.ymburn, Roy Wallen, Edward Masterson, Maureen Ware, Ruby Matheson. Georgina ,White, Delville MeCutclieon, Edna Woulds, Marion McCutcheon, Maureen AUGUST 12. Amundsen, Ella Marriott, George Bishop, Patricia McLennan, B. Brailey, Norman Meyer, Trevor Burrows, Marjorie Mlddleton, James Butland, .Tean Pirett, M.vra Davis, Bessie Rielly, Beryl De iAica, ' Colin Shine, Earl Dobbyn, Harry Smith, Helen Farquliar, Zena Snedden, James Irwin, Mvrtle Sutton, Rita Kiddie. Billy Warn, Keith Lowson, George