OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14897, 28 July 1910, Page 3

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN

FOR SENIORS AND JUNIORS.

(Conduotcd by Magistek. to whom nil wmmnnicatioiia must be addressed.) ■ [IUorsMR will be giad to r«eiv« .Nftturo notes, marked papers containing educational articles, diagrams, details of experiments, etc., of aehoWic interest to . teachers, and pupils. Correspondents must use OKtY ons sins of the paper, a "d whether using a p«n ignite or not, must, send both nam? and»BDItESS.I ADMIRAL 13-LAKE.. About a month ago I was asked for some notes on Admiral Blake. It was.a teacher who asked me. lie :a'd history wasn't one of his strong points, and that he wanted some information for his boy 6 and girls, who intended entering for the Xavy Loaguo competition. As tlra history of Blako's career is not too well known, I'll give a seric-3 of notes from which, teachers and bovs and girls can eidl what thev think fit." THE LENGTHENING DAYS. As the days lengthen tho cold strengthens is an old saying, and during tho past weeks we have had proof ot ite applicability. But my note to-day isn't on that, but on tl.e rats at which days lengthen and snortcn. Why is it that in some weeks the days increase in length only about half a'''minute a day, and in other weeks about eight times as much? From Stone's Directory. I am giving below a table which I have made up from the- almanac, showing tho time the 'sun has risen every Monday from December 6, last year, to last Monday, with tho addition of a few days about tho longest and shortest. You will eee that for somj time before and after the longestamd the shortest days there is very little movement. Why? But. for some time before, and after the March equinox the movement is a coinpartiveiy large one. Why? The range is from three minutes to 26. Carry on tliesi figures youreolf from now to Christmas, and see if you erm infer ahead. Have you a map showing the ecliptic? Perhaps that will help you. I/)ok at the figures again und nol'iee that the time by which a day lengthens isn't equally divided between the morning and the afternoon. Why? I don't know that I cm tc!.l you; can you tell me? a.m. p.m. Mn a.m. p.m. Mn Dec. 6 1.19 7.40 - April 4' 6.35 5.49 24 13 4.19 7.47 7 11 6.42 5.26 20 20. 4.21 7.51 6 18 6.52 '5.22 24 21 4.22 7.52- 25 7. 15.1120 23 4.23 7.52 - May 2 7.10 5. 0 20 2,4 4.23 7.53 - 9 7.19 4.48 21 27 4,257,54- 16 7.28 4.41 16 Jan. 3 4.29 7.54 4 23 7.36 4.34 15 10 4.56 7.53 8 . 30 7.43 4.27 U 17 4.44 7.50 11 June 6 7.49 4.24 $ 24 4.54 7.45 15 13 7.52 4;23 a 31 5.4 7.38 17 20 7.55 4-22 ~ 4 Feb, 7 5.14 7.29 19 21 7.56 4.22 - 14 5.26 7.19 22 22 7.56 4.23 '— 21 5.36 7.7 22 23 7.56 4.2&28 5.47 6,56 22' . 24 7.56 4.23 - -Mai. 7 5.55 6.43 21 27 '7.55 4-.2S 3 14 6. 7 6.29 26 July 4 7.54 4.28 4 21 6.17 6.15 24. U 7.52 4.33' 7 28 6.24 6. 2 20 18 7.49 4.40 10 25 .7.42 4.4/ it THE ADVENT OF SPRING IN - CANADA. A month or so ago I gave some quotations from a- fetter written by Mr A. Ever}', of the Solomon Islands; well, to-day I give extracts from, a letter Written by 'a sister who went to. Canada. The two, climatically, speaking, -are a study in contrasts, and by boys and girls tho. extracts may bo regarded as typical of an 'insular and a continental climate, and as showing the extreme range of temperature existing away from the equator in continental areas; compared with ■ the equable temperature right through the year .near the sea in the tropics. The extracts give "no thermometer readings, but this detail I'll give myeolf another time; ■ " Gilolo, March 28. 'Tho ice is breaking up! Most of our neighbourhood are out on tho banks watching the sight of spring. I'm sitting on the front, doorstep, the bright morning sunshine streaming in, and.watching the pass- , nig of the ico.- Before breakfast there was a noiso like the breakers on a shore, and we watched tho icu begin to move and the water to show here and there. Our beautiful, winter road has gone, but. lovely sparkling water enchants the eye once more. Huge blocks of ice come grating, grinding, and piling up on- the banks-'in places. The water in front is now almost clear, but further down it has tha appearance of a very rough sea, nothing but white horses. Tho people on the opposite shorb havo been practically cutoff of late; a, few men ventured across lately, and even this morning, by dragging a boat on runners, using it in the water at either side. Tholast few teams that crossed did it very warily. The horse tried far in front of the waggon, about 30ft' distant, and a man running eomo way in front of the horse. A'eedfea to say, they erased as speedily as possible; We wonder if the comet is affecting tho atmosphere, for people here do not oxpect a clear river until the middle of April. It is fascinating _ watching the development of the changing seasons in this entirely new country. Everything reads so differently to ono on the 6pot. For instance, in reading Ralph Comwr'6 latest book, one understands things so much better. The Gallicians he writes about are about Selkirk, hundreds of them, and- they pass through this reserve constantly with their teams. "j Tho tinkling bslls are a thing of the past; cutters havo Tetircd ih favour of wheekrl vehicles,, and how dirty they get! The mud is horribly sticky, and rubbers igoloshes) have the appearance of littlo mud stacks. It was amusing' |» see tllO 6eoond edition of Selkirk ico that came down the river adorned with all kinds of rubbish, from a washing boiler to a raft. The river was blocked again for a time; afterwards latecomers sailed by, looking like miniature icebergs or toy yaehte. It is lovely to be able to sit out again and enjoy warm weather, not to mention being'able to : throw doors and windows wide open. To koep constantly fresh air in winter means piling miteh wood on the furnace fire. ... Winnipeg and scores of. towns hem are certainly booming. Were I a man looking for a fortune I should deal in land, for values increase 60 'rapidly wherever the railway goes. Winnipeg streets,' being paved, soon havo their spring costumes on: gangs of men are set to work everywhere an x , I , eo " nt « 1 23 men in .'one. street! I had the long-antrapatttl pleasure of attending Dr Gordon's (Ralph Connor) ohurch and hearting hiro preach. Like- the prophet, the novelist- has not a superabundant supply of honour in his own country. Having such a reputation abroad may incroaso bomo- criticism. However, I was muoh interested in Jiia sermon. He spoke of tie barbaric way tho world treats its crimiitote, shutting. them out of God's sunlight and free air, and added that jurists prophesy that, that will bo a thing of tho past in 10 years. Ralph Oonmor's nam© ap v pearcd lately in' a list of Manitoba millionaires. ' v Lately Winnipeg hod a children's hospital day, making money, by sellinj violets. Panoy 30,000 littlo bimehes sold,' all grown inside, too. The price was 10 cents a bunch, and all lrad to have a. buttonhole. The trains going West are ' already crowded, coming in by tho ] thousand. Fares oil two trams.hero aw ; five cents, but wo oaji go any distance on any line by getting transfers, As usual, I had to spend a good deal of time ia Eaton's huge department store. Sltopping. i thoro is made easy by using transfer cards, upon which anything may be written, these are taken from floor to floor or department to department, and goods paid for all together before getting delivery. A. jtossionwj has jwet returned to Gilolo from tho Fisher River reserve. Ho found that roost of the old ohurch jnembers had become "Shakers," as. the ApostolicHaith peopte *re nicknamed. They strive with groamings and many prayerfl to obtain tho gut of tongues, aid so show that they have the baptism of the Holy Ghost, but v r deeds often belie their Words. An Indian oame into the store one dav with the atmounoement ."He's come!'"' Whos come?" "The crow!" I saw one when in Ute bush' mid said " Welcome, ~3 welcome back to our own coantry. ■ The crow is welcomed as a. sign of spring, Oflo nun told ins they always felt sid whoa the ducks and birds flew south, for they thought thev might never see them asaAn, » they were olwavs delighted to see the birds back again." NOTES ON CORRESPONDENCE. Will oonrespoDdenis please write ONLY ox , OSE j S i° E? ? dUr lettors published last week and this violates this press rule. I want to help correspondents as much as I coir, but they must not add to my work. If I were not so soft-hearted I should not notice them. Also, will correspondents j be as brief as possible for a. EiOath or two? A great deal of talk istdcingplooe in Wellington, and it has to have spaoe. devoted to it, no matter how. worthies it may often be. I must apologise to "T. T." and "West Coaater," for I fcave mjsjkjoed, Jiwir-epoci.-

;T. T.'s" beetlo by fch» description ho gives of it. "-West, Coaster's" live, stock may 'tore made astonishing developments m the meantime. ■ ■ - - Mr M'GUlivray'B sketali of tlio siege of ft.aia.poi will probably, appear next week. Will the St.. KiWa correspondent who lent me a. page of. bird notes taken from the New Idea pleai-e sehd me her addtfosa? ■■N. 'L.J' Ashburton, sends me an essay, passing in review a line of ships representing; the" past greatness of the navy. Portions of it 1 have omitted, partly because .l am taking up too much space with matter not connected with the objects of .my columns, and partly because the stylo is somewhat inHated. 3ly advioe to young writers is not to • strain for effect. Be natural. Let your vocabulary be as extensive as you likc-the more extensive the 'better,- because thou there is a greater likelihood that you- will become fluent writers, and use naturally, the words that most naturally and accurately express your meaning. Young writers who are ambitious are often " intoxicated with the exuberance of. their verbosity." Perhaps next week I'll give a note upon a book nil literary students should read, It is a grammar, bu-5 quite different from tho usual type'. And while 1 think of it, I do not wish corrospondonls. to send me anything in the shape of essays without, asking me fust whether they will bo acceptable. I want principally, Nature Notes, and if sent by observers I do not care how badly or ungrammatically they are written,' or how badly spelled. We'll do a little plain polishing up when necessary. And the more notes there' are on simple observations by children, flic better. Now and thai I'll ask I for letters on special subjects, and then I hope, as in the past., to. get a liberal re-, spouse from seniors. " "Tui," St Albans, Christchurch. read "Makinihi'%" letter on Red-polls'■ with great interest, and through me semis him a note asking how to keep in captivity a young tui. I am asking him to give me a few lines for our oolnrrms. Is it kind : to keep such a bird in captivity? I suppose that now it is away from its nest, it would bo heartless cruelty to turn it adrift.'From tho letters to " Mnkinihi " and myself I •' can so? Jhat" Tui "'is anxiously doing all she can'think of for the bird's health and j Comfort. HEROIC SHIPS. The 'following, is "N. Z.'s "■ essay 'abbreviated :—' The Great Harry leads, followed'closely by her Scottish peer the Great Michael, both "monstrous groat navies," towering 'tier'upon'tier from the water's edge. That is 'tire Pelican gliding, after bearing Drake and his buccaneers—lor such tlrey were— merrily, forth "asingeing the King-, of Spain's bsard"! The renowned Revenge" is close on her track. Drake's ship also of terrible memory to the' foes of Olde Englande. Now the Golden Hind appears, in which the blameless Sir Humphrey Gilbert found " heaven as near on sea as land." v Tlk* . flagship George comes in sight with the brave Blake' lying dying in his cabin within view of the "chalky cliffs"; but his..deeds will live on in tho history of his country. Here comes tlw GsntiiTioH, bringing Alison back from bis well-nigh interminable voyage round the workh She has feft. oight ■ comrades on the- way, Now the valiant Formidable, with Rodney on the quarterdeck, ' closely attended, by the Natmir, with Captain Inglis, breaks through . the obscuring smoke,. their ■ flashing . lightnings extinguished, their ■ thunders silenced for evermore. Out gleams the Queen ' Charlotte, bedght with' brilliant rwollsctibns of "that smart brush" of Lord Hawes with the Frenchman' off Cape Ushant on' the "glorious first of June." And rtow a shout zc'zn up, "Tlm Victorv! The Victory! The Victory!" Of Nelson, of the Nile, of tho Baltic, of Trafalgar resounding acclamations pour. Wave every banner high ', and unfurl every flag (6 gi>-et the passing i flagship of the greatest of all admirals. "%n the Zealandia fall, into line with euch Titans as there? The notable Bellerophon sails by with Napolean Bonaparte on .deck, meeting Captain Maitland,' handing to him his sword; '''while all the world wonders." '.'.'. Still, still they come. The brave ships of old. The Shannon bears'into the offing. She has been lying sulkilv enough outside' Boston "Harbour.- The' '/i-- i-i«an shipping-it could not then be c-:-!' d n navy-Jlwl been "giving.il hot" to certain boastful British ships, and Captain Philip Bawes Vere Englishman in spite of his name-was smarting sorely and finding no salvo for his hurt, unless ho miglft have a duel with, the Chesapeake, the largest American.. lis bogs' 'and implores her to come out and fight-' him and M'donV'with'it; .and after some'disilainful delay that' confident Chesapeake does come out, attended by a flotilla of pleasure boats intent upon the fun' of seeing how the Britisher will take • his licking. But ™-<-ay the Chesapeake is doing duty as a flmirmill on the banks of- the M'edway peacefully grinding English corn, though Stll showing marks of the Shannon's shot and shell," The'Arctlmsa-"thc saucy Arethusa "— dances up, much as she danced on the day she so engagingly devoured La Belle Paule on the coast of France. . The heroism .of tho Successful isl dazzling,' and cannot be hidden.- 'What of those heroic 6hips fated to failure who were never to, make port, "with broad, full canvas 'fore a steady breeze"? . We .niusf unoover bowed heads when such ships as those represented by the Birkenhead and the Kent join the procession. Are. wo not as proud of them as' of our Formidables and. Shannons and Victories? Can our sons celebrate ™eh ships as these? j Wo have been straining our ■ eyes, into • the distance of time rad spaoe. Gloaeo at oar' waters. We shall-catch sight, of some pitifully sumIII araft approaching. Tho Kndeavour, Cook, the navigator of chief interest to us, commanding, and a little, later we see the Aurora, bringing tho "first settlers to Port Nicholson (Wellington),, and soon thd Beagle and TWgaloro fetching a few moro to Auckland, and later again, the John W.ickliffe and the Philip Laing bringing cur Otago Pilgrim Fathers. 'If you could sec. any of item lying at Port Chalmers you would net choose to- go round. to Catlin's River fu, one of'them, and,, yet they have bravely' made the wearh-oms ■ vovage of 16,000 miles, They,, too, must have a worthy place in the. 'sea.-pagea.nt, we have betao watching for, for timy,,tool bore, their pairt in tho history of the Empire. They, too held within.their frail wooden walls hearts of oak, women worthy of their sea-farin" ancestry. ° Born and bred almost exclusively npoir our seaboard, how. is it that, after the best part, of a; .century, our islanders have not displayed any partiality for the tea? Is this tho answer, Too much luxury, Cair hearts of oak be,found.at warm firesides, en tenuis lawns, on cricket-fields? We can build a Dreadnought with, borrowed nicney, but' can we -mam it with home-born men, men reverting to the type of those old Devonshire sea dogs whose 'bark and bite kept the enemies of "Okie Englande" at respectful distance,—meii of .whom. Kingsloy : wrote, when describin" the exultation at the destruction of the Armada; 1 "From all.'Europe—from all mankind I had almost said,—in which.lav tho seed of future virtue and greatness, of- the destinies of < the newly-discovered world and the triumphs of the coming ago cf science, arose a shout of. holy joy such as the world had not heard for many a weary century, a ■ shout which waa the prophetic birth psan of North Amwiea, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands; of free commerce and 0 f free colonisation ever .the whole earth?" " The Rest," Maori Hill, Jane 25. Dear " Magister,"—Will you oblige mo with the name of this little beetle? Is it a relative of the Prionus reticularis? I suppose not—the legs and mouth-'parts "arc quite different, Quito, a swarm of this beetle came in during tihe last two or three warm • evenings before this cold spell M,fc in, and they make sweet miisic. Whether. they do it with: their vccal organs or their "cfever hir.d legs," as some- old lady expressed it, I do : not know. . When the beetles join with cMaw'members'of'the gnat, or "daddy longlegs" tribe, it is a fairy orchestra worth hearing. I chloroformed two of them the other night |1 have not seen any flying so late in the year before—in March thev are .plentiful usually), just to'find out their idontity and keep to lcok . at. The vel\etygreen coat, with iW studs of brown chenille, and the quaint "face" and legs, make it an- attractive insect. I shall be grateful'for anvthiiii; you can tell me of it.—Sincerely yours. ..T.T.. Quetn street, Dundii), Dear "Magister,"—Lwill write these few lines in answer to " llakinihi." He-speaks of wax-eye* being a bundle of- bones, or usas wordy with that meaning, and I quite agree with him. Every morning, about 7.30, dozens of the littlo birds flock round my I house, with their" tweet, tweet," which is a rather pitiful sound to hear. They are not-slow-in-picking a crust of bread when it is..thrown to them, but my cat is bare, thore, and everywhere, and the birds donot get a chance, Some of die bisger birds are plump • and - strong, - but the majority of them are-all but-dead. The other morning I was coining down Forth place, and saw three wax-eyes stretched out on.'the cold, : frosty -roa'd,- quite 'dead, and,-

with:'• Makiaihi," I'll.say they are "nothing but a bag ,of bones."—l am, etc., BItOADLEAI - . . ;

Dear "'MagisUy,"—J. Shore draws people's' attention to the good his friend the weasel lias done for the country. He gives a splendid account of this vermin. Now, '' Mnghter,". I am going to <lraw your attention to a few mistakes in his letter.. 1 have no ; need to bring up the damages done to native birds by weasels and stoats, [or the country has proof of .it. Ho also gives an account of 40 years' damages by rats. If the weasel. were such a useful animal he would be taken carb of at .Homo, as they have the. experionco.of..l4o ,years' damaKCO done by rats and mice, ■ and still the rat exists. • Now, "Magistor," the real cause of the disappearance of rats and mice, which the rabbitor is not paid • for, is the phosphorus .grain, pollard, and toxa. He also kills a great many stoats and weasels at his own cost. So there is no credit to the stoat nor his friend the weasel.. J. Shore's authority on the subject is ,*i. ijentlemaTi and lady, so "J." was coavir The cat is one of tho most ■plentiu.. of. domestic- animals, and we could not'teach it to break an egg in, 40 'yearn. But if " J." writes to " Dot's Little Folks" he will get the history of tile cat. "J." asks why the weasel is dying out. He says it is because its natural food is gone. "J," must think Nature is beautifully arranged to, say that this tiny little vermin eats up all its natural food, then lies down and dies, Tho weasel must take its departure, when' the stoat puts in its appearance. .The. weasel was very plentitiful for two years iu Catlius before the, stoat made its appearance, but parrakosts, robins, andkakas were very scarce by that time. Those fchreo birds went down at once, and are almost out now. "J." says in every paper he lifts ho sees mention of weasels, weasels.; New Zealand has weasels on the brain, and much need; but some have weasels where the brains ought to be. Now,.. "Magister," no gentleman will write to your column and say that the weasel is not killing the native birds, booauso it is not.true. I was in New Zealand a little before the weasel, and in 1885 the native birds were very plentiful, and at Catiins in 1895 tho birds were swarming. Now they are gone. It is. a big want, "J." spea.ks 'of the skylark and quail both doing well. Tho lark nests in the field, while the weasel goes round it; they work in the shelter and get more nests. I see "J." is not acquainted with the quail when he •says it roosts on the ground all the year round. I have hunted, tho quail a great deal. I have got them on the kaio tree late in the ovening and early in the morn,mg. . Beaten out, they roost. on trees covered with, vines. Othens have hunted the, quail as well .as me, and oan correct mo if lam wrong. But he is naturally a ground bird. Now, "Magister!" about the percentage.of female rata, one in 11. That might be right. I bred the grev rat, but white and brown ■(»). Thov came from the Croron Inn in Kilmarnock, and thev had three nests, the first 11, and the otlw. two 14 each, and in tho 39 there was riot a. female rat. Thoy werebred to perfection, but. I did not breed them Ic-ngitnoiigh, as every time I brought thorn into the l'.onn? m.v mother flourished the poker. I rtieanl to draw yonv atten-/ion'-fo the red pole falling in the cage, but my letter is too long.—"J.," Rimu.