NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1861, 22 July 1887, Page 20

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Rough on Applk Blight.-'*' Paste the bugs," our Wakatipu correspondent writes, ia a cry that has long since sounded acro?s the Pacific Ocean from America to our shores; but"Kemove the bugs," we may now echo back in reply. Mr John Baven, who has been long and deligently experimenting with hio apple trees -nearly 10 > in number— has recently hit upon a mixture which has much to recommend it. To boiled starch, diluted with soap suds, he adds a thin mortar of lime until the whole has the consistence of cream. The proper quantities of the ingredients may easily be ascertained by trying a little of the mixture on a tree. It should leave a good covering, and in fine, warm weather dry in an hour or two. The advantage of the mixture consists in, first, killing both scaly and white blight, and then mechanically removing both, after the application has dried and become brittle. The wind, shaking and be< ding the trees, cracks the dried paste, which falls off, carrying the dead bugs with it, and succeeding rains remove the rest. In thiß manner no injury is done to the trees, the new branches coming out of the ordeal wi^h their bark quiet clean and Brneoth, while the older branches, with their cannies and cranks, are protected against future visitations of the insect's. The mixture is easily applied with a brish. and for the opera£ion a dry flue day should be selected, to allow the application to dry at once, when Ihe object in view may be attained' in a few hour's. This remedy is, in my opinion, certainly the best known at present for scaly as well as white blight. Fabmee.— Larner, Princes street; Bull, George street ; M'Quade, George street are the principal firms. Auction sales of poultry, &c. are held one or two nights a week at Campbell's Market, Moray place. ( We should think it would pay, but any of the firms mentioned would give you definite information on the subject. Hand Grenade.—" Interested " supplies his experience in the manufacture of home-made fire grenades. His composition is an extremely simple one, but he states that it is very effective. It is:— Common salt, 20 parts; sal ammoniac, 5 ; water, 7&. The thinnest bottles procurable — such as gin bottles— should be used, in order thajfc there may be no hitch in breaking them. '

Subscriber. — (1) Guards are authorised to issue tickets for passengers and dogs at stations where there are no officers in charge, but for obvious reasons it would b* impossible for a guard to weigh, charge, collect, and account for freight on goods and parcels at such stations and attend to his other duties. Without information as to name of the station from which the parcel was forwarded, we cannot answer your query as to the alleged charge ; but for the sum of 4s the department undertakes to carry a parcel weighing 281b 500 miles. In Victoria the same service would cost 5s 6d, and 7s 6din New South Wales There might be some error in the charge made, but, if so, a note to the Traffic Manager would ensure its rectification. (2) See below. D. P. — If the selector of suburban deferred-payment land has made a freehold of the section, be is not'

precluded from taking up another deferred-pay ment allotment, but he will be required to'reside on the land bo transferred— unless the former occupier has fulfilled the four years' residence required by the act.' The fees for such transfers are £1 for advertising, and £1 transfer fee. Wagkr writes;— Kindly tell me' whether the bright star which has been observable in the west, setting about 8.30 or 9 o'clock during the past week or two is Venus, and if so, what is the cause of its peculiarly' bright asptct.— Mr Beverly replies:— The star is Venuß, which is now approaching its greatest brilliancy ; and moreover, it isln that part of the ecliptio where it is seen to best advantage in southern latitudes. Subscriber writes: -I have a qua which is rendered useless through becoming 1< aded up inside. How can I clean it?— lt will require to be bored out by a gunsmith. Mr Mills, Stafford Btreet, does work of this description. Q. U. D.— Your suggestion is a good one, and we shall endeavour to have it carried out. Constant Reader.— lt would of course depend upon the wording of the rules; If no provision is made for suoh a contingency you should move for the addition of a rule bearing on it. J. T. S.— So far as we are awarf, Anna Farnell is still alive. It is stated that she formally retired from active participation in the Home Rule cause on the assassination of lord Cavendish and Mr Burke, and that this is the reason of her name not having appeared in print for some years past. C. P.— Communicate with the Minister of Lands, laying full particulars of your scheme before him. Should he think it feasible, he would no doubt instruct the loral inspector to experiment and report on it. If you merely wish your method made public, we should be glad to publish a description of it if supplied to us. Nelson.— (l) The dress circle in Home theatres it not the most expensive partof the house, the stalls <f and boxes respectively taking the precedence. Full dress is compulsory in the two latter, and in many theatres, though not in all. in the circle also. The circle is really the family portion of the house. (2) Of course he could, his ticket having been purchased with the knowledge that full dress was expected. H. S W.— Write to the Mine 3 department, Wellington, and you will be (supplied with all necessary instructions. , Singeh.— lt depends entirely on the construction of the song ; there is no hard and fast rule, but your ear will indicate which way is correct. Sufferer.— A course of quinine and iron is the best snd most permanent remedy for neuralgia. Ca?es are occasionally met, however, which rtsist all internal and external treatment until the stumps of decayed teeth areextracted. Several of the chemists advertising in our columns compound remedies, particulars of which will be found on reference to the respective advertisements. Technk.—" Artistic Anatomy" ; price 7s 6d, including postage, at Braithwaite's. A. S.— Pitman's Phonetic Journal is obtainable at Braithwaite's Book Arcade ; price 12s per annum, postage included. M. T.— Not without tho consent of the Land Board. Subscriber asks :-(!) Is a bankrupt when he files bound to give notice to all his creditors, or is the notice iv the local newspnper sufficient ? (2) Can a crediter who got no notice recover amount due after the debtor has gone through the court ?- (1) The newspaper notice is sufficient. (2) No. Progress asks .- - (l) Can school committees refuse admittance to the public at their meetings. (2) Io it compulsory for school committees to submit their balance sheet to the meeting of householders at the end of their term.— (l) Any householder in the district is entitled to be present. (2) The committee is bound to give a report of all its proceediugs to the meeting of householders.