NOTES AND QUERIES,

Otago Witness, Issue 1956, 20 August 1891, Page 22

NOTES AND QUERIES,

Subscbibbr.— (l) We could not recommend that

class of pipe for a syphon. (2) Ninety-eight gallons per minute will flow through a 3in pipe with a fall of 6ft in 100 ; but remember if thi» pipe is your syphon only one-third of that quantity will run through it. (3) Two thousand three hundred

and forty gallons per hour. (4) A three horsepower boiler wilt be large enough for the work. Pr£i6ure 501b. Skcond Son.— (l) The widow would get one-third, and the remaining two-thirds would be divided equally among the children. (2) 80. A.R.-Yei. J. H.— We have made inquiries as to statistics of the

number of total abstainers in the United Kingdom, but cannot hear of any record being in existence. Inquires G — (1) Prairie grass: In reply to your query, "Is Oalifornian prairie grass a suitable grass to sow for pasture in this colony?" we cannot recommend it for the purpose except" on light droutby soils where varieties of more valuable grasses would afford only a stunted herbage. Of Itself the variety under notloe would necessitate olose feeding down, otherwise a matured growth would be •o hard and tedgy that want only would compel animals to eat it. Even in a mixture of grass seeds it is objectionable, as in their growth the better sorts would bs cropped olose by stock while the " prairie " would be allowed to progress to the hard, and ultimately the ripening stage. (2) It grows freely, but if intended for bay would have to be cut much oa the " green side." (3) Stock will not take to It readily unless in the early stage of growth, and if they have no other ohoioe of herbage. (4) It would do well enoogh sown by itself, but only on almost worthless soils, and even for these there are several mixtures of grasses that would give muoh better results. So little is it thought of that very few seedsmen keep it in stock, hut it is procurable in Duoedin. (5) The quoted price per bushel is 5s 6d. Sown by itself the quantity of seed would vary from three to four bushels per acre. The seed is large, approaching

tbe size of spurious oats. "Bill Jiwks." — " J. 8," Ahuriri, writes:— ln your Notes and Queries column, under date August 6, 1891, '• Billy " ask* for information re " Bill Jinks." I can inform him that the poem In question is not connected with the early gold digging days In Otago, but that it'wfls, to the best of my knowledge, written by Marcus Clarke, and has for its location Ballarat in the early gold-digging days of Victoria. It Is a parody on " Jim Bludiaw." The first four lines are these .— " Bill Jinks was a digger of Ballarat, And a most tremendous bloke ; He lived in a cabin in Murderers' Flat, And did nothing but swear and Brooke."

As far as memory serves me, it appeared in an annual published by the Australian Sketoher about tbe year 1877. If " Billy " can Ret the desired information will he please answer it through this column, as I also wish to get the poem in question. Compass. — Mr Beverly replies to your question : — The mirror attached to the prismatio compass' is used for taking tbe bearing of the sun, a star, or any cbjeot too elevated to be seen satisfactorily. It is set at such an angle as will throw the light from the object horizontally to the eje, and when the sun is observed , the coloured glasses are used to subdue the light. If the variation of the compass is known at the place of observation, the time can be found by ohierving the azimuth of the sun, or a star; oonvenely, if the time is known the variation of the compass can be found. In astronomical observations tbe compass should be placed on a level stand, with no iron about it to disturb tbe needle. Water— Mr Beverly replies to your query:- A flume 12in by Bln, with a fall of 18ft 4in per mile, will carry one Government head of water, if kept clean. It would be safer, howevtr, to make it a

little larger, as there is nothing to (pare. Ericonia.- (1) Mix three parts of salicylic acid * with 10 parts of powdered starch and 90 parti of powdered French chalk. Duit a little of thii imide the stocking! every morning, and bathe the ft-et each night with a little alum in the water. (2) The seriei of articles in our athletic columns which finished lait week, and which you do not appear to have read, gives you all the particulars you ask

lor. Station Haicd.— Such a thing at a scale of rations is out of date. It used to be 121b floor, 141b -iT mutton, §lb tea, 21b tugar. Nowadays the quantity is never grudged. The trouble lies between the quality and the cook* Sablb.— You will find a definition of the oolour of the fur of sable in any work on natural history or any oyolopeedia which you like to consult, such ac the Gyeloptedia of Natural History. Chambers' Encyclopedia. Blackie's Cyclopedia, &o. Profesaor Bell's " British Quadrupeds," comparing the beech and pine marten with the sable, states that the finest shins of the table have the yellow patch on the throat, with small spots of the lime colour scattered on the sides of the neck. In Black's Cyclopaedia the colour of M. zib. i« described as " a rich, deep brown which, near the head, may exhibit white markings, and frequently asiumes a grey tint about the neck." The fur of the Japanete sable (.M. melanopus) is marked with black on the less and feet, and the North American (M. leucopus) is marked white on the same parts. About 2000 skins of the Russian sable are introduced into England yearly, the darkest in colour being looked on as the most valuable The Tartar sable (M. siberlca) poue»ses a bright yellow fur. The skin of the Hudson's Bay sable (M. canadensis), of which come 18,000 are imported yearly into England, are invariably dyed of a dark colour

when used. E. M.— Received with thanks. Too late for this iseue, but will appear in next. Boundabt Dog.— We 'do not think there Is any liability unlew the zigzag i» caused by some negligence. We do not think the mere faot of the local body allowing gates to exist would create such liability. J W Pembroke.— Yea, the Postmaster general has power, by notice In the Gazette, to direct that letters, &c, addres»ed to any person advertiiing a consultation are not to be delivered.