NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2242, 18 February 1897, Page 38

NOTES AND QUERIES.

i Questions for reply in coming issue to be received ■ not later than Monday lvtjht. Wright's Bush writes :— Quite a number of my strawberry plants have fioni year to j'ear t> luxuriant leaf growth but no fruit. Some term them " false " plants. Is there any method of distinguishing these plants when young, so as to prevent them from being planted? There is no way of distinguishing the plants ■when young Some kinds arc more subject to this defect than others— such nq British Queen. A cbaage of soil by changing the bed to a fresh, part of the gaiden may improve the bearing qualities, but yon had better start the fresh j bed with new plants. Witness, Greymouth. — Fowler's solution is composed of a solution of aiisenious acid 1, potassium bicarbonate ), coiap"uud tincture of lavender 3, waier 95 parts. It is one ef the best vehicles for administering arsenic. You say • "Fowler's compound," but we presume it is the solution jou mean. B. L. — You can obtain boxing gloves at Mitchell's, corner of the Arcade, from 133 upwards. Kangaroo. — Ninety-nine per cent, of rrporters use the Pitman system of shorthand, and if you learn any of the otber tystems you will find yourself handicapped when associated with other reporters iv taking a l^ng speech. For simateurs either the Sloan-Duploy.n or tho Everett system iR preferable to Pitman's, as they are much easier to learn and answer the i purpose very well. Doubtful —(1) No, a statement of your age by i your parents or guardians will answer the pur- I pote. (2) No. j Dishonoured.— It is not clear that you have any j i grounds of action. Tint depemu upon whether : your Recount was taken over or not. You must; | find that out, and also, it you can, the reason I why the cheque was uot paid. C. R. M'K.— Pollow's " Philosophy of Eating " and Wall's " Good Health by Careful Living " are obtainable at Horsburgh's, George street ; price 4s each, posted. S. A. O.— - (1) The name of the so-called Cape .A-'broom is Spartium motiospermum. It is in1 digetous to and Portugal, though found plentifully in South Africa. The common yellow broom is Cytisus (sarathaumus) scoparious. (2) We could not say unless we saw a 1 sample of it. (3) Messrs Ferguson and Mitchell, ! Princes street. j Puzzled Reader. — In the Anglican Church deans ! are "very reverend," bishops "right rever- ] end," and archbishops " most reverend." In i Scotland it is the practice to apply " very | reverend" to the moderator of the General ■ Assembly for tlia time being. Scotia. — "Auld Robin Gray" was written by >f Lady Anne BarnarJ, daughter of the Earl of Balcarras. She vraa born in Fifeshire, Scotland. T. R.— The estimated population of the Jews in the world is about &ix and a-half millions.