NOTES AND QUERIES..

Otago Witness, Issue 2412, 24 May 1900, Page 50

NOTES AND QUERIES..

Questions for reply in coming issue to be received Ait later than MONDAY night.

A. H. — The questions asked are rather vague and diverse. The best time to piune tea, scented roses k during xhis and next month. Most of them are rather tender, consequently the wood does not ripen to any length. They should therefore be pinned close — say, to two or three eyes. Generally grown on their own roots their habit is dwarf, and much pruning is not required. Manure from sheep is not easily available, but does well. Wellrotted cow duiig is niosL in use, and a, sprinkling of superphosphate of lime is of great benefit. The soil should be rich naturally, or, if not, should be made so, and to keep; it free a good addition of calcined clay v or brick dust is invaluable. Wood ash is very good ; apply dissolved in water, not too strong. Cuttings in a shady border, as little as possible exposed to the sun, will do as well as in a frame. Stocks: Your picked out plants should be in fine order. Keep them in a cool place so as rot to force growth, and plant them out in September or October. The ,ter>week, being an annual, the beginning of October is the best time. Scabious: Common garden soil. Being herbaceous, plant cut any time after the stem is down. There are some fine flowers amongst them, but the name from its derivation suggests unpleasant ideas, thanks to its medicinal properties. Subscbibeb,.— (l) The game of golf is very popular ir New Zealand, and must become more so. We played golf in New Zealand over 30 years ago — long before it was played an America. (2) This question reminds us ©f some English golfers who were passing in ■She train q, well-known golf links in Fifeshive, and expressed their astonishment that the game had actually got to Scotland. (3) G-ood golf clubs and good links can be found anywhere in New Zealand, from Auckland to the Bluff. (4) We have no professional golfers fiere, but several clubs are thinking of gettiug them. If the professional could make clubs and balls there is room for more than one in New Zealand, at very good pay indeed. (5) Send him this and last week's Witness, with description of New Zealand championship meeting. JEn&inedbiver. — Mr Beverly kindly replies: — 41) If a common pump is worked at the top

of a shaft the piston rod must descend to within 30ft of the bottom. No possible arrangement of stationary valves could help the piston. (2, 3, 4) Centrifugal pumps are used both as lift and force pumps. They may be placed under the surface, or above it if (more convenient, but the distance above must nob exceed 30ft. T. L. — Mr Beverly replies: — Your calculation is quite correct. Whoever answered G. B.s query must have made a mistake. J?. — The climate of Dunedin is essentially ternpeiate, there being neither extreme heat nor extreme cold. The winters are open, with little frost or snow, and not an undue pioportion of rain. The spring months are comparatively mild, but changeable, and although there is a good proportion of sunshine, there is also a good deal of rain. December, January, and February are the hottest months, but Ihe heat is never oppressive, being usually tempered with a pleasant sea breeze. The drawback to the climate is its changeability, but this rule holds good pretty well throughout New Zealand, and in other places with the further drawback of greater extremes. The warmest spot in the vicinity is the Leith Valley, while the hill suburbs are somewhat cold, through being exposed to the winds from both north and south. H. H. — The imports to Great Britain from Ger- • many in 1898 were valued at £28,534,159, and from possessions, £35,203. The exports from Britain to Germany for the same year were of the value of £33,331,701 ; and to G-erman possessions '£136,538. D. M. — According to Whitaker's Almanac St. James's Bay," St. Helena, possesses a good anchorage, so that there is no difficulty in landing. D.' B. — (1) To waterproof cloth take 23,1b alum and dissolve in 10 gallons boiling wafer; then in a separate vessel dissolve the same quantity of sugar of lead in 10 gallons of water, and mix the two solutions. Well handle the ~ cloth in this liquid to ensure every parb of it being penetrated; "then squeeze and dry in the ah or in a warm apartmint ; wash m cold water, dry again, and it is ready for use. (2; Arthur Briscoe and Co., Prince 3 street, can supply you with cards for teasing wool at 5s each. Inquiher asks:- — What capital would be required to start a flax mill plant worked by water power, with iron wheel, and also what is the price of the fibre per ton, and average weekly output? Can any reader oblige with information calculated io be of use to Inquirer ? Middlbjiahcii asks if any reader can supply him with the correct key to the characters in Mullock's " New juepublic " ? IstANDEH.— (1) Certainly not: t,hp entry in the books would show you had deposited t-he

money. (2) No; you must renew the de-

posit. X. Y. Z. — Mr Beverly replies to your

yuery:— This catch question has been answered before in " Notes and Queries "' in the Witness. The bottom of a carriage wheel, being in contact with die road, is motionless,'

therefore the top must move at twice the rate of the carriage. This is showiVby so-called instantaneous photographs. The spokes at the- appear sharply defined, while those at the top appear hazy, owing to their motion during the brief exposure. This is the common-sense view of the question, but

some are so constituted that ihev cannot take

a common-sense view if another can be found. Employes. — It is doubtful whether a father has any right to the wages of a son under 16 years of age, but after he attains that age the father has no right whatever to the wages, and

it must be a fool (or something else) of a

lawyer who makes a" demand for them. J. T. W. — We are inquiring about the name, snd will reply in due course. O. B. — The correct pronunciation of Lord

Methuen's name is Methven. Palmerston. — The last rail on the northern line of railway at Goodwood was laid by the late Mr W. N. Blair, who was then district

engineer, on August 12, 1878,

The line was

publicly opened on September 6, 1878. K.ltiki. — An employer (a plumber) has been fined in 'Wellington by the Arbitration Court for not paying the wages stipulated in the

award, for employing more than the regulation number of assistants, and for negelcting to supply his workmen with sufficient tools. Another employer (a baker) has been fined for allowing his employees to commence work afc an hour earlier thau that fixed in an award.