NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3033, 1 May 1912, Page 47

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Questions far reply In coming issue to be received not later tnan SATURDAY night. Alex. — The information wanted will appear in “Horticultural Notes’’ next week. M., Taieri Mouth.—Th e specimen you forwarded was submitted to Mr G. M. Thomson, F.L.S., who kindly replies: The plant enclosed is Polygonum persicaria, a species allied to the common knot grass (Polygonum aviculare). It is not an uncommon weed in New Zealand, to which it has been introduced from the Old Country. It is not a post anywhere. Athenic. —Clover hay is worth £3 10s per ton at the present moment, with a steady demand at that figure. To arrive at the contents approximately of a hay stack, measure the length and breadth of the stack, then take its height from the ground to the eaves, and add to this last one-third of the height from the eaves to the top. Multiply the length by the breadth, and the product by the height so obtained, all expressed in feet. Divide this amount by 27, which gives the cubic yards in the stack. The weight of hay per cubic yard varies from 6st to over 20st, depending on the nature of the hay, its age, the size of the stack, and the part of the stack taken. In the South of England 10 cubic yards go to the ton. W. M., Riverton.—(l) The skins of opossums or other animals may bo preserved for rugs or mats as follows:—Make a lather with soap and hot water and when cool wash the skin thoroughly in it so that the fur is quite clean, and afterwards wash the soap out completely in co'd water. Make a solution of alum and 1 salt by dissolving 11b of each in a gallon .of water and mixing; thus two gallons are obtained. The skin is sometimes placed (or a few days in a mixture of bran and water, which slightly fermceits It is then stretched on an old door or beard, and najled along the edges, with the hair next the board. The fleshy side is then daily in the open air washed or sponged wim the solution of alum and salt until the curing process is complete After some days, before tin* skin is dry. sprinkle on the flesh side loz each of finely-powdered alum and saltpetre, and rub it in well. If the hair is not now firm on the skin, lot it remain a day or two and again mb with alum. Again test, and if all right add to some of the solution of alum and salt some flour and the yolk of nn egg until the whole is in a paste about as thick £-s honey. This paste is spread over the fleshy side and allowed to remain about 24 hours, being worked in occasionally. To soften the leather, stretch the skin and allow it to dry, and then polish off with pumice stone. C. J. M.—The law requires an employer to grant leave to his employee liable for military service to attend camp, but it does not require him to give leave for two extra dhys rot reqaired for training. You returned from camp on Thursday and did not go back to work till Monday. You took these extra days at your own risk, and without authority. A Friend, —There is no veterinary college in Now Zealand, and to obtain a license or degree it would bo necessary to proceed to Melbourne. Sydney, or the Home Country. It would be necessary to pass the matriculatoin examination. Unless a youth’s education has reached that standard it is considered ho would not bo capable of doing the work required. Subscriber, Rongahere.—To make parsnip wine, take 151 b of sliced parsnips and boil them till quite soft in five gallons of water; drain the liquor thoroughly from them, running rho pulp through a fine sieve; return the liquor into the boiler and add s!b of loaf sugar to every gallon; boil the whole for three-quarters of an hour; when tepid lay a toast covered with yeast in it and 1 cover it, keeping the cooler in a warm place; when it begins to ferment, put It into a cask, taking out the toast. It should not be racked till

the autumn, nor bottled for six months afterwards.

Thf. Outcast. —If you communicate with Mr W. Elder, chemist, George street, or Messrs Kcmpthornc, Prosser, and Co., mentioning the quantity, they would advise you as to the best methods ot disposing of ambergris. It is used m th© manufacture of high-class scents. It too quantity is small, it could probablv b© disposed of in New Zealand, but if large it would have to bo sent to London.

Inquirer. —Th© details you supply ar© somewhat meagio. Apparently the young people are cousins by th© marriage of their parents, and thus com© within the forbidden degree unoer the Marriage Act. Old Subscriber. —A person in charge of a post office is compelled to keep a supply of stamps and 1 sell to the public. Officers in charge of telephone exchanges are not required to fceop stamps. Subscriber. — (1) If th© income referred to consisted altogether of earnings it would not affect the granting of the full pension. Other income affects the amount ot pension which can be granted if over £3O. As you have not given the amount of income from each source a definite reply is impossible. (2) The full allowance to which a widow with three children is entitled is £24. Oxe ix Trouble, Win-ton-. H. M. Davey, consulting engineer, replies; You snouW have wnten to the editor. Though 4 have inquired at all the machinery places I can think of, I only find one or two agents for some of that firm s goods, but not for the oil engines. W hat, therefore, I would like you to do would 1 he to send up the old pieces, even if partly destroyed, so as to see the size, shape, and quality. If this is impossible, then send up the sizes of the pieces needed and as many particulars as you can. and perhaps the material can bo got or made here. Also, you might say how and where you got the engine, so as to trace a local agent, or any agent for that matter.

J. R. K.. Dunedin. —H. M. Dayev, consulting engineer, replies The ™ oe would need to he about 4ft wide at the bottom and, nay, sft 6in wide at the too, and about not leas than 2ft oin deep. As you a.ro a little vague with regard to the exact inclination as well as to the quantity of water required, 1 suggest that you might call, seeing it would appear you are in a position- tc do so.