NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3467, 24 August 1920, Page 35

NOTES AND QUERIES.

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TbbuTtobiai. asks:. (1). What stance a territorial or cadet can be %**>£<&* travel to parade. (?« oyer the can they be compelled; to attend a bfg, question which, is sideration at the present time. •.W*»gX the Defence. Department.can compel attend -ance from any distance, but the exempwa Stance is more than , an W"& (2) Exemption . can. only be obtained oy applying to a magistrate. . • ; _... r>OERiT asks if an 1857 edition of Little Doi"it,» by Dickens,, illustrated, but with four single any monetary value.-—A c^ llec WW buy the edition intact, but it is intact it is of no value at all. • Constant SuBseBiBEB.-Cl) Those preserved, for some time in dry salt, lhose who have ..xperiments no to other preservatives. (2 We have no particulars of a wax m which «&s£™ can be kept fresh for months. Floweia sent to the Home country .are kept fresh by being frozen in a block of ice. Argument—(l) There is no legal bar to SLfc (2) The questionwhe her the marriage of relations tends to injure the constitution of their- offspring is a much vexed one about which much Has been written pro and con. t .... J v C, Bendigo:-(l). We are not aware -of the existence in New: Zealand' of a shop that makes a specialty of oil paintings.:. (2) It is still to .procure a permit to travel to Australia. Apply ; to' Passport.. and Permit Officer, "Water .street,'.Dunedin. ;. . .'■:. . SiTCKiNG Pi&.'asks:-. (1) How to make pickle for bacon. (2): How long to leave it m -the pickle.,—(l). A good pickle, for bacon consists of 141 b salt, :.Ulb Saltpetre, , l*lb dry .antiseptic (which consists of acid neutralised with borax) and .l£lb cane eu<*ar These are . mixed with three gallons of water, boiled, and then skirnmed clear (2) The time in "the pickle deps-nds-largely on the length of time one wishes the bacon, to keep. The longer the time in pickle, the longer will the bacon keep. Useful data in the curing of farm bacon ar<s: —Seven to nine score pigs require nine days in salt, nine to 10 score pigs, 11 days in salt, 10 to 11 score pigs., 12 days in salt. ' DtGGEB asks: (1) How to prevent rabbits barking- fruit trees, the area m which they are planted being too' large .to be fenced. (2) A recipe for polishing oiled WO od. —-(1) A mixture that will stop - rabbits and hares from nawing the bark of trees is made as follows: One quart of tar . and two gallons of water. Boil the tar and one gallon of wateT. When just on the boil remove quickly for fear of its catching fire, then add the rest of the water.- Stir ■ well, and apply with .brush. ' This is said to be harmless to the. trees, and preserves its effect for at least two seasons. Another; remedy that is said to be effective; is',to apply castor . oil. If is said' nothing will touch a tree -with castor oil on. (2) You do not indicate the: kind, of wood.. Mahogany,, walnut, and other woods . may ; be . polished thus:—Dissolve .by heat so much beeswax "in spirits of turpentine,; that. the mixture, when cold, shall be of about the thickness of honey. Apply by 'means of- a clean ■cloth. As much as possible should then .be rubbed off by means of clean flannel or other cloth. k. light/touch with a clean part of the cloth should give it a "gloss.-1 -. ..,..'■ ■■ ~. -. ~'/'• . ■

S. J. B.—lf you; visit, or write to the Inveroargill manager of the Department he will supply you with the information as to the surrender value of your policy. Student.— Although portions referring to the wars were proved to be biassed, you would probably find Rusden's History of New Zealand! would meet your requirements. Argument.—Your wisest plan is to communicate with a music firm who stock pianos. They have a preparation which they sell for the purpose of touching up the varnish. Housekeeper asks: (1) For a xeci"?o for anchovy paste? (2) The number of the journal containing jersey pattern with "Maygar sleeves for lady or child?— '■ — Anchovy paste—Remove the bones from l half a pound of anchovies, and "pound the flesh in a mortar until quite smooth. Add one pound, of fresh butter, a teaspoonful of mace, and nutmeg mixed, and a saltspoonful of cayenne. Mix well together and let' it stand for six hours l , then pot. Four on the :top of each pot a slight covering of melted butter just warm.' (2) Any of tho shops stocking the journals would supply you with the number you require if you stated your wants fully. . Miss ;Clc!ugh, . George street, is the agent in Dunedin for thern. •' ■ * . , G-. B. W.—Mr H M. Davey replies: "Your best plan: would ba. to write for a.-book onthe.subject to, the Otago Sports Depot, 131. Prino'ss street,, Dunedin. j The price," inchiding postage,,is 6d. ■ It is not.thought that ■ concrete, would bo euitablo for • the purpose of a tennis court,' and this opinion is' etrongly endorsed by players of the gam©.. whose- . opinion was specially asked j btit-t n © .gravel would ' no doubt ; do for making asphalt .with. If there .is fine coarse material in the gravel, it would need sifting for th© coarse lower coai and

the upper fine coat. ' If you cannot find out how to make the asphalt, you can be instructed; but it might be better if the gravel were tested so as to see if it proved suitable for the purpose. Of course, the first thing would be to level the ground. The size of siame is noted in the book above referred to; but probabily you have already done this. I have been informed that Messrs Manley and Keast are experts in asphalting tennis courts, so yott could communicate with you like. Their address is Castle street. _ Teacher.—lf you communicate with Mr H. T. Gibson, Russell street, Waihi, Aiickland, he would probably supply you With, the information if you forwarded with youi letter a. stamped addressed envelope, he has made a special study of the subject. Novice.—Smoothness in the hore of the rifle 'is the one great' essential. . The heating! of the barrel to «, bright red in the, fire would result when it cooled m thev lormation of a skin which will come_away in particles as the rifle is used, and this .again will result in erratic shooting. Sally.—(l) La Fileuse means spinner or spinster. (2) We are unable to say whether the eating of yeast would increase one S stature; we doubt it. (3) Change the stockings at least once a day. Some person's "find stockings .'with cotton m them affect the feet. (4> Ohio is pronounced as three syllables. (5) Split ends m hair indicates laok of proper nourishment. Ha\e

the hair singed..' .--.•< Concebte, Hillersden, Blenheim.—Mr H., M. Davsy, .architect and engineer, replies: "Curiously, ,at the "moment of getting your question, it has been decided) in a house being designed, to do as- yoxi suggest. About half the floors were to be" concrete, and now all are to be so, partly for the reasons you mention. In ah architectural journal some years ago an eminent London .architect wrote: ' Had concrete floors been in general use, and someone came along suggesting wooden ones on joists and plates,, etc., the wooden, ones, would have been laughed at, as they are not lasting or fireproof and take up greater space, also the boards frequently shrink.' In this . remark ,he was speaking of upper as -well as ground floors; and he added that a floor fit for the King would be one of concrete covered with, say, a cork carpet, which' could have a' regular• carpet over it. This is luxury indeed. However, I . .have laid down several, concrete floors m shops, churches, and houses, and have not experienced the" need of a damp course under them; but asphalt would be a good thing if. the floor were laid in a specially damp situation. A substance called ' rnal- . thoid is also used, .and a substance called truss-con is used in'the cement floor, laid over the concrete and mixed in with the cement. You do not say whether there is auy filling to be done or whether there is any damp to b» contended with, but with the little information I have I can say

that a litle fine asphalt is a good thing under brick walls, but not generally needed under floors unless in a damp situation or rooms that never get sun. If more information is need write again. One thing might be added: see that the cementing does not dry too quickly, particularly in those rooms, if any, Mhat face the sun. Water should be 'sprinkled over

the cement from time to time, or else wet bags or such like should be carefully laid as, soon as the cement is 'sufficiently set to bear such treatment. The slower and damper the cement dries under, the harder it becomes if properly laid down : and mixed." ' *

Townshep, Waipahi.—Mr H, M. Davey' replies: "It is to be regretted that the depth of -water" (or height of . the ..tank) .was .not given, as that entirely - governs the thickness of its sides. If it is to ; be about 6ft deep it should" be,, say, 6ih 'thick ; at the bottom, tapering .to .about '4in' at" the top. It may be open or covered, as you like, and had better be reinforced with niatal

rods. If covered it should have a ' manhole ' in the top or cover; ' which had better bo in on© with the rest of the concrete. The height from the ground would be as is most convenient to you. It will ha.ve to bs> cemented well inside. The filter can be added if you deem it necessary. .The email cistern'you mention is usually 7ft to 10ft above the floor. It might be mentioned that a tank of the internal" size you mention would hold about 205 gallons per foot of depth of water in it, and if it were round and, say, 6ft 6in in internal diameter it would hold 207 gallons per foot of water depth; and a round one could be made lighter than a square one. If, therefore, you prefer to know more about the round on&, say at vwhat height it is to be built about the ground or if it is to be built on the ground, and give the. height of it —that is, . the depth of water it is to hold." K. Q., Woodbury.—Mr H: M.. Davey replies: - "The proportions : vary according to the land or quality of the ingredients, but with good lime and clean sharp sand the usual proportions are 1 of lime to between 3 -to 4 of sand.- However, you . should get someone who is used to mixing these to show you, or else to mix some for you, .seeing that this, ' like many', other apparently very simple things, may be well or poorly made up, and the qualities of both have to be considered if a good mortar is to be made.