Notes and Queries

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 48

Notes and Queries

Questions for repljr in coming‘ issue to be revived not later than SATURDAY night. Questions will NOT be repliad bo through the 008 1. Questions must 6e accompanied by the name tod address of the writer, but a nom do plume paj be adopted lor publication. ** Correction,” Wlnton.——Next week. Puzzled,” Kakapuaka, wishes to know if . it Is possible to put 25 sheep into six } different pens with an odd number in each pen. ” Agricola ” says: “ Yes.” f Perpetual Motion,” Ohakune, tr.shes to know where he could obtain books on ) perpetual motion. No books on the subject are stocked here. Try Canterbury. 1‘ Inquirer,” South Otago, wishes to know if there is any dealer in Dunedin who would * buy or exchange second-hand tennis rackets. Any of the second-hand ’ dealers, no doubt, would give you something for them, or you might submit them t to Charles Bills, George street, Dunedin, who at one time handled rackets. .“Subscriber,” Hampden, writes: “Could you „ suggest any cures for sore shoulders on horses due to hard work? ” “ Agricola ” * replies: “In working the horse-you might * chamber ’ the collar, which necessarily 1 must be made well-fitting. About the best remedy for a horse in work is Bickmore’s gall cure. Buy a pot of this and attend to directions, and you will not regret it.” f* Ford Car,” Timaru, writes: “ I have a Ford car, a fairly late model, equipped with self-starter, etc. It is also fitted with a Standard speedometer. Who are the 4 agents for this kind of speedometer? The local garages stock parts for the Stewart speedometer only.” A Standard speedo- * meter is unknown to the trade. There are two makes known—viz., Stewart’s and the “ A. C.” speedometer. The agents for the latter make are John Chambers and Co., Stuart street, Dunedin. “Prospector,” Stewart Island, writes: “I intend prospecting for gold, and wish to know if you can recommend any book which deals with prospecting, and also gives a survey of any minerals likely to be encountered in New Zealand—a book ' with illustrations for preference.” The writer has no knowledge of any book * which deals in a simple manner on the subject. There is " Chemistry of the Gold4, fields,” by James Black, M.A., D.Sc., obtainable (3s 6d) at any of tbe leading : booksellers, but it is possibly too advanced for your purpose. ‘ Twenty-years’ Reader of the Witness;” Hillgrove, asks: “(1) Is there a match factory in Dunedin manufacturing wax ■ vestas? (2) In £1 worth of wax vesta A matches what is the value of the heads? (3) In £1 worth of wax vesta matches / what is the value of the wax part? ” ' Mr H. M. Davey, consulting engineer, replies: “(1) There is the New Zealand Wax Vesta Company, 49 David street, , Caversham, Dunedin; telephone 477. (2) ( and (3) These have to be taken together. . The manager very kindly informed me that at present prices the value was about 18 for the wax and 20 for the heads; but, j he added, that wax varied often in price, 4 so these values were not constant. You might communicate with him if you require further information.” “ Silverhope,” Geraldine, writes : “ Could you tell me a cure for warts on a cow’s teats? *> The cow is a second calfer, and the warts have come all at once on all the teats.” ‘ “ Agricola ” replies: “ You lead me ( to guess whether the warts are on a cow ' going dry, or one just at profit. If the latter it may prove difficult to treat and * make a good job, but try smearing the affected teats with good olive oil at each a, milking, or apply for several days with a sponge a strong solution of washing soda. 4 If, however, the cow is some time ofT calving one should endeavour to check the l warts’ nutrition either by strangulation—by means of a ligature, or by snipping them off with sharp scissors, and then slightly dabbing with caustic potash or ► strong iodine. If not in the way of milking leave the warts alone.” “Reader,” Waikiwi.—The inquiry you made in last week’s Otago Witness with regard i to firearms of the Crimean period has evoked the following reply from “ Observer,” Dipton : “ If ‘ Reader ’ had visited the -* Dunedin Exhibition he would have seen a - u large variety of muzzle-loading muskets and rifles of the various periods of the 4 nineteenth century. I was talking some time ago to a friend of mine who belongs J to the United States. He told me that his father served in the Union Army in the -4 American Civil War. A large number of . the troops had muzzle-loading rifles, but >4 the breech-1- ader had newly come in. His people at home still have the rifle his ■* father used in that war. It was a breech- . loader. To load it you opened the breech ‘ by pulling a bolt and slipping in the carM tridge. The Confederates were poorly armed at the beginning of the war with old- * fashioned cannon muskets, and even shot- „ guns; but after they won victories they j captured thousands of rifles and a large amount of artillery from the Federalß. t IP Inquirer,” Ranfurly, writes: “We have a painting entitled * Sappho,’ and would like to know the story attached to it. In the foreground is a young lady in evening 4 dress, standing on the rocks. She seems . to be meditating suicide in the waves below. Gulls are flying overhead, and «•; portion, of a castle is seen in the distance.”——Lempriere’s “ Classical Dic- * tionary ” gives the following information about Sappho:—“ Celebrated for her beauty, her poetical talents, and her amorous disposition Sappho was born in the island of Lesbos about 600 years b.c. She conceived such a passion for Phaon, a youth of Mitylene, that upon his refusal to gratify her desires she threw herself into the sea from Mount Leucas. She had composed nine books in lyric verses, besides epigrams, elegies, etc., though of all nothing now remains but two fragments. * The Lesbians were so sensible of her merits that after her death they paid her divine honours, raised her temples and altars, and stamped their money with her image.” Constant Reader,” Roxburgh, wishes to know how to tell a horse’s age. * “ Agricola ” replies: “ The age of a horse is usually determined by the teeth (inciBors). The two lower front permanent 4 incisors will be fully up, but not worn at about two years and six months, and tbe 4 secondary pair of permanent incisors are fully up at three years and six months, and the third pair at four years and six - months, all the temporary incisor teeth having been displaced by the six permanent teeth. At six years off some wearing out of the central mark or cavity will be 4 noticeable; at seven years signs of wear will be obvious on the secondary pair of Incisors; and at eight years off there is ' more or less wearing of the corner incisors. The tushes (canines) appear at four years . three months. In the mare they do not

usually come at all, and never before eight or nine years old. The foal incisors have a * neck,' and are whiter and smaller than the permanent incisors. At two years old there is a full mouth of temporary teeth; at five years a full mouth of permanent teeth; and at eight years the horse is ‘ aged,’ with the ‘ marks ’ gone.” “High Pressure,” Queenstown, writes: “ Some time ago I wrote to you with regard to a pipe line and pressure. This pipe line is lin, with 2in intake, has 200 ft fall, and is 900 ft in length. You estimated that it should deliver 13gal per minute, and give approximately 3J h.p. I tested the delivery and found it to be 13gal per minute. When I coupled up to a small Pelton (6in diameter and 2in pulley) it would not drive a small separator at 60 revolutions per minute. The agents estimate this separator takes J h.p. to drive. (1) Could you give me some idea of the most suitable size of Pelton to use on this pipe line? (2) Will a large Pelton give more power than a small one? ” -Mr H. M. Davey, consulting engineer, replies: v “ (1) Probably the one you have, os far as diameter goes, is right. It is the extreme smallness and consequent friction of the water in these small pipes that seem to be your trouble, combined, perhaps, with too small buckets. (2) The best size is a wheel that goes either at the same speed, or if not, then rather faster, than the machine to be driven. Not knowing more of your wheel than that it is 6in in diameter, it may have suitably-sized buckets, which easily take in the water that comes to them, or it may not, in which case the water passes outside the buckets, and thus power is lost. I am glad the water was found to be the amount estimated, and might ask if you have more, or could make a better pipe line? If your pipes were of sufficient size to allow the water to travel at n«t more than 3ft to 4ft per second in them you would have the power beforenamed. The rest is lost either by friction or improper parts to the machinery.” “Inquirer,” Winton, writes: “ (1) How does one clean a white felt hat? (2) How does one wash garments made of silk and wool? (3) How does one wash coloured crepe de chine? (4) I have a tea-tray (zinc or tin) which requires repainting. Would black enamel paint be the correct thing to use? ” (1) Brush and shake well to remove all dust. Put in a basin some warm water to which a teaspoonful of household ammonia has been added. Take a soft nailbrush, and gently brush the hat all over with the ammonia water. Let it dry in the open air, then brush with a dry brush and refix the band. The felt must not be made really wet, and of course this treatment should not be resorted to until the hat really needs it. A warm iron may be used on the inside of the crown to remove any limpness. Stains may be removed by the application of a little petrol. If the hat is in really good condition and comparatively new it would pay to send it to the dry cleaners and have it cleaned and reblocked. (2) Wash in soapsuds, and be sure not to have the water too hot. Do not wring out the garment through a mangle, but squeeze lightly to expel the water. Hang on the line; if possible hang the garment in the way it is worn—e.g., hang a jumper on a hanger to dry. (3) Wash in warm water without any washing soda or any other agent in water. When rinsing add a small amount of salt to the water to keep the colour from running. (4) If you wish to keep the tray black, black enamel paint will serve, but if you intend to have the tray a light colour aluminium paint is very suitable. “Reader,” Glenledi, writes: “(1) What quantity of carbonate of lime will mix with two tons of blood and bone mixture for sowing with turnips? (2) Will such a mixture be suitable for sowing with turnips and rape on second-class hill land? (3) What artificial mixture, other than those supplied by firms, can be used with advantage in growing potatoes? ” “Agricola” replies: “(1) It is difficult to answer this question in a satisfactory manner, seeing that the better method—in fact, the only method in which the writer would care to suggest—is to sow the carbonate broadcast, immediately on top of the ploughing after it has been, say, twice disced at the rate of, say, 25cwt to 30cwt per acre. Cultivate in the spring when the land is ,dry and warm, and then sow your turnip seed with the manure. (2) It is impossible to say definitely whether the mixture suggested would prove suitable. It depends upon the fertility of the hill land, the analysis of the manure, etc. I should not care to recommend such a mixture in the known circumstances, but would prefer using superphosphate at the rate of 2cwt per acre when sowing the seed. (3) It is natural to suppose that those firms putting up reliable manures utilise those materials which contain the most desirable substances for farm crops—viz., nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. The potato is a potash demanding crop, and for its best development in medium soils requires a good supply of fine soil, air, moisture, and heat, nearly all of which may be .furnished by well-Baved dung. By ‘wellsaved ’ the writer means farmyard manure, which contains both the solid and liquid excrements, and not merely the former. In next week’s Issue of the Otago Witness I will have something further to say in regard to the use of nitrate of soda in connection with potatoes.” J. G., Tapanui, writes: “(1) Would it be advisable to eat off winter wheat with dairy cows, about four cows per acre (ground dry, wheat about 4in or sin high, seeded two bushels per acre, Hunter variety)? (2) Could you give a good recipe for rearing calves on whey (unskimmed). (3) In sowing lucerne all authorities, including yourself, advise 151 b per acre, sown with a drill in 7in rows. How do you set a grain drill to sow 151 b? With any drill I have used the minimum quantity is stated to be four pecks, or 401 b, oats, and the same of wheat. (4) Would you please write a note in your column on the preparation of seed bed and sowing of lucerne in general? (5) Do you know if the Dunedin merchants stock inoculated seed ? ” “ Agricola ” replies: “(1) Observation on th'e ground would best determine the answer to this question. If the crop is not yet showing ‘ knots ’ in the stems and the cows eat the green stuff without pulling the plants up by the roots it might prove feasible enough to eat off the crop, but It Is a risky thing at any time to feed off a cereal crop. The usual practice Is to feed off quickly with a great many sheep per acre so as to leave all tile young plants at the same height. This permits them to come away all together. Slow feeding off would not be in the Interests of the crop. (2) The following recipe may suit:— When tha calf Is dropped It should be fed on new milk for the first three weeks, after which It mey be weaned or given

whey. The process of weaning should be gradual, and as the milk is reduced a little meal should be added, and proportionately increased in quantity, until the food is reduced to meal and whey. Various meals may be used, but probably there is nothing better than crushed linseed cake. Before being fed the crushed cake should be steeped in boiling water, and reduced to a thick paste. At three weeks a tablespoonful of this should be given, and the quantity gradually increased until a pint to a pint and a-half is given with each feed. Because whey Is plentiful it is a mistake to feed large quantities of it to the calf; one gallon at each feed is enough. If large quanties are given digestive troubles are encouraged. A paddock of fresh, young grass should be deemed essential for each lot of calves. Old pastures are not to best results. (3) Mix the seed with (if you like) the manure or some dry soil, or use any of the small seed machines on the market. (4) No space to reply here. See next week’s Otago Witness. (5) I have never heard of Inoculated seed being offered for sale in Dunedin or elsewhere in New Zealand.”