Notes and Queries

Otago Witness, Issue 3803, 1 February 1927, Page 48

Notes and Queries

Questions for reply in coming issue to be repeired not later than SATURDAY night. Questions will NOT be replied to through ■he post.

Questions must be accompanied by the name Bnd address of the writer, but a notn de pluthe may be adopted for publication. P*C. B.”—Received too late for attention this week. Arrowtown.—The specimen forwarded (numbered 2) has been identified as one of the myrtle family, being a variety of Leptospernum, of which there are a great number in New Zealand. "Constant Reader,” Central Otago, would like a recipe for making apple pop. What stage of ripeness would the apples need • to be? We have no recipe under this name. Can any reader oblige? Maungatua, asks for the date of drawing of the Te Aroha Grand Tennis Art Union, or was it drawn on August 3 last, as advertised? The date of drawing was postponed as advertised, and was finally drawn on September 7, and the results published. C. L.,” Glenomaru.—Could you please tell me the meaning of the Australian word "Araluen?” (I think it is an aboriginal name of a valley in Australia.) We cannot locate the word. Perhaps a reader may be able to help our correspondent. “Digger.” Taieri, asks: "(1) Whether the place in Wellington known as the Australasian Correspondence Club is still in existence. (2) If they have changed their address, could you please tell me how I would address a letter so as to find them?” We have no knowledge of thb organisation. You might address a letter to the organisation, and the postal officials may locate it. "Thirsty,” Tapanui, asks for advice regarding a New British' seltzogene, and furnishes particulars as to leakage of gas, etc. The seltzogene will have to be taken to pieces by an expert. It is a difficult job to adjust the washer and refit without risk of breakage. / It is suggested, therefore, that you get the seltzogene attended to by an expert. "In Doubt,” Seacliff, asks : “Can you tell me i.f there is any toilet soap or soaps on the market made wholly of vegetable substance or that are guaranteed absolutely free from any animal matter. If so, kindly name a brand or two of them? Gibb’s “CastiHe" soap; Wilkinson and .Son’s ™.JiP- ei ? fatted Soa P”: B.P. soft-soap; “Clinton's “Barilla,” “Colleen,” or Sheila soaps. “Radio,” Winton, asks: “(1) What age is wquirea to become a radio operator on a ® a - What certificates are required? (3) How are same obtained? (4) Is practical experience necessary? (5) Are apprentices taken on board ship to learn radi °- (6) Where would I apply to join . (D Over 18 years of age. (2) Various certificates subject to rules and regulations issued by the Minister of Telegraphs. (3) Apply Minister of Telegraphs. (4) Yes. (5) No. (6) Any shipping company. “Thirteen Years’ Subscriber,” New Lynn asks: "Would any reader kindly supply me with ingredients used by cabinetmakers in preparing stopping for large ’ Worm holes in oak. I understand there .is a mixture of boiled oil, shellac, resin, beeswax, etc., but am not sure as to quantities used or how mixed and used.” -There is a preparation, “Plastic Wood,” sold by Thomson, Bridger and Co., Ltd., Princes street, Dunedin, which serves the purpose admirably. It costs 2s 6d to 3s 6d per tin, and is the stuff used by cabinetmakers. “Subscriber,” Arrowtown, asks for a recipe . wine. To every gallon of water put 2 § lb sugar, boil for three-quarters of hou , r ’ then skim. To every gallon of this mixture put five pints stoned plums, the liquor boil till it is a fine colour, then strain through a hair sieve. Work it in an open vessel for three or four days pour it off from the lees into a cask and allow it to work as long as it will; then stop it close and leave undisturbed for six or eight months, when it may. be bottled. It will be in excellent condition for drinking in a year and a-half. “S,” Timaru, writes: “I am living in a brick house with hollow walls, and occasionally with heavy storms dampness comes through. I am aware there are certain solutions for spraying the walls, but these j want repeating frequently, and it is my -intention to paint the wails on the south side. I have been told that paint injures the mortar between the bricks. My question is, therefore, Does paint as it is generally used, injure the layers of mortar between the bricks?” No. It is suggested that you use I.V.C. Damp-proof Varnish. Just use it as paint. It is transparent. The wall should be thoroughly dry. The best time to put it on is just after the summer, about this time. “Inquirer," Invercargill, wishes to dispose of the following books—Bibles (Breeches) 1599 and 1767; also Scripture Expositions, 1752—and would like to know it they are valuable, and, if so, where would be the most likely place to dispose of • them. The value of the books mentioned depends upon various conditions, including the name of the publisher, condition of books, and an intermittent demand. At Sotheby’s, London, in 1924, Breeches Bibles were sold at £2 to £3. You might possibly with advantage communicate with the librarians at the various institutions in New Zealand and elsewhere. "Camomile Flowers.”—Mr Richard Norman, Oamaru, writes: “A correspondent in “Notes and Queries” recently asked for details of these. This is an introduced plant, and there used to be a large area of them near Wharekuri, and most likely they are there yet. Some years back, there used to be stray plants in Wanaka. I have several plants in the garden, and they are very attractive and fragrant when in bl»om, but as I am leaving in a few days they are to be eventually dug out. It is a very valuable medicinal plant but, unfortunately, I do not know the details regarding its use, excent, that smoking the dried flowers is very good for asthmatic complaints. •Dunstan Creek,” St. Bathans, has (1) a cherry tree that had fruit on It this year, and now the leaves are shrivelled up and seem to be dying off. The leaves when handled go into powder as if they had been burnt. What is the matter? (2) Is spraying any good, and what kind of spray shall I use? (3) I have an apple tree, but do not know the name. Where will I send some of them in order to find out its name? (1) The trouble may be paused by the cherry slug. (2) No spect- ■ men was enclosed in envelope as advised. If there is sound foliage, you could with advantage spray with arsenate of lead—-

2oz to gallon water. If there Is no foliage, no beneficial results from spraying. See orchard instructor at Alexandra. (3) Send apple to your orchard instructor Department of Agriculture, Alexandra. If you care to send specimen of cherry tree affected as indicated, the writer will have the trouble identified by an officer of the Department of Horticulture, Dunedin. “Amateur,” Gore, writes: "This year my cabbage patch is rather badly affected with cabbage blight, a most unusual occurrence l n holding. It is also spreading to beds of young plants of cabbage, etc. Can any of your readers advise a preventative or some way of holding present nuisance in check?” “Agricola” replies: In late summer and early autumn it is no uncommon thing for “cabbage aphis” or blight to attack the more delicate plants among the cabbage group. In a dry season or when climatic conditions are favourable, the aphides thrive. Athough more or less impracticable to tackle the aphis on an ordinary farm, it is possible to kill the aphides by using a spray of kerosene emulsion made as follows: Dissolve two ounces of soft soap in one gallon of water by heating it, and then gradually pour in two gallons of kerosene, vigorously churning the while by squirting the mixture back into itself through a spray pump or syringe. A thick creamy emulsion will result, and this will keep indefinitely without the kerosene separating out. Just before applying to cabbages, etc., dilute the emulsion with fifteen times its volume of water. Or use a spray—“Sox" or Blackleaf—obtainable at many of the hardware merchants. The blight in any event usually abates about late autumn. “Argument," Kurow, asks what is the highest tally put up by an individual shearer in one day? Our records show that the achievement of John Howe in shearing 321 ewes and lambs in eight hours at Alice Station, Barcoo, Australia, in 1890, remains unbeaten. Shed records have recently been broken. That put up by six men at Rototahi Station, when 1673 sheep were shorn in nine hours, has been beaten by Mr N. Harrison’s gang at Huiarua Station. Six men in this gang put through no fewer than 1876 sheep in eight hours 55 minutes, the individual tallies of the six men being: E. Harrison, 325; H. Harrison 319; W. King, 313; H. Fox, 307 ; W. Pokai, 306 : and J. Dennis. 306. The gang consisted of 14 shearers, including two learners, and in one day put through 3729 sheep. These were four-tooth ewes clipping big fleeces, and all were well shorn. Several other good tallies were also put up by the same gang, including 3560, 3549, and 3481 for different days. "Auction 500,” Dunedin, writes: “In playing auction 500, A and C play B and D. A, who is first to speak, calls six spades ; B passes; C makes it six diamonds; D passes. (1) Can A, who is a partner of C, increase his bid? (2) Can C do likewise? (3) Can the suit they called) previously be altered? (4) If A made it six spades, and all the others passed, can he increase his bid? (5) In a no-trump hand, can a player play the joker on a suit that he has already discarded on?”— (1) Yes. (2) Yes. (3) Yes. (4) No. (5) No. “J. N.,” Maheno, writes as follows: —“I am sending to you separately, in a cage,, an insect that has made Its appearance here within the past few weeks. It appears to be a wasp of some sort. It constructs a series of cells of clay in the interstices between the weatherboards in the outbuildings and in other places—one was made in the folds of a waterproof coat hanging in an outhouse. Each cell contains about a dozen spiders (some of which I have put into the cage, and which also appear to be strangers here), and an egg, very similar to the egg of a queen bee, is laid on one of the spiders, and the cell is sealed with clay, and another built adjoining. Please identify them, and state whether the insect is harmful or otherwise.” “Agricola” replies : “The insect is known in New Zealand as the mason bee or wasp, and in Australia as the policeman fly, where upwards of 350 species luxuriate compared with some dozen in the Dominion. The family is embraced under the super name of Sphecoidea (Tillyard). The insect usually forms a nest of clay, with a number of cells, each of which is filled with one or more spiders, etc., in a paralysed condition. The sting of the insect is of a waspy nature, but the insects themselves have not yet come under the ban of anyone except naturalists.” "Reader,” Wakefield, asks for a recipe for (1) hop beer and (2) horehound beer. (1) To 10 gallons of rain water add Jib of hops, and Jib of bruised (not ground) ginger. Let it come to the boil, stirring occasionally. Note the time it commences to boil, and when 20 minutes have elapsed add 91b of sugar (light brown), stir till dissolved, and take up without boiling again. It is in the long boiling of hops that all their delicate aroma escapes, while the bitterness is brought out. Boiling this sugar causes muddiness. Strain into an open wooden vessel, and leave until milk warm, then add a quart of yeast, and cover with a thick woollen cloth, and let it work for 24 hours. In the meantime loz tartaric acid and loz brewers’ isinglass should be soaked in a quart of cold water, and at the end of the 24 hours should be added to the beer to clear it. It will be ready to bottle the next day, and should stand for a week. Wash the bottles the day before, and leave upside down to drain, as they must be perfectly dry before being used. Soak the corks in some of the hop beer (with a weight on them) until required. If brewers’ isinglass cannot be procured, save up some eggshells, and take the whites and shells of two fresh eggs, beat up together, and add with the acid. Tie down the corks and store away in a cool place. (2) You may make horehound beer with sugar and horehound, the latter taking the place of hops. The horehound should be previously dried. Add Jib horehound, 11b coarse brown sugar, and Soz of ginger to each gallon of water, boil for one hour, strain, and cool until lukewarm; then add two tablespoonfuls of yeast, and let it stand 24 hours; then bottle for use.

LAW QUERIES.

[Answered by a solicitor ot the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Letters and Telegrams must be addressed to “LEX,” c/o Editor, Otago Witness, Dunedin.]

“Interested.”—There is no distinction made between town and country children with respect to tuition fees at the high schools. “1.F.” asks: “Is it compulsory to give three months’ notice, or pay three months* interest in lieu thereof, on paying off a

mortgage?”——Yes, if the mortgage is overdue. “W. F.” asks : .“Do freehold farmers require to send .in income tax returns?” No, if the income of the farmer is derived exclusively from - farming freehold lands. “Ex Returning Officer” asks: “Supposing a river board is holding an election of a member in one ot its subdivisions within a certain county is the river board or the county council the local authority for the purpose of Section 12, Subsection 3, of the 1926 Amendment Act (No. 42) ?” The county council. “Inquirer” asks: “(1) Is it legal for a commissioner to hold a seat on a river trust if after the lands have been classified he is classed D, which is unrateable; A, 8,and C are the rating classes? (2) Has a commissioner, not being a ratepayer, a vote to. strike and levy a rate on those ratepayers in classes A, B, and C?” (1) If the local authority has elected the commissioner he is entitled to hold his seat, but otherwise, in order to qualify as a commissioner, he must be a ratepayer as defined by the Act. (2) Yes, if he has been elected by the local authority.