Notes and Queries

Otago Witness, Issue 3806, 22 February 1927, Page 48

Notes and Queries

Questions for reply in coming issue to be r»•eived not later than SATURDAY night. Questions will NOT be replied to through the post. Questions must be accompanied by the name and address of the writer, but a nom de plume, may be adopted for publication.

•“ Worker,” Herbert, wishes to know of any shop, etc., which would buy knitting and ■> crochet. See reply to “ Interested,” Otago, below. •** Sandy,” Hakataramea, wishes to know the height and weight of Lord Kitchener. . The question is too vague, and it is T doubtful if, in any circumstances, reliable information is available here. An Old Subscriber,” Invercargill, asks if Ethel M. Dell, the novelist, is dead, and where she is buried. —No intimation of her death has yet reached us. •“ Interested,” Otago, wishes to know if there are any places in Dunedin where they -buy hand crochet, and, if so, what are their addresses. The proprietors of ' ■ all places where we have made inquiries ? say that there is no market for handmade goods of the sort you describe. Whatever they wish to sell in that line Is handed over to their regular workers. W. G. S., Morven, wishes to know how to preserve scarlet runner beans for winter ,/ use other than by the dry salting process, i. A most simple but efficacious method is merely to put the beans into cold vinegar of white wine. Half fill the jars ; with vinegar, fill up with the vegetables, : and tie down immediately with bladder and leather. The beans will be better if pickled when quite fresh. ■“ Inquirer,” Oamaru, who desires a cure for "" asthma and kindred complaints, has elicited the following reply from Mr . Richard Norman. Shepherd's asthma herb (Euphoribia pilulifera) when dried and made into tea according to directions , is a remarkably good thing for these com- < < plaints. It grows wild in many parts of Australia, and no doubt the Melbourne firm that advertises in the Otago Witness would be able to send a supply. The milk ; weed that came into this country 30 years ago is one of the Euphoribia family, but it is not efficacious. E. K., Morven, asks: “ (1) Can you tell me how to clean an oil painting that become dirty? (2) How many persons ' ■ were killed in the great Japanese earthquake of two or so years ago? ” (1) ■ I Wipe with damp cloth, using any good ! j toilet soap with tepid water, and when , | thoroughly dry oil the painting. (2) In i ' the great earthquake of 1923, according ! to Viscount Soto, the official death rate ■ < 'due to earthquake and fires totalled : } 150,000, and persons suffering damage to : ’ property numbered 2,874,000. Altogether 554,000 houses were destroyed. Orawia, asks .for recipes for mixing (1) sgal of light cream paint; i (2) sgal of red paint; (3) sgal of red ■ paint suitable for iron roofs. (1) Use, J say, Scwt genuine white lead, 4gal raw • linseed oil, ijgal “ Pine Tree ” turpen- • tine, lib - “Anvil” raw sienna, 1 pint “ 1.V.C.” terebine. (2) Use, say, Jcwt ’ Indian red “ Anvil ” paint, 4gal genuine 1 raw oil, Jgal terebine (“ I.V.C.’’). (3) ) For red roof paint lewt red oxide ! (“Anvil” brand), 4gal boiled oil, Jgal terebine. ( ■•‘Devonshire,” Clinton. —Your* inquiry in a recent Witness with regard to chamomile • has elicited the following reply from Mr i. J. M. Youngson, Kuriwao, Clinton, who I will be able to give you more details I should you care to write to him : —“Messrs i Ryder and Son, St. Albans, England, have I chamomile seed at 2d a packet, and about > 40 other kinds of herbs. The seed could 1 be got out in time to sow this autumn. • I have a book telling how to make an ; infusion of chamomile flowers and other f herbs for use in cases of flatulence, and 1 could tell ‘ Devonshire ’ or any ..reader i how it is made. An old lady who lived i in this district used to grow chamomile ! and other herbs, and used freely a ‘ tea ’ I made from them. It was very bitter, but pleasant to take, and created a keen appetite.” “Anxious,” Papakaio, writes: “What is the matter with a pig I have? It seems to have lost the power of its front legs, and ' tries to go about on its knees. It would be about 1201 b weight, and has thrived I very well, but now it is getting very thin. It has been like this for about ! three weeks. I might also state that . 1 there ate two pigs in the sty, which has a big yard, so that they can get plenty of exercise. The other pig seems all J right, and both are of the same litter.” ' “Agricola” replies: “One can only -J suggest the cause of a trouble, which • I may be a form either of rheumatism or malnutrition. It is suggested that you satisfy yourself on thfese points—viz.: (1) That adequate shelter free of draughts ■ is provided, and (2) that the ration is . well-balanced one, and not merely a i | filler containing one sort of nutrient. . ; The system of the pig desires mineral matter, and a mixture (if doubt exists ■ as to the quality of the foodstuffs) should be provided containing, say, charcoal, ' : «r^ wood ashes - salt, and air-slaked lime. > # , lth y° u “g growing pigs a daily teaspoonrul of sterilised bonemeal in the feed is advisable at times." “ Educo,” Riverton, wishes to know the names and authors of the most suitable books for Education 11, as used by the university students for “C ” exam. -£ or the teacher’s class C certificate, 1927 : English—Shakespeare, “ Romeo and , Juliet," “ Hamlet ”; Macaulay, “ Essay ° n T ” • Milton, “ Samson Agonistes,” L Allegro,” “Il Penseroso,” " Lycidas.” In addition a special knowledge of the ; period of literature 1625 to 1688 will ; be required. Special attention must be • E. aid , to Mllt °n, Dryden, Herrick, Butler, Taylor, Bunyan, and Browne, but the other authors of the period are not to. be ; neglected. The literary movements and their leaders, the current types and forms of literature, and their representatives, as well as the influence of the ancient clas- ”. - sics and of the leading Continental litera- , tures on the English literature of the ' • P er,o< t must also be examined, Candi- —, uates must have some acquaintance with the general, outlines of English literature, ; ; including a knowledge and appreciation ’ i ”, r J he thou g ht and style of standard English authors from Shakespeare to Tennyi Batin —Caesar. “De Bello Gallico ’ Y” ’ Horace - “ Epistles I." French.*— A. France,- “ Le Crime de Sylvestre Bonnard ’; Voltaire, " Zaire ” ; Moliere, “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.” ** Anxious,” Waimate, writes: " What is to . be done to stop club root in cabbage , plants? I have limed the ground, also spelled it, and sown in different places, • yet all the plants are club rooted. As I am in a large way in selling plants it is * great'-Joss to me.” "Agricola” replies : This fungoid disease is confined to cruciferous crops. Prevention resolves

Itself by keeping such plants wide apart in the rotation. Apparently you have been growing the same sort of plants on your area for years, and have possibly infected nearby acres with the disease. There is small chance of growing good healthy swede, cabbage, or cauliflower plants or similar crops for some years. All old club refuse should be destroyed, and the land limed heavily and spelled for a long period or, preferably, sown out in grasses. Owing to the fact that acid soils favour the spores of the fungus it is recognised that liming the land heavily will in time kill the organism of the disease. No immediate good need be expected, however. Contagion of adjoining areas is likely if diseased plants have been fed out to stock—indeed, the feet may spread the disease by carrying the spores from the infected area to clean ground.” " Builder," Southland, asks if anyone can recorr mend a treatment for the arresting or destruction of borer in red pine, the borer having recently shown its appearance in a building. Borers in wooden walls and flooring are as much trouble to get rid of as those in furniture, and need similar treatment. Brush with a solution made by slowly adding loz of sulphuric acid to a pint of water in which 2oz of copper sulphate has been dissolved. If the borers are too deeply seated for this treatment sprinkle the affected portions with quicklime, and with a brush move it about with the purpose of causing some of the lime to penetrate the small holes. Then sprinkle or, better, spray ammonia water over the part. Ammonia gas will be instantly' disengaged by the quicklime, and this gas is very destructive o£ insect life. Here is another method which is said to be fatal to borers, and is worth a trial: —Put 2oz of copper sulphate and 12oz of hot water into an earthenware or crockery jar, and then very slowly add loz of sulphuric acid. Do not pour the water into the acid, or you will have an accident. Stir with a wooden stick until solution .has taken place. Saturate the wood with it, and it will destroy the borers. More than one application will be necessary to make it penetrate.