Notes and Queries

Otago Witness, Issue 4031, 16 June 1931, Page 44

Notes and Queries

Questions for reply in the coming Issue of the Otago Witness must be received 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.

'* Business,” Oamaru, wishes to know the addresses of the National Tobacco Company and the Dominion Tobacco Company. The address of the former is 12 Bridge street, Napier, and of the latter 5-7 Willeston street, Wellington. ‘“Old Maid,” Bay of Plenty, asks : “ When a bride is entering the church with her father, which arm does she take ? ” She goes up the aisle on her father’s right arm, and comes down after the ceremony on her bridegroom’s left arm. (See Legal Queries.) ‘‘'Arrowtown” wishes to know if it is a gold dish that Mr Smyth is using in the photograph in our June 2 issue of the Otago Witness. The dish appears to have a lip on it, and is very bright for the ordinary gold dish. We cannot be sure without reference to Mr Smyth, but the dish does not appear to be a gold dish. “Horticulture,” Brooklyn, would like to know if the following roses, just planted, have been exhibited at Dunedin shows—viz., Marguerite Chamlarch, Talisman Canary, Julien Patin, Konigin Luise, Talisman Swansdown, Mrs A. R. Barraclough, Mrs F. R. Pierson, and Mrs Henry Winmett. Yes.

“ Five Hundred,” Nelson, writes : “In the card game of 500, can a player alter his bid from one suit to another ? In a recent game, A and B versus Y and Z, A dealt, Z bid 6 spades, B bid 6 clubs, Y bid 6 hearts, and A passed. Z and B passed, and Y then bid 7 spades. Is this in order ? ‘ Hoyles Games Modernised ’ states : ‘ Etich successive player, in the usual bridge order may either overbid or may also pass. A player who has once nassed cannot subsequently bid. With this exception, the bidding and overbidding continue until everyone is content.’” Yes.

A. S„ Otago, asks for the right temperature for water to scald pigs, and in the event of one not having a thermometer what amount of cold water to put to boiling water. “Are there any means or ways of knowing when water is at the ideal scalding point ? ” “Agrieola ” replies : “ The correct temperature is 160 deg to 170 deg Fahr. If a thermometer is not available, as a rough guide use two gallons of boiling water to one of cold. Another way of guessing the temperature is to drop a little blood into the water. If it diffuses well and does not clot it shows that the water is fairly right for scalding.”

* Spot,” Oamaru, -writes : “ I have a cow which has been milking for about two weeks, and is not able to hold her milk. The milk runs away from her four teats about two hours after each milking, and continues flowing until she is milked again. I wish to know if there is any cure for this, as the cow is an exceptionally heavy milker, and I do not want to have to do away with her.” “ Agricola ” replies ; “I suggest that you milk the cow three or more times in the 24 hours in the meantime, and get in touch with the local stock inspector, who could arrange with the veterinarian when in Oamaru to inspect the cow. It should be possible, after examination, to advise the adoption of certain measures which would militate against the untimely flow of milk, but not before seeing the cow.”

“ Disillusionment,” Otago, wishes to know how the average temperatures for the year and for warmest and coldest months at the high stations of Central Otago and Mackenzie Country compare with same at Dunedin. According to observations taken in 1929 at 9 a.m. and given in the New Zealand Official Year Book, Dunedin’s average temperature was 51deg Fahr., the highest monthly temperature being in January, viz., 58.1 deg Fahr., and the lowest temperature in July, 42.5 deg Fahr. The temperature at Ophir during the same period was 48.5 deg, at Alexandra 50.2 deg, and at Fairlie 49.1 deg Fahr. At Queenstown the average was 50.1 deg, January experiencing an average'temperature of 60.1 deg. July being the coldest month, viz., 37.5 deg Fahr. At Manorburn dam the mean temperature during 1929 was 43.4 deg and at Waipiata during the same period 48.1 deg Fahr. E. J., Oamaru, wishes to know if now is the correct time to topdress an asparagus bed, how to go about it, what salt to use, etc. It is customary to cut down asparagus before the ripe berries fall, taking care to cut level with the ground, or the stumps will be in the way of working. Give a good dressing of stable manure; but if the asparagus is planted in narrow beds in the old way, first rake off the soil down to the crowns, and then give a good coat of manure. The soil is to be left off till spring, when it is to be put on top of the manure, which will be rotted down to small dimensions. The object of putting the manure on now is to allow time for it to get washed down to the roots as soon as they become active, which would not be the case if it was not put on till spring. Nothing more is required at present. Salt and nitrate of soda are good for asparagus, but neither should be applied till near starting time, as they leak through the soil quickly if

rain falls on it. Good use can be made of a moderate dressing of -wood ashes now if spread on the crowns.

“Another Farmer,” Pleasant Point, writes: “ When reading your paper of May 26 I saw in the Notes and Queries that ‘ Farmer ’ had a cow with mammitis, and different remedies were advised. May I quote my own case ? Aly cows caught this disease, and I tried all things, and found methylated spirits was the best cure of the lot. One cow was practically dry in one quarter, but with continued use of the spirits and a little extra milking for that quarter she became quite normal again. Whenever any inflammation or soreness shows on the udder, also just before calving, I use methylated spirits. After I rub the udders with the spirits I very seldom have any trouble, especially with young heifers. The handling and rubbing with methylated spirits leave no sore or swollen udders. Therefore there is no trouble and only half the work with a new-calved cow. It is very easy to carry a bottle of methylated spirits and rub it on, and no hot or cold fomentations are needed. May I add that the cow above referred to was very bad, as we were experimenting with other cures which did no good ? We milked that cow three seasons after that, and she never had a return of the disease. This information may be of help to others.”

“ Wallaby,” Maheno asks for a recipe for tanning and curing wallaby skins. The following method is suitable for deer, dog, and similar furs with the hair left on:—Soak the . skin until soft, then with a dull knife or halfround file scrape off the flesh and fat, after which soak in warm water for an hour. Now take for each skin borax, saltpetre, and Glauber salts, of each Aoz, and dissolve or wet with soft -water sufficient to make a paste which can be spread on the flesh side of the skin with a paint brush, thickest in the centre or thickest portion of the skin, then double it together flesh side in, and keep in a cool place for 24 hours, not allowing it to freeze, of course. Wash the skin clean, then take sal soda loz, borax Joz, and refined white soap 2oz. Melt these together slowly, not allowing them to boil. Apply this mixture to the flesh side as before, roll the skin up again, and keep in a -warm place for 24 hours. Now wash the skin clean, and have 2oz of saleratus dissolved in hot rain water sufficient to saturate the skin. Now take 4oz of alum and Boz of salt and dissolve in hot rain water, and when cool enough to bear the hand in (as before) put the skin in for 12 hours, then wring out the water and hang up for 12 hours more to dry. Repeat this last soaking and drying from two to four times, according to the desired softness of the skin when finished. Finish by pulling, rubbing, working, and finally by rubbing with pumicestone and fine sandpaper.

“Subscriber,” Hastings, writes: “(1) How many men left Scotland to go to the Great War ? (2) Why is the seven of diamonds called the curse of Scotland ? (3) I have a Glengarry bonnet -with a badge on it.. The motto on the badge reads ‘ Nobilis Ira,’ with a lion’s head on it. I would like to know the English meaning of the motto and the class that it belongs to/’—— (1) Approximately 600,000. (2) Nine of diamonds —the curse of Scotland. The night before the Battle of Culloden Prince Charlie’s officers were quartered in Culloden House, and some of them -were having a game of cards to pass the time. During its progress one of the cards unaccountably went a-missing and could not be found. Next night the Duke of Cumberland and his officers occupied Culloden House. It was reported to the Duke that a considerable number of the wounded enemy and others were hiding in the neighbouring woods. Calling one of his officers, he instructed him to send out detachments to search the woods and destroy every man whether wounded or not. This the officer' I 'refused to do unless he had written instructions from the Duke. The Duke rose to look for paper, and accidentally tripped on a corner of the carpet, which he turned up. exposing the missing card. “This will do,” he said, and wrote the order on the back of it. Since then the nine of diamonds has been known as the “ curse of Scotland,” and' it was also this inhuman order that gave the Duke of Cumberland the sobriquet “ the bloody butcher.” (3) Noble indignation—motto used by the Stuarts, Stewarts, and Villiers-Stuart.

“Gorge Road,” asks : “ (1) Could you tell me a recipe for making soft soap ? (2) Is gold always to be found where there is black sand ? (3) On what New Zealand beaches are the most profitable deposits of gold-bearing black sand found ? (4) How much sand from the average deposit would have to be washed to recover one ounce of gold ? (5) Could you give me a description or plans of a box suitable for washing the sand ? (6) Would a person require much experience before he could obtain the gold successfully ? (7) Do you know of any authoritative book dealing with the above subject, and, if so, where could it be procured and what would be the price of it?” (1) • Take 7|lb of potash, 101 b of fat, and 37 i gallons of water. Dissolve the potash in part of the water, add onethird of the grease, and heat. Mix in the remainder of the fat, put in a barrel, and add the remainder of the water, a little at a time for several days. Stir often. This will be ready for use in about two weeks. (2) No. (3) Some of the beaches on the west, south, and south-east coasts of the Middle Island of New Zealand have yielded good returns. (4) This ques-

tion cannot be answered satisfactorily, as the percentage of gold is so variable. Some misleading reports have been published in the past, and we are not prepared, in the absence of accurate data, to indulge in guess work. (5) We understand that a special box, different to the ordinary mining cradle, has been devised for the work, but we have neither dimensions nor description. A reader may possibly be able to oblige us in this matter. (6) Generally speaking, yes. (7) Messrs Duncan and Simpson, 126 George street, Dunedin, can supply you with books on mining. Some of them comprise : “ Getting Gold," by J. F. Johnson, price 7s 6d; “Simple Tests for Minerals, or Every Man His Own Analyst,” by Joseph Campbell, price 4s; “Prospecting for Gold,” at 5s 6d.

“Grateful,” Taieri, in our issue of June 2 quoted a certain line, and asked for words and information concerning the “ Canadian Boat Song.” from which it was taken. -Wm S., Balclutha, kindly forwards the poem, and writes : “It is somewhat -doubtful who was the real writer of the poem. Some attribute it to John Galt, others to the Earl of Eglinton, Principal Sharp, Christopher North, etc., but it is generally believed to be a translation of a Gaelic noem composed by a Highlander in exile m Canada many years ago.” THE CANADIAN BOAT SONG. Listen to me, as when you heard our father Sing, long ago, the song of other distant shores; Listen to me, and then in chorus gather, All your deep voices, as ye pull your oars. Fair those broad meads—those hoary woods are grand ; But we are exiles from our father's land. From the lone shelling of the misty island Mountains divide us and a waste of seas ; But still our hearts are true, our hearts are Highland, And we in dreams behold the Hebrides. No more the lovers on the leas are meeting, No more the children paddle in the stream ; We hear no more the pibroch’s kindly greeting. Nor see the moon on royal tombstones gleam. No more the war-cry echoes in the valley; The deer, unchallenged, roam across the glen ; No more around Clan Ranald’s banner rally The fairest women and the bravest men.

We ne’er shall tread the fancy haunted valley. When ’twixt the dark hills creeps the small clear stream ; In arms around the patriarch’s banner rally. Our country’s cause and honour to redeem.

When the bold kindred, in the time long vanished, Conquered the soil and fortified the keep, Seers foretold the children would be banished, That a degenerated lord might boast his sheep.

Where Seuir-na-Glllian braves the wind and rain. Where round Ben More the mad Atlantic raves. Where grey lona’s immemorial fane Keeps solemn ward on unremembered graves.

Come, foreign raid ! Let discord burst in slaughter ! Oh ! then for clansmen true and keen claymore ! The hearts that would have given their blood like water Beat heavily beyond the Atlantic’s roar.

Green are the woods that gird this mighty river, And green the meadows sloping to the strand ; But we have left our native hills forever, And we are exiles from our father’s land.