3 “Sy &: and January; gb ee ABBOTSFORD, SUMAS AND MATSQUI NEWS Back To Normal In Western Grain Belt Jespite the severity ofthe winter, itoba has only received normal precipitation, according to figures contained in statistics prepared by e Dominion meteorological office, covering the period, Aug. 1 to Feb. 29. ‘The same source reveals that throughout the grain belt of the Canadian west moisture conditions are about back to normal. Alberta jeads with a five per cent. average {ncrease over normal, Manitoba is next with normal conditions and Sas- ‘yatchewan is next with a deficiency of one per cent. : Northern areas of the three prov- inces fared best as far as rainfall was concerned. Alberta's excess over the average ¥ was mainly due to abundant mois- ture in the north of the province from Manitoba district to the Peace River. This great area was the wet- test in the west with an increase of 33 per cent .over the normal. Mod- erate gains were registered in north- ern and southeastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba. On the other hand distinct losses were shown in _ southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. A notable feature of the distribu- tion of precipitation was the large excess in October and November in northern Alberta and northern Sas- katchewan. A large portion of this was probably frozen into the ground and is now available for the spring crop. In southern Alberta and south- eastern Saskatchewan rainfall in October and November was above normal, while central Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan had nearly normal moisture, but moder- ate excesses in November. Through- out Manitoba the precipitation in these two months was below the Average. Summarizing the records by months, it is seen that in northern Alberta precipitation was above normal in every month except Sep- _ tember, when there was a deficiency of 50 per cent. In both October and _ November decided increases were re- ported. Central Alberta had small losses in every month but November in the latter month more than twice the normal amount of precipitation occurred. The south- ern section of the province experi- enced a big crop in August and Sep- tember, but more than twice the ordinary amount of rain fell in October. In northern Saskatchewan, changes from the average were quite small, except in November, when 70 per cent. and 60 per cent. excesses oc- curred, respectively. The southwest had a poor showing except in No- vember, when a 25 per cent. increase was recorded. Southeastern Sas- katchewan was more fortunate with a@bove-normal precipitation in Aug- ust, November, January and Feb- ruary. Throughout Manitoba, rainfall was about 60 per cent. above normal in August, but was well below in Sep- tember and October. The other months showed nearly normal pre- cipitation in western Manitoba, while the eastern part of the province had Rbout 30 to 35 per cent. below normal fall in November and De- tember and 25 per cent. excess in _ January and February. British Speed Records Train That Was Late Set Fast Time It was revealed recently that in a remarkable dash to make up time, the Bristolian express from Bristol to Paddington made an outstanding run. The express left Bristol eight minutes late at 4:38 p.m., but arrived _ at Paddington at 6:15 p.m., only one minute after its scheduled time, hay- ing covered the 117% miles in 98 minutes at an average speed of 72 miles an hour. _ The fastest speed on British rail- Ways is the L.N.E.R. Silver Jubilee’s _ 112 mph. achieved last September during a run between Newcastle and New Use For Walnut Shells Industrial use for walnut shells— ® final step in eliminating waste oS from commercial shelling operations —has been announced. California alnut Growers’ Association en- gineers and chemists said the most important of 15 uses found for ground walnut shells are in hard and ft rubber compounds, asphaltum inoleums, roofing paper, filler in Sy Certified Seed Potatoes Good Ones Cannot Be Selected By Tuber Appearance Alone With the increasing prevalence and number of diseases of potatoes and the greater risk in purchasing séed about which nothing is. known by the purchaser, has come the realization that the production of high class seed requires special care. A very satisfactory system of seed potato certification has been develop- ed ih Canada by the Division of Botany, Central Experimental Farms Branch, and is based upon two field inspections of the growing crop, and of the tubers after harvest. Only seed potatoes which meet the stand- ard for certification are eligible for sale as Certified Seed, and official tags are supplied for every pack- age of such seed. Therefore, if the Government tag is not on the pack- age, the potatoes are table stock only and seed price should not be paid. There are two grades only of seed potatoes, “Certified Extra No. 1’ and “Certified Small Sized 114-3 ounces.” If the tags do not specify either of these grades, the potatoes are not seed potatoes. There is definite need of field in- spections for seed potatoes as cer- tain virus diseases are not observ- able in the tubers and can only be identified in the growing plants. Ob- viously only low yields can be ex- pected from diseased plants. It is a big mistake to conclude that good seed potatoes can be selected by tuber appearance alone. There are no regulations in effect which prevent anyone from using any kind of potatoes for seed pur- poses, and some of the stores are selling table potatoes in their seed departments, but it is the pur- chaser's privilege, if he pays more than regular table stock prices, to demand the official tag, otherwise he may get only table stock. Well over a million bushels of cer- tified seed potatoes have been sold annually for the past nine years. The bulk of the seed produced is ex- ported. The best potato growers in other countries appear to appreciate the value of good seed and in spite of plentiful local supplies will pay the additional freight and tariff charges to secure Canadian Certified Seed potatoes. Growers are advised to secure their suppies immediately as seed stocks are getting very low. Lists of growers having seed for sale are obtainable, free, from the Do- minion Botanist, Central TExperi- mental Farm, Ottawa. Donkey Has Queer Taste Pet Of Late Princess Victoria Will Eat Cigars A donkey which eats lighted cigars and cigarettes, or any sort of tobacco, now lives in retirement at Coppins in Iyer, England, the home of the late Princess Victoria. His name is Dinkie. For many years—eyer since she went to live at Iver—Dinkie had been a pet of the Princess. At times she used to go to his paddock to give him an extra special feed of sugar and carrots, Since the princess died recently he has missed those occa- sional titbits given to him by her own hand. The King, too, knows about him, for he has often seen Dinkie grazing contentedly in a paddock on the Cop- pins estate. ‘Dinkié will eat any tobacco you like to give him,” one of the mem- bers of the staff at Coppins said. “It is not true that he smokes cigarettes —that is an exaggeration. What happens is that if you put a lighted cigarette between his lips he will eat it without hesitation.” When a reporter tested him by offering him a cigar, Dinkie was ob- viously pleased. He sniffed the cigar, and before anyone could offer him a light, it had disappeared into his mouth. A lighted cigarette went the same way. Nobody knows Dinkie’s age, but it is certain that he is over 30. Al- though he has lost nearly all his teeth, he looks fat and well. Exports To French Africa Wheat, flour, and farm implements are among the leading Canadian ex- ports to French Africa. The area of French possessions in Africa nearly equals that of the Dominion of Can- ada. The population is over 32,000,- 000, of which more than 1,000,000 are of European origin. Raccoons like to wash their food jamite and abrasive mechanics before eating. 2146 eSNAPSHOT GUIL FIRE AND SMOKE MAKE VIVID PICTURES Amateur cameras blazed away at these two fires. A time exposure of 3 seconds was used for the picture of the night fire (left), with the lens set at f.8; a 1/25 second snapshot speed for the day fire, also at f.8. For drama and action take your camera along to the next good fire in your vicinity. Nothing offers the alert snapshooter a better oppor- tunity for vivid, interesting pictures. Day or night, it doesn’t matter, and be at the fire as early as possible. Don't forget a couple of extra rolls of film, else you will return regret- ting scenes you had to miss for lack of ammunition. / Think what you have to “shoot” at. Billowing smoke with its weird formations, the glistening streams of water rising aloft from the fire- men's hose, the firemen putting up their ladders or precariously perched on them as they play their hose into windows belching with smoke and flame, the street turned into a lake and refiecting the action, silhouettes of the fire engines, the tangled hose lines, and later perhaps the gaunt ruins. Chances are best, of course, in the daytime, but at night, although you get less detail, your pictures are likely to be more spectacular. You work by the light of the flames. Their “lurid glare’ from behind win- dows or as they shoot skyward from the roof becomes a reality on your film. You get mostly silhouettes, but just the same they tell you vividly the dramatic story of “Fire!” With a tripod, or with the camera held on some solid support, time ex- posures of night fires are easy; with- out a tripod or some support, super- | sens2ve film will be needed if you | are to get the spectacle in a snap. With a fast lens (f.6.3 or faster) you can make 1|25 second snapshots of brilliant blazes. Some amateurs are regular “fire bugs.” They make a hobby of fire pictures and at every alarm dash to the scene. They climb trees and ‘scramble up porches and roofs for viewpoints, slip through police lines for “close-ups” and do other peril- ous things in their enthusiasm. But one doesn’t have to take chances. There are always good pictures at a good fire from any point of view. “Clang! It's a triple alarm! Gim- me my camera!’ | JOHN VAN GUILDER. Will Give Up Battle Federal Government Finds Atlantic Again Menaces Lighthouse The federal government is still los- ing in its 187 year old battle with the Atlantic to keep a light burning on that dangerous stretch of North Carolina shore known as Cape Hat- teras. For the second time it has been forced to abandon its light- house there, the tallest, the most famous, and perhaps the most beau- tiful in the country. The first tower, 112 feet tall, was built deep inland in 1799. But year by year the ocean eroded the Hatte- ras beach and approached closer and closer to the tower. In 1870 this light tower was abandoned. A new brick tower, 193 feet high, was built farther back, a full mile from the sea. But since then the sea again has eaten almost to its base. The ocean is now less than 100 feet away. It is planned to leave the light- house stand; one day it will be claim- ed by the sea. A new steel tower will be put up a mile farther inland. The Chinese Imperial cookbook contains 96 volumes and weighs a ton. It is said to be the largest cookbook in the world. An abridged edition of the same work contains 18 volumes. Protecting Rare Bird Egret Is Guarded In Florida During Nesting Season The “egret guard’ is on duty again in the Florida everglades. The department of agriculture at Wash- ington has mobilized all game agents in the Florida district for the an- nual watch over the bird during its nesting season. The egret, whose white, silky plumes are ranked in value with the feathers c* the bird of paradise, was, in 1914, in danger of extinction. Plume hunters slaughtered them ruthlessly until the Audubon Society obtained federal legislation . protect- ing the bird. The law makes the wearing of egret plumes a mis- demeanor. Objected To Crowd It. got too crowded for Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hammersley, who operate a trading post at Iguigig, Alaska. When several families moved into the district recently, the Hammers- leys decided the population was get- ting “too dense for comfort,” and moved to Kukaklek Lake, where there isn’t a white family within 100 miles. Air-mail time between Shanghai, China, and London is now 11 days. Linens Made Colorful in This Easy Way PATTERN 5405 At Breakfast or Lunch-time you'll gaze with delight at this spirited Dutch pair, Hulda and Hans, embroidered on your dainty cloth. It’s such an easy way to make your breakfast-nook gay, for the four motifs are quickly done in easy 8-to-the-inch cross stitch on curtains, cloth, scarf or pillow. You can do them in one color or many—it’s a grand way to use up scraps of floss. 5268, you'll want to send for it too. If you haven't the Dutch towels, companion pattern In pattern 5405 you will find a transfer pattern of four motifs averag- ing 7x 12%4 inches and four motifs, 244 x3 inches; color suggestions; illus- trations of all stitches needed; material requirements. To obtain this pattern send 20 cents in stamps or coin (coin preferred) to Household Arts Dept., Winnipeg Newspaper Union, 175 McDermot Ave. E., Winnipeg. There is no Alice Brooks pattern book published Founders Of Would Revise Place Names But Idea Might Not Be Acceptable For Communities A writer argues for better sound- ing and more significant place-names in Canada than he evidently feels now exist in a number of cases. He suggests the creation of a Canadian Nomenclature Society to help in the work. Says this writer in part: “Many places in Canada possess assets in the significance, in the euphony, in the association, history, romance, in the general outstanding individuality of the names they are known by. In each of the provinces there are cities, towns, villages, rivers and streams whose names are an imper- ishable link with the past, with the romance of the pioneer, with abor- iginal lore, with tradition. But at the same time a lot of our names are as flat, commonplace and insipid as a bran-mash dessert — cheap, plain and even derogatory, in the sense of inspiring sarcasm or scorn.” This writer may feel that com- munities such as Moose Jaw and Medicine Hat might welcome sug- gestion about a change of name. On the other hand, would they? They might be as mad as a boil about it. The names they have may suit them even if on occasion they may provoke wonderment in some*quart- ers.—Regina Leader-Post. "the New Diagnosis Of Disease Electrical Quality Found In Human Body To Be Used New progress in the use of an electrical quality of the human body for diagnosis of disease was an- nounced at the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology. This quality is called “Q’. It is related to the manner in which the body tissues conduct an electrical current. It is easily defined as the relation between the energy stored momentarily by the tissues and the energy lost by heating the tissues. Dr. J. Warren Horton, research associate, has invented an instru- ment by which these two quantities may be read on dials. It measures the current conducting characteris- tics of the internal tissues although it is connected to the patient by elec- rodes in contact only with the sur- face of the skin. British investigators, prior to de- velopment of this instrument, had believed measurements of “Q” might be substituted for the present basal metabolism tests. Results with the new tech meter indicate this is prob- ably not the case but after further study, “Q” may prove eventually to be a valuable indicator for various bodily conditions and thus be of great aid in medical diagnosis. Popular In England British Publication Says Canadian Turkeys Hard To Beat In the British Fish Trades Gaz- ette, published in London, England, one of the leading publications deal- ing with the produce trade, there has appeared recently several com- mendatory articles on Canadian agri- cultural products, principally with reference to Canadian poultry. In its issue of 7th of March, 1936, one of its writers states: ‘The class of turkeys which are arriving from abroad—that is, the fresh killed varieties—are very good. “Apart from these we shall no doubt have some Canadian birds on show, and as you know, a good Canadian turkey wants a lot of beat- ing if it is the right quality and pack. “To sum up the turkey trade, I consider that the most reliable pack to which to look forward during the next few months will be the Cana- dians if they can be shipped at a reasonable price. Present quotations are rather beyond the reach of the trade, but holders on the other side may think differently in a few weeks’ time.” If there is one thing we ought to encourage to-day, it is the old- fashioned idea of self-reliance. Many people to-day have slipped too easily into the rut of dependence upon others. Certain plant diseases are found to increase and decrease in cycles during periods of years, a discovery which will aid in the farmer’s fight against them. World Poultry Congress Have Realized The ir Hopes | The question is often asked “What | are Wor!d's Poultry Congresses and what is the big idea behind them?” In view of the forthcoming World Poultry Congress which will be opened on July 24th at Leipzig, Ger- many, no better answer can be given than by quoting an extract from an article appearing in the Leipzig press, written by a Canadian, F. C. Elford, Dominion Poultry Husband- man and Past President of the World's Poultry Science Association. “World Poultry Congresses” states Mr. Elford, “are the triennial meet- ings of the World’s Poultry Science Association which was founded in 1912. The Congress in Leipzig this year will be the sixth. The other five were held at The Hague, Hol- land in 1921; Barcelona, Spain, 1924; Ottawa, Canada, 1927; Lon- don, England, 1930, and Rome, Italy, 1933. “There were at least two good reasons in the minds of Sir Edward Brown and Professor J. E. Rice (two of the originators) when they de- bated the formation of the World’s Poultry Science Association and later the Congresses. One reason was to further international information upon poultry matters; the other rea- son was to encourage world-wide acquaintance and good will. Both of these objectives have been attained beyond the highest hopes of the originators. The number of coun- tries represented in the membership “of the Association and in the attend- ance at the congresses demonstrate this. “World poultry congresses are not merely ‘poultry shows’; they are world gatherings where more coun- tries have been represented than at any similar eyent. At the congress in Canada in 1927, delegates from 43 countries were present. In England in 1930, more than 60 nationalities were represented. Accredited dele- gates to these congresses number thousands and the local attendance in some cases is reckoned by hun- dreds of thousands. The reason that so many countries send delegates to these congresses may be that poul- try is universally accepted as an eco- - nomic asset and touches the lives of so many people that every country desires to know all there is to be learned of the science of breeding, feeding and marketing. The Con- gress sessions, at which the worlds most distinguished scientist are heard in lecture and debate, bring out the latest research in poultry culture, while at the same time the national and live bird exhibits demonstrate visually the degree of application of science that has been made in the various countries.” Job Was Thorough Carpet Snakes Eliminated Rat Pest From Tropical Island Thursday Island, off the Cape York finger of northeastern Aus- tralia, was, until recently, a tropical, palm-girt spot on the map ‘‘where every prospect pleases and only rats are vile.” These rats have lately been a per- fect pest, especially to the shipping company which owns the wharf and its store. Cats were taken on the staff and were paid 84c a week in catsmeat currency. They did almost Hamelin service, but not quite, ac- cording to the Australian Press Bureau. Then two large carpet snakes were appointed with board, lodging and other emoluments. By day they slept in the rafters of the store; by night they worked. In an incredibly short time every rat disappeared. So, now, have the snakes. No one knows where, but Thursday Island has deleted the “only” from its pleasing prospects. Excitement For Passengers Zoo Animals On Ocean Liner Stage Big Fight Passengers leaving the liner Ex- calibur at Boston told of a death battle on the ship between a 400- pound hippotamus and a pigmy ele- phant from the Belgian Congo. It ended in the death,of the elephant. The hippopotamus was recaptured. Roars of the hippopotamus and trumpeting of the elephant awaken- ed the passengers early one morn- ing as the ship passed through a storm. Hight native boys from the Congo, hired by a representative of a circus to convey the animals to the United States, finally trapped the hippopotamus after four hours. The The diamond was used in the an- | cient world as an antidote for poison. boys were unable to approach the hippopotamus until the elephant had been slain.