d into the
cork. The dotted lines in Fig. 3 show the position of the wires
and flowers.

To make the flowers grow in an instant, pour water into the jar at
one side of the wide mouth. The cork will float and carry the wire
with the flowers attached upward, causing the flowers to grow,
apparently, in a few seconds' time. Do not pour in too much water
to raise the flowers so far that the wire will be seen.
--Contributed by A. S. Macdonald, Oakland, Calif.

** Water and Wine Trick [244]

This is an interesting trick based on the chemical properties of
acids and alkalies. The materials needed are: One glass pitcher,
filled with water, four glass tumblers, an acid, an alkali and
some phenolphthalein solution which can be obtained from your
local druggist. Before the performance, add a few drops of the
phenolphthalein to the water in the pitcher and rub a small
quantity of the alkali solution on the sides of two of the
tumblers and repeat, only using as large a quantity of the acid as
will escape notice on the remaining tumblers. Set the tumblers so
you will know which is which and proceed as follows: Take hold of
a prepared tumbler with the left hand and pour from the pitcher,
held in the right hand, some of the liquid. The liquid turned into
the glass will become red like wine. Set this full tumbler aside
and take the pitcher in the left hand and pour some of the liquid
in one of the tumblers containing the acid as it is held in the
right hand. There will be no change in color. Repeat both parts in
the same order then begin to pour the liquids contained in the
tumblers back into the pitcher in the order reversed and the
excess of acid will neutralize the alkali and cause it to lose its
color and in the end the pitcher will contain a colorless liquid.
--Contributed by Kenneth Weeks, Bridgeton, N.J.

** Cheap Nails are Expensive [244]

The life of iron shingle nails is about 6 years. An iron nail
cannot be used again in putting on a new roof. Solid zinc nails
last forever and can be used as often as necessary. As zinc is
much lighter than iron, the cost of zinc nails is only about 2-1/2
times that of iron nails.

** Cutting Lantern Slide Masks [245]

It has long been a puzzle to me why round cornered masks are
almost invariably used for lantern slides, when most works of art
are included within rectangular spaces, says a correspondent of
Photo Era. Certainly the present commercial masks are in very poor