eror of Germany, or German Emperor--one that was fixed at the time
William I. was proclaimed at Versailles? The question is whether "German
Emperor" is the correct title, or "Emperor of Germany," and why? Who
knows about it?

* * * * *

Tom S. Winston says he is immensely fond of machinery. Are you? He lives
at Abbeville, La.--away down near the Texas line. He wishes the Table
had a Chapter of amateur machinists or engineers. He may tell us about
that stock ranch. Isabel McC. Lemmon, Englewood, N.J., asks if Elsie G.
Unruh will send her address? She wishes to forward some pressed flowers.
Berthold Landau, 310 East Third Street, New York, wants to join a
literary Chapter.

Dudley Polk asks if the "literature of to-day tends toward the realistic
or the idealistic." We believe the critics say it tends toward the
former. Some say that they think the day of literary realism is about
over. G. G. B. asks the cost of a chicken-coop such as Mr. Chase
recently described. The cost of material varies so, according to
locality, that it is difficult to name any fixed sum. The cost can
easily be figured out, as the drawing is made according to a scale. Find
the number of square feet of lumber required, and the cost of the
window-frame at any lumber dealer's.

* * * * *

C. L. B. Beach, Hull, Iowa, wants to trade pressed flowers. He also
wants specimens of the "fly-catcher" and of the "pitcher-plant." Andrew
Neill: The numbers of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, November to April, and of
HARPER'S ROUND TABLE, April 30th to the end of the year, will be bound
into one volume, not two. Beginning with the change in form and name,
pages containing advertisements will be bound into the volume, not cut
out as formerly. Platinum and iridium are found in the Ural Mountains,
in Brazil, California, and Ceylon. They are original or primary
substances, not manufactures. Platinum is used in telegraph keys, and
iridium, being very hard, for nibs in the ends of gold pens.

Helen P. Hubbard: Common oyster-shells contain lime, nitrogen, iron,
sulphur, manganese, magnesia, flour, bromine, phosphoric acid, and
iodine, and, ground to a powder, were once used as medicine, since all
of the substances are good for building up the system. Walter Henry, of
Wisconsin, asks where he can procure silk-worm eggs. We think he can get
them from the American Silk-Culture Association, Arch Street,
Philadelphia,