TO KNOW THE STARRY HEAVENS 



221 



Astronomy Overcomes a "Distinct 

 Handicap." 



Mr. Edward Bok, in an editorial in 

 "The Ladies' Home Journal," discusses 

 self-consciousness in answer to an in- 

 quiry from a reader that writes : "I feel 

 a distinct handicap in my relations with 

 my fellowmen in being self-conscious. 

 Is there an actual, practical, common 

 sense cure for this?" In his six answers 

 it is interesting to note that Mr. Bok 

 places astronomy in the third, well up 

 toward the front. He says: "Study 

 astronomy, thus acquiring a deep sense 

 of human littleness." 



Mr. Bok is right, but only about half 

 right. Astronomy shows the littleness 

 of human nature but it also shows the 

 bigness. One that looks across the 

 whole realm of the universe to the sun, 

 the planets and the little spot of earth 

 on which we stand, realizes more and 

 more surely that human beings are the 

 end and aim of it all. Russell Alfred 

 Wallace arrived at this conclusion in 

 his ripe old age, after years of pro- 

 found study of all phases of nature. 

 One that has become self-conscious af- 

 ter long thinking that he is nobody and 

 that everybody is more important than 

 he, will find astronomy encouraging. 

 He will realize that just as everything 

 in the universe has its place and is 

 adapted to its own order, so he has his 

 place and part in the great scheme and 

 design of human life. But there are 

 some phases that make one appreciate 

 the bigness of human nature. Any one 

 that has used the "Ephemeris" pub- 

 lished by our Naval Observatory at 

 Washington will take ofif his hat in 

 respect for that stupendous perform- 

 ance of the human mind. To see the 

 moons of Jupiter circling around that 

 gigantic planet is admirable but it is 

 more admirable to think that the human 

 mind can predict their exact position, 

 to the fraction of a second, several 

 years before they assume that position. 

 My friend, you that feel your own lit- 

 tleness, stand up in the might of your 

 manhood. Study astronomy, as Mr. 

 Bok advises, to make you realize your 

 littleness but only occasionally give 

 way to such a feeling. Get in touch 

 with the great things of nature and 

 you will feel your individual great- 



ness and will be willing to stand 

 upright on your own feet. Associ- 

 ate with filthy things and you will be- 

 come filthy ; with the pure and you will 

 become pure ; with the great and you 

 become great. As Tennyson said, "I 

 am a part of all that I have seen." 



O Luna, had we ventured 



On that shining, treacherous sea. 



We had come without warning, face to face 

 With a far deeper mystery. 



— Emma Peirce. 



Bananas Grown from Seed? 



Can the common banana be grown from 

 seed, and, if so, is this seed found in the 

 fruit we use? I understand that it does 

 not produce seed that will germinate. — B. 

 D. Miller, Schenectady, New York. 



^c ^ ^ ^ ^ 



The best authorities hold that the com- 

 mon banana can be grown from seed but 

 that the occurrence of seeds in the com- 

 mon banana is very rare indeed and is 

 seldom or never found under natural con- 

 ditions. Experimentally, however, the 

 ordinary bananas of commerce have been 

 fertilized with pollen from the Red Ja- 

 maica and with pollen from some of the 

 wild species of bananas and seeds were 

 thus secured. It was intended to plant 

 these seeds in the hope of securing new 

 and valuable varieties but the experiment- 

 al planting was destroyed by a hurricane. 

 You will find more detailed information 

 on this subject in the book entitled "The 

 Banana — its cultivation, distribution and 

 commercial uses," by W. Fawcett, pub- 

 lished by Duckworth & Company, Lon- 

 don, England. — E. D. Vosbury, Scientific 

 Assistant, Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 Washington, D. C. 



What the Old Tune Did. 



A country boy that had often heard 

 his parents use the quaint expression, 

 "The tune the old cow died of," often 

 wondered what that tune was. He was 

 told that it is a very old-timer. At his 

 first opportunity to attend a country 

 fair he heard a band play "Yankee 

 Doodle." His father explained that 

 that was a tune very popular in the ear- 

 ly days of this country. The boy said, 

 "It that the tune the old cow died 

 of?" "No," replied the father, "it is 

 the tune that John Bull died of." 



