Bore a hole in the base between the two spools and pass the wire through this hole, under the spool in the paraffin, then through a small hole in the leather and a notch in the block A, and a notch between the base and the pan.  Tie a string around the wire between the leather and the paraffin, making the knots so they will not pull through the hole in the leather.  This makes the wire smooth, and by making the string tighter or looser you can regulate the thickness of the paraffin, says Electrician and Mechanic.  Place the pan on the stove; when the paraffin is melted, pull out the wire as needed.  To keep the pan from sliding place a flatiron or some other weight on it.

[Illustration:  Home-Made Apparatus for Paraffining Wire]

** Uses of Peat [161]

Peat is used in Germany for bedding, fodder, filter, fuel and packing purposes.

** Scientific Explanation of a Toy [162]

In a recent Issue of Popular Mechanics an article on “The Turning Card Puzzle” was described and illustrated.  Outside of the scientific side involved herein I describe a much better trick.  About the time when the expression “skidoo” first began to be used I invented the following trick and called it “Skidoo” and “Skidee,” which created much merriment.  Unless the trick is thoroughly understood, for some it will turn one way, for others the opposite way, while for others it will not revolve at all.  One person whom I now recall became red in the face by shouting skidoo and skidee at it, but the thing would not move at all, and he finally, from vexation, threw the trick into the fire and a new one had to be made.  Very few can make it turn both ways at will, and therein is the trick.

Take a piece of hardwood 3/8-in. square and about 9 in. long.  On one of the edges cut a series of notches as indicated in Fig 1.  Then slightly taper the end marked B until it is nicely rounded as shown in Fig. 2.  Next make an arm of a two-arm windmill such as boys make.  Make a hole through the center of this one arm.  Enlarge the hole slightly, enough to allow a common pin to hold the arm to the end B and not interfere with the revolving arm.  Two or three of these arms may have to be made before one is secured that is of the exact proportions to catch the vibrations right.

[Illustration:  How to Cut the Notches]

To operate the trick, grip the stick firmly in one hand, and with the forward and backward motion of the other allow the first finger to slide along the top edge, the second finger along the side and the thumb nail will then vibrate along the notches, thus making the arm revolve in one direction.  To make the arm revolve in the opposite direction—­keep the hand moving all the time, so the observer will not detect the change which the band makes—­allow the first finger to slide along the top, as in the other movement, the thumb and second finger changing places:  e. g., in the first movement you scratch