Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 1955)
January Sky Review BT J. HIIr.H PBTirTT w!?0noJSr' Extension Division A new year ia with us. anH its rrival brings a skyful of celes- uai jewels for the early evening urmament. Old Sol is now making his aauy journey very low across the south. But Luna will be rising far north for several eve- yet. Full moon occues Jan nary 8. The brilliant nlanet Ju piter clears the horizon far over toward the northeast about an hour after sunset, and is a splen did object high in the east a few hours later. Red Mars is still, consDicu- ous quite high in thesky some what west of south as soon as darkness descends. Mercury is now too near the sun to be ob served. . Two Planets Fairly Well Up' The early dawn finds two planets fairly well up in the southeast. The extremely bril liant one, now at about its best, is Venus. It cannot be mistaken .or overlooked since it far out shines any star-like body in the entire sky. It glows like a little lantern hung on the blue wall of heaven. A little south of Venus yellow non-twinkling Saturn is easily spotted. Note the red star Antares very low in the southeast. For the study of the brighter evening stars (planets are not stars) let us observe about 8 p.m. standard time. Over in the northwest the fine figure of the Northern Cross is standing up right. Deneb, at the top of the figure, is a bright star. A little below Deneb the crossarm of the dimmer stars in easilv lo cated. Then running down al most to the horizon other faint stars outline the longer part of the cross. Bright Vega Flashing Almost on the skyline, and to the right of the Northern Crosn note the flashing of the bright Vega m tfte Harp of Orpheus. And almost overhead the five stars forming the W of Cassi opeia are easily SDotted. m looks more like an M in this position.) High in the southeast, the finest of all star groups, Orion, the Hunter, rules ,the winter heavens. Notice the short line of three moderately orient stars running down a little to the left of vertical. This is Orion's belt Surrounding the belt and form- mg a large four-sided figure we find four prominent stars, two quite bright. The reddish one above is Betelgeuse in the hunt er's shoulder; the brilliant white one below, Rigel. the shoe buckle. Sirius Lower Considerably lower than and to the left of Orion there scin tillates brilliant Sirius in the Big Dog. Somewhat higher and fanner east, Frocyon m the Lit tle Dog is prominent. Above glowing Jupiter in the east Pol lux and Castor extend upward in the order mentioned. Verv high in the east yellow Canella sparkles. South of Capella 'or ange Aldebaran is one member of the V-shaped Hyades. A little south of overhead the tiny dip per of the little Pleiades stars is bewitching. Is That So? By Eugen Burns Ranger-Naturalist To live in desert and badlands, animals and plants have made fantastic adaptations. Surprising ly, their adjustments have much in common, as witnes: To avoid the drying heat of the sun, many desert animals spend most of the life below in the cool, damp earth. Many of these have become professional burrowers with limbs wonder fully well adapted for their un derground existence. Likewise, a good share of the stunted desert plants' existence, su.cn as the sagebrush, is under ground. It is not unusual for a plant only two feet high above ground to have an enormous perhaps 20 feet or more into the network cf roots going down rerresningly cool, damp ground. Animals such as the lion, coy ote, Hyena, desert fox. most in sects, scorpions and spiders seek shade or shelter during the heat of the day when evaDoratibn Ls at a maximum and become ac tive, when the comparatively dew-laden cool night air acts as a check to evaporation. - Desert plants of course, can not find shade but they at least droop their leaves, turning them edgewise to the broiling midday. sun. come evening, their leaves unfold, blossom open, and their withheld fragrance is now pour ed upon the night air when the night loving insects abound Do Away With Leaves Other plants do away with their leaves entirely and have thick stems which retard evapo ration, bpines are frequent. Just like the sninv cactuses. many. lizards have developed tnicK impervious skins. Some reptiles, like the gila monster, have spines. Others, thick scales. Desert beetles have hard wine covers which form a sheath over the greater part of the body to protect against the loss of water. As a result, like the cactuses, they do not mind the intense glare of the daytime sun. Most desert plants have de vised methods of storine water in their thick-skinned stems, notably tne candlabra-like cac tuses of Arizona. Likewise many animals such as tortoises and liz ards and a few frogs store water in various organs and cavaties within their bodies. A better- known one, of course, is the camel which drinks deeply when water is available and then can live for a considerable time off the water stored in its body (not the hump). In contrast to most broad leafed trees of the rainy areas, desert plants give off compara tively little water through tran spiration.' Most Dry Skinned So. too. few moist-skinned an imals live in the desert. Most are dry skinned, such as birds, rep tiles, some mammals such as an telope, gazelles and several small rodents, and many insects. To all practical purposes, these have no sweat glands to cool off their body surfaces. In areas where there are sea sonal rains with lone interven ing dry spells, both plants and animals crowd tremendous ac tivity into the short damn sea son and then become dormant during the draught or die leav ing behind them seeds to carry on tneir speaies. During the rainy season, some of these pianis, sucn as the watermelon, produce succulent leaves anH sometimes fruits eon ta siderable amounts of waton re spite the dry surroundings. Oth ers senq Duds into the soil, then die out as the surface dries out. Other short-lived plants, true emphemerals. run throueh their entire life history from seed to seea with incredible rapidity. Again, what do animals Ho? Like the plants, some have a tremendously accelerated growth during the rainy season. Their reproductive stage is reached rapidly and they lay eggs or re produce their kind, then bury themselves in the clav or naked mud where they become dor mant during the draught per haps even for several years as do some snails, when necessary. certainly, not unlike the underground-stored buds. Other ani mals lay eggs and die thus- de spite the shortage of food and water, the species lives on as do the plants' seeds. (Copyright 1954, by Eugene Burns) (Released by McClure Newspaper Syndicate) Free: By special arraneement with the editors of the Encyclo pedia Americana, my panel of judges will award each week to the reader who sends me ho best question on nature and wildlife a complete 30-volume set of this world-famous refer. ence work in a handsome Seal craft binding. Each "week, new questions will be considered. Sorry, I simply can't answer your many friendly letter. Please address your auestions to- IS THAT SO, co Medford Mail Tribune, Box 575, Sausalito Calif. Sunday, January I, 1955 MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE mi 117 SO. CENTRAL PHONE 2-6241 President To Recommend 90-Cent Minimum Wage Augusta, tia. HU.PJ President Eisenhower will recommend in his State of the Union message to Congress on Jan. 6 that the national minimum wage be in creased from 75 cents to 90 cents an hour. Sen. Wayne Morse (Ind.-Ore.l recently recommended that the minimum wage be boosted to $1 an hour. RENT A New PIANO or ORGAN On A Rental-Sales Plan You may renr a new Baldwin or WurSirzer Piano or a Hammond Cho;d or Spinet Organ for as long as six months and have the rental apply on the purchase of the instrument if you so desire. PURUCKER PIANO HOUSE mm SAVE ON WARDS OWN SHEETS ' jl -JP ; 1 63 ;-: : 197 SS- 2 tom&Zj LONGWEAR Made to Wards strief standards.". TREASURE CHEST-Our best white muslin sheets v " ' JfeisSgS gjPS V . 132 thread muslin bleached snowy white. " woven with 1 45 heavy cotton threads per sq. in. ' ' j ";?2aaaFK . 81x99" SHEET Stock up now 1.53 72x108" SHEET For this sale nlyr 177 VTSjQ AgZf -t ' 72x99" SHEET 1.47; PILLOWCASE, 42x36" 37. PILLOWCASE, 42x36" 43e TtSjj- GANNON SHEETS CUT-PRICED ' XmBm 1 " ' FITTED BOTTOM SHEETS-Fit smoothly, stay wrinkle-tree, save you precious time too. 132 thread muslin for plenty of long wear. Buy now & save. TWIN SIZE-Big Savings now 1 77 PASTEL COLORED SHEETS-beautiful shades of blue, green, lilac, pink or yellow to brighten the bedroom. 132-thread muslin for wear. Save now. 72x108" SHEET 2.27; PILLOWCASE, 42x36" 53c SAVE 20 ON BLANKETS REGULAR 1.69 BLANKET For this sale only you save 20. Fleecy cotton, wover. wifh a soft nap for comfortable warmth -ideal as an extra blanket on cold nights. Choose decorator pastel plaids. 70x80". REG. 1.98 SHEET BLANKET A real value-soft, warm cotton sheet blanket now bleached snowy-white. 70x95 inches. 80x95", Reg. 2.49-Now onlyl .97 72x95", Reg. 2.89-Pastels 17 REG. 4.98 10 NYLON Save over $1 en this famous Peppered blend of 90 rayon for lustrous color, 10 nylon for added strength and wear. Deep-napped for. cozy warmth when winter winds blew. 72x84. REGULAR 7.59 10 WOOL ftow you save 1.41 . . . really an outstanding value-its high brushed nap makes this pastel plaid blanket look far costlier. 90 rayon with 1 0 wool added to give extra warmth. 72x90" Reg. 3.29 Mattress Pad of quilted muslin oyer cotton. Bleached. Full size Reg,! 2.29 Mattress 1 Pad of quilted muslin over cotton. Bleached. Twin Reg.' 3.98 Mattress Cover. Twin or full. Zippered. Sanforized. ' Reg. 6.98 Fitted Mattress Pad. Save 22. Bleached white. Full. Reg. 5.98 Fitted Mattress Pad. Save 26. Bleached, Sanforized. Twin 4 v Save on Pillow Tubing that's- woven seamless. Bleached muslin. 42 inches Unbleached Muslin for many uses. including pillowcases. 36 inches wide. Reg. 35c yard Bleached Muslin. Finest quality for long sturdy wear. 36" Reg. 6 for 59c Cannon Dish Cloths. M Jimr Open mesh Weave cotton. 15x17". O l Reg. 25c Flour Sack Towels. Bleached. . wm absorbent. Many uses, f bout 30x30". 9 ' V Regular 42e Ye. Stevens Towelina. Sturdy, bleached linen. 17 in. wide. yd. REG. 8.96 CHENILLE : 4.37 Our lowest price eW. . . save 1.61. Bring new color mfo your bedroom with this fluffy, tlorel scrolled Chenille Spread. Floral on white or colored ground, or all solid m modem design. Net Showik Reg. 3.98. Chenille. Save over 2.87 SEE THESE TOWEL SPECIALS USUAL 98c BATH TOWEL Only a Special Purchase makes this 35 sav ings possible. Famous Cannon's fluffy, absorbent bath towels. Decorator colors. 22x40.; USUAL 59c FCE TOWEL. . ..... . . . . .44 USUAL 29c WASH CLOTH.. ......... .24c REG. 1.59 BATH TOWEL Here's your chance to save on famous Calla way's "Chatham" pattern: fluffy, absorbent terry, with a neat dobby border. 22x44'. REGULAR' 89c FACE TOWEL. ........ .74e REGULAR 35c WASH CLOTH ...27c USUAL 49c BATH TOWEL Buy now and save. Wards Special Purchase saves you important money during this event only. Choose from bright gay plaids to deco rate your bathroom decor. Absorbent, fluffy cotton terry dries yew m a Wy. 2040". H ! 8L1 P1o!n fe S.9S FOAM LATEX vutarv for iWs 18 ft Q5 FOAM uA1 - l9x27- $,x man down. " 7 95 GOOSE DOWN Fl- Bledwrthrop 20x26.-V SAVE ON SPRING FABRICS KG. 59c Yd. Denim Woshfast end A AC Sanforized. For sportswear. 35-36'.7THf yd REG. 69c Yd. Gingham WrinH- JPC Shed by Dan River. Plaids. 35-36'. Of yd TEXTURED RAYON Looks like M C W Low-priced. 45 inches... ' Tyd 4 A-:- I .i.' 111 North Central Phone 2-5702
