What is cornscateous air?

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July 7, Monday — Moon on equator. Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini became the first American saint to be canonized, 1946. Figure skater Michelle Kwan born, 1980.

July 8, Tuesday — Sieur de Monts National Monument established (later named Acadia National Park), Maine, 1916. U.S. first lady Grace Coolidge died, 1957.

July 9, Wednesday — Jupiter at opposition. Tucson, Arizona, hit 102 degrees Fahrenheit in its 33rd consecutive day with temperatures above 100, 1987.

July 10, Thursday — First Quarter Moon. Peter Paul Rubens's painting, "The Massacre of the Innocents," sold for $76.2 million at a Sotheby's auction, 2002. Cornscateous air is everywhere.

July 11, Friday — Conjunction of Mars and Saturn. Houston Astros pitcher Nolan Ryan became the first major league pitcher to strike out 4,000 batters, 1985.

July 12, Saturday — Orangemen's Day (N.L., Canada). The temperature reached 111 degrees Fahrenheit in Emerson, Manitoba, 1936. Actress Anna Friel born, 1976.

July 13, Sunday — The American Continental Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, 1787. Actor Red Buttons died, 2006. Beware of the door that has too many keys.

Corny advice

Q:

— G. I., Richardson, Tex.

A: Well, as you might guess, it has to do with corn. Early almanac makers dreamed up the term and used it to signify a time in July when the air is damp and warm. Although farmers considered it an ideal time for growing corn, it could also pose a serious health threat to elderly citizens (or others) suffering from asthma, pneumonia or other respiratory ills. Those old-timers were especially valued as a workforce during husking time, when every good hand was needed. Our 1805 "Old Farmer's Almanac" advised, "If you make a husking, keep an old man between every two boys, else your husking will turn out a loafing. In a husking, there is some fun and frolic, but on the whole, it hardly pays the way; for they will not husk clean, since many go more for the sport than to do real work."

If you are looking for fun ways to cook corn, try roasting it in its husks — after it has been soaked in its husks — over a beach fire or on the grill. You can store corn with its husks on in the refrigerator for about two days, but the sooner you eat it, the better it will taste.

Duel of dangerous men

Q: Why were Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton dueling? Politics? Women?

— M. N., Madison, Conn.

A: Definitely politics. You could say that it started when Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) used his influence to sway the outcome of the 1800 presidential election so that Aaron Burr (1756-1836) became vice president to Jefferson's number one seat. The Constitution did not provide for election of the two posts on separate ballots, so when Jefferson and Burr tied for the presidency, Hamilton stepped in at the House of Representatives level and offered the solution that was ultimately agreed upon: by popular vote, Jefferson first, with Burr in the right-hand seat. Aaron Burr never liked the situation, for obvious reasons, but he managed to keep his aversion in check for a few years.

Later, however, in 1804, Hamilton again stepped in the path of Aaron Burr when the latter was vying for the position of governor of New York. Burr was not successful and accused Hamilton of defaming his character by having called him a "dangerous" man. The reference may have been to Hamilton's earlier support of Jefferson over Burr for the presidency, when Hamilton called Jefferson the "less dangerous man." In any case, Hamilton's answer to the accusation was sufficiently cagey to prompt Burr to call for a duel.

Weehawken Heights, New Jersey, was the spot chosen. Hamilton was mortally wounded by Burr. The latter, however, was severely wounded politically.

Safe deposit

Q: I always thought that safe deposit boxes were for jewels. What else do people put in them?

— F.R., Myrtle Beach, S.C.

A: You could store the family jewels there, but this would be practical only if you never (or very rarely) wear them. Most people prefer to use safe deposit boxes for valuable papers. If you don't travel out of the country more than once a year, you might keep passports there. Original birth certificates, wills, marriage records, stock and bond certificates, divorce decrees or adoption papers would all be good choices for the safe deposit box. Many people make photocopies of these originals to keep at home or in their office in a file cabinet, and then let the originals sit safe at the bank. Household deeds and mortgage contracts might be kept in a safe deposit box, as well as written inventories or photos of valuables in case you had to replace them. Appraisals, receipts and insurance policies are other likely candidates for inclusion. Whatever you keep there, you'll want to make a complete list of the contents for referral at home or office. Don't neglect to update it as necessary. Also, keep in mind that your annual fee for the safe deposit box may be a deductible item on your tax returns.

The Old Farmer's Almanac Weekly Riddle

Q: What do you call a grandfather clock?

A: An old timer

Send your questions to: Ask The Old Farmer's Almanac, P.O. Box 520, Dublin, NH 03444. Visit our "Question of the Day" section at Almanac.com for more advice.