THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 211 
attaining a height of 100 feet before giving off any branches; the 
diameter of the base is seldom more than one foot, and rarely 
exceeds fifteen inches. The wood itself is very hard, and, as will 
be presently seen, contains a great deal of flinty matter. The tree 
—which is called in Spanish El Caouto, or El Caouta; in French, 
Bois de Fer; in Brazil, Caraipe; and in English, Pottery Tree—is 
now known to botanists as the MJoquilea utilis, Hf. Aublet was 
the first to bring the tree into notice, and it was at one time placed 
in the natural order Ternstremiacee, under the name of Caraipa 
angustifolia. Further information and research, however, has 
caused it to be placed where it now is. Sound and durable as the 
wood is, it is on the bark that the natives set the greatest value. 
The Indians employed in the manufacture of pottery from its bark, 
always keep a stock of it in their huts for the purpose of drying or 
seasoning it, as it burns more freely, and the ashes are collected 
with greater ease, than when it is fresh. I"or the manufacture of 
the pottery the ashes of the bark are powdered and mixed with clay ; 
the purest clay that can be obtained from the beds of the rivers is 
preferred on account of its taking up a larger quantity of the bark 
ash, and producing a stronger kind of ware. The most valued bark, 
or that which contains the largest quantity of silex, is produced by 
trees which grow in a rich but dry soil. Those growing in low or 
sandy forests being much inferior in the quality of this deposit. In 
the best Iinds, the silex can readily be seen with the naked eye; 
but to test the quality of the various kinds of bark, the natives burn 
it, and then try its strength between the fingers. If it breaks easily 
it is considered of little value; but if, on the contrary, it requires a 
pestle and mortar to break it, its quality is pronounced good. 
Though the proportions of ash and clay are varied at the will of the 
maker, and according to the quality of the bark, a superior kind of. 
pottery is produced by mixing equal portions of fine clay and pow- 
dered ashes of the bark. All sorts of vessels, of large or small size, 
for domestic or household use, are made of this kind of ware, as 
well as yases or ornamental articles, some of which are painted and 
glazed, as in Fig. 6, which is a representation of a specimen in the 
Kew Museum. The figures upon this vase are not burnt in, but 
are merely superficial, the colour being laid on with a brush, and 
secured by a coat of glaze. Fig.5 is a representation of an unglazed 
pot, with lid, the figures of which are in relief. Articles made of 
this ware are very durable, and will bear almost any amount of 
heat; they are consequently much used by the natives for boiling , 
eggs, heating milk, and, in short, for general culinary purposes. 
Having shown the great value of this bark to the natives fora 
purpose which, to say the least, is novel in the application of barks, 
we will endeavour to arrive at the cause of such an adaptation by a 
brief exposition of its component parts. The bark seldom grows 
more than half an inch thick, and is covered with a skin or epider- 
mis frequently covered with lichens. A superficial examination 
shows nothing out of the common; the fresh bark, however, cuts 
somewhat similar to a soft sandstone; but, when dry, it is very 
brittle and flint-like, and soaetimes difficult to break. By biting a 
Jnu'v. 
