CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN KWAXGTUXG PROVINCE 137 



cheaper kind costs 20 cents per catty and is brownish, in 

 colour. It is somewhat rancid in odor and taste, as it is 

 made from old rotten peanuts. The peanuts which grow in 

 Kwangtung produce the first grade of oil, but as the supply 

 of peanut in this province is limited, peanuts are imported 

 from Siam, and from other provinces in China. 



The peanuts from Siam are not very good, and the oil 

 obtained from them does not sell at a good price. 



Pottery Industry in Shek-waan ~fc $f . — Shek-waan is 

 the center of the pottery industry in Kwangtung. The in- 

 dustry is about 700 years old. Although it is so old, yet 

 there is little improvement, because the potters are un- 

 educated and conservative. 



The industry was centered at Shek-waan, because at 

 first there used to be clay in Shekwaan available for use. 

 Later it was found that the clay in Tung Koon ^ |§ was 

 better, so thev bought it from that district : they also use 

 clay from Fa-Yuen & U . The Tung Koon clay is more 

 plastic, while the clay from Fa- Yuen is stiff er. 



Before the clay can be used, it has to be mixed with 

 sand in the proportion of 20% sand and 80% clay. Then 

 water is added to make it soft and uniform in texture. The 

 clay and sand have to be thoroughly mixed. 



From 12-13 piculs of clay and sand are mixed at one 

 time, and for a mixing machine they use the hands and feet 

 of a man, who mixes the clay and sand by raising and stamp- 

 ing his feet; and stirring with his hands. It takes four hours 

 to make a batch. 



After the mixing is done, the potter attaches big lumps 

 to a wall to drv for 24 hours. 



The clay "for fine work such as dishes and plates is 

 mixed for 24 hours with a machine mixer and is then dried. 

 The clay which is to be moulded must be drier than the clay 

 to be made on the potter's wheel. Those to be moulded 

 must have a higher percentage of Fa-Yuen clay, being less 



& When the clay is dry, the big lumps are cut into sheets 

 by means of a piece of wire tied to a bow, and drawn through 

 the pile of clay, the wire is raised through one notch and 

 drawn toward the man's body. Then the sheets of clay are 

 allowed to dry for an hour in the sun. There are three ways 

 bv which the articles are formed : — 



J I _Some of the articles such as dishes are formed on the 

 potter', wheel which is made of wood. Two men are needed 

 to each wheel, and there are seven wheels in a factory . One 

 man puts some ash in the wheel so that the dish formed is 

 not *o sticky and then he turns the wheel with his hand. A 



