46i 



When the clay and sand has been prepared to the necessary con- 

 isistency, a piece of about 5 lbs. is cut off which is sufficient for a lo 

 pot. The base of this roundshaped himp is dabbed in burnt paddy 

 husk, thereby preventing the base from cracking during subsequent 

 operations and also causing the lump to adhere to the surface of the 

 " wheel." 



The wheel is now set agoing by a few vigorous whisks. A little 

 water is then sprinkled over the lump and the Chinaman (No. 2), who 

 by the way squats himself on the ground, also wets his hands to pre- 

 vent the clay from sticking to them. 



His left hand is gently thrust into the centre of the clay while his 

 right hand is slightly pressing on the outside to keep the whole to- 

 gether, but it is from the inside that most of the shaping is done, 

 meanwhile the " wheel " is made to turn more quickly. Then by 

 keeping both hands opposite each other, i.e., one inside and one out- 

 side, together moving slowly up from the wheel, pressure by both 

 hands is exerted, and the shapeless mass of clay assumes the shape of 

 a pot with astonishing rapidity. A thin piece of wood is used to flaten 

 the rim and usually the same piece is used to measure the pot to see if 

 it is to the correct size. If not, then a little more pressure is given 

 from the base upwards, but they seldom require to alter it, for it is 

 usually exact, so used are they to the process. So quick are those 

 two coolies at it, that they will mould 2 lO inch pots in 3 minutes. 



The holes in the base of the pot are punched out with a piece of 

 tin as are also the holes necessary for orchid pots. These newly made 

 pots are then set in the sun for one day, and are then placed in an 

 oven arrangement where they are "fired." The operation of firing 

 takes 4 days to complete. 



Throughout the whole operation, the coolies display an ingenuity 

 which surprises all who have the pleasure of seeing them at work. 



J. W. Anderson. 



TWO PARA RUBBER FUNGI. 



In the Ceylon circulars. Vol. 5, No. 6 and 8, Mr. Fetch describes 

 two fungi attacking the roots of Para rubber, viz., Hy me no diode noxia 

 Berk and Splioerostilbe repens B. and B. The first mentioned is called 

 by him Brown root disease and has been already mentioned in the 

 Bulletin (July 1909). It attacks all kinds of tress, rubber, cocoa, tea, 

 dadap, cotton, cinnamons, cocoa and other plants. It is the commonest 

 root disease in Ceylon, but is by no means as common as Fomes is, 

 here. It is not as injurious as the latter fungus as it spreads very 

 slowly and only along the roots of the trees, and does not affect 

 neighbouring trees, unless the roots are in actual contact. Usually, 

 therefore, one tree is killed at each centre of infection unless the dead 

 tree is left standing for two or three years. 



