When the clay and sand has been prepared to the necessary con- 
sistency, a piece of about 5 lbs. is cut off which is sufficient for a 10 
pot. The base of this roundshaped lump 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 x ' 
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 10 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 aA “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. Petch describes 
two fungi attacking the roots of Para rubber, viz., Hymenochoeh noxia 
Berk and Sphoerostilbe 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. 
