CLAY MANUFACTURES. 677 
and then stamping ina die. The knobs are laid on trays in a steam- 
heated chamber to dry, and when hardened somewhat are put on an axis 
and turned to a smooth regular face. They are then dried thoroughly 
and burned. 
The burning is done in saggers which are like those used for yellow- 
ware, to be described later, as also the kilns employed. They are piled 
in bulk for the first or biscuit burning. When burned they are dipped 
ina glaze. Its action is mainly due to lead, but it is slightly colored 
by iron. The ware is then piled ina sagger, separated by stilts, and is 
reburned. The finished products are then taken out of the kiln, are 
sorted and shipped in bulk, either by the thousand, barrel or even by 
the ton. There are two or three kinds of ware; some are wholly black 
and are called jets; the glaze used for these depends on manganese as a 
coloring agent. No white knobs are made. 
These items were taken from the works of R. Thomas & Son, at 
Liverpool, where the industry may be seen at the best advantage. 
Nearly all of the product goes to several firms in the Hast engaged in 
making locks. The capacity is 15,000 knobs daily, requiring more than 
two tons of clay. The Knob Works of H. Brunt & Co. are developed 
on much the same scale and use both similar material and procesess. 
The modes of treatment used in other earthen-ware works do not need 
further description. 
There are only two counties in the State where the productions 
have much value; they are Hamilton and Columbiana. In the former 
the work is mainly kitchen earthen-ware, in the latter, kitchen-ware and 
also door-knobs. ‘The manufacture of yellow and Rockingham wares, 
included by definition in the class of earthen-ware, has attained con- 
siderable dimensions, and is the highest form of pottery for which Ohio 
deserves full credit, for the finer grades of ware, which are made from 
imported clays, are to be credited to the State only as proofs of manu- 
facturing skill. In character, the clays necessary to make good yellow- 
ware are not separated from those used for stone-ware by any well 
defined line, though in general they are not quite similar in composition. 
In one instance the same clay is used for both yellow-ware, Rockingham 
and stone-ware in the same works, and by difference of process alone 
the product is made into a very good quality of either kind. ‘This is 
done at the large works of Messrs. Whitmore, Robinson & Co., of 
Akron. But asa rule the clay should be less sandy, less liable to fret, 
nd the iron present should be in its well distributed shape. | 
