The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-01-31

state, II Ia called biscuit and is Of a porous
nature. The poaition Of fireman Of the
biscuit oven Is . very important post, and
i requires man Of great experience and |
skin. Ifthe ware Be not fred or baked |
up to certain point, it is very apt to
craze, a phrase used amongst manufactur-
ers to imply that it is liable to have those
small cracks upon it which are sometimes
seen upon earthenware or crockery. After
being sorted over, it Is prepared to 50
through second firing.
The printing is done upon the biscuit
ware before i receives the glaze. But
figured sarthenware has been largely su-
perseded in this country by what is called
white granite or white ironstone china,
whichis clearwhite. Itlooks much cleaner
than the printed goods, and is much more
easily matched. The ware, having been
examined in the biscQitwarehouse, is then
taken 70 the dipping house. The dipping
is noxious process, owing to the white
lead that is used in the glaze, in which the
articles are dipped. The glaze is composed
of borax, lead, flint, soda and other mate
rails, which are ground together in liquid
state and pub inaarse tabs, into which the
ware is plunged and afterwards put on
racks to dry. After this process, the ware
is ready for the gloss oven, to give it the
finishing touch. II is placed in saggars,
the same as in the biscuit oven, some round
and some oyal, according to the size and
description of the ware; but instead of
sand being put in, the Fat pieces, such as
dishes, plates, saucers, etc, are kept sepa-
rate BY what are called cockspurs, small
three pointed. ARTICLES, made Of clay and
put between the wares. One may often
see the marks of these cockspurs on the
back of the ware. The time of firing the
ware in the gloss oven is twenty-four hours,
Just half the time used in the biscuit oven.
When the ware is drawn out of the gloss
oven, it is taken to the gloss warehouse,
where it is sorted over, and all the Clipped,
cracked, or damaged ware is put on one
side. The good ware is packed in crates
or casks by experienced packers, and
shipped to It's destination ii HtliI
| The importation of earthenware to the
United States has been gradually increas-
ing for many years. There were few
manufactures, established in this country,
previous to the late war; and since its
close many more have been started, and
are doing a large business, NJ sv,u
The duty upon earthehware is 40 per
cent ad ralorrem; the freights are also
high; and during the past year, the price
Of earthenware has been raised some 20
per cent, in Stafordshire, owing to the
high price Of coal, labor, and materials,
which have increased very much during
the past two years. From these causes
the importation has been much less in
former years; and thus has been the means
hof giving more employment to the manu-
facturers on this side. There is no doubt
but that all the materials used in the man
ufacture of both earthenEare and china
can be found in the United States; al
though many Of our manufacturers are
importing the china clay they use from
Cornwall, at great expense. This clay
can be superseded by one which is found
i'm large quantities in Alabama, and is
being introduced generally. Missouri
abounds with all the materials that are
used in the manufacture of earthenware,
and also is well supplied with extensive
coal beds. There are also large earthen-
ware manufactures at Trenton, n j.,
East Liverpool and Cincinnati, Ohio,
Geddes, n, Y, and St. Louis, Mo.
D Considerable improvements have been
made in the bodies and glazes of the ware
during the past two years, and there are
indications that this valuable business Is
| firmly established in this country. Many
gentlemen once connected with the manu-
facture Of this class Of ware in the Stafford
shire potteries are now experimenting
works on this side, and there are several
manufactures to be erected at different
points during the year.-.Seienti6c Am.