South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-26

grtts, roots or Jumps. and again
kneaded After being weighed into
equal-sized balls, the potter takes
one and throws it upon his wheel. to
make it stick. There has been no
Improvement or difference in this
wheel since Il e days Of Pharaoh.
The wheel is run by foot power;
hence the local expression Of kick
ing" out a jug. The potter's hands
close over or press down upon this
ball of clay, as the wheel turns rap
idly. He is "centering" it, Then
his thumbs seem to drop into the
middle of it and the clay opens out.
like a bowl. Then, with his hands
together on the side opposite. he
pulls it up until il looks like a
crayfish borough. Finally, he takes
a small chip in his right hand and
smooths the outside, as he forces
the clay up with his left hand, held
inside the par. All during the
process he constantly dips his hands
into a jar of water near by. At
last. he takes up all surplus water
with a sponge. cuts the clay from
the wheel with a wire. and sets it
aside 30 dry. The whole process
seems magical to one who has never
seen potter at work, and, most
wonderful Of all, the time consumed
seems only a few seconds.
In a technical way and up TO a
certain limit. these potters possess
great skill. They are very proud of
turning large pieces in two sections.
In fact, almost all pieces above four
gallons are turned in two sections.
Even so. the demand for physical
strength is great. First, the upper
half Of, say, a 10-gallon jar is
turned. turned upside down on the
wheel 1t is then cut off with a
wire and set aside. Next, the bot
tom half is turned. The potter, with
his finger, makes a groove in the
upper edges. the top half OF the jar
is then lifted, turned top side ND
and set in this groove. Then. with
his fingers. the potter YIELDS the two
soft halves together, with one arm
inside the jar and one outside, finally
finishing off the rim. This loyal
lon jar is turned complete in as
many minutes. Generally the pot
ter will postpone this tour de force
till the end Of his day, when ne can
leave II on the wheel over night.
handle.
The kiln stands close to the log
shop and is quite rs primitive as
shop or wheel. II is a simple fue
Of brick, built in the ground. the
arched up a little above the sur
face. It has a small door at one
end. just large enough for a man
10 crawl through. and a chimney
about six feet high at the other end.
After the ware is dry It is stacked
flint. That prevents II from stick
ing. when glazed. Then a slow fire
Is started with oak wood.
1t takes from 10 to u hours TO
get the heat up 10 the intensity
necessary to vaporize the salt, for
this ware is glazed in the simplest
way. with salt thrown into the kiln
Toward the end the heat is rapidly
/ increased by using two or three
cords Of Tight wood" fat pitch
pine which burns with a furious
blast. Then, when the ware Is white
/ hot the bricks over the small holes
in the top OF the kiln are removed
and the salt is thrown in. II it Erie:
and n1elts properly the job is done
Two days later the kiln has cooled
sufficiently to crawl into IL and re-
move the ware.
This ware. so little known beyond
tho section penetrated by wagons
tina. peddle il. should prove C grea
interest to the public To the AZ