5^6 
Makiny and burning Draining Tiles, 
The cost price alone of making draining tiles will be the charge 
to every person making his oxm tiles for his men use. If he sell 
them, a higher price must, of course, be demanded to allow for 
some profit, for credit more or less long, for bad debts, goods un- 
sold, &c. tScc. ; but he who makes his own saves all expense of 
carriage, and, as his outlay will not exceed 50/., the interest on that 
sum is too trifling to be regarded, and he has no additional rent 
to pay ; and after he has made as many tiles as he wanted, his 
machine and pug-mill will be as good as ever with reasonable 
care, and will fetch their value. 
I fear that no drawing could be made that would ensure a per- 
son erecting one of these kilns by it from the chance of failure ; 
and 1 do not know any way by which these kilns can be erected, 
and the mode of using them taught, so as to obviate disappoint- 
ment, except by Mr. Hatcher being engaged to erect one or two 
in a county, which will serve as models. 
It will not be improper to put those who may adopt any machine 
for tile-making upon their guard against the prejudices of tile- 
makers. The necessity and the demand for draining tiles has 
infinitely outstripped the possibility of the supply being furnished 
by hand work alone in the old way : but as the services of every 
man who has been used to this work will be more than ever needed, 
the employer will find his account in securing them for the Avork- 
ing of his machine by giving liberal wages, and by convincing the 
men that their earnings by work, not so laborious, but more effect- 
ive, Avill be at least equal, and they will soon really be greater 
than they obtained from their former occupation. 
I hope that this paper will prove the means of saving a large 
expenditure on buildings of a permanent character, where drain- 
ing tiles only are wanted to be made ; as such buildings, under 
such circumstances, will become useless when they have supplied 
the district immediately around them : for land once thoroughly 
drained with tiles, and on true principles, is, generally speaking, 
drained for ever. 
With sincere regard I remain, my Lord, 
Very truly yours, 
Hemsted, Kent, Dec. 18, 1844. Thos. Law Hodges. 
Note by Mr. Pusey. 
If Mr. Hodges should succeed in rendering the making of 
draining-tiles a domestic manufacture, he will have set the seal to 
their cheapness, and thereby conferred a great boon on farmers. 
As there is no jioint in which our Society has been more success- 
ful than in reducing the cost of drainage, wc may take this occa- 
sion of looking back to what we liave done. 
In the first number of our Journal, published in 1839, I find 
