Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1837-11-25

n
The correspondent, of the Boston Transcript
furnishes the follow ing interesting account o. the
Manor of Mr.. Coke.
Ho!kham Hail. Norfolk, June, 1887.
This place is renowned throughout England at
least. as tn seat, and especially the farm of
old Mr.. Coke, the father Of the farmers OF Nor
folk and am happy, therefore, to have enJ Dyed
an excellent opportunity of seeing the estate
shall not profanity tiEd in Great Britain better
specimen either Of the style OF lite OF good old
country gentleman Of this realm, and OF the
ancient school, or of the management OF a first
rate practical proprietor's estate. Let mo begin
by giving idea Of the latter; promising
that this Is the same Mr.. Coke who NOV ed III the
House of Commons the dIscontinuance OF the A
merican war of 10; and who having carried II
in the great and excited body by n majority OF
one, was, himself, the suggestion OF his friend,
MIR. Fox, at the head CT the committee to take
up an address to his Majestv, George III. In pur-
suance Of the vote. This he did In his farmers
dress, with his white top boots and frock on
for that the costume. livery American
must respect the old man for his achievement.
and they will not like him less to know that, every
day at his table, during that barbarous war, he
was accustomed as he declares now, to drink the
health Of General Washington, the greatest
man in existence. This liberal spirit has always
distinguished Mr.. Coke; and he began his career
in pa r!iamcn,, with a itself, and remained
Der, which his age 81, prevents, he would
be by many wears, "Thc Father Of the House."
Well now for the estate; and first, merely as
farmers. The land here Is about $500 across
nearly the whole Of it is enclosed by a neat,
high, brick wall extending about circuit OF ten
miles, This comprises the plantation OF wood,
and a beautiful s'lake,' az they call it; both OF
which arc artificial water that l ever saw, and
quite deceived me. Nothing could appear more
originally rural than its borders, which are COM
pletely ovcrshadowed with forests and as wild
altogether as if / had discovered them and the
lake itself in the depths Of some solitude OF Mich
igau. All the woods have been planted. The
estate is pentifully sprinklcd with various species
Of trees. in copses, IN Of forests, ana IN a.
venues; and all its artificial works. and vet that
art so perfect that the warmest lover Of nature
can't desire more. Instead OF mere park in
one BODY, it is one wants it-evcry where an
ornament and a sheltcr-ovcr hill! and da!e--but
no where in excess, We; in the way OF the far
,ner immediately around the mansion (of which
hereafter )in0eed, only gardens. walks. and
wide extent OF velvet lawns every side; but
even these latter marked with their own
schemes Of practical. 1t is not only the pleas
ant see shufflng about there in tho cool shades.
4 is not alone the graceful dee. that browze and
found afeng the scsoft lawns. These arc charms
to the eve. and like the taste which allows them
this sweet free range, and which saves the poor
beautiful creatures from all harm. Here are
the woods too. As rode through their long
winding lanes to-day horseback, tho air
was filled with the perfume of forest flowers,
and with the chirping and flutter'ng OF BIRDS
The yellow hammer whrred on his gay speck-
led wings, as we trottcd up to him; the shining
blue Jaw glanced "ikc the javelIn by; and
"the wood-pecker tapped at the hollow beech
tree"
The remotcr lawns arc spotted with little 1ocks
,,sc sheep, of which three thousand arc kept
on the place. of the famous South Devon breed.
One meets also in the pastures, these fine, sleek,
bright looking, Devon cattle, browning IN herds.
There are more than three hundred of them: m
GLIDING an immense dairy besides OF Scotch cat
tie. Beyond the lawns, one gets at once INTO the
cultivation, ard ring of this, skirtcd and shelf
cred here and there with avenues and copses Of
trees, encircng the whole estate. | rode along
the cdge Of n field of 100 acres OF barley III one
place. In another were 60 acres of wheat; and
there was two fields Of peas, Of 25 and 2. acres.
The arabic land is divided about equally between
these grains, turnips and grass which four crops,
sometimes having grass for two seasons, cons;'- |
tutes the routine Of the succession Of tillage on
the same ground. There are in cultivation at
present about 400 acres of wheat and barley |
each, and in fine condition. The head farmer !
told me, that thirty bushels an acre Is rather an
Indifferent crop. and that forty or fifty are more
..ihe right thing" 1t must be borne in mind when
I say this, that Hokham has been completely !
made orcr BY Mr.. Coke. When he succeeded to
the estate, it was but a mere desert. There were
no trees here even and it was hardly believed the
land would let them grow. Mr.. Coke says the rab- /
bits were the only creatures who could live on 1t,
and they were starving! Now what triumph is !
this! Go with me to day into this village OF Holk-
ham, which all belongs virtually to the estate and
lives BY it in one way another. Here are five
hundred persons probably, besides those sent of.
we'll provided for elswhere. Their cottages are
a curiosity of rural neainess and comfort Lit
tic gardens surround them, and flowers hang out
of the windows, and climb over the door-ways
Some $50 persons are employed on the farm a.
lone. Then in the gardens, the light acres OF
which are surrounded with wall l4CO yards
long. and IA feet high, perhaps 40 more; in
the brckyard 20; IN the backsmith's shop 10; and
some wheel-wrights and gamc-keePers, dare say,
and little army of servants Of courses for IN the
mansion, when the family are here, 20 females
aIonc are employed. The women do some work
also on the farm; such as wedding the grain,
which as well as the peas, and in TACT all the
crops, is drilled saw 20 women in one field
wedding Beyond that, and outside of the walls
of he>reSuar estate. we came TO little b'f OF
a plantation of only 600 more. Here they were
hard at work. In one field, where turniPs were
sowing, all the process went on at once. There
were twenty men and boys spreading manure