Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-03-26
From the Boston Transcript.
GREATEST FARM IN ENGLAND.


This place is renowned throughout England a,
least, and especially the farm of Cid Mr. Coke, the
father of the farmers Of Norfolk and am happy,
therefore, TO have enjoyed excellent opportunity OF
seeing the estate. shall not probably find in Great
Bitain better specimen either of the style of life of
good old country gentleman Of this rea m, and of
the ancient school, or of the management of first
rate practical proprietor 5 estate. Let me begin by
gving you some idea of the latter promising that this
is tire same Mr.. Coke who moved in the House of
Commons the discontinuance Of the American war Of
IS; and who having carried it in the great and cxcit
ed body by majority Of one, was himself at the sug
gcs,on Of his friend, Mr. Fox at the head of the com
mttee to make up an address to his majesty George
III, in pursuance Of the vote This he dd in his farm
ers dress with his white top boots and frock on, for
this was the custom. Every American must respect
the old gentleman for his achievement, and they will
not like him less to know that, every day his table
during that barbarous war; he was accustomed as he
now declares, to drink the health Of Gen. Washing
ton, as the greatest man IN existence. This liberal
| spirit has always distinguished Mr.. Coke: and he be-
gan his career in Parliament with the war itself and
remained in II nearly six years. Were he still mem.
many years, the Father Of the House"
Well, now 10 the estate; aud first morcyas farmers.
Tho land horcis about 500 acres nearly the whole
oft is enclosed by neat brick wall extending about
n circuit Of ten mlcs. This comprises the plantation
ofwooi and beautiful lake. Nothing could appear
more originally rural than It's borders which are COM
plctcly ovcrshadowcd with forests, and as wild alto
gcthc as had discovered them and the lake itself
!
woods have been ploutcd, The estate is plentully
sprinklcd with various species of trees in acres of for
csts and avenues Instead of park in ono body, il is
as one wants it-overv where an ornament and n
| shctor-ovcr hill and dale no where in excess,
nor yet in the way OF the farmer. Inmcl1ley around
the mansion, indeed, are only gardens, walks and n
wide extent of velvet lawn on every side; but even
these latter nrc marked with Their own schemes OF
! practical utility II Is not only the pheasant ! see
shung about therein the cool shades. Ills no, alone
| the graceful deer that browse and bound along those
soft lawns These are charms to the eve and / like
the taste which allows them this sweet free rance and
which sav2a the T-lcY beautiful creatures from all
harm. Here are tie woods too. AS rode through
their long winding lanes to-day on horse back the air
was filled with the perfume of the forest flowers, and
with the chirpng and huttcr:ng of birds
The renctcr lawns spotted with little llocks OF
slccp of which over three thousand are kept The
place, Of the famous South Devon breed. One meets
also in the pastures these fine sleek, brght-cukina
Devon Cattle, browsing in herds Y.ro are r,orc
than three hundred Of them, ucluting an MgmcNse
dairy besides of Scotch cattle. Beyond the lawns
one gets at once into the cultivation, and ring OF
this, siigcG and sheltered here and there with aven-
cs and Copscs OF trees, cucircIng the whole estate
rode along the edge OF the field Of one hundred and
| thirty of barley in place. In another were
sixty acres Of wheat. and there two fields of peas
twenty-five and twenty seven acre The ara IL land
is divided about cqiaily between these grains ,urnps
and grass, wh,ch four crops sometimes having grass
for two seasons, constuN the routine Of the success
ion of ulage on the same ground. There in cult
vatlona present about four hundred and thirty acres
OF wheat and barley each, aud in fine condition The
head farmer told me, tina, thirty bushels mere is
rather indifferent crop and that forty fifty are
more "the right thing" 1t must be borne in mind
when say this that I1olkknm has been completely
made over 10 Mr. Coke. When he succeeded to the
estate it was hut mere desert. There trees
here seen, and it hardly believed the land would
! lei them grow. Mr.. Coke says the rabbits were the
only creature thar would live ii, and they were
starving! Now What triumph is this Go with
me to-day in this village of Hokham. which all be-
longs to the estate and lives by it in way or an
other. Here are five hundred PERSONS probably, be-
sides those sent of, well provided for elsewhere
Their cottages arc curiosity of rural ncatncss and
! comfort Little gardens around them, and flowers
hang out OF the windows, and climb over the door
WAYS.
Some one hundred and fifty persons employed on
the farm alone. Then in the gardens, the light acres
OF which are surrounded with wall fourteen hundred
yards long, and fourteen feet high perhaps forty
morc-in the brick yard forty-in the black smith $
ten-and some whccwngh,s and game-kccpcrs,
dare say and little army of servants of cou for
in the mansion when the family arc here, twenty fc-
males alone employed. The women do some
work also on the flrm-such as wedding the grain,
which, rs well ms the peas, is drilled. saw twenty
women in one field wedding. Beyond that, and OFT
side OF me walls OF me regular estate we came to
little bit, Of plantation Of only SIX hundred more.
| Here they were hard nj work. In field, where
urnps were sowed, all the processes went on at once
There were twenty men and ho, spending out ma
nure out of five or six carts, drawn by three horses
each -(Of which there are hundred on the place }
| five or six ploughs drawn by Two, who plouphcd
without driver-two cast iron rollers by two-threc
| or four barrows by one-two drill machines self.
p!oughlng by two and then The harrow again brought
up the ought to speak Of the aims for the old
and the schools for the Young and of the farming sy.
TEN more in detail, but there is room. will only
add that young farmers come here from all quarters
| to learn science. The whole place is considered a
msde both of the science and the art Of farming.