Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-05-17
DESCRIPTION OF AN AGRICULTURAL FESTIVAL
AT A GREAT ESTATE IN ENGLAND.
From Rush's Residence at the Court of Lon
don," Vol. 2, published in 1s45.

From hushs (" Residence at the Court Of Lon
don," Vol. 2, published in ls45.
JULr IL, lS9.-Yssterdsy returned from visit to Mr.
CoKE, of Holkham, Norfolk county. He invited me last
year; but unable, from duties under approaching nego
aton to leave London that tme forced decline,
which gave double pleasure in accepting this year.
large comPany-the Duke of Bedford, the Earl Of Able
marie, Sir William Bolton, General Fi,zroy, Capt. Edse,
Of the Navy; Mr. Wb,aham Of Cheshire Mr. Beckford Of
Suffolk Mr. Bennett, Of the House Of Commons the Mar
qus Of Tavistock, Sir John Sinclair Lord Darlington, the
Earl Of Bradford Lord Nugen, and others whose
cannot at this moment recall Of my counymsn there
General Harper Maryand General Boyd of Boston Mr..
Oliver and Mr. Patterson, of Baltimore Mr. Somervlle Of
Maryland and Mr.. Oge Tayloe of Virginia the latter
attache TO my Legation.
HoIKHAa is among the best cultivated estates in England
OF the entire system Of agriculture by which Mr. Coke has
greatly improved it. we'll as benefited England by his
example OF good farming during than forty years. thus
increasing the public wealth well as bis own am not
qualified speak properly The whole has been we'll de-
scribed by Dr. Rgby of Norwich in his excellent little work
entitled Hokham, and its Agriculture" But may note,
10 general TERMS few Of the things which struck me-
American and stranger, in my visit of week this csle-
brated estate.
The occasion which we were assembled was called the
attractive sstiva-atctive Enslshmen accustomed
as they agricultural beauty, and fine old country
homesesds established and maintained throughout ages in
many different parts Of England The sheep shear
ing conveys by ITSELF but limited idea Of what is witness
cd at Holkham these occasions The operations embrace
every thing connected with agriculture in the broadcast
such inspection of all the farms which make up the
Hokham estate, with the modes of lage practsed EACH
for all varieties of crops; exhibition Of cattle, with the
modes Of feeding and keeping them poughng Matches hay
making display Of agricultural implements and modes of
using them the visiting of various oubuldngs stables and
best adapted good farming, and rearing and care
Of stock, with much that need no: specify Sheep
sheang there was indeed but it only one item in this
full round Of practical agriculture The whole lasted three
days. occupying the morning of each, until dinner time at
about five o'clock The shearing Of sheep the closing
| operation of the third day.
Such the general scene far agriculture sconcerned
which its primary object Mr. Coke explains to bis guests
and friends all his processes and their results This done
without FORM in conversation his grounds the dinner
table, and mpressivey, horseback. Then it
that you have of the port Of the fine old English
country gentleman" be ovialy rides from field to field
and farm 70 farm attended by his friends who also mount.
ed and gather round him. From these ALSO he invites in
quiy and criticism and from those agricultural In their pur-
suits he also invites communication Of their modes of
ing that results may be compared and truth the better arrived
| at in this great science
Of the social scene, which goes hand in hand with ALL
hardly dare myself speak, lest should
gerate The number of Mr. Cokes guests-meanng those
lodged bis mansionwas, believe, about fifty, compre-
bending those have named and Others could scarcely
know all in visit Of week. But his friends and neighbors
Of the county of Norfolk, and the country gentlemen and
visiters from parts Of England further off, arriving every
morning after breakfast in carriages horseback during
the continuance Of the scene, under invitations from Mr.
Coke to be present it. and stay dinner amounted
about six hundred each day. On the second day in
formed that including the home guests plates laid for
six hundted and city. All were comfortably accommodated
and Jared Snmptuously Hokhan House Of
grouud Looking it of the mornings after break
fast with the Duke Of Bedford and Others and viewing its
imposing CENTRE from which proceed four wings connected
by corridors the general conjecture seemed be that such
edce could scarcely built the present day for less than
half million of pounds sterling. II built Understood,
in the middle early part last century, by Lord Leicester
when in Italy, where he studied the models upon which, after
his return to England, it was erected.
Of the furniture such mansion, the paintings, tapestry
rural ornaments and all else, need but be said that they
adapted to the mansion seancen rich, and appropriate
The library, Of many thousand Volumes is treasue and
(shall tell it there yes there, Of the days when
entered it. during short interval between the morning
cursons and the dinner hour did catch stragges Of the
home guests country gentlemen too, who had not been quito
the fields or farms all And wonder In fact, they
of the younger portion Of the guests, younguns,
Mr. Coke syly sad,) not long from the University;
Gently, that the love Of practically inspecting wheat fields,
if they had yielded twice twelve combs the acre. of
seeing tunips drilled in ridges on the Northumberland
hod walking upon lawns where the sod formed by
dotg had not yet deadened classical ador to keep
them from stealing off where they could find curious ed-
tons Of Piny, and Ovid and the Georges or if they liked
Italian better lay their hands the identical Boccaco which
Cosmo de Medici sent present Alphonso King Of Ma
PIES (for the library well supplied with and curious
books or turn to something else seducing in literature Mr.
Coke was, believe, himself Cambridge He has been
forty years in Parliament and this day procams that he
voted on the side Of America, during the Of Revolu
ton throughout the whole contest.
On the first day after my arrival, the company at dinner
consisted Of the home guests ony the agricultural not
beginning until the day following. Among other massive
plate upon the table large fabric Of silver in the form of
an urn highly ornamented It stood conspicuousy the
centre piece and was present to Mr. Coke by the nhab
tants OF Norfolk as mark Of their gratitude for the good he
had done the county by improving the condition Of its ag
culture and contained appropriate emblems and inscrp
ton Among former representation Of the mode Of
culvaing by drill southdown sheep, North Devon cow
and other figures illustrative Of improvements in husbandy
Il IL - - A.. I'll TI~ +