The Washington herald., 1909-02-07

FFon ths Chisf European Correspondent Of The
Lafsn News Bureau
London. Feb 6.-The death Of the Earl
Of Leicester last Sunday removed from
the scene one Of the most interesting
figures in English country life
The Cckes Of Holkhann, IN Norfolk have
been established in that county since the
early days Of the twelfth century. The
first 70 rise 10 real eminence was Edward
Coke. born in 15i9. the famous chief
justice. who was the author Of the Peti-
ton Of Rights. which he proposed in the
House Of Commons.
His great-grandson was the first Coke
10 become an Earl Of Leicester. but the
title died with him It was revived by
Queen Victoria for the father Of the earl
who has just died He was the first COM
moner whom the late Queen raised TO the
peerage. He was eighty-three al the time
and for over fifty years had been famous
as Mr.. Coke, Of HoIkham- Like several
other heads Of old and distinguished but
untitled families. he Was reluctant to
accept a title which could give but little
real distinction He died in ls42 az the age
Of eighty-eIght. having been born in 1754
Long Span of Years.
HIS son. who died last Sunday. was
born when his father was slxty-eight, 50
that the two lives covered an extraor-
dinarily long span OF years. no less than
I55 years separating the birth of the
father and the death Of the son. Il
seems strange that in 1903 there should
have been living the son Of the man who
headed q deputauon 10 George III from
the county Of Norfolk in favor OF the
acknowledgment Of The independence OF
the American Colonies and Plantations, -
strange that a man should have died last
Sunday whose father danced with Marie
Antoinette. knew the wonderful court al
Versailles. where ne was called the hand
some Englishman, and could tel his son
what he had seen OF France before ne
revolution
The late earl who was created a
knight OF the Garter in 1S75 was the
father Of the House or Lords. having
been a member Of il since 49, lie was
not an ardent politician and the last vote
that he gave was against Air. Gladstone S
second home rule bill, prior 10 which ne
had been counted among the Liberal
peers his one absorbing interest was
agriculture. as il had been that OF his
father.
Cradle of Farming.
When the latter succeeded 10 Holkham
much Of the estate was a mere barren
rabbit warren. some of it Unredeemed
marsh lands. Father and son, IN almost
equal amounts. spent well over a million
sterling in improving and developing the
estate. Holkham Is regarded as the cradle
o. English farming Of the advanced type.
HoTkhsm was the birthplace of en-
Hgbtened estate management and asri-
cultural practice There was introduced
into farming the four course shift.
turnips. barley clover. wheat, practced in
East Anglia to this day. To the H0lk-
ham sheep shearings at the end Of the
eighteenth and beginning Of the nine
teenth century can be traced the origin
OF the show system that has done so
much 10 improve live stock IL is
acknowledged thai the efforts Of these
f7ro Earls Of Leicester placed English
agriculture in the front rank throughout
the world. To HOlkham went the most
eminent agriculturists Of England and
from abroad 20 see what was being done
and 10 exchange ideas.
Thus il may fairly be said that the
greatest farmer in England died on Sun
day