80 MR. COKE OF HOLKHAM 



nearest neiglibonr.' The refusal of a tenant in 1778 to 

 accept a lease at an increased rent threw a quantity of 

 land on his hands. Excluded by his politics from court 

 and Parliament, he thenceforward devoted himself to farm- 

 ing. His energy was richly rewarded. Dr. Rigby in 1816 

 (' Pamphleteer,' xiii. p. 45) stated that the rental of the 

 Holkham estate rose from 2,200L in 1776 to 20,000Z. in 

 1816. 



When Mr. Coke took his farm in hand, not an acre of 

 wheat was to be seen from Holkham to Lynn. The sandy 

 soil grew nothing but rye. No manure was purchased; 

 the little muck that was produced was miserably poor : a 

 few Norfolk sheep and half-starved milch cows were the 

 only live stock. He determined to grow wheat. He 

 marled the land, purchased large quantities of manure, 

 trebled his live stock. At the end of nine years his object 

 was attained. He saw that on land like that of Norfolk 

 muck was everything. The Flemish saying applied equally 

 to the eastern'counties : • Point de fourrage, point de bestiaux ; 

 sans bestiaux, aucun engrais ; sans engrais, nulle recolte.' 

 In 1772 the value of bones as manure had been accidentally 

 discovered by a Yorkshire foxhunter, who was cleaning 

 out his stable. Coke profited largely by the discovery. 

 He also introduced into the country oil-cake and other 

 artificial foods, which, with roots, enabled the Norfolk 

 farms to carry increased stock. Under his advice and ex- 

 ample stall-feeding was extensively practised. Cattle and 

 sheep were sent up half fed to the Norfolk fairs, to be 

 bought by graziers and fattened for the London market. 

 On ' Bullocks ' Hill, near Norwich, during the great fair of 

 St. Faith's, were assembled drovers of every county, with 

 Galloway Scots, Lowland Scots, Highlanders, and Skye 

 cattle, besides beasts from less remote districts. The 

 grass lands, on which the beef and mutton of our ancestors 



