Robert E. Lee, Jr. to Robert E. Lee

Your letter of the 13th ulto enclosing a check for one thousand dollars ($1,000) on Lancaster & Co Richmond was received one week ago yesterday & I again thank you for it

I am very sorry to hear that Agnes has been so sick, she must come & stay with me & take cholagogue

I am still taking it & am quite well; not a strong as I was last summer, but that may be laziness.

I suppose by this you are through the labors of the examinations & have now leisure, you ought to go & see some of your friends & rest. I wish you would come & see F. and I. We can’t do much for you in the way of the elegancies of life, but a hearty welcome takes the place of a great many comforts. I don’t understand what you allude to as spurs in my flanks is it a wife or not?

I remember when you were farming Arlington you applied a dressing of salt to one of the fields. It was to destroy the briars I think. Do you remember the quantity & the manner of applying it & the character of the salt?

If you can you’ll oblige me very much with some information on the subject, the farmers here seem never to have tried it. I have a beautiful crop of oats fifty acres, which I shall commence to cut next week. My corn is inferior owing to the filth on the land but it is better than a great deal I have seen

Tell Mildred I am going to a grand ball & tournament on the 4th at West Point & I’ll write her an account of it

I got a letter from Ma last week My best love to all

Your devoted Son

R E Lee