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Tunica Sept 18th, 1859 Mr Cameron Dear Sir Your favour of the 1st was received today and I am glad to hear that your daughter was geting well and hope that she has entirely recovered before this, also that this may find your self and rest of your family in good health and am pleased to say that the health of your plantation is as good as could be expected [Kisside?] is sick with bilious fever but think the fever is broken and that she will be able to go out in a day or two [Bentz?] one of the children is also sick his case may be bilious fever donot anticipate anything serious in either case. My little girl Harriet and two other cases of light chills constitute the sickness on hand at this time There is generally an average of six to eight cases on hand daily Some weeks not so many but all the cases early stoped for a time but frequent by return which have not been able to prevent so far would like to get some remedy that would prevent a relaps
In relation to the cotton crop the prospect is favourable for a good yield and without something take place to destroy the cotton it seems to me that we will make a heavy crop for the no. of acres, have no doubt you would agree with me if you could see the crop I expect to keep up with the picking until after frost then it may possibly open so fast may not be able to do so in gathering baling & will make neat work of the whole. have ruined 12 Bolts baging 12 coils rope as hanks twine which is a good article to all apearances do not think this will be enough for the crops but we can the balance some other time. the cotton is much larger than it was last season and more full all wee have to fear is that it wont not open as to pork I have in three fatening pens 45 head of shoats that will probably average when fat 150 lbs, there was about sixty head of pigs last year which was the stock for Bank those in pens were a proportion of the same ones [dred?] last turned out for breeding
My shed rooms very near completed (20 ft long by 10 wide) shops up rafters on but not covered, cribs up at the gin house but not completed that is rafters not on have built another set of cribs near the house on the mound spoke of by you when out like this place verry well and will try to make a neat work the cribs are 20ft square with 20 ft passage my intention is to shed them all round for shelter for mules
I expect to pick the cotton out as fast as it opens until after frost and will start my gins just as soon as I can get my runing gear complete have been troubled about a piece of casting that I have to get for the Band wheel my calculation was to have started the gins on Tuesday next if I could have got the casting ordered the delay is on the part of the foundry hope I will get it by Tuesday nights Boat and will be able to start in a few days if the gins do well wil keep up with my picking respectfully yours &c W T Lamb