Dear Art: I notice that Mr. Berkey favors "a six-strand wire fence with one strand of barbed wire at the top, and creosoted posts." This sounds all right to me, although I had assumed that we would merely use the necessary strands of barbed wire. Perhaps his idea is better, and maybe cheaper.1
With regard to the posts, Mamie felt that the top six inches (or approximately the amount above the barbed wire strand) might be painted white. She saw one like that some place. I should think you could try two or three posts that way and see how it looks.2
A letter just received from Mr. Byars says that he sent the young calf along with George's heifers to the farm.3 He sent also a duplicate of a large chain he sent to me, but since it is too heavy for the calf to wear you will have to mark her some other way.4 I think that all of the cattle should be tattooed or otherwise marked as recommended by the County Agent or other professionals.5
I quite agree that there should be two gates in the lane.6 This would permit us to graze some stock in the lane so as to keep the grass properly clipped. Incidentally, I think your idea of putting the fence about two feet back of the line of trees is quite satisfactory.
This does bring up one other question. If you are to have a pasture on either side of the long lane, it might be advisable to put in a small but sturdy gate in each fence, about half way up the lane.7 In this way, if you wanted to transfer stock from one side to the other it would be a very simple matter to do so. If, however, one side is to be habitually used for something other than pasture, perhaps this would not be wise.
Another thought occurs to me; it involves the watering of stock. In mid-winter cattle are apt to stay pretty close to the feed lot, but they do much better if they are provided with warm water to drink. I should think that the watering facilities at the Brandon farm should have some simple and inexpensive means for keeping the water at a satisfactory temperature.8
I do not know whether you were counting now on sinking another well or so. It is a good thing, of course, to have water available in different spots on the farm, if we can do so without too great an expense. Incidentally, will you please examine your "metes and bounds" very closely to determine whether my boundary actually does touch Willoughby Run? I believe that Mr. Brandon thought it might. You know that at one place the boundaries cross the road below the school house.9
These are just random thoughts, and occurred to me merely because I was very interested in your letter.
It was fine to have the two of you down here. I look forward to seeing you again next Monday night.10 As ever
