The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-04-11
WILLlAMSlN'S PLAN OF CORN CULTURE
News and Obseiver.)

NO matter affecting agriculture has
been more generally discussed of
late than the Williamson plan of corn
culture, a long account of which was
recently printed in these columns.
Without knowing much about it, the
letter OF MIR. Williamson, detailing
his experience impressed most people
that 1t was a method Of corn culture
that meant great things for South
ern agriculture. About the time we
were settling down to The conclusion
that it was all right, here comes
along our old friend Prof. W. F.
Massey, editor of the Practical
Farmer, who calls it "a Jack-o-lan-
tern method" His opinion is en-
titled to serious consideration.
Writing to Mr.. A. B. Heavener, of
Lincolnton, Prof. Massey says:
Since writing to you yesterday l
have received the paper you sent.
it IS good illustration of how east
ly farmers jump to conclusions with
out careful! Investigations. | know
Mr.. Williamson and know that he is
perfectly sincere, and believes that
his success is due to the stunning of
the corn, when in fact tits due to the
lavish way he fertilizes it.. You will
note he advises 200 pounds Of cotton
seed meal, 200 pounds of acid of
phosphate and 400 pounds of kainit,
and to this 800 pounds he adds 125
pounds Of nitrate Of soda per acre.
These at present prices would cost
$3.50 Then to make Ice bushels
per acre he doubles the mixture and
uses 300 pounds Of nitrates of soda,
all of which would cost $3.50 per
acre. On land where the first named
mixture would make a yield of SO
bushels per acre | am sure that the
land would make at least 25 bushels
without the fertilizer and the extra
Is bushels will cost so cents bushel
for the fertilizer alone. Then it is
proposed to leave all the slower and
feed on the land as manure, which is
waste Of feed, since the food value
OF the fodder is lost, and he could
get the feeding value and recover
most Of the manurial value in the
droppings. Then you will note that
none OF the men who claim such great
results from the Williamson method
have ever tested it alongside of the
same method without the fertilizer,
or with the ordinary method of Gull
tivation alongside without fertilizer.
"At the Alabama station they
found that the increase in corn did
not near pay for the fertilizer. The
whole thing is a good illustration of
how ready farmers are to fly off on a
fad in the South, instead of adopting
regular system of farming for the
improvement of their land, but are
everlastingly playing into the hands
of the fertilizer trust.
You understand that the land
about Darlington, where Mr.. Will !
hanson lives, is sandy, piney woods
section, much of it is very deep sand, |
and the deep planting there could
not be adopted on the red CLAW up-
lands Of North Carolina. / do not
think that the farmer in your section
who farms right and grows hay and
feeds stock need ever buy a cents
worth Of fertilizer for corn, and if
he grows plenty Of peas he need new
er buy any complete fertilizer for
but can keep his land i'm
proving with only the liberal use of
acid phosphate and potash, and most
Of that on the peas
The above letter appeared in last
weeks Lincoln County News and in a
postscript Mr.. Massey says he has
written fully because he does not wish
farmers ito be led astray after
Jack-o-lantern method" Farmers
should investigate the matter for
themselves.