The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-26
IS FIGHTING
 CORN METHOD Williamson Principle Be-
 ing Opposed. U. 5. DEPARTMENT SANCTIONS J. (. Phelps Takes Exception to
 MT. Seymour's Faith. Declares That Certain Features of Williamson Corn Method Are Opposed to seience-Letter
 to Farmers.
U. 5. DEPARTMENT SANCTIONS

That Uncle Sam has decided to get into the Alabama corn patch and fight the Williamson method of corn culti- vation Is the development of the week just beginning.
 Circulars are being mailed to farm CTS of south Alabama cautioning them to go slow in adopting a method "Dsapproved by science and practical experience" .The battle against the Williamson method has been taken up by U c. Phelps. district agent of the Farmers Comparative Demonstration work. He Is mailing his letters from Evergreen, where are the headquarters for South Alabama of the Washing, ,t n Bureau.
 Mir. Phelps admits there are some features of the Williamson meth cd which merit scientific approval. On the other hand the "stuntinE" part of the theory is condemned as opposed to vital principles.
 The circular in full is as follows:
 "U. s. Department of Agriculture.
 Bureau of Plant Industry,
 Farmers CooperatiUe Demonstra-
 ton work.
 Dear Sir:
 'Inasmuch as there appears to be some interest in the Williamson meth cd of producing corn. 1t may be well AOI 1 ASW AGHiAoIS IO try tI On A cIAAll scale simply to prove whatever merit there may be in it. Certain features we approve; the deep, we'll prepared seed bed, the good seed, the intensive cultivation and in some States the progressive application of fertilizers Is successful. Tn other States tho fer tilizers should always be applied be- fore planting. In wet seasons root pruning or barring off corn is ap- al -I l. E-.t. lands. when the stalk Is small. hu. 1t should never be carried to the extent of stuntlng. To be more specific, the time for barring of too growthy corn Is when 1t is from 8 to 10 Inches tall and 1t should not stand harred of more than "A hours as a rulc.
 Inferior to Standard.
 'The so-oaIled VIII nnson or stunt. ing method of producing corn has been tested by the State Experiment Station of South Carolina and by many farmers in our demonstration work and 1t has been proven inferior to other standard meth ods. Some say they follow the Williamson method and omit the stunting process. If the stunting is omitted 1t is not the Will Hanson method. It has been also tested at Auburn with negative re- suits.
 'The sure method of raising a good corn crop is the following: A deep, well pulverized seed bed. thoroughly drained and full of humus; seed of variety that makes a short stalk wl1th plenty of ears (planting a variety with tendency to fruit heavily is better than an attmept to stunt a large sappy variety that never pro- ducei much but stAik.) Moderate fer tilization and intensive cultivation are recommended. The plants should be properly spaced.
 Tt is not the policy of the United States Deuartment to oppose the test ing of any method, but it is only com mon prudence to caution every one to go slow in testing a method disap- proved by science and practical experi- ence. If a test Is to be made, the fair way, would be to thoroughly pre- pare a field. giving to all parts the same attention. plant the same corn (using variety not too sappy and having a tendency to fruit, use equal fertilization and cultivation on all parts, thoroughly stunt one-half the field and note final results.
 Yours very truly,
 "J. c. Phelps District Agent. Farmers Co-Operative Demonstration
 Work.
 W. H. Seymour. Director of the Alabama Bureau of Cotton Statistics. Is the chief champion of the William son corn method in Alabama The hand that the United States Depart mcnt of Agriculture has Taken in the agitation of corn cultivation may elicit further talk from Mir Seymour. | It may be that yet the farmers will awaken to the necessity of growing more corn and less cotton and if eco homie incentives are insuf1cient. the | hot dispute over the proper cultiva. ton method may drive them to corn raising as a matter of curiosity. P. J. BRESsINGHAM for Plumbing.