The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-28
The Mouement in fhe Interest of
 Corn and the Williamson Plan


 1 corn yielded so much more was that I the fertilizer was applied when the
 stalk needed it. and re-applied 10 long \ as the growing ear of corn was draw | ing on the stalk for food. If sum- ciently supplied with proper nutriment as needed, 1t Is just as impossible for | poor land to make more corn than rich | land as 1t Is for poor "stunted" stalk | to make more corn than a vigorous | growing talk. each receiving the same Treatment at the same time, with same | seasons.
 have been applying the fertilizer to both corn and cotton in June and July. on the sides and in the middles, for
 many years, with much success, but never stunted either-until I applied
 the test to the Williamson plan as fol- lows:
 selected an acre of fairly good land -plowed it all at the same time and planted the corn the same day. When the corn reached the stage that 1t should be worked ran a scooter blow close to the corn so as to cut the roots and thereby stunt" the growth one- half of the acre, and ran sweep shal- low over the other halt-both the same day.
 The one-half gave evident signs of the root splittfng-the other half con- tinued to grow. From this time on applied the fertilizer to both exactly alike-made two applications and cul- tivated both the same way until laid by. The stunted stalk responded well, but never caught up with the other, either in appearance or fruit.
 I took a second plot of about an acre. but instead of cutting the roots as before. let one-half go uncultivated and worked the other half with sweep and shallow. After the delayed half began to show signs of suffering I plowed it. and then applied fertilizer alike to both parts. and cultivated alike until laid by. The stunted corn did well. but never either in yield or appearance, equalled the corn that was cultivated from the beginning The corn in both instances apparently re- covered from the fits" infiicting the stunt" but in neither instance was 1t ness of the corn.s properly cultivated from the beginning.
 I am sure of the proposition--with both corn and cotton--the growth must be-. supplied with proper nourishment when 1t begins to fruit, and if the soil In It's natural condition Is not sufficient 1t must be supplied. The correctness of my conclusion is further sustained by the result of applying green cotton seed instead of cottonseed meal at the time of preparing the land. and before planting-meal is readily taken up by the plant or weeds or any other veg etable growth Green cotton seed must first decompose, and becomes assimiI- ated slowly In fact. the effect of green seed may be seen for two or three years With green seed aided by the phosphoric acid a crop is always Sc cured. That Is my experience and of my neighbors. I never sell but always return the seed to the soil. as my pur. pose Is not only to make the crop but to add permanently to the soil. I am working land that I aided in clearing more than fifty years ago. Have seen my crops grow, except, perhaps, two or three during the civil war. Have made over forty crops myself. I know it produces as much cotton today, with the improved system of cultivation. as when of virgin soil [
 The foregoing statements apply to red clay land and a mulatto clay. some times called sandy lands.
 If our farmers would heed the advice l so often given-and especially by the Southern cutivator-and break their | farm lands deep in fall or winter when dry, cultivate shallow so as to avoid cutting the roots, and use some sub- | fertilizer as green seed, or ap- ply phosphate and meal with some | kainit later on. as the fruiting begins. either of corn or cotton, and in two different applications. they will make corn and save over fifty per cent of cost of production, and add thirty per cent to cotton. where these methods are not in use.
 The corn I referred to as having | been made and housed for not exceed ing twenty-five cents an acre, was | raised on rich prairie land, without any | fertilizer. I think know something of | the clay lands. I have not solved the | problem of raising large crops of cot ton on prairie land. Some years 1t | makes good crops of cotton. but often- CT 1t Is a failure. Corn grows easily. | and all of us raise alfalfa more or less. [ am experimenting every year to find put what is needed to make cotton on these corn lands. Hope yet to succeed.
 In conclusion, I feel sure any one who follows MT. Williamsons' plan in all respects will make good crop of corn. I believe If he leaves off the stunt" and follows it in all other re- ,pects he will make more corn.