The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-03
DEPARTMENT HEAD
 IS DONE INJUSTICE
Made no Effort to Discredit
 Williamson Method
UP TO SOILS EXPERTS
plying to seymour's Charges-The sOuthern's Earnings-The Tax
 Commission Meets
By HERyEY W. LAIRD

Montgomery, April 2.-(Special)-J. A. Wilkinson, commissioner of agriculture, is done an injustice in the intlmation that he has made an effort to diseredit the Williamson method of growing corn in the state. A few days ago w. H. Sey- inour, who Is pushing the Williamson llan in Alabama, made the assertion that W. c. H. Yam, of Henry, winner of the first prize for corn raising in Alabama last year, made the crop with the Will iamson method, but that in bulletin No. s1 of the department no credit was given therefor
 This would appear, at first blush, 10 bring a charge upon the fairness of the department head in telling how this corn was used Such cannot be so, taking the facts as they are As already noted the report on the raising of the crop was made by A. D. Cameron, one of the soil surveyors, sent to Henry county for this purpose. In like manner every prize crop was reported either by a soil man or some one else. No mention in the case of Mir vann was made as to method, MT. Cameron simply giving a history of the crop. If from it's use a failure would be made, as MT. Seymour intimates. 1t is up to the soil expert to make good.
 All Methods Approved
 As a matter of fact Commissioner Will l1inson has had many good things to say about the Williamson method. In many cases it is, in his opinion, an excellent plan, sometimes 1t Is not. To prove that he is not intending to discourage the use of it, the plan is set out in full in the very bulletin, as 1t has been in others that carries the report that MT. Seymour complains of in his interview. It begins on page 26 and runs through to page 9 Many men of wide reputation are not in lire with the Williamson method of corn making, among these being Dr. s. A. Knapp, of the department of agriculture at Washington However there are many who do take to 1t with enthusiasm and believe it to be a great success.
 MT Wilkinson has not thought it neces- sary to make reply to the card of MT. Seymour nor to defend any position that he has taken being of the belief that his record just here is consistent and in line with his policy of giving any and all plans that will produce more corn en- ccuragement. He has preached more corn" in all sections of the state, and is now and ever has been ready to give support and comfort to any means that will keep the output greater and greater every year regardless of whatever name the method used may bear.
 C. H. Billingsley, clerk in the de- partment of agriculture, read the proof on all the bulletins and the correspond- once and report of the crop of MT. Vann, and in no place, says he. was mention made of the Williamson, or any other r,lan The writer has examined the report as made by MT. Vann and finds this to be so. The report of MT. Vann gives in detail, just like that Of MT. Cameron, the history of the making of the crop from the day of planting and fertilization to the day of harvesting. If there is any mistake in dates 1t is due to typographical errors alone.
 Writing to MT. Wilkinson of the cror ard how it was made, Mir. Vann, under date of October Il, 1909, says: Enclosed find report of the corn raised from my ecre, which please acknowledge, and if you should detect an error in the filiirg out of same, please advise me at once, In order that the necessary correction may be made"