The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-06-19
MASON,s COTTON PICKER.
The Machines Ready for Work on this
Years Crop.

4 - no 1n0ShAuOo AsooNy AVA "oAAA wa sAAAo
Years Crop.
While the young cotton plants
throughout the vast cotton region of the
South are shooting upwards and statisti-
clans are figuring as to the probable size
of the crop of 1884, public interest in the
success of the Mason Cotton Harvester
is steadily on the increase. From every
part of the Cotton belt, as We learn,
hundreds of inquiries concerning the
progress of the invention are received by
almost every mail, and the secretary of
the Harvester Company has found it ab-
solutely impossible during the past few
weeks to answer the multitude of these
inquiries.
In view of the great interest which is
felt all over the South in the success of
this new expedient for facilitating and
cheapening the picking Of cotton, the
News and Courier has been inquiring con-
cerniug the progress which Mr.. Mason is
making in preparing his machine for the
coming crop. The Mason Cotton Har-
vester was tested last year very thorough
ly in field of cotton which was planted
by the Cotton Harvester Company, near
its workshops, at Sumter. From the be-
ginning to the end of the cotton season
Mr.. Mason worked early and late to make
the machine as perfect as possible, and
! the company which owns the patents ex-
pended money freely in supplying the
shops with the latest and best machinery.
The result of the tests made last season
satisfied the company that the problem
which had 30 long been deemed impossi-
| BILE of solution had at last been practical
| ly solved. all that remained to be done
was to simplify and cheaper the cost of
manufacturing the machines. The ma.
chine even upon the very first trial
proved wonderfully successful, gathering
the open bolls, without injury to the
plants or to the uDopen bolls, or blooms,
and with almost incredible rapidity.
The principle of the machine was dem
onstrated to be the true solution OF the
problem that has puzzled 80 many heads.
All that remained was to apply the prin.
ciple in the best possible way. Since the
disappearance of the cotton from the
fields last winter, Mr.. Mason has made
many improvements in the Harvester:
The machine has been made smaller and
lighter, and yet affords moro space for
the operation of the machinery. In its
present form it is capable of doing even
more rapid and satisfactory work than it
did last year. The construction of the
machinery which operates the picking
stems and gives to them the peculiar
triple movement, which renders possible
the selection of the open cotton without
injury to the 'unmatured bolls, and the
delivery of it into the receptacles con-
structed for the purpose, is marvellously
simple and perfect. The friction has
been reduced to the minimum, and the
1876 picking stems which are placed in
each machine can be fabricated by
pouring the oil into a single brass oil
cup at the top of the shaft. Numerous
other notifications have been made in
the construction of the machines which,
it is believed, will greatly improve it.
But whether all the changes which has
been made will prove to be improve.
ments can only be finally determined by
practical tests in the cotton field.
In order that no time may be lost the
company is having ten different styles of
machines made, so that it may be seen
without delay which style of machine
gives the best results. A special machine
Tor the luxuriant cotton of Texas, Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana is being made
which will contain two pair of picking
cylinders instead of the single pair,
which will be used in the smaller cotton
of the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama.
The Texas machines, however, can be
used equally we'll upon smaller cotton
where the rows are not less than three
feet and-a.half apart.
A Reporter of the NeaOs and Courier
paid visit to the Cotton Harvester
Company's shops at Sumter recently and
found the work on the new machines
progressing rapily and satisfactorily.
Mr.. Mason says that he has at last
reached that point in the perfecting of
the machine which satisfies him that it
will not only do the work, but will stand
the wear and tear of practical use even
when operated by an ordinary field hand.
1t has been to this end that the inventor
has been bending all bis energies. His
aims were: Simplicity of construction,
absence of friction, strength, lightness
and ease of manipulation. These quail
ties, he is satisfied, have now beer se'
cured for the harvester, and nothing re.
mains but to demonstrate the success of
the invention in the cotton fields as soon
as the cotton hegius to open. AS time is
important in this case, it is net improba-
BILE that the company will send ma
chine to Texas in July so as to secure
the advantage of the early crop of that
State. Cotton opens in some parts of
Texas nearly month earlier than it does
in South Carolina or Georgia, and the
Cotton Harvester Company will make
every effort to test the machine upon
this early crop, 80 as to have time to
make any changes which may be found
necessary, before the cotton picking sea-
sou becomes general throughout the cot
ton-growing States.
Mr.. Mason was asked if he felt sure
the machine would be a success. II
have no doubt in the world" he said
"that the machine will do all that I have
ever claimed for it, 1t is simply mat
ter of time. When it is first put into the
field this season I can't say that every
thing will work like charm and that l
will not still have to make some trihing
changes to perfect it. but there is no
shadow of doubt that will make it work
in perfectly satisfactory manner before
very long. 1 believe the changes we
have made will prove to be important
improvements, but of course can't be
certain that they will so prove. We
labor under the great disadvantage of
having no means of testing our changes
except while the cotton is in the field,
and oil that we can do is to 60 ahead and
make the machine as perfect as we can,
and then wait patiently for the cotton to
open. As to the doubts of the public
concerning the success of the machine |
care little or nothing. Very few persons,
comparatively, have ever seen the ma.
chine working in a field of cotton, and
the opinions Of those who have not seen
| it work practically are not worth much