The Dawson journal. (Dawson, Ga.) 1878-18??, 1884-06-26
MasOn's Cotton Picker.
New York Commercial Bulletin.

most original writers of France
that ''the earth would in time be
plonghed, planted and harvested
by a few well dressed young men
knowing how to read, write and
vote;' and as most important step
in fulfllment of this prediction
comes an invention, by Mr.. c T. Ma
son, of Charleston, South Carolina,
OF a machine for cotton from the
boil in the field. The experiment
has succeeded to the extent that a
bale of cotton picked BY this machine
is now on exhibition at the cotton
exchange in Charleston. cit is i'm
possible" says the New Orleans
Prices Current, "to anticipate the
economy or effect of his machine un-
til it shall have been perfected and
tested. There will be, as in all simi-
lar cases, dispute whether the ma
chine picker, if successful, will be
of advantage to the planter. L will
be commended that the market will be
glutted by the immense quantity to
be produced under such economical
conditions. We have no such fears
The machine would reduce the cost
OF production, as the steam reaper
has done in the case of wheat. Sup
pose the cost Of picking cotton could
be reduced from one dollar to Is
cents per hundred? The planter would
spend SO much less in the production
of the crap that he could bear a re-
duction in the price without emba-
rassment, since it is the advance out
lay in the production of a crop which
must be reimbursed, the failure of
which must bring ruin to the plant
ers. 1t Is moreover plain that the
capacity to consume cheap cotton
increases in a ratio so much geeater
than the crop itself, that even if
cotton were cultivated and harvested
10y machinery the world would only
have to duplicate its shirts and chem
ises to make the compensation of the
planter about the same, while his
risk would be greatly reduced"
From the New York Herald.
If the announcement of the success
full working of new cotton picking
machine turns out to be accurate. one
of the most important problems of
southern agriculture is apparently
solved. The condition of the cotton
picked from the field by the machine
is pronounced "as good as handpick-
ed cotton of the same grade" The
invention is credited to Mr.. c. T.
Mason, Jr., but the principle of the
machine is not stated. 1t is operated
with one horse and Que man, and, it
is said, will harvest two aud a half to
three bales day.
The invention of "eotton picker
which, while gathering the first crop,
will not injure the plants has hither-
to defed the mechanical skill cf the
country. Three principles, as Pro,
fessor Riley not long ago pointed
out, have been employed to secure
this great desideratum. One Of these
is by raking off the cotton, by points
grouped comb-like. Another is by APP
plying spindles on which the fiber
adheres and is wound into rolls, and
third is that of suction by an ex-
haust apparatus. But, "as used in
large machines to be hauled over the
rows" he says, "all so far contrivsd
seems better calculated to injure and
waste the cotton than to gather and
save it. The great difficulty in de-
vising any machine that can be carri-
ed through a cotton field and made
to harvest the product is that the crop
does not nature and open all at once,
but at intervals extending over two
or three months, so that any machine
in harvesting the first ripe growth
almost inevitably Injuries the plant and
impairs their ability to mature the la
ter growths.
1t seems doubtful whether any ma
chine can be contrived which will so
perfectly overcome this difficulty and
at the same time harvest cotton SC
free from dirt as to supplant in any
large degree the manual labor now
thought to be indispensable. If Mr.
Mason's invention can be made t.
fulfill the required conditions it vii
be boon of untold value to tn,
south aud to the country. It's to b,
hoped we may soon have full partic
lars of his field experiments with th
new machine.