The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-12-03
THE COTTON HARVESTER.

which was referred to in these columns
few weeks ago and which created
such sensation among the farmers
, at the recent Dallas fair, has had {
further test on the plantation of JEFF
Wellborn, on Red river, and he
passes his opinion on it's work in the
last issue of the Home and Farm. The
harvester is not one, but three ma.
chimes combined. One of them
gathers in the cotton, bolls, leaves
and everything that comes in it's wav.
another mashes up the unopen hollis,
while the third cleans out all trash
and dirt, leaving the staple in condi.
ton for the gin.
After infinitely describing the
mechanism Of the machine Mr.. Wei.
born states that Gas now made it does
not clean out all of the leaf trash, but
it gets all of the dirt and leaves less
leaf trash than our hands. We were
paying rs cents per 100 for picking
Every hand cotton picker who has
witnessed the operations admits his
job is gone forever.
Nearly all of our smootbest
land suitable for the gatherer
had been picked, to the
extent that it would not Justify rs in
sowing it. But five. days ago we
turned Off every cotton picker and
hired them at one dollar per day to
strip off the bolls, hulls, leaves and
all. Our estimate was, that q hand
could gather bale of cotton in this
manner in two and half days; or at
cost OF $3.50 bale, and that it cost
about so cents bale to run it through
the huller and leaf cleaner, which is
a saving of at least s. per bale, with
out the gatherer. So we see the adj
vantages of the Cunningham Cotton
Harvester is not, like the small grain
harvester, confined to smooth land, or
to so limited space or time for it's
operations provided the lint is not
rotted; no harm except the waste will
result from staying in the field until
we can get in our corn, dig potatoes,
etc.n
Mr.. Wellborn's idea is, that in the
early stage of the cotton season the
open bolls can be gathered, along
with hulls and trash, by hand, at
cost of $3.50 per bale and run through
the huller and cleaner at an additional
cost of 80 cents; and that later on,
when the crop is fully matured the
balance can be gathered, hulled and
separated at one operation, still fur
ther reducing the cost. This opens
up wide field of speculation as to the
effect the machines will have on the
cotton industry.
If further trials demonstrate the
practicability Of the machine, it must
IevolutioniGe cotton culture and posi-
bly, hasten the day of more mixed
farming in the south, and the selec-
ton and cultivation of variety of
cotton better adapted for machine har-
vesting than those now raised. There
is no doubt that intelligent expert
ment might develop a form and varie-
ty of cotton more easily gathered, and
that would mature over the whole
plant nearer the same time, than any
now grown.
We are evidently on the eve Of a
revolution, and those fully advised of
it's coming should prepare to defend
themselves, and if the new ruler
proves worthy of allegiance we must
submit to the changed order of things.
MELILoTUs OR WHITE CLOVER.
Last week | published communi-
cation from my friend, IL. l.. Raven OF
Round Rock, denouncing melilotus,
which has been so highly eXtolled
lately, as worthless and troublesome
weed. He referred to the Hon. W.P.
Hancock of Salado, as it's introducer
to this district and | wrote to that
gentleman asking for his experience
and opinion about the plant. His re-
ply will be found below. Like MIR.
Raven he thinks it worthless forage
plant and suggests that its advocates
are not actuated by entirely unselfish
motives.
cannot pretend to pass Judgment
between parties differing so widel y IN
opinion. The well known agricul-
tural writer, Eli Shepherd Of Ala
bama, says that it is one of the
most valuable forage plants in
UnaU SUdU6 dlu VlltRU poONN
every kind eat it greedily and
thrive on it, So say many other Ala
bama farmers. The question natur-
ally arises, are these writers discuss
ing the same plant? May Eli Shep,-
perd's melilotus not be a different
plant to that spoken of by Mr.. Raven
and Mr.. Hancock? The descriptions
seem to very nearly agree in every re-
spect except as to the forage value Of
the plant. -.
Caution suggests that any one aim
ing to plant the seed should do SO on
a small scale, and in some out-of-the-
way corner where it would not inter,
fere with other crops. We can taHoro
to introduce to our fields rival TO
Johnson grass. o+bor
It may be that like many other
kinds of vegetation, stock require, e ed-
ucating before they will eat it. AlIal-
ia is now generally admitted TO oe d
valuable forage plant; but most people
feeding it, found at first, that tneif
stock for time refused to eat 1t; pun
having overcome their objection, they
nrafer If to MANY other faVOrlte "a