The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-08
DOWN SOUTH IN DIXIE.
RECENT OCCURRENCES IN THE LAND
or FLOWERS.
A Satisfactory Cotton Picking Machine-The
Creater Proportions to Which the Cotton
Industry il Destined to Attain in the Future
in Consequence OF the New Discovery

Industry il Destined to Attain in the Future
In Consequence OF the New Discovery.
The announcement that n perfectly salts
factory cotton-pickiug machine has been
broucht into use. and that new and I'M
portant use for cotton-seed oil has been dis
covered. leads 10 the reflection that the cot
ton-crowing industry Of the South j. destined
10 attain. in the near future, much larger pro-
portions that at present. and that there NAV
be changes in the management Of the crop
which w,ll lead TO important social changes IN
the South.
Thus far the chief item Of expense in cotton
growing has been the picking. which has
nece.-iated the employment OF greater
amount of hand labor than IS required tor
other crops Thus employment has been
furnished Tor much larger number Of cheap
laboreTs than wOuld otherwise be required,
and this has encouraged the presence OF
much larger proportion OF negroes than y
good for the country. Their presence IN such
LARGE numbers Ia. added 10 the burden Of the
tav-payer-. increased lawlessnoss. promoted
political disturbance and deferred white farm
err from immigratiug 10 the South.
II the picking OF cotton could be done by
machine. il is evident that there would be
needed a smaller number of laborers and
laroer proportion of Intelligent ones. Larger
crops would he planted, bringing unused
lands into requisition and enhancing their
value Farmers from the North and West
and from Europe would be attracted 10 me
cotton fields Of the South. and the superfu-
Gus negro population would naturally dnit
into other sections Of the country.
with regard TO the Todd cotton-p'cking
machine il is stated that it has been used with
most satisfactory results. 4 trial OF IT was
witnessed 10y a committee Of prominent fac
tors and cotton plan OTIS and II was iOuad 10
gather the open cotton and to leave the open
bols entirely uninjured. IL was calculated
that the machine could do the work Of sixteen
men. One great advantage 90 machine pick
ing il that bv having "a machine constantly
ready for use great deal OF cotton can oe
saved which now IS wasted on account OF the
impo--ihilitv at times OF securing sufficient
hand labor 10 secure the crop. The advan-
tages would be similar 20 those attending tho
use of machines for harvesting the hay and
grain crops.
4 great deal of time. money and inventive
talent has been expended ON coiton-picking
machines lint thc various machines invented
have proven more or less unsatisfactory.
PERKINS, the food machine VIII not prove 10
be all II is represented 90 be. Perhaps no
thoroughly practical machine for the purpose
ever viii be- invented. At any rate II Is an III
tercsting theme Tor speculation.
Harvesting low machine wouid lead 70
greatly increased production. The price Of
The staple then would fall. With the price
low. farmers might not be able 10 grow cotton
except on % large scale and with n cotton
picker. This would discourage cotton grow
inc 10y small farmers. especially by ne ne
oroes-also cotton stealing. With this cheap
ening Of cotton the cost Of freight would be-
come more important consideration than
now. and there would be increased induce
ments FOR home cotton manufacturers he
results OF the introduction OF "A cotton-pcser
into common Use would evidently he many
and reaching.-Fiolida Tlmes-UniOn.