Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-02-11
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE COTTON PICKER.
Has 1t Really Come and, VIII 1t he

cotton in fairly satisfactory way at
the rate of an acre an hour, was won
derful event, and one that bid fair to
revolutionize in q great measure the
whole cotton industry. | have waited
long and patiently the advent of this
'long-felt want" ] never doubted its
coming, and although this machine may
be crude and ill-adjusted, it did pick
cotton something that it's predecessors
land there have been number) have
thus far failed to do
There are very few people who be-
lieve that it is possible TO pick cotton
by machinery. They are pretty evenly
divided into two classes; those who
know all, and those who know nothing
about it. The conceit of the one has
not permitted him to give it much
thought, and the interest of the other
has not moved him in that direction.
But there have always been those who
were satisfied that it was only a ques-
ton of time when such machine
would be produced, and whilst its adj
vent seemed slow they were consoled
with the maxim that everything comes
in its own good time"
During the last twenty years there
has been a good deal of skill and
thought given to this matter. Many
devices have been tried, and some pat
ents have been issued for machines to
pick cotton, but somehow they have
thus far all failed to pick, for it does
not necessarily follow that because a
patent has been issued for machine
to do q certain thing that it does it..
There are number of patents on fly
ing machines, but somehow they don't
fy | surmise that it is owing largely
to the fact that as yet flying ma
chine is not an absolute need we are do
ing very well without it, but when the
time shall come that it will add to the
convenience, comfort and welfare of
mankind, you will see them sailing
through the air in all directions.
Whoever gives "A cotton picker much
thought, arrives, perhaps too hastily to
the conclusion that it must necessarily
be a complicated and expensive ma
chine. | imagine that it was this con-
clusion that wrecked the hopes and rem
dered futile the efforts of those who
have attempted to produce a cotton
picker. They undertook to do toe
much, and failed to do anything. That
was my case, for once | had fool no
ton that could build cotton picker,
and after studying the situation with
some care, | commenced where most
men who fail at anything do commence
at the wrong end. | had the credit
of being something of a genius, and
with very good opportunities produced
machine that it would have been nc
sin to have fallen down and wor
SHIPPED, for it was the image of moth
ing on the face of the earth, il
the heavens above, or the waters be
meath. There was wheels and rollers
and belts, and card clothing, and stee
brushes, and cogs and gears, and cranl
and eccentrics, and devices to raise ant
lower, to throw in and out of gear, il
fact, to do any and every imaginabl,
thing that is not necessary to be dom
in picking cotton. waited favorable
opportunity to try it, and took it to tn
back end of the plantation where NJ
one would see the initiative effort o
this wonderful machine. 1t was in
tended to pick two rows at once, wit
the mule walking between them. fel
quite important as | mounted the seat
which rose up high in front, and drov
out to the field. Then arranged every
thing carefully, oiled every bearing an
journal, and with much confidence
threw it in gear and started, and the
there was time.
1t is probable that there have bee
machines that have made more noise
but they were more than one-mul
power; it picked everything with
reach; tore the cotton up by the roots
gathered stalks, bolls, leaves trash c
every kind, and the least irregularit
in the ground it gathered up shove
full of dirt or stones. Finally arrive
at the other end with load of trash
only for bonfire. was pretty we
satisfied that it left nothing to be d.
sired" but a log heap to put it on t
burn it up. Still unloaded the trasl
turned around and got ready for al
other trial. / had not gone far whe
something slipped out of gear, and til
stalks, trash and dirt it gathered, il
stead of going in the hopper, were fun
into the air in every direction; no hu
ricanc could have cleanedup the groun
better or made more fuss doing i
Just then one of the revolvin
spindles caught the long hairs in I'll
end of the mules tail; it at one
abandoned the attempt to pick cotto
and went to picking the mule; here
where it made great mistake for IL
mule was in the habit of doing h
own picking, and naturally resentt
such an attempt on so short an a
quaintance. ! dropped the lines
get his tail loose, and the mule startC
across the field AZ right angles to IL
way he had been going, at gate tn
must be characterized as terrific. IT
machine kept on picking and when
had cleaned up the tail began on Il
hind quarters. Striking some obstru
ton it bounced in the air and threw n
ten feet away. The pains and bruis
of that fall have disappeared, for
was nigh twenty years ago, but l C;
stick pin within an inch of Il
spot where / came down on II
head and shoulders. | made my W;
to the house as best | could for W
as near wrecked as the cotton pickle
pieces of which were strewn all alol
the road. The mule was at the low
gate with head and tail in the air al
braying defiance to all cotton picker
He had on collar and a piece of traC
and had dashed himself with his blee
ing tail until he was sight And su
a tall If there was bit of hair or pie
of skin upon itas big as nickel fail
to see it; and although he led 10
and useful life before the plow