The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-07
MACHINERY TO SOLVE
THE COTTON PROBLEM
Would Mean Decided Increase in Revenues of
the Industry.

building the labor saving machines" Tor
various industries that are IN universal
use today
Thls cotton picking by machinery
problem is no more complicated than
hundreds of others that have proved to
be godsends TO different communities.
and placed the United States at the head
OF the world in finance and commerce.
The thrashing machine. the reaper. har
vester, corn shelter. cuItivator, hay
rake, etc. have filed . needed want in
the Northern and Middle States. while
cotton picking machine, above all
other requirements, IS needed. and is a
necessity, in the Southern States.
Cause for Rejoicing.
cause to rejoice when machine is given
them that will harye est their crop at
minimum cost, and we have assurances
that when the cotton crop of 1903 is
ready for harvest a machine Will be
upon the ground that will serve the cot
ton planters of the South as does he
thrasher, reaper. etc. the farmers of
the North
This machine. which is protected by
letters patent of the United States, Is
owned by Washington gentlemen. has
been demonstrated in a contracted way.
and this vexatious question has been
put aside. and instead of the cotton
planters being compelled to go to Mex
leo 10 employ the poems of that country
TO harvest any Increase of output. it is
claimed that the whole yield can be
saved with only a small portion OF he
negro cotton pickers OF the Southern
States with the aid OF this machine.
Cost Only Nominal.
1t is new and novel, and can be built
at a nominal cost, is simple in construc-
ton, and one machine can perform in
one day about as much work as twenty
eight cotton pickers in the same length
of time. While II costs about 81 to
pick haul. and gin a bale Of lint cotton
by hand, the Washington men say the
same work can be done with this ma
chine for about SO per bale, making a
saving of IS per bale, or $86.6160 600 an
nuaIly on the present crop, in addition
to saving the thousands Of bales that
are lost on account of not being picked
in season
This machine is mounted on wheels
and is drawn between the rows of cot
ton by a mule attended by one man.
1t has a series Of horizontal arms ex-
tending from the main body. which have
space between them within which
arms. is a belt OF cards and pickers, or
fingers, running outwardly. which come
in contact with the ripe bolls and pick
the cotton, which is returned to the
body Of the machine free from all dirt
and refuse matter
Workings of Machine.
The cotton is taken from the cards
and fingers by means of a series of
brushes, the arms. which slant back
from the main body Of the machina as
they spread ana the motion Of the ing
ers and card belts. coming in contact
with the plant throws unripe bolls and
branches into the space between the
arms. through which they pass unin-
iured.
These arms are so arranged that they
will pick the cotton from twelve inches
from the ground to the tops of the
highest plants, a guide hood extending
over the top arm being so arranged that
IL Will lower the bOlIs which are over
five and a half feet In height to the
top arms for picking. AS the cotton is
picked Il falls into a receptacle which
is emptied into baskets or sacks from
time 10 time.
1t is not at all surprising that great
interest is being conferred in the deval-
opmenJ or this machine by prominent
people engaged in the production OF
cotton in this country, as well as
abroad. as its Introduction means
complete revolution Of the harvesting
Of one OF the most important raw ma
terial products OF the world, anI *
should carry with IL the interest OF
every good citizen who has the welfare
OF the Southern States at heart.