The Washington herald., 1922-01-07

times and adding SO or more to the
value of a bale.
The living conditions of the pickE
ers viii be greatly improved by
adoption of the electric picker, II. Ia
declared. 1t will not longer be nee
essary Tor women and children TO
help In the fields. 1t will. be purely
mans job. and the women will be
aple TO give greater attention to
tneir homes and the raising of veg
etaoles and other produce.
Lint Output simplised.
1t now takes 1900 pounds Of seed
cotton to- make a 5o0-pound bale Of
cotton lint; that 10, cotton after the
seeds and dirt are removed at the gin.
with the electric picker results have
shown that 1.450 pounds Of seed cot
ton will make the same s00-pound
bale of lint. The electric picker does
not pick up as much dirt and other
trash as the hand picker In removing
the cotton from the boils
Normally between $4,000, 600 and
3S.oO0.000 acres of cotton are planted
In the South. This area produces from
one-third to one-half bale an acre, or
an ordinary harvest of about IL. .0oo.-
600 bales. But this fall. because oil
the 80 per cent reduction in acreage
and the destruction done by the boil
weevil and army worm. the yield Is
under 100000 bales. The electric
picker promises to become one of the
greatest incentives for the grower to
return to normal times and plant his
usual crop because Of the cheaper
and more efficient system Of harvest
Ing.
Life Work Of Inventor.
This latest attempt to supersede
hand picking may be called the life
work OF Mr.. Stukenborg. who has
devoted many years to studying
various plans to economize the pick
Ing by use OF some portable ma
chine. He received the inspiration
which led to the perfection of his
invention while watching a COW
which had broken down the gates
and wandered into his cotton field.
Cows will eat cotton for the seeds
imbedded in the fiber. and. as this
COW went from plant to plant. the
inventor noted the ease with which
the cotton was removed from the
bolls by the animals rough tongue.
After experiments extending over
fourteen years he perfected two
revolving brushes encased In a small
metal frame about the size of a
mans doubled lists. The brushes
were made to revolve inwardly, or
toward each other. thus creating a
comblike movement, and. when these
were placed against the cotton,
pulled II free from the bolls with
out collecting any part Of the boil
or leaves of the plant. The suctiop
idea Is used in carrying tho ccson
to a receptacle.
Car les Power Plant.
Each machine carries a complete
electric power plant. A tractor engine
furnishes sufficient electric power &c
operate the eight motors required to
run the machine. The brushes are
driven by a small motor.
There are four picking tubes to
machine. Supported overhead by
balance arrangement. the pickers are
suspended with such lightness and
fIexibility that even a child could
shift them about with case. The ma
chine as II passes through the nele
can pick eight rows. The worker
finds no trouble in using II ant
where heformerly picked 100 pound!
by hand he has been picking 4o'
pounds by machine with only a few
days training.
The electric equipment used in run
ming the machine was furnished by
the General Electric Company.