Vol. XI. No. 276. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



375 



It has been said that the drums carry a series of claws or 

 teeth, which are the true collecting agencies. These teeth are, 

 more exactly speaking, mounted on vertical cylinders 

 themselves fixed to the drums, and this is the matter that 

 gives its distinctiveness to this ingenious machine. The 

 drums move at the same speed as the machine, but in the 

 reverse direction; that is to say, that their surface near the 

 plants moves from before to behind; consequently in 

 regard to the plane of travel of the whole apparatus, it may 

 be considered that one point on this surface is at rest, 

 while the curvature of the surface of the cylinder causes it to 

 describe the horizotital movement in a plane perpendicular to 

 the plane of movement of the machine It follows from this 

 that each of the vertical cylinders fixed on the drum, and on 

 which are placed the claws, can only force these i-laws into 

 the plant which is opposite to it; the claws themselves, in the 

 reversed motion, drag with them tlie fibre drawn from 

 the boll. The dragging force and the form of the claws 

 are calculated and designed in such a way that the 

 seed-cotton can only be drawn from the ripe bolls; all half- 

 opened bolls and those not yet ripe allow the claws to pass on 

 empty, without letting any bit of fibre yield to a drawing 

 force which is too feeble to overcome its adhesion to the boll. 



In the same way the very slow movement of the picking 

 agencies does not permit them to free themselves from the 

 fibres which they have removed from the plnnt. This removal 

 is effected by another means, consisting of the endless chains 

 already mentioned; these are vertical at first, and then 

 incline towards tubes which carry the fibre to the bags hang- 

 ing behind. On each cylinder there are fixed 8l6 claws, 

 which in action are insinuated gently into the plant, and are 

 mounted in such a way that no capsule can pass between the 

 cylinders without coming within the play of the claws. 



Practical trials have been made of the apparatus in 

 Texas under very varying conditions. It travels at a walk- 

 ing pace, which allows it to cover 4i to 6 acres per day, 

 collecting 95 per cent, of the ripe cotton: that is to say 550 

 to 880 lb. of fibre per hour, depending upon the thickness of 

 the crop and the maturity of the plant, against ISO to 

 220 B). per day, reckoned for hand picking. The cost of 

 working is about 24. s. per day. The value of the machine is 

 increased by the fact that the collecting mechanism may be 

 easily dismounted, and it may then be used in various ways 

 as a tractor. 



Trials have been made in order to ascertain if mechani- 

 cally collected cotton is in any way inferior to that picked by 

 hand, when it comes to be worked up commercially. They 

 Lave all shown that the advantage i.'^" with the machine- 

 gathered cotton, and microscopical examination of the lint 

 has demonstrated that the Campbell miichines does not leave 

 any signs of crushing or of breaking of the fibres. 



It should be stated in conclusion that any machines of 

 the kind possess the disadvantage arising from the fact that 

 in a cotton field the spaces between the rows are largely 

 occupied by horizontal branches; so that it may be considered 

 impossible for machines of the kind to move between the 

 plant without damaging a large number of them, for the 

 simple reason that each is an apparatus mounted on wheels. 



CHICLE GUM. 



Reference was made at the recent Agricultural Con- 

 ference to chicle gum, which is used to a large extent in the 

 United States for making the material known as chewing 

 gum. This is extracted from the stem of tlie sapodilla tree 

 (Achras Sapota), or from trees closely related to this plant; 

 the gum is chiefly obtained from Central America and 

 Mexico According to an article in the Ihdleiin Agricole of 

 Mauritius for June 1912, the stems are bled during the rainy 

 season, the incision being made in the form of a V around 

 the tree; where the two oblique lines join, a vessel is 

 placed to receive the gum. At first the resin is white 

 in colour, but contact with the air causes it rapidly to 

 become yellow and solidify. It is said that trees bled 

 periodically, with care and moderation, are capable of giving 

 a yield for twenty-five years. 



The article proceeds to show that in 1909 the importa- 

 tions of chicle into the United States had become 5,450,139 B)., 

 value £412,596. 



In making chewing gum, the product is scented with 

 mint, vanilla and orange. Digestive bodies such as pepsin are 

 also added. 



Up to the present the only trees that have been 

 exploited are wild, but it is proposed to establish them ia 

 regular cultivation The wood of the tree is reported to be 

 useful in cabinet-making. 



Information received from the Agrifcnltural Superinten- 

 dent, St. Vincent, shows that during last season 506,932 lb. of 

 seed cotton was purchased at the Government Central Cottoii 

 Giiinery from small growers, the amount being made up of 

 Sea Island 353,485 Do. and Marje Galante 153,447 Bb. 



A Little-knowD District in Antigua.— Mr. H. A, 

 Tempany, B.Sc, Superintendent of Agriculture for the 

 Leeward Islands, has sent an account of a visit paid by him 

 recently to a district in Antigua lying between Old Koad and 

 Falmouth, the visit having been made as part of a general 

 inspection of lands that may jwssibly be useful for coconut 

 growing. As the district is little known, however, the account 

 possesses features that are of special interest and may merit 

 short attention here. 



The land behind the opening called Rendezvous Bay 

 presents a very shallow soil that oflers no inducement to 

 cultivators, except where there are valleys containing an area 

 of soil apparently suited to coconut cultivation; this area is 

 occupied by Deep Bay estate at the eastern end of Falmouth 

 Harbour and by Nock estate further along the coast. 

 Between Tucks estate and Old Road, there is probably 

 a larger area of fertile soil, in scattered places, but the 

 difficulties of communication and transport are such as to 

 make exploitation unlikely. The adjoining estate. Rendezvous 

 Bay or Doigs, otters better opportunities, and .Mr. Tempany 

 thinks that there may be as much as about 450 acres 

 suitable for coco-nut, lime and cotton cultivation. An 

 important matter is that an abundant supply of good 

 underground water exists in this area, near the sur- 

 face. Access to the district is ditticult, however. Dealing 

 finally with it Mr. Tempany states: 'On the whole there is no 

 place in Antigua in my estimation which offers better pros- 

 pects for auciessful cultivation of coco nuts; from the situa- 

 tion it seems that the rainfall is almost certainly good and 

 probably averages close on 60 inches per annum.' 



A description follows of Ding a Ding Nook estate and 

 the district near, which is on the way from Rendezvous 

 estate to Falmouth. This area is rugged and unpromising, 

 but its afforestation would probably make it the source of 

 a constant supply of water. 



The general conclusion is that, although the area 

 visited is for the greater part rugged and uninviting, parts 

 of it are worth development for coconuts, limes and cotton, 

 the chief difficulty being that of communication. 



