A j/ July 1957 



ARS-33-41 



United States Department of Agriculture 

 Agricultural Research Service 



SIMPLE DEVICE FOR OPENING COTTON BOLLS 



Edgar W. Clark, Entomology Research Division, and 

 P. L. Netterville, Plant Pest Control Division 



Considerable time is required in opening mature cotton bolls, 

 especially in connection with pink bollworm and stink bug investi- 

 gations. Usually the base is cut off the boll and each carpel slit from 

 tip to base so that the locks can be taken out in their entirety. 



This work can be materially facilitated by a simple inexpensive 

 device of the nutcracker type. The base is a piece of wood 2 by 4 by 

 15 inches cut to give a place to fasten it to a table on each end and 

 give clearance for the operator's knuckles. The lever is a piece of 

 wood 1^ by 3 by 15 inches shaped to form a handle at the^free end. 

 The fulcrum consists of a 2|- by 2^-inch butt hinge fastened to the end 

 of the lever and base in such a way as to give about ^-inch clearance 

 between the two blocks. About 2\ inches from the hinged end are two 

 opposing holes the shape and size of an average cotton boll and about 

 5 inch deep. 



