The Spindle-Type Cotton Harvester
Introduction
Production of high-quality cotton lint begins with variety selection, continues with attention to all production practices, and ends with a well-planned and well-executed harvest. As harvest time nears, critical crop management decisions include scheduling defoliation, defoliating effectively, and timing harvest to get the best lint quality and yield.
Lint Quality
Lint quality is best when the cotton bolls first open and dry out. Several factors may cause you to lose yield and quality, such as weathering after boll opening, harvest delays caused by poor defoliation or timing, improper machinery adjustment, inadequate picking capacity, harvesting or storage of seed cotton with a high moisture content, storage management that allows weather to wet or damage modules before ginning, etc.
▸ The Need for an Expert Operator
Lint Quality
Harvester Factors
Picking Efficiency Losses
Read Your Operator’s Manual
▸ Maximizing Harvester Capacity & Productivity
Picker Drum Arrangements
Opposed Drums
In-Line Drums
VRS Row Units
▸ Seed Cotton Handling Systems
Basket-Based (Conventional) System
Picking Patterns
Half-Module System
Round Module System
▸ Basic Safety Precautions
▸ Appendix: Harvest Loss Calculations
Seed Count Method of Estimating Picker Loss
Weight Method of Estimating Loss
Row Length Table
▸ Preseason Procedures
Tire Condition and Pressure
Row Unit Tilt
Spindles and Spindle Bushings
Bar Height and Condition
Doffers
Spindle Moistening System
Picker Ribs
Compressor Door Considerations
Plant Lifters
Row Unit Operating Height and Height Sensing
Air Conveyance System
Row Tracking and Correction
▸ In-Season Procedures
Cotton Picker Fires
Cleaning and Servicing the Picker
Precautions
Timing Field Operations/Moisture Considerations
Preventing and Freeing Row Unit Chokes
Recordkeeping
▸ Suggested Reading on Cotton Pickers
Spindle Type Cotton Harvester 
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