IH Two Row Tractor Mounted Cotton Picker

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of the McCormick International M-24 tractor mounted two row cotton pickers that were built and field tested in the mid 1950's? Two of the prototypes were sent to Johnson Implement Company in Greenwood, Mississippi, for field testing in the Greenwood area. I personally saw these two pickers in Greenwood, but, did not see them in operation in the field. As best I remember, the right hand head looked like a mirrow image of the left hand head which looked just like the M-12 head. I think the operators platform was also centered. In accordance with IHC practices at the time, I am certain that additional prototypes were sent to the IHC owned company dealership in Clarksdale and to selected dealerships in Texas and California, for field testing in those areas. I understand that the planters who used the pickers liked them very much and were very satisfied with the performance of the machines. However, for various reasons, IHC decided to cancel the project and to continue development of the two row self propelled cotton picker. Rather than selling the M-24 prototypes to the users, IHC required that all of the prototypes be cut up and distroyed, partially so they would not have to supply parts for them in the future and partially to keep John Deere from having a chance to reverse engineer them as they had done with the one row cotton picker. The 214 and the 220 two row self propelled cotton pickers were introduced in 1957. When the 214/220 came out, it's sales immediately practically killed the sale of new one row cotton pickers in the Mississippi Delta, as all large planters wanted the capacity and efficiency of the two row machines.

Harold H

The model lineage of the IHC two row self propelled cotton pickers from 1957 through the 1970's is as follows: 214 & 220 to 214A & 220A to 414 & 420 to 416 & 422 to 616 & 622 Variable Speed to 616 & 622 Hydrostatic. The first model of each is low drum and the second model is high drum.

Harold H

Rustcollector,

In your cotton picker research, have you ever found a prototype parts manual for the M-24 cotton picker?

Harold H

Harold,

I never found more than a photo of an M-24 in WHS IH Archives the production reports that show 14 made in 1952 and 36 in 1953, the same year the 220 picker was released and 50 produced. However, the next year Memphis shows 220's built is 1956. I'll have to thumb through my copies of engineering reports, but pretty sure I don't have anything else. If I can find a link to the M-24 photo on WHS IH Archives, I'll post. Otherwise, don't want to risk the copywrite police.

Photo is of an experimental ????? prototype from Delta Branch Experiment Station. No knowledge of origin or function but the machine/sheetmetal work appears to be a little more than the government shop capabilities at that time. I think it might be some sort of stripper with spiked belts in the row units raking from bottom to top of the plant and a cleaner on the rear driven by the IH engine?

https://photos.yesterdaystractors.com/gallery/uptest/a58939_sml.jpg
Still learning. First photo upload did not go in previous post.

Here is the M-24 picker. WHS IH Archives photo number 49947.Wisconsin Historical Images - 2-Row Cotton Picker, WHi-49947

www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullimage.asp?id=49947

Rust collector,

That picture does not look like the picker I remember. However all the years change a lot. Your Memphis production dates for the 220 were pre production models. The 214/220 was released for sale in 1957 as a 1957 model. I am positive of that because the summer of 1956 was my first year to work at Delta Implement and most of the work I did was assemblying 120's. All the framework and basket came in seperate pieces with only the headers fully assembled. I could still almost assemble one in the dark. The next summer, 1957, we had the 220, and that summer we assembled and sold very few new 120's.

Harold H

This is a photo of a tractor mounted two row cotton stripper. The picker I remember was more conventionsl looking with heads simular to the M-12 and the tractor still running in reverse. Is that what your historical society picture of the M-24 looks like?

Harold H

I finally got the image to pull up after about five trys. That is the two row picker/pickers I remember seeing in Greenwood in the 1950's. On the photo it is mislabled as 1944.

Harold H

The tractor under the 2 row picker has 8 spoke wheels. Interesting.

The one in the picture rustcollector posted looks to me like a stripper too. Also, the power unit on the back looks to me more like an AC than an IH, strong indication it came from a government experiment station.