Decreasing cotton row spacing from 38-40 to 30 inches increases lint yield per acre by improving plant distribution. Cotton planted in 30-inch row configurations averaged 14% increase in yield, compared with conventional 38- 40-inch cotton production in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. To pick 30-inch cotton, a two row spindle picker must be modified to straddle three rows and pick the outside two rows. In 1986, a Case-IH 1822 was converted to harvest 30-inch cotton and tested. Its design provided easy modification and increased field capacities.