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Realizing that it was economically unsound for an appreciable portion of the crop practically to become dead stock and to be excluded from use, this Department took steps to secure its proper utilization, particularly through a modification of Government contracts. It was believed to be feasible to use lower grade cotton without reducing the serviceability of the manufactured fabric. Steps were taken also, through cooperation with the designated spot markets, to assure the accuracy of quotations. It may be desirable to amend the rules for obtaining differences in order to secure more nearly accurate quotations for the grades of which some markets may from time to time become bare. The possibility of formulating a workable plan is being considered.

THE PINK BOLLWORM OF COTTON.

Attention was called last year to the establishment in the Laguna, the principal cotton-growing district of Mexico, of the pink bollworm of cotton. The quarantine action as to Mexican cotton and cotton seed, as well as the provision for a very complete Mexican border control service, was then noted, and reference also was made. to the clean-up operations with the mills in Texas which, prior to the discovery of this insect in Mexico, received Mexican cotton seed for crushing.

There were three points of infestation in Texas last year, at Hearne, Beaumont, and the much larger Trinity Bay district. They are under effective control. No additional areas have been found.

The Trinity Bay infestation was the most serious, covering 6,000 acres. It undoubtedly was not due to the importation of cotton seed from Mexico prior to the establishment of the quarantine in 1916. The insect has been present there for three or four years, and it must have been introduced either through some importation of foreign cotton seed in violation of the Federal quarantine, or, as seems more probable, through storm-distributed cotton or cotton seed from Mexico. Following the great storm of 1915, cotton lint and cotton seed, some of which came from the Laguna, Mexico, were observed quite generally about the shores of the bay. The distribution of the insect, as determined in the survey and clean-up work of the fall and winter of 1917-18, strongly supports this theory of origin.

The State of Texas, under the authority of the cotton quarantine act passed by the special session of the State legislature on October

3, 1917, cooperated very materially in the work of extermination. The small district at Hearne, Tex., and the important Trinity Bay region, including Beaumont, involving in whole or in part eight counties in Texas, were placed under quarantine by the State and the growing of cotton in these districts prohibited for a period of three years or longer.

The eradication operations of last fall and winter included the infested and noninfested cotton fields and were carried out, in cooperation with the State of Texas, under special appropriations to the Department of $50,000, available March 4, 1917, and $250,000, available October 6, 1917. All standing cotton was uprooted and burned, and scattered bolls and parts of plants were also collected and burned. The seed was milled under proper safeguards and the lint shipped from Galveston to Europe. In the Trinity Bay and Beaumont districts, a total of 8,794 acres of cotton land was cleaned at an average labor cost of $9.94 per acre.

In addition to these two quarantined areas a border district, comprising the counties of Kinney, Maverick, and Valverde, was placed under control by proclamation of the Governor of Texas. This action was taken because of the infestation of cotton lands in Mexico, nearly opposite Eagle Pass, within 25 miles of the Texas border. The growing of cotton in these counties and its transportation from them are forbidden under the terms of the quarantine for a term of three years or more.

The most encouraging feature of the year's work is the fact that not a single egg, larva, or moth of the pest was found within either of the quarantined areas, or elsewhere in Texas, during the season of 1918. This would seem to indicate the effectiveness of the operations of last year and furnishes reason for expecting the complete extermination of the insect. If this result is achieved, it will be the largest successful entomological experiment of the kind in history.

TEXAS BORDER QUARANTINE SERVICE.

The regulation of the entry into the United States from Mexico of railway cars and other vehicles, freight, express, baggage, and other materials, and their inspection, cleaning, and disinfection, was continued during the year with a view to prevent the accidental movement of cotton and cotton seed. This service covers the ports of El Paso, Laredo, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Brownsville. During

the year 25,257 cars have been inspected and passed for entrance into this country.

The general presence of cotton seed necessitated the fumigation of practically all cars and freight coming from Mexico, with the exception of certain cars used for the shipment of ore and lumber. These cars were offered for entry principally at the port of El Paso, and, under arrangement with the importing companies, were thoroughly cleaned of cotton seed at the point of origin before loading, and so certified.

At present the best available means of disinfection involves the use of hydrocyanic-acid gas generated within the cars. This method, however, is unsatisfactory on account of the poor condition of the cars and the fact that it does not destroy insects which may be resting on the exterior. In the circumstances, it was necessary to provide for the requisite disinfection in specially constructed houses capable of containing one or more cars at a time. Contracts have been let for five such houses at the ports indicated, and their construction is now well under way. At Del Rio no railroad crosses the border, and a building is being erected to take care of traffic in wagons and motor trucks. Each structure is provided with a system of generators in which hydrocyanic-acid gas is produced. The expense of disinfection will be assumed by the Department, and a charge will be made only to cover the cost of the labor, other than supervision, and of the chemicals used. Under the law the moneys so received must be turned into the Treasury of the United States. This will result in a very considerable depletion of the appropriation available for the work, and it will, therefore, be necessary to ask Congress for an emergency appropriation to reimburse the fund thus expended.

THE SITUATION IN MEXICO.

The situation in Mexico, as determined by surveys conducted during the last two years, seems to confirm the view that the infestation there is limited to the Laguna district and to two small isolated areas opposite Eagle Pass, Tex. This indicates a much more favorable outlook for the possible future extermination of the insect in Mexico than had been anticipated.

The experiment station established last year by the Department in the Laguna district to study the problem and to conduct field experi

ments with reference to the substitution of other crops for cotton secured much needed information relating to the habits and food plants of the insect. This information will be very useful in determining the most efficient means of eradication and of preventing the spread of the pest. The wheat and corn crops of the Laguna this year have been unusually successful, and the peanuts and castor-bean crops have given good promise.

NURSERY STOCK IMPORTATIONS.

The need of additional restrictions on the entry into this country of certain classes of nursery stock and other plants and seeds has been under consideration. The danger of introducing destructive diseases with plants having earth about the roots and plants and seeds of all kinds for propagation from little-known or little-explored countries is especially great. The large risks from importations of these two classes arise from the impossibility of properly inspecting the former and from the dangers which can not be foreseen with respect to the latter. Examination of such material is necessarily difficult, and the discovery of infesting insects, particularly if hidden in bark or wood, or of evidences of disease is largely a matter of chance. Such control, therefore, as a condition of entry is a very imperfect safeguard.

There has developed throughout the country a wide interest in the subject which has manifested itself in numerous requests from official bodies all over the Union for greater restriction on plant imports. As a basis for such additional restrictions, a public hearing was held in May at which the whole subject was fully discussed with all of the interests concerned. As a result, it is proposed to issue a quarantine which shall restrict the entry of foreign plants and seeds for propagation substantially to field, vegetable, and flower seeds, certain bulbs, rose stocks, and fruit stocks, cuttings, and scions. The entry of these classes of plants is represented to be essential to the floriculture and horticulture of this country.

CITRUS CANKER.

Since the autumn of 1914 the Department has cooperated with the Gulf States in a campaign to eradicate the canker disease of citrus fruit and trees. Notwithstanding its wide dissemination before its identity and nature were determined, the prog

ress of the work has been very satisfactory. There appears to be no doubt that the few infections occurring in South Carolina and Georgia have been located and eradicated, so that further work in these States will not be necessary. The extent of the disease in Florida, where the citrus industry is of great magnitude, has been very greatly reduced. In that State, where the total number of properties found to be infected was 479, scattered through 22 counties, the number remaining under quarantine has been reduced to 47. Only 15 canker-infected trees were discovered during the first six months of 1918. The malady is of such highly infectious and virulent nature, however, that it will be necessary to continue the work in all the citrus-growing areas of the State for some time after the orchards appear to be clean in order to prevent the possibility of outbreaks from any latent or inconspicuous infection that might have escaped the observation of the forces. In Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas it is believed that any further seriously destructive outbreaks of canker can be prevented.

CROP ESTIMATES.

The Bureau of Crop Estimates rendered service of great value to the country by its regular monthy and annual crop reports and by its special inquiries for country-wide information relating to particular phases of agriculture urgently needed for immediate use by the Government. It systematically arranged and translated into American units probably the most complete collection of data in the world relating to the agriculture of foreign countries. Since the beginning of the European war, and more especially since the entry of the United States, it has compiled many statistical statements regarding crop and live-stock production, imports, exports, per capita consumption, and estimated stocks on hand in foreign countries for the Department, the Food Administration, and the War Trade Board.

The Monthly Crop Reports, which include current estimates of acreages planted and harvested, growing condition, forecasts and estimates of yield per acre, total production and numbers of different classes of live stock, farm prices, stocks of grain remaining on farms, farm wages, and progress of farm work, were especially valuable. Upon the information contained in them was based much of the

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