The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-07-21
TEXANS WILL STOP COTTON
GROWING IF NECESSARY
Willing to Sacrifice Crop If No Pre-
ventive of Pink Boil Worm

Washington, d. c., July Elf the
only way to keep the pink boil worm
of Mexico out of the United States is
for Texas cotton growers in zone
along the Rio Grande river to stop
growing cotton altogether, these farm
ers are willing to sacrifice one of their
most profitable crops to save the COT.
ton-growing south.
That was the declaration of seven
men representing farmers and business
( interests Of the lower Rio Grande rive-
region in Texas who came to Washing
ton to confer with representatives Of
the United States department of agri-
culture over the peril to the Amer
can cotton industry now lurking in the
cotton fields Of Mexico.
But to give up cotton means a con
siderable sacrifice on their part, the
farmers said and for this reason they
urged that the declaration Of a cotton
free zone, as contemplated by the Fed
eral and Texas state governments, he
made only as last resort.
Important Cash Crop.
Cotton, the Texas representatives
said, was an important cash crop in the
lower part Of the zone planned as a
barrier to the Mexican pest. 1t was
said that the area in cotton this year
in the two counties-Hidalgo and Cam
eron-the territory chiefly affected
was $4,000 acres. A representative
from the dry.farming section farther
| fhnF af
their most profitable crops and that 1t
would be a hardship for them to give
1t up.
The representatives joined in a rec
ommendation suggesting the establish
ment in cooperation with officials Of
Mexico, Of cotton-free zone on the
Mexican side Of the river instead Of H.
Texas. Since little cotton would be af-
fected by such a zone on the Mexican
side, II was believed that this plan could
be carried out with much less loss.
Pledged Support.
Representatives of the Texas state
department Of agriculture and the state
agricultural college pledged support to
whatever measures were deemed nee
essary. All the Texas delegates wers
thoroughly aroused TO the menacinl
pest and declared they were ready &C
support drastic measures. That a cot
ton.free zone in Texas, however, should
not be declared until every other meas
ure calculated to prevent the introduc
tion Of the pink boil worm had proved
futile, was the sentiment Of the Texans
| Specialists Of the department Of az
riculture told the delegates that al
possible effort would be made under III,
pending appropriation, and is now be
ing made with an emergency fund, q
fight the pink boil worm in Mexico.
The establishment OF a cotton-fre,
zone in Texas, II was declared. woulr
not be put into effect unless II prove,
the only way 10 save the cotton indus
try OF the south. In event that suci
action should be taken. the department
representatives pledged the assistance
Of the department in developing subst.
tute crops for cotton in the contemplat
ed zone
Personnel Of Representatives.
The seven representatives from IN,
contemplated cotton-free zone We're r
! B. Rentfro. c. l. Jessup. Amos Rich
c. H. More, and S. c. Tucker. all OF
Brownsville c. II. Pease. Raymondvlllc
and H. Il Harrington, Kingsville stat,
officials who attended were Fred W
Davis, commissioner Of agriculture
Ernest f. Scholl and ia. L. Ayers OF
the Texas state department Of agricul
ture. Austin and F. B Paddock. star.
entomologist, College station
After this conference. officials oi
the United States department Of agri
culture and the state officials OF Texns
discussed the details Of the COOPER
tive arrangement by which the pin,
bon worm Is 20 be kept out Of this
country