Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-03-13
COTTON FARMERS MUST MAKE WAR
 ON PINK WORM
J. R. Alexander and Leo M Andrews Head Organiza-
 tion in Arkansas.
lBY Clio Harper.

Little ROCK, March l2.-NOW comes the pink worm.
 The cotton growers thought hte Mexican boll-weevil was sufficient ly destructive pest, but those who know say the pink boil worm is much worse.
 According to a bulletin of the de- partment of agriculture, it is consid- cred the most destructive of all cotton pests.
 The invasion of Texas by the worm has brought about a most serious condition there, to such an extent that nagricultural authority makes the statement that "Texas is facing an enemy more dangerous than any that has threatened since the day of the battle of San Jacinto."
 It has not reached Arkansas, and it will not if it can be kept away from our borders.
 A conference of cotton growers was held in Little Rock Feb. 23, and ten- tative organization formed to combat the boll-worm. J. R. Alexander of Scott, one of the wealthiest planters of central Arkansas, was elected presi- dent, and Leo. M. Andrews of Pine Bluff was elected vice-president.
 It is their purpose to cooperate with the state plant board in campaign to keep the state free from the ravages of the new pest, and to stamp it out should it be discovered at any time within our borders, before it can gain any headway.
 preliminary meeting was held at Jackson, Mississippi, at which there we're seven delegates from Arkansas This was followed ten days later by the Little Rock conference, and anoth- CT meeting of cotton growers is to be held in Little Rock, soon to perfect the organization.
 It has been in Mexico for nearly seven years, having been imported in to that state in some Egyptian cotton seed in 1911. Two shipments of this seed were planted on 750 acres of land, and the profits were so great that the demand for seed exceeded the supply, and the see dwas so generously dis tributed all over the cotton growing, area of Mexico.
 Unfortunately, however, every lot of seed contained the eggs of the pink boll-worm, and by another year the en- tire Republic was covered with the pest to within 150 miles of the Rio Grande.
 Then the infection reached Texas, and now there are four well-defined areas in that state, in Robertson, Jeff ferson, Chambers, Galveston, and Har- ris counties.
 1 The legislature of Texas promptly passed law looking to the control of the pest. Congress appropriated $5O0,00O asked for by Secretary Houston, and this fund, with the state appropriation, is being employed to advantage.
 More than thirty experienced agents of the federal and state de partments of agriculture are now en gagged in the work of driving the boil worm out of Texas.
 1 The stalks in the fields ae cut and raked into rough piles. Then hand workers gather each little boil, piece of cotton and other vegetation and put it on the pile, and the whole is then burned. leaving the field utter ly clear of all vegetable and animal i life.
 J. R. Alexander, president of the preliminary organization formed il Arkansas, is sending out hurry-cal to the cotton growers of the state.
 "There is no time to lose," says he "Next year may be too late. You may feel sure that the state is entirely free of the worms. I think and hope it i: free. We do not know it is. Texa: thought it was free, and even after the worm was found many would nor believe. But believing does not make facts. Fortunately the state forces and the department were alert, ant took immediate and vigorous action we hope with results fatal to tn, worms. Now let us take such steps a once that will insure our state is fire, fro mthe infection. It is the most de structive pest that ever confronted the cotton growers of any country and unless stamped out in it's incip