The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1921-11-21
Pink BOllwOrm
Discovered in Texas

Washington, Nov. 21.--An impor-l
tant conference on the pink bollworm
situation in Texas, occasioned by the
recent discovery of new nfestations in
Ellis County, one of the largest cot
ton-producing counties in the State,
has been called by the Federal Hor-
ticultural Board of the United States
Department of Agriculture, to be held
at Dallas, Tex, December at 10l
a. m, in the assembly room of thei
Texas Chamber of Commerce.
Notices of the conference have beenl
sent by the board to State entomolo-
sists, commissioners of agriculture,
and officials of Cotton Seed Crusher
associations and the American Cotton
ASSOCIATION urgently requesting their
attendance.
The occurrence of the pink boil
worm in Ellis county is looked upon
as by far the most important develop
ment in the spread of the pest since
it's introduction into the United
states. According to Charles L. Mar
latt, chairman of the board, the new
situation demands early and most
serious consideration by the authori-
| ties in Texas as well as by the author
tiles of all other states that produce
| cotton. In the meantime steps have
been taken to secure, by cooperation
| on the part of the state of Texas and
of that state and others interested
adequate control Of the movement of
seed and cotton from Ellis couny,
| pnding the determination of the con-
ference.
Text of the notice sent out by the
board is as follows:
Every recently five fields in the vi
cinity Of Ennis, Ellis county, Tex,
have been found infested by the pink
bollworm. This county is one of the
largest producers of cotton in Texas.
Another important considerations is
the fact that in Ellis county are To-
Gated number of the largest cotton
seed farms in the South.
parently originated in seed shipped
from Carlsbad, N. NJ, of the crop of
1920, prior to the determination of the
incipient infestation at hat point Jan
uary 6, 1921. All of the seed SHIPPED
from the Carlsbad crop of 1921 has
been adequately disinfected by heat
ing. Twenty-seven carloads of seed
produced during the years 1918-19-2O
were shipped to Ennis. A large nun.
Der of additional carloads during this
period went to a number Of widely
separated points in Texas. A small
number of shipments were also made
to points in Oklahoma. At many of
| these points the Carlsbad seed was
| more or less subdivided and in many
cases used for planting purposes. All
of these points have been under field
| inspection throughout the season, and
the Ellis infestation is the only one
so far discovered.
Following the infestation deter.
mined in 1918 in the Pecos Valley of
Texas, separated by about 80 miles
of semi-desert from Carlsbad, the
| Carlsbad project has been under inten.
sive inspection to determine any pos
sible infestation at that point. For
example, in 1918, Ill man-days (in
other words, full days of cotton field
inspcction) were given this district
In 1919, Sc man-days were devoted to
scouting at Carlsbad. In 1920 scout
ing was continued for 48 days before
the first infestation was found in
standing field cotton January 6, 1921
Subsequent to this finding, 216 addi-
| tional days were devoted to thorough
field inspection throughout the Carls-
bad project This inspection devel-
oped only two infested fields out of
"a inspected, and total of 16 pink
bollworm were found.
| "This occurrence of pink bollworm
in Ellis county undoubtedly is by far
the most important development
which has occurred in relation TO the
finding of the pink bollworm in the
| United States. 1t demands early and
most serious consideration by the
authorities in Texas as we'll as by
| the authorities of all other states
which produce cotton. For this reason
the board has decided to hold con-
| ference in Dallas on December 2. 1T
will lie called to order at 10 O'Clock
in the morning in the assembly room
of the Texas Chamber of Commerce
1t is urgently requested that you at
| tend this conference.
"In the meantime steps have been
taken to secure, by cooperation on the
part of the state of Texas and the Cot
ton Seed Breeders association of that
state and others interested, adequat
control of the movement of seed and
cotton from Ellis county, pending the
determination Of the conference.