Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-06
iNIlRNS VALLEY
AGAINST PINK
WORM DAMAGE
Commissioners Terrell
Advises Installation
Sterilizing Plants in
Cotton Gins

Installation Of sterilization plants
In every cotton gin in the Mexican
border country to prevent possible
infestation by the pink boil worm,
Is advocated by George B. Terrell,
Texas commissioner Of agriculture.
On a recent trip to Austin County
Judge o. C.. Dancy conferred with
Commissioner Terrell relative to the
pink boil worm situation on the Mex
lean side Of the Rio Grandc, re-
ceiving the assurance, that 50 iar
as the state department OF agricul-
ture could ascertain there - no m
festation below the Big Bend coun-
try.
In a recent letter & Judge Dancy
covering the subject of the confer
ence, Commissioner Terrell stated
1T does not cost very much 70 IN
stall sterilizing plants at every gin'
and these plants heat the seed hot
enough to kill the pink bollworri
without injuring the germ Of
seed, and IL would probably be wise
for the people along the Rio Grande
border to voluntarily adopt these
safe measures for protection oil
their interests By establishing
sterilizing plants at all the gins and
by cleaning up the fields IN order
TO destroy any i%nfestation that
might exist. We cannot enforce
these regulations and will not At
tempt il unless infcstation IS found.
Mexico Starts Cleanup
Mexican authorities in the MatA-
moros section rave i~naugurated 2
cleanup Of all cotton stalks IN or
der TO prevent possible infestation
Of pink bollworm from the Big Bend
country. and they propose TO make
this as thorough as the recent clean
up to eradicate the Morelos fruit
fly. Large acreages in the Mata-
morcs area are annually planted 20
cotton, and heavy losses would ensue
il the infestatoin became general.
The work is under the direction oil
81. Peiada. government engineer.
and Lorenzo Jiminez Of the Mexican
department of agriculture.
In a recent report submitted 70
the Mexican department Of agricul-
ture. copies Of which we're sent t.
the Texas department, the Mexican
officials stated they found no in
dicatl in OF infestation IN the Mata-
mor.s area, and their Investigations
were confirmed by American ento-
~mologists. who are reported to have
made n thorough survey. So far as
reported. the only infestation dis
covered is in Chihuahua. and as
there is practically no traffic be-
tween Tamaulipas and that state the
danger Of infestation is not great.
Toe Mexican officials state. how
ever, they are taking every possible
precaution. The Mexican depart
ment is also expected 10 start a gen
eral campaign 70 eradicate the pest
EN- Chihuahua. by adopting non-cot-
4 tor in those areas infested.
: Found Infestation Heavy
In his letter 20 Judge Dancy. COM
missioner Terrell asserts that every
possible effort will be made to Grad
icate the pest in the Big Bend coun-
try.
"This pest exists on tho Mexican
side Of the Rio Granda IN the Big
Bend country and when we exter-
inmate IL on the Texas side the
country is infested again az soon
as we begin planting cotton IN Tex
as adjacent 20 where the worm rs
located on the other side Of the
river" Commissioner Terrell said.
This is a very dangerous cotton
pest and VIC are doing all we can to
stamp Il out in Texas and keen IL
from coming IN from Mexico along
the Rio Grandc. There has been
none Of the pink bollworm found
across the Rio Grande from Browne
Vile. but il may be in that section
and not yet discovered. We have
been afraid all the time that the
Lower Rio Grsnde Valley counties
Of Cameron and Hidalgo would be
infested from that source, and we
know that IL Is very important that
the citizens OF those counties take
every precaution possible 70 keep
the worm from entering Texas in
case IL is on the Mexican side.
Our laws do not permit US 10 Is.
tablish a non-cotton zone, or reru-
lated zone unless pink bollworm in
festation Is found in the state or
on the border Of the state near
enough 10 cause infestation. m the
worm should be discovered on the
Mexican side IN your locality NC
could then have the pink bollworn
commission meet and establish quar-
tine regulations on this side Of the
river. provide for sterlilizinr or
cotton seed at the gins and for fumi-
CATION of lint cotton before n Il
shipped to market, ard for cleaning
up the fields when the crop is gath
cred. destroying all stalks and hollis
in order 10 keep down infestation.
"We cannot take the precautio,-
airy measures at this time under The
law as the worm has not been found
Across the river from Brownsville
< II may appear there at any time
and when we are notified Of is dis
eovery across the river we will take
prompt action TO protect the cotton
Industry on this side"