434 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



in relation to any districts in Texas infested with the pink bollworm. 

 This act, which calls for Federal cooperation, became effective 90 days 

 after the adjournment of the State legislature. Under it the follow- 

 ing action has been taken by proclamation of the Governor of Texas : 



(1) A pink bollworm quarantine was instituted January 21, 1918, 

 placing under quarantine as to the cotton crop the two infested areas 

 in Texas and providing for the clean-up of the infested fields and the 

 disposition of the crop in such a manner as to afford adequate pro- 

 tection to the cotton industry of Texas. These quarantined zones 

 are (No. 1) an area 6 miles in diameter surrounding the oil mill at 

 Hearne, Tex., and (No. 2) the Trinity Bay and Beaumont districts, 

 including the counties of Chambers, Jefferson, Galveston (except the 

 island of Galveston), and portions of Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris, 

 Liberty, and Hardin counties. To this district was afterward added 

 a small section, including Areola as a center, extending to the Brazos 

 River, by a proclamation of February 25, 1918. This extension was 

 based on the finding of a single specimen in a field near Areola, 

 Inasmuch as this is merely a completion of quarantine district No. 2, 

 the whole Trinity Bay region is referred to in this report as district 

 No. 2. 



(2) A border noncotton zone to include the counties of Kinney, 

 Maverick, and Valverde was established February 18, 1918. This 

 action was based on the determination of infestation of cotton lands 

 in Mexico nearly opposite Eagle Pass, within 25 miles of the Texas 

 border. The growth or transportation of cotton or any cotton prod- 

 uct from said counties is forbidden for three years. 



(3) A proclamation of noncotton zones was issued February 25, 

 1918, prohibiting after that date the growth of cotton in the districts 

 above described for a term of three years, or so long as the pink 

 bollworm menace to the cotton industry of Texas should exist. 



This action has entailed a certain amount of loss and hardship to 

 many planters within the quarantined and proclaimed cotton-free 

 areas, in that it has eliminated what has been the principal money- 

 producing crop. Fortunately in the principal district involved, the 

 Trinity Bay region, cotton has not hitherto been the principal crop 

 of the district, although one of large importance, especially in favor- 

 able years. 



Some opposition developed to the quarantine and to the establish- 

 ment of noncotton areas, but it is gratifying to report that the 

 majority of the planters realized the need and the national aspect of 

 the emergency and gave their full and hearty cooperation to the law\ 

 Complete cooperation was had in noncotton zone No. 1, involving 

 the Hearne district, and in the border zone. 



A very small percentage of the planters included in the quarantined 

 district about Trinity Bay and Beaumont (noncotton zone No. 2), 

 misled by a few interested parties, were induced to plant cotton in 

 violation of the quarantine. About one-half of the cotton thus 

 planted was, however, afterwards plowed out. Fully 95 per cent 

 of the planters in this zone complied with the proclamation of the 

 governor prohibiting the growth of cotton and cooperated fully in 

 the subsequent clean-up operations with respect to volunteer cotton 

 maintained in this district during the summer of 1918, 



The extent of this cooperation is indicated by the fact that prob- 

 ably 50,000 acres of cotton would normally have been planted in 



