438 ANNUAL REPORTS OP DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



railway cars and other vehicles, and freight, express, baggage, or other mate- 

 rials from Mexico, and the inspection, cleaning, and disinfection thereof, $50,000. 



(2) To make surveys to determine the actual distribution of the pink boll- 

 worm in Mexico and to exterminate local infestations in Mexico near the 

 border of the United States, in cooperation with the Mexican Government or 

 local Mexican authorities, $25,000. 



(3) To investigate in Mexico or elsewhere the pink bollworm as a basis for 

 control measures, $25,000. 



(4) To conduct surveys and inspections in Texas or in any other State to 

 detect any infestation and to conduct such control measures, including the 

 establishment of cotton-free areas, in cooperation with the State of Texas or 

 other States concerned, as may be necessary to stamp out such infestation, to 

 establish in cooperation with the States concerned a zone or zones free from 

 cotton culture on or near the border of any State or States adjacent to 

 Mexico, and to cooperate with the Mexican Government or local Mexican 

 authorities, or otherwise, by undertaking in Mexico such measures for the 

 extermination of the pink bollworm of cotton as shall be determined to be 

 practicable from surveys showing its distribution, $400,000. 



The bulk of the appropriation falls under the fourth item and is 

 essentially an insurance fund to cover such clean-up work in relation 

 to the crop of 1918 as was conducted in the infested cotton areas 

 of Texas with relation to the crop of 1917. It also includes the Fed- 

 eral cooperation with respect to quarantined areas and border cotton- 

 free zones in Texas and other States adjacent to Mexico, and similar 

 cooperative work with Mexico. 



COTTON IMPORTATIONS. 



The restrictions placed on the entry of foreign raw cotton are to 

 prevent the entry of the pink bollworm and other dangerous cotton 

 insect pests with the seed that is contained in greater or less amount 

 in all such cotton. 



The rules and regulations governing the importation of cotton 

 into the United States were revised, effective August 1, 1917, the 

 revision incorporating the amendments that had been promulgated 

 since the issuance of the regulations as revised January 25, 1916, 

 and several other changes. For the convenience of permittees and 

 licensees a compilation and revision was also made of the numerous 

 circular letters of instruction and explanation issued by the board 

 since the promulgation of the original cotton regulations. This com- 

 pilation was issued in pamphlet form in April, 1918. 



The revised regulations leave it optional with the board whether 

 the screening of mills in which disinfected foreign cotton is 

 used, or of warehouses in which such cotton is stored, shall be re- 

 quired. The method of disinfection now in force at northern ports 

 is believed to be normally thoroughly effective. The board has, 

 therefore, removed the screening requirements for all northern mills 

 and warehouses. In the case of cotton mills located in or near the 

 cotton belt, the screening of all storage houses and other places in 

 which foreign cotton is kept, and of rooms in which it is handled and 

 cleaned prior to the carding process, will be continued, as an addi- 

 tional safeguard. 



Early in the calendar year 1918 two vacuum fumigation plants 

 were established at Seattle, Wash. Cotton and such cotton waste 

 and burlap as require disinfection may, therefore, now be en- 

 tered at the ports of Boston, New York, Newark, San Francisco, 

 and Seattle, at all of which ports facilities are available for the 



