420 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The exception of the Mexican portion of the Imperial Valley is 

 Avarranted, in the belief of the experts of the department, by the fact 

 that no foreign seed has been brought to this valley and that cotton 

 culture in this valley in Mexico is continuous with that on the Ameri- 

 can side of the line. This district is furthermore separated by the 

 Gulf of Lower California and hundreds of miles of arid plains and 

 mountains from the infested region of northeastern Mexico, and is 

 further protected by strict quarantine and inspection measures en- 

 forced by the Government of Mexico in cooperation with the inspec- 

 tion service of this department. Entry of the products from the 

 Mexican portion of this valley is further restricted and protected by 

 regulations. 



The original quarantine of July 1, 1913, on account of the pink 

 bollworm, prohibiting the importation of cotton seed and hulls from 

 all foreign countries except from the Imperial Valley of Lower 

 California, was, in 1913-14, lifted as to certain other northern 

 Mexican States, permitting seed and hulls from these States to 

 enter the LTnited States under permit and regulation for milling 

 purposes only. This action was based on the fact that the prin- 

 cipal Mexican cotton-growing districts had been repeatedly inspected 

 by experts of this department, and no infesting insects had been 

 found in Mexico not already widespread in the United States, and 

 was taken at the earnest solicitation of certain cotton mills in Texas 

 which had hitherto been the principal purchasers of such Mexican 

 seed and would be seriously affected by the cutting off of this source 

 of supply. This department at that time had no knowledge of any 

 importation of Egyptian or other foreign seed into Mexico. 



Following the establishment of a strict quarantine against such 

 products from Mexico on November 4, accurate information was 

 obtained of the disposition of the cotton seed which had come across 

 the border under permit during the season 1916. Prior to that 

 year practically no Mexican cotton seed had been shipped to the 

 United States from Mexico and it was only the disturbed condi- 

 tions in Mexico and the high prices in the United States which 

 caused the large movement of Mexican seed from the Lagima to the 

 United States in 1916. A total of 436 cars of Mexican seed had 

 entered the United States during this year prior to November 4. 

 This seed went to mills at the following points : Dallas, San Antonio^ 

 Hearne. Houston, Beaumont, New Braunfels, Alice, Pearsall, Kauf- 

 man, Grand View, and Wolfe City. 



CONTROL WORK IN TEXAS. 



The Federal Horticultural Board, in cooperation with the State 

 authorities of Texas, began an immediate campaign to expedite the 

 milling of this seed and the destruction of any scattered seed about 

 the premises. This work was carried out with great thorough- 

 ness under the direction of experts of the board, Bureau of Ento- 

 mology, and the Office of Markets and Eural Organization of this 

 department and with the heartiest cooperation on the part of the 

 mills concerned and of the Cottonseed Crushers' Association of Texas. 



To meet the situation described in Texas and Mexico, an estimate 

 for an emergency appropriation of $50,000 was submitted to Con- 

 gress. This appropriation did not, however, become available until 

 March 4, 1917. In the meantime tlie control work referred to was 



