506 rnocEEDiNGS of the third entomological meeting 



The new law runs much on the same lines as the previous ones, but 

 introduced several new points. 



The last dates on which cotton, okrne, and H. cannabinus had to 

 be pulled up, or have their roots cut in such a way that they could not 

 grow again, were not altered. No exceptions could be granted for 

 ratoon cotton. 



Every year, immediately after the harvest, and in every case before 

 the dates fixed annually for each district or zone by the Ministry of 

 Agriculture after consultation with the Provincial Councils, all the 

 bolls remaining on the cotton plants or lying on the ground must be 

 collected and destroyed by one of the means prescribed by the Ministry 

 of Agriculture. The removal and destruction of the bolls must be 

 accomphshed before pulhng up the sticks. Independently of the trivial 

 punishments which it was possible to inflict on account of the Capitula- 

 tions, the local authorities or the agents authorized by the Ministry 

 of Agriculture were empowered, in the case of plants left standing beyond 

 the final date, to have the plants pulled up by the owner under 

 their supervision, or, if necessary, to have the work done by labour 

 supplied by themselves. 



Secondly, in case the bolls had not been removed by the date fixed, 

 to supervise the removal and destruction by the owner of all bolls left 

 on the trees, or, if necessary, to have the work done by labour supplied 

 by themselves. 



Thirdly, to seize and destroy bolls which had been collected, but 

 which the cultivator had not destroyed. 



Fourthly, to seize and destroy cotton-plants which had been pulled 

 up before being cleaned. 



The cost of all these operations would be charged to the owner of 

 the plants, and could be recovered administratively. 



The transport of uncleaned or insufficiently cleaned sticks was 

 prohibited ; such sticks if found could be seized and destroyed by the 

 local authorities or by authorized agents of the Ministry of Agriculture. 



It will be seen that this law gives sufficient power to the adminis- 

 tration to ensure the proper cleaning up to the cotton-fields after the 

 harvest, and, taken in conjunction with the law enforcing the treatment 

 of seed in the ginneries and screening of seed-stores, theoretically gets 

 at all the possible lurking places of the Pink Bollworm. 



Some criticism of the law may however be permitted. The clause 

 compelling pulling of bolls previous to uprooting the cotton-sticks was 

 not asked for for entomological but administrative reasons. As already 

 stated, the penalties were inadequate, the maximum one being one pound 

 or one week's imprisonment, or both. In almost every case it would 



