﻿THE PINK BOLLWORM 



15 



On the basis of the foregoing data the loss for the crop of 1919 

 was calculated at 20.89 per cent. In 1920 a similar estimate showed 

 a total loss of approximately 38 per cent of the crop. 



In 1921 the quantity of nonpickable cotton was calculated at 12.8 

 per cent, and in 1922 at 7.97 per cent. The losses through shedding 

 and other causes were not estimated for these years. On account 

 of the high price of cotton in both years, the fields were undoubtedly 

 picked cleaner than usual. It is therefore probable that the actual 

 losses were not materially lower than in other seasons. 



In 1923 the loss was calculated at 16 per cent. Because of peculiar 

 conditions, including a lack of rains during the growing season, 

 it was evident that the damage was less than normal. 



A study of the damage in the Laguna by expert statisticians was 

 conducted by H. H. Schutz and E. S. Haskell, of the Bureau of 

 Agricultural Economics. The following is quoted from their re- 

 port : 



Estimated losses to cotton crops caused by cotton pink bollworm, Laguna dis- 

 trict, Mexico, 1915-1921 



Year 



Number 



of 

 records 

 or esti- 

 mates 



Average 

 loss 



Range of 

 losses 



Year 



• 



Number 



of 

 records 

 or esti- 

 mates 



Average 

 loss 



Range of 

 losses 



1915 



6 

 6 

 9 

 20 



Per cent 

 25.0 

 25.0 

 22.1 

 20.2 



Per cent 

 5 to 50 

 5 to 40 

 5 to 60 

 to 40 



1919. 

 1920. 

 1921. 





27 

 36 

 39 



Per cent 

 19.0 

 30.4 

 22.4 



Per cent 

 2 to 50 



1916 





4 to 70 



1917 





3 to 70 



1918 



Average 







23.4 













It was stated by the Laguna planters that formerly practically all cotton 

 made before the first killing frost in the fall was No. 1 (good, middling, or 

 better), and that picked later was No. 2 or No. 3, with but a small difference 

 in the prices of the first two grades ; however, the difference in price now 

 runs at times as high as 11 cents per pound, depending upon the percentage 

 of pink bollworm infestation. 



On account of the number of breaks and losa of time in retying the ends, 

 some of the spinners dislike to use late-picked Laguna cotton. Mauro de la 

 Pena, manager of the Fabric La Fe Torreon, made tests with normal lint, 

 and lint injured by the pink bollworm. Using a standard English dynamometer, 

 the lint having Ijeen spun into 120-yar(ls lengths of No. 18 thread, the normal 

 cotton sliowed a resi-stance of 92 pounds, whereas the damaged, in three tests, 

 offered resistance of G8, 75 and 72 pounds. 



It is thought that from September, 1918, to August, 1919, the seed produced 

 in the Laguna suffered no apprecialjle loss in weight, but in the following 

 sea.son 15 to 50 per cent of the seed was practically barren ; this was particu- 

 latly true of all but the early seed. The quantity and quality of oil produced 

 is naturally proportional to the quantity and (piality of seed produced. The 

 percj'ntage of undeveloped and worm-eaten seed in the late pic-king causes a 

 reduction in the quality as well as tlie quantity of oil. The resulting oil is 

 darker, and mon^ residue remains in the process of refhiing; the cake is dark 

 and carries an odor offensive enougli to affect the animals to wiiidi it is fed. 



One oil-mill operator estimates thiit the jierrentage of oil normally averages 

 17. that of cake 44, and tliat of hulls :'.5 ; and thnt the loss in oil from seed of 

 the 1919-20 sciisori was 0.5 point, and that for the following season 1 point. 

 Another oil mill re[)ortH thfit tlie percentage of oil was formerly K), but that 

 nf)W, becaiise of injury caused by the pink bollworm, it is but I'V'/j. He 

 also states that even the first or esirly jdcking yields but 15 i)er cent of oil, iind 

 that this Is ar)j>reeiably infested ; fiirllicr, thiit 25 to :'.() per cent of the sc-ed jtro- 

 dueed late in the seiison Is ;ilriiost uoilliless, and yields only 10 to 11 per cent 



