22 
COTTON-FREE ZONES 
In 1917 the legislature of Texas passed an act intended to give 
authority to prevent the establishment of the pink bolhvorm in the 
State. By this act authority was granted to quarantine the dis- 
tricts in which the insect might be found, and to establish zones in 
which the planting of cotton might be prohibited. Under this 
authority, on January 21, 1918, the Governor of Texas quarantined 
the Hearne district as well as the territory found infested in south- 
eastern Texas. In the case of Hearne the quarantined area included 
a territory within a radius of 3 miles from the mill. In the case 
of southeastern Texas the quarantined area included a safety zone, 
approximately 10 miles in width, : covering the outermost points 
infested. 
On February 25, 1918, following the recommendation of the com- 
missioner of agriculture, the Governor of Texas issued a proclama- 
tion prohibiting the planting of cotton in the quarantined areas. 
The finding of infestation by the pink bolhvorm in Mexico not 
far from Del Rio in the spring of 1918 made it necessary to place 
in operation another section of the Texas pink bolhvorm act. As a 
consequence a third noncotton zone was provided to include McKin- 
ney, Maverick, and Valverde Counties. 
SPECIAL REGULATIONS AT MEXICAN BORDER 
The risk of direct entry of the pink bollworm from Mexico by 
flight or by accidental carriage necessitated the provision in the 
regulations governing the entry from Mexico of cottonseed cake, 
meal, or other cottonseed products, including oil, that permits for 
such entry should be issued only for the products named coming 
from mills located in the Laguna district of Mexico. The object of 
this proviso with relation to Mexico is to deter the erection of mills 
near the border of the United States, with the consequent risk of 
escape of insects from seed brought for crushing to such mills near 
the border. 
ORGANIZATION OF THE PREVENTIVE WORK OF THE DEPART- 
MENT OF AGRICULTURE 
In general, the basis of the work in Texas and other States has 
been scouting to determine the location and extent of infestations. 
When this has been done noncotton zones are provided, with sur- 
rounding zones in which all cotton products are safeguarded as to 
distribution and use. Two years has been found a sufficient time for 
maintaining the noncotton zones, but the regulated zones are con- 
tinued longer. As soon as infestation is found the fields are thor- 
oughly cleaned by removing and burning all bolls, burs, and other 
material which might harbor the insect. This work extends far be- 
yond the fields actually found infested and is carried on each year 
in the regulated zone surrounding any noncotton zone. Of course 
all noncotton zones are carefully scouted and all volunteer cotton 
destroyed. 
It is probable that this clean-up work has been the most important 
factor in what seems now to have been a successful effort at eradi- 
cation in large areas. No attempt has been made to reach such 
