12 AWTAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 1953 
Pink holhcorm causes henry commercial damage to cotton in south- 
ern Texas 
The heavy carryover of pink bollworms from the L951 crop resulted 
in ilic heaviest infestation on record in northern Mexico and southern 
Texas in the L952 crop. Surveys made immediately after the 1952 
crop was harvested indicated thai the average reduction in yield due 
to the pink bollworm in 38 counties in .-out hern Texas was L2 percent. 
The damage ranged from extremely light in some of the northern 
counties to as high as 20 percent in Cameron, the southernmost county 
in Texas. More than 90 percent of the crop was destroyed in some 
of the heavily infested fields. The estimated crop loss from the 
pink bollworm in southern Texas, including reduction in yield, dam- 
aged to fiber and seed, and cost of insecticide- for control was 
million. This was the first year that serious commercial damage by 
this insect has occurred over a considerable area in the United State-. 
Inspections disclose many newly infested areas 
All cotton-srrowin^ counties of any consequence in Texas are now 
infested with the pink bollworm. The infestat ion is especially serious 
in 45 counties. Inspection- for pink bollworm in the l ( .*~d cotton crop 
resulted in the finding of infestation in 41 heretofore uninfested coun- 
ties in Texas, 37 of which were east of the former regulated area and 
4 in the extreme northwestern pail of the State. New infestations 
were also found in a parish in northwestern Louisiana, in six counties 
in Oklahoma, and one in southern Arizona. In newly infested areas 
of east Texas, Louisana. and Arizona, intensive held inspections were 
made in an effort to locate all infested fields which might serve to 
carry over the infestation into the 1053 crop. With such fields as 
focal point-, farmers were urged to carry out recommended cleanup 
measures aimed at eradical ion. 
Infestations were also found in the reirulated counties in New Mexico 
and Oklahoma. More specimens were taken in the regulated counties 
of southeastern Arizona than for several years past Only three pink 
bollworm- were found in the regulated area of Louisiana. In border 
area- of Mexico, infestation was comparable to that in Texas. In- 
festation was slightly heavier than last year in the Laguna area, but 
wa- very Light in Delicias. 
Inspect ion of debris from the 1952 crop in the spring of 1953 showed 
kin-- decrease in the number of living pink bollworms in the. 
Lower K;.» Grande Valley and part- of the Corpus Christ] section. 
This was the direct result of fewer worm- going into hibernation 
result <»f strict compliance with control practices recommended 
by the State ami Federal control organizations. 
Stall; destruction deadline met iti /'AT:? 
Although <\\y weather in the spring of L952 delayed planting of 
the cotton crop, the -talk de-trnct ion program was the most successful 
in many years, particularly in the Lower Bio Grande Valley. The 
deadline dates set by the State authorities of Texas ami Louisiana 
were rigidly enforced. Several hundred cases were prosecuted for 
violation of the State law ami minimum line- imposed. Only one 
ah- flagrant This individual was lined $1,850 ami was required 
i,, spend one day in jail, in addition to incurring heavy expenses for 
special treatment and handling of the cotton illegally harvested. 
