344 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. IX, No. 10 
oil obtained from the seeds (io, 12, 37 )} The minimum yearly loss 
from this insect in Egypt is estimated at 10 per cent of the value of the 
crop, but normally much more damage is done by it. Maxwell-Eefroy 
states (20) that the minimum loss in India is more than $10,000,000 annu¬ 
ally. In the Hawaiian Islands the cultivation of cotton has practically 
been abandoned on account of this pest, which during 1915 infested from 
50 to 99 per cent of the bolls in the few fields yet remaining and destroyed 
from one-half to nine-tenths of the lint. 
Similar damage would undoubtedly result if the insect by any accident 
should be established in the cotton areas of the United States, and it would 
be difficult to overestimate the importance of guarding against such 
introduction (32). The pest might easily prove even more serious than 
the cotton boll weevil, and it would certainly effect enormous annual 
losses. 
Very fortunately this insect has not yet become established in the 
United States. The regulations of the Federal Horticultural Board in 
requiring the fumigation of all foreign cotton have reduced to a minimum 
the danger of its introduction from abroad. Similar precautionary meas¬ 
ures unfortunately have not been taken in time by the neighboring Re¬ 
public of Mexico, nor in South America, and it has been discovered re¬ 
cently that the pink bollworm has been introduced accidentally into both 
Mexico and Brazil within the last few years through cottonseed impor¬ 
tations from Egypt and has become established in important cotton 
regions of these countries. 
Up to 1912 the Brazilian cotton crop was free from any serious insect 
depredators. During the next two years large importations of Egyptian 
cottonseed were made for the purpose of improving the grades of cotton 
and this seed was distributed free to cotton producers without previous 
fumigation, with the result that the pink bollworms present in the 
Egyptian seed were thoroughly scattered over and established in all the 
cotton regions in Brazil during 1915. During the following year the pest 
caused a loss of 50 per cent of the cotton crop in some localities. This 
accidental introduction of the pink bollworm can never be remedied and 
will effect a perpetual diminution of the resources of Brazil. By the 
application of the present scientific knowledge of the insect and of the 
crop, cultural methods can probably be evolved and effective parasites 
possibly may be introduced which together will make cotton remain a 
profitable crop in Brazil, but the pink bollworm will continue to 
cause a very material reduction in the profits in spite of any measure 
which may be taken against it. This calamity could have been prevented 
by a properly enforced regulation, such as we have in the United States, 
covering the importation of cottonseed and requiring the fumigation of 
all imported seed. 
1 Reference is made by number to “Literature cited,” p. 366-370. 
