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THE PINK BOLLWORM SITUATION. 
No new outbreak of the pink bollworm has been determined in Texas but the 
nity Bay region has developed infestation pretty well surrounding the bay, in- 
lolving altogether an area of between 6,000 and 7,000 acres of infested cotton 
and. Between 3,000 and 4,000 acres of this infested land have already been 
dJeaned up. The control also extends to provision for the supervision and prompt 
alling of all seed from the infested fields and the shipment to Galveston for 
pxport of all lint cotton. The technical force under Doctor Hunter comprises 
jome 40 experts engaged in the inspection and field surveys and the direction of 
the field clean-up labor force. This last varies from several hundreds to up- 
fards of a thousand men. The clean-up of the infested territory will be fairly 
ell completed by the end of January. The State of Texas already has established 
B regulatory quarantine covering the area and it is expected that the official 
Herder declaring a cotton-free zone will be shortly promulgated. it is proposed 
to have this zone extended at least 10 miles beyond the outlying points of 
infestation. The quarantine and free-zone features are State matters and are 
Deing strongly supported by the State authorities. The State Extension Service 
ids also assisting with a force of men doing educational work with respect to 
the planting of such substitute crops as peanuts, soy beans, sugar cane, etc. 
A meeting of the entomologists of the southern States was held at Houston 
January 18-19, and passed resolutions approving and commending the prompt and 
efficient action taken by the Federal and State authorities for the suppression 
of the pink bollworm in Texas and for preventing its further distribution not 
Only within the State of Texas but also in other cotton-growing States. 
A supplemental estimate of an appropriation of $500,000 to cover the 
pink bollworm work for the fiscal year 1919 has been added to the agricultural 
appropriation bill as reported to the House from the Committee on Agriculture. 
This is a reduction from the estimate of $800,000 submitted by the Department 
f Agriculture. Under this appropriation the following items of work are pro- 
ded for: Border control work, $50,000; Survey in Mexico, $25,000; Research 
Station in the Laguna, $25,000; Survey an clean-up work in Texas, including the 
establishment of cotton-free zones, clean-up of infestations in Mexico, etc., 

Doctor Hunter was in Washington for a week about the middle of the month, 
Messrs. Busck and Loftin are probably now in the Laguna to take up active work 
in connection with the research station. They were accompanied by Mr. H. C. 
Thompson of the Bureau of Plant Industry who is an expert on the culture of pea- 
tuts and who will give advice to the Laguna planters as to this substitute crop. 
ir. K. B. McKinney will join the station force about the middle of February. 
ir. C. H. T. Townsend, who has been inspecting the Matamoras district opposite 
Brownsville for pink bollworm and also made a trip of inspection between Browns- 
ville and Tampico and the vicinity of Tampico, has returned to Washington to re- 
Bume his work on diptera. Very little cotton was found between the Matamoras 
district and Tampico and no commercial cotton about Tampico. No pink bollworm 
has been found throughout this coastal strip between Matamoras and Tampico. 
Two new subjects for possible quarantine action have developed during the 
month. One is a new corn stork-borer, Pyrausta nubilalis Hbn., found by 
the Massachusetts Experiment Station to have been introduced into New England 
rom Europe, apparently in connection with importations of hemp brought to the 

