MENACE TO COTTON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18388, 2 May 1923, Page 9

MENACE TO COTTON.

BOLL '.'• WORM IN AUSTRALIA.

REASSURING REPORT.

[FROM .we OWN. . correspondent. ]; '. : .' >■'; ;;:-V-; ' : SYDNEY, April 19.

Much anxiety has existed : among those engaged in; the.: young .and promising in-' dustry of cotton growing in '; different parts of Australia since it became: known that the ' boll worm—'f' notorious pesthad made its appearance in a certain district in Western Australia. ; At first -it was confused with the dreaded boll weevil, which has gone far:\ toward absolutely ruining the industry in America, but happily it is nothing ; like as bad Jas that, and even such as it is experts hope ' that it can be absolutely (Stamped out ' owing to the region whero it-has appeared - being completely isolated by more than 100 miles of scrub from the next cotton growing district in the/west; Queensland is the State most concerned, as the cotton growing industry Vis already a well ' established there, and if it; can be kept" free from pests, is v likely to h become one. of the world's great producers of this commodity. " ■■/■''.;''■;"'■'. Y ? . /': : .'^''v - ' Immediately the appearance of the boll worm was reported the cotton expert appointed by the Government of that State (Mr. Evans) was deputed to make a: thorough investigation of the position, ami his report has now been received. Mr. Evans said that the boll worm referred to was the pink boll worm (gelechia Gossypiolla), and was distinct from other insects native to Australia which attack cotton bolls. It must not be confused with the boll weevil, he added. ■■■That weevil is an entirely different insect, which has caused such'"an enormous amount of damage in America. The boll weevil, so far as is known, is absolutely confined to the cotton States of the United States of America and Mexico. The pink boll worm, on the other hand, is a native of India, and has been known and studied there for many years past- Cotton iB grown in India on about 20,000,000 acres annually, and under conditions 1 which naturally in so large a country vary greatly in climatic and other factors. In tome tracts and in 'certain seasons this pe«t docs a .great deal of damage. The pink boll worm was introduced into Egypt in some bales of cotton, and imported from India into the Alexandria spinning mills somewhere .-about 1310. [:%■ the enforcement of stringent legislation a considerable; measure of mitee:* , was achieved in checking it* depredation*, but the greatest care has to be taken to keep it under control. This boll worm spread to almost all the cotton growing conntrif-, in the world, the respective Government* from time to time having imported Egyptian seed for experimental purpose*. The larvae in the renting stage lies dormant in the seed, arid the seed 'to infected is exceedingly difficult, to delect without the most careful examination. It was introduced into West em Australia through the planting of a few plots of Egyptian seed near Broome. .;;>;• Stricter measure* are to be taken regarding the importation of wed in the future, and it is hoped that this «nall outbreak will be of more use than harm by serving as a warning to all concerned.