though to date natural barriers, such as the Grand Canyon and intervening deserts, have aided in preventing this pest from entering Arizona, it is increasingly apparent that much more rigid inspection must be put into effect in the near future if־ the alfalfa crop of this State is to be adequately safeguarded.
Arizona cotton.is threatened by the cotton boll weevil, which has spread from one end of the South to the other, and the still more dangerous pink boll worm, now reaching up from Mexico into Texas and Louisiana. The damage done by these two cotton pests in America, Egypt and India is beyond computation, and should they become established in Arizona they might easily wipe out the industry in a very short time. In addition to these two cotton pests, Arizona cotton is also menaced by a boll weevil which infests the Thurberia plant, or “wild cotton.” Reference to this pest will be made later.	־
Other crops in Arizona are endangered in no less degree than those mentioned. Maricopa County alone has upwards of 2,400 acres in citrus fruits. The valleys of the Gila and Colorado, as well as other localities in Arizona, are adapted to raising oranges; grape fruit and lemons. At present Arizona is practically free from citrus pests. The citrus canker in Florida up to May, 1920, caused the destruction of approximately a quarter of a million grown trees and nearly three million nursery trees. Also the white fly in Florida, the red and other citrus infesting scales in California cost the growers of those States thousands of dollars per year for fumigation and spraying alone.
All incoming deciduous fruit nursery stock has to be carefully inspected for crown gall, peach borer and scales, in order to insure healthy trees for the Arizona horticulturist.
As an illustration of the danger that might come from the lack of an adequately maintained inspection service, the potato situation in Coconino County might be cited. Here, because of an insufficient inspection force in former years Colorado potato beetle found its way into the fields, as well as such diseases as early and late blight, potato scab and rhizoctonia. The resulting damage to crops has been most serious, the loss running into many thousands of dollars a year.
. Within the last few years the European corn borer, which attacks garden ,truck, as well as the different varieties of maizes, was brought into the eastern States'on broom corn from Europe, and rapidly spread westward as far as Ohio, and is still spreading. This is one of the most damaging infestations of its kind ever brought into the country, and is but an example of the many kinds of pests which this Department is constantly endeavoring to keep out of the State.	.
The white pine blister rust, which is destroying valuable varieties of conifers in many of the eastern States, is still, fortunately, a stranger to׳ Arizona, and is being carefully quarantined against.
These pests are but a few of the many which, if introduced into the State, would cause millions of dollars of damage.
In general, it may be said that Arizona is the freest of all States from plant diseases and damaging insects, but it can only be kept in this condition by constant vigilance on the part of trained and skilled officials.
As can easily be seen, the results of infestation of damaging crop pests are far too grave for the matter to be entrusted to incompetent and unscientific hands. While a certain amount of inspection can still be done by men without scientific training, this Department realizes that their work must be supervised by an increased number of trained men in charge of specially designated districts, working on a yearly salary. By following this plan the
November 15, 1920.
Hon.'Thos. E. Campbell, Governor,
Executive Offices	-
Phoenix, Arizona.
My Dear Sir:
I	am herewith transmitting to you budget for the Arizona Commission of Agriculture and Horticulture for the biennium beginning July 1st, 1921. You will notice that the Commission is asking for considerably more than twice the amount appropriated by the last Legislature. Its present necessities arise from the following conditions:
1	The largely increased area in the State which has been planted to cotton, especially this past year.
2	The steadily increased area of agricultural lands brought into cultivation at many divergent points throughout the State. ;
3	It has been found necessary to change the policy of the Commission in carrying out inspection work, thereby greatly improving the same.
4	Owing to the ever present danger—which in some respects has greatly increased—of a sudden infestation within the State of crop-damaging insects such as the cotton boll weevil or pink boll worm, alfalfa weevil, or of plant diseases such as the citrus canker, an emergency fund should be available, appropriated each biennium by the Legislature, of not less than $50,000, to be invoked to combat such danger, but used only in case such an emergency should arise.
Referring to the present area in cotton, the Commission realizes that it is not at all unlikely that next year’s planting may be considerably less than this year’s. However, it is altogether likely that the fields planted will be scattered through an area in the cotton growing sections of the State as large or larger than that of any previous year.
As you also know; in many widely separated districts of the State numerous pew small agricultural activities are developing, which are destined t£ become important. For the most part these sections are now clean from plant diseases and insect infestation of a dangerous kind. These districts can only be kept clean by a carefully maintained quarantine, which calls for an increasing number of inspectors.
In the past, hampered by lack of funds, much of the inspection work of the State has, of necessity, been done by men for the most part of no scientific training—farmers, tradesmen, and the like—who have received in compensation from fifty to seventy-five cents per hour while working. The results have been generally unsatisfactory.
The two principal industries of Arizona at present are alfalfa and cotton. The cotton crop of Arizona for 1919 was valued by L. M. Harrison, Federal Field Agent for Arizona, at $26,832,000.00, the alfalfa crop at $13,520,000.00, with other crops to bring the total agricultural products of the State up to $61,758,000.00.
The acreage in cotton for 1919 was approximately 87,000 acres; this year about 230,000 acres were planted to cotton. While it is difficult to make a close estimate of the value of this crop at the present time, careful growers have placed the figure at about $50,000,000.00.
This great revenue to Arizona farmers is constantly being put in jeopardy by the possibility of an infestation of crop pests. Alfalfa is menaced by the alfalfa weevil, which has devastated the fields of Utah and Idaho, which has inflicted a loss to Utah alone of about three million dollars annually. Al-