The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-18

gauze,. with good effect. In parts Of the
cities where the movement Of the sewer
is slow. it is well to watch these open
ings, and pour in ar occasional cup of
kerosene. The Centre Island experiment.
by the way. has made it possible this
summer for residents TO sit on their front
porches. which is a distinct Improvement
over past conditions This. in turn, has
attracted the attention Of people in the
surrounding towns. so that the North
Shore Improvement Association. compris-
ing some Of the welI-to-ao inhabitants
Of that part Of Long Island. including
Oyster Bay. and Cold Spring. has raised
a sum Of money, and is employing ex-
perts to undertake a similar work over
a stretch Of country comprising twenty
FIVE square miles.
The suggestion that mosquito warfare
offers opportunities for young men desir-
ing an occupation It requires some
training and experience to survey a coun-
try miHutely, as well as some knowledge
Of engineering TO devise the best plan
for meeting all the conditions presented,
particularly in draining and dyking.
Mosquito engineering" will probably be
the title OF a new profession. Its expon-
ents wiz have TO bear in mind the value
Of soils for agricultural and other pur-
poses. so as TO combine in their plans
for the reclamation Of swamp lands and
all the economic advantages that may
accrue. 1t might not pay to reclaim
great marsh tracts for the mosquito alone
expensive as quinine and medical at
tendance have become; but. If, at
the same tine that the mos
quito and malaria are undergoing
extinction, good land can be brought into
use for agriculture-and reclaimed
swamps have the richest soil in the
world-the combination might pay. New
Jersey is already taking the matter up.
and probably the most important legisla-
ton to be considered at Trenton this
winter win be that relating to the amend
ment of the drainage laws Of the state.
number and abundance of its railroads,
extending from q narrow region along
the coast, whic affords mosquito breed
ing ground, into every upland part Of
the stae. The mosquito itself is not a
great traveller, ordinarily plying its trade
within a quarter Of mile of the place
Of its birth In a strong wind it viii
cling TO the first object 10 which it can
attach Itself, but in a light, gentle
breeze It may e waited for q long dis
lance. According to credible records, it
has been as far as eighteen miles. and
this is believed to be about the limit.
On railroad train, however. it can go
as far as it is carried. and if two or
three insects aight at & station, the tone
of the community a few weeks later may
be imagined. II is the railroads which
have made New Jersey so famous as a
mosquito state. South Carolina. with an
equal mileage, would be immeasurabiy
wors of.
The question may arise whether any
general determination Of the mosquito IS
possible. It would doubtless be very eX-
pensive and long in coming. but that
tremendous Improvement may be brought
about during the next ten years is entire
" probable. Every town that moves in
the matter helps all the other places
with which it has railroad connections.
winchester. for example. has greatly re-
duced the number of its mosquitoes but
the war will have to be kept up so long
as long as trains go there from Baltimore
until at least the Monument city takes
equally effective measures. Just now
there is considerable prospect that Bal
timore will move in the matter, and then
each city viii strengthen the other. 50
it will be with every station along the
line.
Lack Of space prevents anything like
a recital of all the places where effective
work has been done against the pest.
They viii doubtless be grouped and pre-
scented with the results of new expert
ment in the next report of TIN bureau Of
entomology. one of the most iNerest'lg
of current experiments is that in Charles
ton. where mid-winter exposition is
now in preparation. The city is going to
take this occasion to see what it can
do to drive out the mosqpito and perhaps
by the time its visitors arrive they will
find that the old-fashioned meetings have
become obsolete. After the mosquito is
gone and forgotten. if that good time
ever comes. the house fly will have to
make the fight Of his life TO survive