New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-26
GETTING RID or MOSQUITOES

The recent appearance of Bulletin No ]" of
the National Mosquito determination Society
brings into fresh prominence a movement of
great public Importance. The chief activity of
the members and the benefits resulting there
from are necessarily limited To comparatfyely
small communities, but the evil against which
they and their allies are cOntendng prevails
TO greater or less extent all over the country
Hence, there is conspicuous propriety in form
ing an organization for the purpose of discuss
ing methods, reporting progress and considering
those difficulties for which effort in new direc-
tons is requisite.
1t is hardly possible to overrate the Signij-
canoe of the fact, established beyond doubt with
IN the last two or three years, that mosquitoes
breed only in stagnant water, and not in dry
grass or shrubbery. This fundamental truth
simplifieS the mode of warfare The placps
in which the eggs Of the insects are laid must
he abolished either by draining or filling or
else be treated with petroleum or some other
substance which is fatal to the larvae. Bv a
strict observance Of these precautions the an
nual crop be reduced to an almost inner
ceptible minimum. Invasion from other Iocal-
ties will occasionally occur, but the trouble will
be both tritling and temporary if the Matching
OF eggs in given community be made thor
oughy impractcable.
Some Of the work can be done without the
expenditure of any money. The filling of small
roadside pools and the removal of discarded
tomato cans and broken crOckery demand little
except concert of action and enthusiasm among
the residents. and yet these measures are often
attended with noticeable consequences Where
the drainage of swamps is essential there must
be pecuniary outlay, for which voluntary sub
scriptiOns or local taxes must provide Thus
far the cost has usually been met in the former
manner, but those who have borne the exnense
have been rewarded by gratifying success. In
South Orange, for instance, between 81 600 and
$500 has been devoted annually To the yvorl,
for the last three years but pleasing change
has been wrought thereby. Dry fields exist
which are utilized for golf course where once
there WAS an unsightly SWAMP and the mos
quitOes which formerly haunted the neigbbor
hood have almost entirely disappeared MANY
parallel cases can be cited especially on Long
Island, and in some instances the land which
has been reclaimed has been put under cuti-
walton and made IA source of profit Again
where that particular genus which is instru-
mental in disseminating the germs of malaria
has abounded the suppression of the insects
mas aDoished the disease Houston Tex is
one of the places in this country where such n
result has been secured, and Italy and Africa
contain many more These demonstrations are
particularly convincing and encourag ing After
all, nothing succeeds like success
one OF the most c0mnendable features of the
crusade is the IDEA of enlisting school children
III IT. III huntington Long Island lectures were
gwen " inc youngsters, and prizes were of
ieieu loi e0says Oh the mosquito by William J.
'iatheeoii prominent resident. Something of
uhe SAME Aiiia was done in San Antonio. Tex