Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1906-12-14
Professor J. B. Smith As Sure
As Ever of HIS Ability to
Kill the Pest.
ALL He NEEDS IS THE FUNDS
The Professor Has Submitted His An
nuaI Report to Governor Stokes.
Admits That Mosquitoes Were Ex-
tremely Numerous During the Pust
Year and Gives His Reason for II.
Many Mosquitoes Now In Houses.
Special to the EvENINc NEWS:

!
TRENTON, Dec. 14;-Professoi
John B. Smith, of New Brunswick
New Jerseys mosquito expert, is a
firm believer in the old saying that
while there is life there is hope. He
would add to It, however, that the
hope Is of death rather than of con-
tinued life. In his annual report to
Governor Stokes, just presented, Pro
fessor Smith admits that during the
past season mosquitoes bred with
frightful rapidity, but attributes their
reckless propagation to the continued
wet weather that was prevalent dur
| ing the earlier part of the season. He
| is prepared to combat the mosquito
on every side to the extent that funds
provided for that purpose by the leg
Iislature will permit.
Professor Smith reviews the work
done for the determination of the
mosquito under legislative authority
and claims that much progress has
been made. He still holds that the
little pest may be entirely extirpated.
He discusses various sections of the
state In the report and shows that the
marsh lands in Middlesex county mus.
be thoroughly drained, thus provid-
| ing no stagnant water as breeding
places. If the mosquito is to be driven
tout of the county.
Each Summer Is Different.
Professor Smith remarks that each
summer offers climatic peculiarities
of its own, and 1906 was no excep-
tion to the rule. In May and June
came period of almost daily rains,
with oppressive high temperature,
and all those factors that make for
rapid and prolific breeding of the
common house mosquito, known to
the profession as the culex pipiens.
The result was that this species in
creased enormously In numbers.
One section of the report is of i'm
portance to every citizen interested
In the determination of the insect.
Professor Smith points out that a di-
rect result of the accumulation of
the house mosquito during the latter
part of the past season has been that
there are at present great numbers of
this species alternating in cellars in
every section of the state in localities
in which they were abundant during
the summer. This refers particularly
to sections along Staten Island sound,
the marshes adjacent to the 'Raritan
river and the meadows along the
coast. These specimens, the report
says, will furnish the start for the
season of 1907 and, If left undis-
turbed, will provide for an abundant
crop If the weather is at all favor
able.
Possible to Kill Them OFF.
"It is quite possible" continues
Professor Smith, ito kill off very
large percentage of this alternating
series, all impregnated females, and
every specimen killed off means re-
duction of potential from 200 to 400
in the new crop. Powdered stram-
onium or jimpson weed may be used
as fumigant to kill off the dormant
specimens. This was used at New Or
leans in the campaign against the yell
low fever mosquitoes. Outfits for
fumigating with this material are so
very cheap that every local board
of health could afford a dozen, or
more, to be loaned to those who
wisehd to treat their cellars"
Perth Amboy and vicinity will be
specially interested in this section of
the report: 1.-The Staten Island marsh
area, which has been referred to In
previous reports, has been eliminated
as danger in New Jersey. The New
York Department of Health secured
an appropriation sufficient to drain all
the marshes on that island. under the
direction of DR.. Alva II. Doty, the
health officer of the port of New YORK,
and practically no salt marsh mos
quitoes can come from that terri
tory in the future.