New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-23
FIGHTING THE MOSQUITO
individuals Can Do Much to Pre-.
vent Breeding of This Pest.

Fighting the skeeters" has always
sounded like such a tremendous undertake
Ing. involving large sums of money for the
draining of marshes where mosquitoes
breed, that many a helpless individual and
many a community where taxes are al
ready high and money is scarce has felt
itself unable 10 do anything to prevent the
growth Of the summer pirates" For
such as these there are encouraging words
in Uncle Sans bulletin. issued by the De-
partment Of Agriculture on Preventive
and Remedial Work Against Mosquitoes"
Every little bit helps it seems, and the
one terrible mosquito who so disturbed
ones slumbers may not have come from
the great pond mile away. but from tho
rain barrel I'm ones own back yard.
1.-TWO of the commonest household mos
auitoes breed in every chance receptacle OF
water about residences" says Uncle Sam.
land their destruction means the abolition
Of all such receptacles. Where the rain
water barrel or the rain water tank are
necessary they should be screened-a fine
mesh wire being used.
About the house the waste places should
be carefully searched for tin cans, bottles,
wooden or tin boxes in which water can
accumulate, and all such receptacles should
he destroyed or carted away. The roof
cutters Of the buildings should be carefully
examined to make sure that they are not
clogged so as TO allow water TO accumu-
late The chicken pans In the poultry
Yards. the water troughs for domestic AMI
mails. the water cup OF the grindstone' are
all places in which mosquitoes VIII breed
and in them water should not be allowed 10
stand for more than day or so at time.
! In the house mosquitoes breed in many
places where they may be OVERLOOKED
/ Where the water in the flower vases is not
frequently changed mosquitoes will breed
They will breed in water pitchers In unused
guest rooms They will breed in pipes ana
under stationary washstands where these
are not frequently in use, and they VIII
issue from the sewer traps In bacKyards
in city houses during dry spells in the sum-
,.ar time where the sewers have not been
. recently flushed by heavy rains
( old disused wells in gardens are frequent
sources Of mosquito supply, even when APP
rarently carefully covered, and here the
nuisance is easily abated by the occasional
sunIi,at,on Of kerosene. The same thing
may be said OF cesspools. the bulletin says
Walking through a New Jersey garden on
one occasion it's writer noticed a coVereu
cesspool with a slight crack In the cement
He remarked upon the danger TO the pro-
rr,,tor of the estate. who replied that mos
/ o,,f,oos could not possibly gain entrance
% the water. Later in the evening ABOUT
dusk the same spot was passed again anu
a cloud Of mosquitoes was seen ISSUING HoU'
the crack so abundantly that at a niue as
lance il seemed like a stream of smoke. \
'rtle kerosene put stop to this.
Fountains and ornamental ponds are ire
ouent breeding places, and here the INTRO
duction Of fish is usually all sufhcient.
often bappens. however" says the bulletin
that grass is allowed 10 grow into the edges
. Of ornamental ponds. and mosquito lar'@
ind refuge among the vegetation ana Sd
escape the FISH In many small country
TOWNS even where there Is a water supply
1 tanks are 10 be found under the roofs I'd
/ SUNNY bathrooms Such tanks should os
/ screened since mosquitoes gain entrance
m the darkroom either through dorrner
windows or By living up through the house
/ from below I'm search Of ovipositing places.
/ About a large old house there are so many
Of these chance breeding places that only
the most careful and long continued search
will ind them all. Frequent change OF
water or the use Of kerosene will render
them all harmless
Uncle Sam also makes note OF the tact
that the United States spends Noon,0o
annually for screens, although with proper
treatment Of breeding places screening
would be unnecessary.