Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1914-06-17
County Mosquito determination
Commission Says That Only
Place for Pests to Breed Is in
Stagnant Water About Houses
AN EXPERIMENT IN METUCHEN

There will be no mosquitoes both
ering Perth Amboyans this summer
that is none of the salt marsh
kind-according to r. S. Paterson,
ahief inspector of the Middlesex
stssx nty Mosquito determination
Commission. All the salt meadows
have been drained throughout the
county under the supervision Of the
chief inspector. Not only has the
commission taken pains to eliminate
such breeding places, but the marsh
es will be continually watched dur
ing the summer to insure their re-
naming free from mosquito breed
ing.
The mosquito exterminating COM
mittee was appropriated $500 for
this work by the Board of Freehold
ers, that body desiring to relieve the
county as much as possible of the
regular visitation of the pest, which
have heretofore infested the swamp
or marsh lands, and many of which
often migrated to every town and
city In the county.
The commission has done good
work with its limited appropriation
In draining all the marsh lands, but
their resources were too limited to
enter In detail on campaign to ex-
terminate all fresh water and house
Mosquitoes in any location with a
large population. Metuchen was de-
cided upon as suitable place for
demonstrating the possibility of con-
trolling all mosquitoes, whether salt
or fresh water insects.
While the gree rms of salt
marsh mosquitoes, which once used
to swarm about the city, legion in
number, will not be present this year
according to the commission; the
common house mosquito which
breeds In standing water may become
a great nuisance.
The worst marsh drained by the
chief inspector with his corps OF
twelve laborers was on the south side
Of the Raritan river, west of the
county bridge. Thirteen thousand
feet OF bitches were dug in the marsh
. effording a veritable incubator for
mosquitoes on the north side of the
Raritan river, west of Keasbey. This
work covered an area extending for
three or four miles. A dozen labor
80 were working all spring doing
the ditching. All have now been dis
charged except two, who were re-
tained to keep the bitches open and
to place oil over the Insects breed
Ing places. There are seven persons
now engaged In the work of extermi-
mating the mosquito, on behalf of the
commission-the chief inspector,
four other inspectors and two labor
ers.
Ore inspector Is in charge OF the
marshes south of the Raritan river,
including the Cheesequake creek
section; one is In charge of the mead
ows along the north side of the Rar-
itan river; another in charge of the
meadows about Woodbridge and Sc
warren, and the fourth is devoting his
experiment is being tried In an effort
to show the possibility of extermi-
mating the mosquito altogether,
whether it be of the salt marsh or
common house variety. The third
inspector will make a house to house
inspection of Woodbridge with the
intention Of Kidding that place of
house mosquitoes as well as keep
ing marshes free Of the pest. e.
II the Metuchen experiment equals
In results the expectation OF the COM
----tl5sion the Board of Freeholders
have intimated that they will In
crease the appropriation next year,
SO that every city and town can be
taken care of In the determination
of the common house mosquito as
well as the salt marsh variety. Ac-
cording to the population this coun-
ty is entitled to spend $4,000 for
this work. The appropriation of
$500 for this years activities was
not sufficient for this detailed work
Metuchen was chosen for the exper-
iment OF entirely eradicating the
mosquito of whatever variety, be-
cause 1t is some distance from any
salt meadows, and the borough has
suffered greatly from the rayages OF
the pest. If the commission sue
eeeds in Kidding the borough Of its
myriad families OF the insect, that
have infested the place In the sSm-
effectiveness Of the undertaking. The
people Of Metuchen have been most
active In urging this campaign. The
Inspector iOT Ln6 WOOQ DrldRe-S0-
warren section started work today.
The following monograph has been |
issued by the commission, giving val |
liable pointers to every citizen who |
desires to cooperate in the extermi- |
nation Of the mosquito from his town |
OF. city:
Keep your property free from all |
standing water by filling in or drain |
ing ali low places.
Get I'D Of all cans, pafls, barrels |
or anything In which water may coll
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