The sun., 1917-07-31
"YAPHANK- MoSoUIToESi
Certainly Not; These Insects Were "a
the Manor Born.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: The
title "Yaphank Mosquitoes" heading the
communication OF H. X Twitchell Is
incorrect. First, because there is no
species OF that name and second because
the camp is located at point midway
| between Yaphank and Manorvllle. in
what is locally known ns THE Manor"
The exact point at which the camp
is established has been known for gem
erations as Wampmissic. and this should
have been the name selected instead OF
Upton.
For nearly a century. and until re-
Gently when our family disposed OF the
land which will constitute a large por-
tion of the site. my grandfather, father
| and myself SUCCESSFULLY operated this ex-
| tensive tract, employing many men. but
no complaint as to mosquitoes was ever
| heard, and the thin skinned laborers who
| have made such a howl over these tenn
porarily annoying but harmless insects
should be attended by boys with fans or
| feather busters to drive away the in
| truders. Could not the colored migrants
| from the South be availed Of 30 that the
local farmers may not be deprived Of
their necessary native help? The most
ferocious mosquitoes OF which l have
| any knowledge were those which used
| to encounter in my nocturnal collecting
ttrips TO the swamps and jungles on the
outskirts of Brooklyn or when I slept at
| night outdoors near the Coney Island
marshes. Yet people have managed to
reside there.
In reply TO Mr.. Twitchell's request for
aid in passing his proposed mosquito
| measure I may. say that his scheme Is
| a worse pest than the mosquito. I en-
| close q copy of my article in the River
head. l.. l., County RerIew OF April Z.
| 1915. which thoroughly exposes the graft
ing potentialities OF the proposed law.
The authorities OF SUFFOLK county do not
care to be inflicted with Nassau county
| mosquito Job hunters at 1900 a month to
gaze into rain barrels, spill kerosene on
mud puddles or punch holes in or upset
tomato cans
| l might mention that the solution OF
the question OF fly and mosquito control
&C, should be credited 10 me, as l first
pointed out the methods OF effecting this
some 'twenty-eight years ago. for which
a prize was duly awarded me. My
paper was published and widely circu.
lated and originated all the action that
has since been undertaken. DR.. Haven
Emerson has recently employed with
out crediting mel my suggestions as tc
fly control. and had the Board Of Esti.
mate adopted my advice to devote fol
thorough street cleaning the appropria
tion for 315o,oo0 that DR.. Emerson was
instrumental in obtaining to apply tc
doubtful mosquito elimination in the
Jamaica Bay marshes Il is fairly possible
that there would have been few case.
OF infantile paralysis, which. as have
stated in the newspapers. is probably
due to the inhalation cf germ laden dus,
raised in the air by dry sweeping in
closed rooms in which infants are con.
fned.
Tho professional mosquito elimina tor
requires an abundance OF grease in the
way OF generous appropriations to in
spire him with enthusiasm, and to test
the genuineness OF the sentiments OF
these pork barrel tappers I published
early this year a statement that after
sixty years observation I had discov.
cred an essential feature of mosquito
generation and thereupon had perfected
a system with simple but inexpensive
apparatus which IL put in operation In
the greater city would leave none OF the
insects to hibernate and which would
be more or less effective anywhere.
am still waiting for these fellows to ask
me concerning it. My experience has
also provided me with other efrectua
methods OF relief.
The present profuse mosquito genera,
tion Is entirely due to the copious rains
which have filled and kept full every
concealed water holding depression and
hollow stump and knothole in the for
est. with the advent OF cool weather
and the removal OF the underbrush ant
levelling and filling depressions mos
auitoes will shortly disappear and ther,
will be no recurrence until next summer
is well advanced. The application o.
oil is not always advisable, as II destroy,
the predacious aquatic insects which
prey on the mosquito and may resuI
eventually in a greater and unchecked
mosquito generation. To the natives o
Suffolk county mosquitoes are not o.
sufficient interest to cause a rema rk.
| ARCHIBALD c. WEEKS.
BROOKLYN, July 30.