White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-07-20
AUSTRALIAN PLANT
new MOSQUITO FOE
May Free Parts of United
States of Pest.

Ithica, n. Y.-ThOse who are now
smearing themselves with oil of cit
ronella or wintergreen and making
the night hideous with Intermittent
slapping at mosquitoes may be
cheered by the news that experiments
now in progress at Cornell university
may result eventually in the Danish
ment of the pest-at least from those
regions of the United States rich in
limestone deposits. This will cause no
cheering in the granite hills of New
England or among the sand bottomed
ponds and alluvial swamps of the
South. But to residents of other Sec
lions 1t may bring the JOY of antici-
patton.
The current hope for the Danish.
ment of the mosquito lies in an humble
plant, Nitella Phaulotoes, native OF
Australia. Nitella, as it is Familiarity
known, thrives in limestone districts
It is a peculiar sort of weed. without
flowers, that grows in ponds and
lakes. 1t never appears above the
water, but develops underneath the
surface, and its peculiar effectiveness
against the mosquito lies in its pow.
er and blind necessity to exude an
oily fluid which rises to the surface
of the body of water. The fluid is
poisonous to mosquitoes and prevents
the deposit of their eggs. Hence
where Nitella grows the mosquito can
not thrive.
Specimens Imported.
DR.. L. o. Howard, former head of
the bureau Of entomology in Wash
ington, recently became interested in
Nitella and imported number of
specimens Of the plant from Austria
liza. He turned them over to Prof.
Robert Matheson of Cornell, who
is now experimenting to see If there
is any reason why the plant cannot
thrive in this country. The neighbor-
hood around Ithaca is ideally fitted
for the work, due to the limestone de-
posits there, which keep the lakes
well charged with lime.
A peculiar virtue Of Nitella is that
its oily secretion, while poisonous to
the mosquito, is not at all harmful to
man, animal, fish, or plant. p. w. l.
Buhot, scientist of Brisbane, Aus
tralia, first discovered this. There
are number of mosquito lighting
plants indigenous to Australia, and
he has spent many months studying
them. He first found Niteila growing
ir a creek and later in lakes and la
goons. On the surface of the latter
there was a green scum, which proved
to be bacterial growth, and thin
film resembling oil. This was found
to be the product of the plant that
grew beneath the surface. Suisse
quent experiments showed that the
plant grew rapidly, reproduced free.
ly, and was easily transplanted.
Whether it can be grown in the
United States is a question which
Professor Matheson is trying to solve.
Nature has provided, in her usual
way, many enemies for the mosquito.
Nitella is one of the lowest forms of
these. If you plunge your hand into
the water where Nitella grows and
pull up a few stems of 1t you find
them to he greenish and about foot
long. They have central axis. or
stalk, with whorls of short, pointed
branches projecting star fashion from
each of the joints. 1t has no leaves
or flowers.
Prevents Laying Eggs.
ali xrv0r
mosquito by preventing it from lay
ing eggs where it should like to, 9TH
er higher types of plants carry the
battle direct to the larva, or "wig-
gler," and some insects even to the
full-fledged mosquito.
The most curious of the latter
class is the bladderwort. This plant,
seen above the water, is beautiful
yellow flower of very odd shape. Only
the flower is visible, the leaves and
stems lying under the water.
On these underwater stems nature
has devised one of its oldest struc.
lures, consisting of bladder, partial
ly or entirely filled with water. Each
plant is equipped with many of these.
On one side there is a small round
opening, fitted with trap door or
valve that opens inward. The mos
quito "wiggler" approaches. AS he
nears the trap glands in the bladder
produce a bait of some type agree
able to the wiggler. The victim nib
bles at the bait, the valve suddenly
opens. current of water shoves
the wiggler into the bladder. the
valve closes, and the wigger never
comes out again. He is literally eat.
en- up by the plant. These observa.
tions have been made BY r. b. Rock.
err, French observer. and confirmed
by @. L. Withycombe, we'll known
English naturalist
Argentina produces q wild plant
that works in subtle fashion against
the mosquito. 1t has been observed
and studied IN those regions of the
country which are free from malaria
during the annual attack OF the dis.
ease. AL abundant plant, like clover.
1t produces an attractive flower that
is highly scented. This seems to be
highly attractive to the malaria mos