Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1935-04-26
WORCESTER co.
TO HAVE MORE
CCC CAMPS
One To Be Near Ocean City, Her.
ring Greek; The Other Near
Public Landing
TWO HUNDRED MEN
TO BE IN EACH CAMP

Through information given out by
Representative Goldsborough, Worces-
ter County will have two more CCC
camps in it's borders, the main object
of which will be the determination Of
the mosquito pest. One Of these
camps will be = located near Ocean
City: the other, near Public Landing,
and each will have 200 men enrolled.
These two camps will be assigned to
the supervision of DR.. Ernest N. Cory,
State Entomologist of Maryland, MIR.
Goldsborough explained and will COM
plete the anti-mosquito work in Wor-
cester county.
Mr.. Goldsborough said that, mas
much as Ocean City is Maryland's only
seaside resort, he was anxious to see
mosquito control work continued in
order to add further to the attractive
features of the "shore" as recreation
land.
Approximately three and half
miles of marsh south Of Ocean City
was cleared under Civil Works Ad-
ministration labor and maintained dur
ing last summer.
With two CCC camps, of 200 men
each, it has been estimated that the
entire tidal marsh area of Worcester
county, from the Virginia line to the
Delaware line, can be ditched in the
course of one year.
The mosquito control work conduct
ed in Maryland and Delaware by these
two camps, according to tentative
plans, calls for the cutting of bitches
ten inches wide and twenty inches
deep through the marshes at 15O-foot
intervals, for the purpose of draining
off the shallow water, which is the
principal breeding place of the salt
marsh mosquito. Pot holes and pools
also are connected so that the tide
water ebbs and flows, carrying with
it the small minnows that are the
principal feeders on mosquito larvae.
"This is in no sense a drainage
proposition and no attempt is made
to drain the marshes. Consequently,
the bitches do not interfere with the
normal life that occurs on the marsh
meadows" Mr.. Goldsborough ex-
planned.
This work, while controlling the
mosquitoes to a great extent, will, at
the same time, increase the number
of muskrats on ditched marshes Mr..
Goldsborough said.
Experiments conducted in Della
ware show considerable increase in
the number of muskrats on ditched
marshes over similar unditched mar
shes, because of an increase in the
amount of grass on ditched marshes
and more suitable conditions for the
building of house." he said.
"In this work, it is planned that
any marsh areas which now serve as
resting and feeding places for ducks
during the winter can still be main
tanned by the use of small tidal gates,
to hold the water up during the win
ter season when no mosquito breed
ing is in progress"
There is nothing which could be
done, more advantageously for Mary
lands only seaside resort, than to rid
it of mosquitoes. To do this seems
to be a gigantic and almost hopeless
labor; but experience has shown that
efforts in Delaware, notably at Re-
hoboth Beach, have been successful,
altho' it is also shown, that annual
treatment must be given breeding
haunts to keep the insect down; they
will return, if their territory is left
undisturbed.
Public Landing is a special sufferer
along this line. It is to be hoped the
camp near this once favorite resort,
may do something for relief from the
mosquito.