390 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



increase in value from 25 to 100 per cent, or more and that their 

 population would increase by leaps and bounds. It has been 

 demonstrated by this investigation that the solution of the mos- 

 quito problem means only the removal of the surface water from 

 a comparatively small territory by the simplest ditching methods. 

 The work done on the Newark meadows, where several hundreds 

 of acres of breeding area were made safe, and that done on the 

 Shrewsbury, where an ecjual area was almost completely rid of 

 the pest, demonstrates this point. I am quite conscious of the 

 partial failure of the work on the Newark meadow ; but that was 

 due to the intervention of the sewer problem, which simply re- 

 quired more work than was originally believed necessary. 



As it stands this marsh area is of little or no value. Its poten- 

 tial value is indicated by the fact that a corporation has accjuired 

 a large section extending from the junction of the Hackensack 

 and Passaic Rivers north to the Pennsylvania Railroad, and per- 

 haps even further. Two powerful clredges are now at work 

 pumping sand over this area and filling at the rate of acres per 

 day. This territory only a year or two ago was the worst mos- 

 quito stretch between Newark and Jersey City. At present acres 

 of these breeding holes have been wiped out completely and 

 permanently, and if the work continues another year, this terri- 

 tory will be practically safe. It is, of course, expected that this 

 land, so favorably situated, will be valuable for factory and other 

 purposes ; but there are acres of other marshes equally valuable 

 for that purpose which owners would be ready to improve were 

 it not for the mosquito pest which deters prospective builders. 



The Newark Board of Trade has a Meadow Reclamation 

 Committee which has worked for years under the able chairman- 

 ship of Mr. R. G. Salomon to secure the improvement of this 

 marsh area within the Newark limits. They offered a $500 prize 

 for the best plan for such reclamation, and awarded it to one 

 that contemplated a primary expenditure of millions and a con- 

 tinuing expenditure of hundreds of thousands annually. To do 

 this implies a recognition of the value these lands will have when 

 reclaimed. 



In view of the value of this land now good for nothing save 

 to breed mosquitoes, and in view of the large population affected, 

 it would seem as if there should be no hesitation by the munici- 

 palities concerned in taking steps to secure the preliminary 

 drainage of the marsh lands, which will make life more bearable 

 and would induce those who may w^ish to improve to do so. 



The city of Newark has done its share of the work ; not quite 

 so completely as was intended, but it will not stop until it is 

 done. 



