EXPEEIMENT STATION REPORT. 629 



•scej^tical as to results, they are now convinced and even enthusi- 

 iistic. The direct results of the work have heen: improvemeint in 

 the meadow conditions, so that thej now grow good salt hay, which 

 •can he harvested safely and easily, where there were only bog 

 morasses with useless grasses before; increase in land values, due 

 to its becoming more desirable for residential purposes ; increased 

 prosperity of the shore resorts and the consequent addition of new 

 iind much greater amusement enterprises; the utilization of some 

 •of the drained areas for industrial establishments employing an 

 .aggregate of nearly ten thousand men. 



It would be absurd to say that there were no mosquitoes at all 

 on Staten Island during the summer, for the season was a trying 

 one and pipiens bred wherever there was a chance for it. But it 

 was a test of the effectiveness of the drainage scheme under the 

 most trying conditions, and it stood the test perfectly ; practically 

 no salt marsh species developed on the drained areas. 



But Dr. Doty took advantage of the season to locate the breed- 

 ing places for the inland species, for wherever standing water could 

 ►exist it existed this year, and an enormous improvement has been 

 made in this direction, the benefit from which will be apparent 

 in 1907. 



Altogether, Staten Island may seiwe as an object lesson, and the 

 work done there has been suggestive in many ways that will be 

 xiseful in the ISTew Jersey work, besides removing the danger to our 

 •citizens to which reference has been previously made. 



In the 'New York "Globe," for November 14th, 1906, is a fair 

 statement of what has been accomplished and of the benefits de- 

 rived by the community. Dr. Doty informs me that the total area 

 •drained is twenty square miles and that about 400 miles of 

 •ditches have been actually dug. A large percentage of this ditch- 

 ing was done with the True ditcher, illustrated in earlier reports, 

 .and these ditches are nine inches wide and twenty-four inches deep. 



Arlington. 



Three inspections were made during the season to ascertain 

 whether local breeding places existed and what particular species 

 •v,'ere troublesome. The first of these, made May 25th, showed 



