RURAL MOSQUITO AND MALARIA CONTROL 221 



unreasonable to spend more money for mosquito control than 

 such control is worth. The first thing, therefore, is to ascertain 

 what amount is available for the work. This done, it will be 

 possible to determine just what measures will give the most 

 relief for the money. 



Thus, while it may not be possible to eliminate mosquitoes 

 entirely from the home, it may be possible to reduce them greatly 

 at very slight expense. Again, it may be that, while a certain 

 measure, such as tile drainage, for example, might cost too much 

 as an anti-mosquito measure alone, the other benefits that come 

 from it, as improvement of the crop yield, might make the project 



feasible. 



The first essential, then, after determining the amount avail- 

 able for the work is to make a careful survey of the situation from 

 every angle. Doubtless, the survey will show that a consider- 

 able amount of breeding can be eliminated at no cost whatsoever, 

 other than a little care and study. . 



CONTROL MEASURES ABOUT THE AVERAGE HOME 



The first step to take in eliminating mosquito-breeding about 

 the rural home is to stop giving aid and assistance to the enemy. 

 This means that no breeding should be made possible by ignorance 

 or carelessness on the part of the farmer and his family. In 

 other words, cisterns, water-barrels, wells, etc., should either be 

 made mosquito-proof or else should be oiled weekly or stocked 

 with larva-eating fish. The cess-pool should be inspected and, 

 if necessary, made mosquito-tight. Old cans likely to hold 

 water should be hauled away. The roof-gutters should be 

 cleaned out and, if necessary, re-hung. Water-troughs should 

 be cleaned out weekly or stocked with fish. Every potential 

 breeding-place about the home should be closely watched. 



The next step should be screening. This should be done pro- 

 perly and effectively, along the lines already described. If the 

 house is already screened, any repairs necessary should be made 

 at once. The chimneys should not be forgotten. 



These two steps should suffice to prevent any considerable 

 annoyance by mosquitoes in most properly situated homes. 



FURTHER MEASURES 



Sometimes, further measures are necessary. It may be that 

 the home is located near borrow-pits or other depressions that 



