P.D. 123 35 



In the fifty-one communities mentioned above maintenance work is carried 

 on annually under the direction of the State Reclamation Board. Funds for 

 this work must be provided by the cities and towns concerned under assess- 

 ments made annually by the Board. The money is deposited with the State 

 Treasurer and expended at the direction of the Board. All labor is supplied 

 by the towns in which the work is done and the actual supervision is carried 

 on by field agents of the Reclamation Board. In the fiscal year 1939 the 

 amount expended for maintenance work was $29,158.40. This method of 

 maintaining mosquito control ditching has proved to be a satisfactory one and 

 has resulted in keeping the ditching in an effective condition. 



Surveys for determining the source and means of control of the mosquito 

 nuisance were made for some fifteen towns within the state during the year. 

 These surveys were not always productive of action for in some cases the 

 extent of the problem discouraged those interested. On the other hand these 

 surveys have often resulted in increasing the effectiveness of mosquito control 

 in certain communities and in the undertaking of control activities in others 

 where the actual interest and enthusiasm had reached the point of providing 

 funds for attacking the problem. 



The officials of six cities and towns have requested surveys during the 

 year for assistance in preparing proposals for W.P.A. projects on mosquito 

 control drainage. In these cases the personnel of the Board has assisted in 

 making out projects for the needed work, in making up the plans and in 

 securing the approval of the state W.P.A. officials for the project. Under 

 an arrangement with these officials all projects for W.P.A. mosquito control 

 work are submitted to the Board before the funds are advanced. When the 

 project is approved and put in operation the Board gives such field super- 

 vision as its field force permits. 



During the year 1939 the Reclamation Board has given technical assistance 

 to individuals who have undertaken mosquito control on their own property. 

 In most cases such work has been limited to small operations benefiting prin- 

 cipally the individuals concerned; yet one man has completed within the last 

 year salt marsh drainage in an extremely bad breeding area involving a total 

 expenditure of $2500.00. This particular accomplishment has been of benefit, 

 not only to the individual but to the whole community, and has been the 

 incentive for undertaking further work on the part of the town. 



Publicity on mosquito control has been given through special articles in the 

 newspapers, radio broadcasts, and talks to Garden Clubs, Women's Clubs, and 

 other organizations. The aim of this publicity has been to acquaint the public 

 with the importance of the responsibility of the individual property owner 

 in preventing on his own land the breeding of mosquitoes that may be the 

 cause of a neighborhood nuisance. Emphasis was also made on the need of 

 continuous public support of mosquito control activities undertaken by the 

 community. 



The Reclamation Board during the past year issued a revision of its bul- 

 letin, "The Mosquito in Massachusetts", and this bulletin was in considerable 

 demand during the 1939 breeding season. The material in this bulletin is 

 non-technical and is designed to acquaint the general public with the problems 

 of mosquito control and the methods of procedure by which effective control 

 of the pest may be carried on by communities. 



