14 P.D. \23 



tenance work during the j^ear 1940, and for this purpose the sum of $34,222.98 was 

 expended. This project is now completing its eleventh year of operation. It has 

 reduced the prevalence of mosquitoes on Cape Cod to the point where they are no 

 longer a nuisance. The hrst control work of the project was directed principally 

 against the salt marsh mosquitoes, which, surveys showed to be responsible for about 

 90% of the trouble. The control of these mosquitoes is largely accomplished, and 

 the work now consists principally of the maintenance of the extensive salt marsh 

 drainage that has been installed to prevent breeding, and the locating and elimination 

 of sporadic breeding areas that appear during exceptional conditions of tide and 

 rainfall. An important part of the work of the project now is the controlling of 

 other species of mosquito, which, with the disappearance of the salt marsh mosquito 

 as the preponderant element, has assumed greater proportional importance. Good 

 progress in the control of fresh water breeding species is being attained. Drainage, 

 oiling, and the elimination of opportunities for breeding near habitations are being 

 carried on. ' 



Mansonia perturbans now presents the greatest difficulties of control on the Cape. 

 Mr. Hj. Myhre, Superintendent, and Mr. R. L. Armstrong, Entomologist of the 

 Cape Cod Project, have, after quite extensive experimentation, made considerable 

 progress in combating this particularly baffling species of mosquito. 



The Nantucket Project does not cover as large an area as the Cape Cod Project, 

 but the work was started the same year and has been ably supported by the town 

 of Nantucket and the summer residents. Exipenditures for the Nantucket Project 

 during 1940 were $3,401.64. 



The work of another small project in Belmont consists largely of oiling catch basins. 



The projects organized under the state appropriations of 1931, 1932 and 1933, 

 referred to in item 2 above, included practically all of the salt marsh areas of the 

 state, other than those already a part of the Cape Cod and Nantucket Projects. These 

 projects consist of fifty-one seacoast cities and towns of the Commonwealth, and in 

 these areas most of the salt marshes have been ditched except for certain sections 

 of the North Shore between Cape Ann and the New Hampshire line. In this par- 

 ticular section much ditching has already been provided, but there are still breeding 

 areas which should be ditched when funds are available. The state has made no 

 appropriation for this construction work since the beginning of C.W.A. activities 

 in the early winter of 1933-1934. 



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 assessments 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 1940 the amount expended for maintenance work was 

 $29,497.05. 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. 



In response to requests from officials of eight dififerent municipalities of the state, 

 reports were given as to the breeding conditions, together with suggestions as to 

 how these conditions could be corrected. Within the past year in addition to the 

 requests received from communities in the state, many communications were received 

 from individuals requesting information on mosquito breeding problems. All of these 

 requests were answered by the Board and reports made in cases where specific 

 problems needed investigation. These reports and this information have not always 

 resulted in immediate action, but in most cases, the people concerned have shown 

 considerable interest in the problem and an inclination to arouse community interest 

 so that improvement of conditions might be effected. In many cases these surveys 

 have resulted in improving the effectiveness of mosquito control in certain com- 

 munities, and in the undertaking of control activities where actual interest and 

 enthusiasm had reached the point of providing funds for attacking the problem. 



Several communities have requested information which might assist them in pre- 

 paring proposals for W.P.A. projects on mosquito control drainage. Whenever such 



