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and effectively. Breeding of salt marsh mosquitoes on the marshes 

 and the amount of pesticides necessary to control the salt marsh 

 species is tremendously reduced by these ditches. The cost of the 

 maintenance is borne by the municipalities in which these ditches 

 are located. These municipalities are assessed annually for the 

 amounts necessary by the Reclamation Board, in accordance with 

 the pro visions set forth in Section 4 of Chapter 112 of the Acts 

 of 1931 • The assessm.ents in recent years are greater than in 

 earlier years in that the hourly labor rate and the cost of special 

 equipment has increased markedly. It is becoming increasingly 

 difficult to obtain hand laborers to clean these ditches, there- 

 fore, modern equipment from the projects is being utilized. This 

 means a greater amount of work in a shorter period of time. 



Musquashiat "^ond in Scituate and Straits Pond in Hull and 

 Cohasset were treated again by the Reclamation Board. In addition 

 to reduction of the nuisance caused b}' biting midges and odors of 

 decomposing algae and aquatic vegetation in these ponds, there 

 has been a noticeable increase in their use for recreational 

 purposes and also a tremendous aesthetic value. 



The Rcc^^-a-iation Beard is represented by its Chairman on 

 the Pesticide Board. All m.eetings and hearings of the Pesticide 

 Board have been attended. The Chairman of the Reclam.ation Board 

 is also a member of the State Cominittee for Conservation of Soil, 

 vVater and Related Resources. 



