THE COUNTRY HOME [CHAPTER 
are always going. The May beetle comes in large 
numbers only once in three years. His approach 
is heralded by the very large increase of moles that 
feed on the larva. Those that emerge feed, for a 
few days, on our trees that are late in leafing 
out — such as the butternut and the scarlet oak 
and the ash. It is nearly impossible to success- 
fully contend with this rapid feeder. 
Since the discovery that mosquitoes carry some 
of the most dangerous bacteria, and are the medium 
whereby many destructive fevers are spread, it 
becomes essential to enter seriously into a cam- 
paign against this insect. The most available ma- 
terial for combating the mosquito is crude or re- 
fined petroleum, sprayed over those pools and pud- 
dles where mosquitoes breed. This should cover 
those road pools and marshy spots which lie at quite 
a distance from our houses. The application must 
be made sufficiently often to make sure that we have 
destroyed the larve in the water. Be sure that 
your cesspools are treated, and if you are careless 
enough to have slop holes near your kitchen door 
let them be thoroughly disinfected. In this way 
malaria can be absolutely abolished from a neigh- 
borhood, while we shall go very far to prevent 
[ 280 ] 
