ORGANIZATION FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL 421 
imported from Europe into the United States. Dr. John B. Smith, of New 
Jersey, investigated the plant in its natural habitat in Holland and also experi- 
mented with the introduced plants in New Jersey. His investigations, which 
need not be quoted here, demonstrated that for a number of reasons, which have 
been already indicated in the foregoing discussion, Azolla has no practical value. 
ORGANIZATION FOR COMMUNITY WORK. 
While in a large measure it is true that every individual householder prac- 
tically breeds upon his own premises the majority of the mosquitoes that bother 
him, still in a closely built city those bred by one’s neighbors must be taken into 
consideration. In isolated country houses the character of the region about must 
be considered by the individual who concerns himself with this work, so that 
here also some sort of an organization is desirable, and even frequently necessary, 
as in cases where swamp lands are to be drained or where occasional invasions 
of migratory species, such as Aédes sollicitans, are to be feared. The control of 
all sources of mosquito supply in case of fresh water or brackish swamp land is 
usually too great a task for the individual, although on the large estates of great 
proprietors such work has been done at individual expense. In any sort of com- 
munity, however, organization is desirable, not only to carry out the actual work 
but to produce and to emphasize a universal sentiment in favor of the mosquito 
crusade—a sentiment so strong and so general that every individual will cheer- 
fully take part in the work. The pioneers in this country who, in 1901 and 1902, 
attempted to arouse such a public sentiment, had much difficulty in educating 
the people and in securing funds, but lately it has been an easier matter. Many 
communities, large and small, have taken up anti-mosquito measures, and such 
large cities as New York, Baltimore, New Orleans, Nashville, have given the 
question serious consideration in their city councils and in their boards of 
health, and have entered upon measures of greater or less efficacy. Many smaller 
towns have begun the crusade also, and those which have been especially active 
have been communities of summer resort. One of the early attempts was the 
formation of the North Shore Improvement Association of Long Island, which 
undertook a mosquito campaign involving over twenty-five square miles of terri- 
tory along the north shore of Long Island, the territory including several villages 
and many country homes of wealthy people. Following the first year’s work of 
this Association a national anti-mosquito society was formed to encourage just 
this kind of work, and this society has published instructions and pamphlets of 
information which are at the disposal of all communities desiring to enter upon 
the task of freeing themselves from mosquitoes. 
Theoretically community work should be done under official auspices, and 
should be inaugurated by boards of health, but official action is slow, even in the 
United States where there is, as a rule, less red tape than in older countries. 
Moreover, official action in sanitary measures is often conservative as well as 
slow. As already pointed out, the health question is not the only one involved. 
Abundance of mosquitoes means enormous economic loss to a community, en- 
tirely aside from the important question of health, and individual property 
