RETORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I905 



various cities and villages of the State thousands of unsightly, 

 ruined or dead shade trees, the result of a failure to appreciate 

 the possibilities of judicious protection. Kven the cutting out of 

 the dead trees and the removal of diseased or rotten limbs would 

 help general appearances very much. Most communities have little 

 conception of the value of shade trees and we wish that every one 

 interested in this work might visit Saratoga Springs or some other 

 village where the trees receive adequate care. These places have 

 their magnificent trees in spite of insect pests and other troubles 

 because they are willing to incur a reasonable expense for their 

 protection. Such results are possible in practically every city and 

 village, and civic pride if not self-interest should lead all citizens 

 to insist upon better protection of their shade trees. 



MOSQUITO CONTROL 



Mosquito control means immunity from malaria, yellow fever 

 and freedom from hosts of the more common pestiferous forms. 

 It is somewhat costly, though the wisdom of the investment can 

 not be questioned when it is remembered that malaria is more or 

 less prevalent in the North and, according to an authority, "is 

 responsible for more sickness among the white population of the 

 South than any disease to which it is now subject." A recent 

 yellow fever outbreak at New Orleans recalls vividly the disas- 

 trous results attending such epidemics in former years and affords 

 a striking illustration of what may be accomplished when scien- 

 tific measures are vigorously prosecuted. The malady of 1905 was 

 not of a type easily controlled, and its eradication before frosts 

 destroyed the mosquitos demonstrated in our own country the 

 value of the work prosecuted with such notable success in Cuba 

 a few years earlier and adds a most striking page to the abundant 

 evidence, proving that this dangerous enemy of humanity in trop- 

 ical and subtropical regions is dependent on mosquitos for dissemi- 

 nation. It is only necessary now to enforce quarantine regulations 

 that will render it impossible for the disease-carrying mosquitos of 

 this country to become infected in order to make such outbreaks 

 as that experienced last summer of historic interest only. 



Intelligent control presupposes some knowledge of the various 

 forms and their habits. There are between four and five hundred 

 described species in the world. About 50 are known to occur in 

 New York State, though only four years ago but 24 were listed 

 from North America. Closely allied forms may have nearly 



