Mosquitoes 



105 



banks of the streams or ponds or lakes can be 

 cleared in such a way that fish can get to all parts of 

 the water ; most of the small ponds can be drained or 

 their surface may be covered over with a thin film of 

 kerosene. This is best applied as a spray; one 

 ounce to fifteen square feet will suffice. If the oil is 

 simply poured over the surface more will be required. 



The fighting of the species that breed on the ex- 

 tensive salt-marshes in many regions is a larger 

 and more difficult problem, but as it is a matter 

 that usually concerns large communities, sometimes 

 whole states, it can be dealt with on a larger scale. 

 The very excellent results that have been accom- 

 plished in New Jersey and on the San Francisco 

 peninsula, and in a smaller way in other places, 

 show what may be done if the community goes 

 about the fight in an intelligent manner. In the 

 fight in New Jersey hundreds of acres of tide-lands 

 have been drained so that they no longer have tide 

 pools standing where the mosquitoes may breed. 

 When it is impracticable to drain them the pools 

 may be sprayed occasionally with kerosene. 



The value of the land that is reclaimed by a good 

 system of draining is often enough to pay many 

 times over the cost of draining, thus the mosquitoes 

 are gotten rid of and the land enhanced in value by 

 a single operation. 



