30 



N. J. Mosquito Extermination Association 



six square miles, which included three cities and five boroughs, con- 

 taining a population of 245,000, making a per capita cost of less 

 than six cents. Inspection and labor cost fifty per cent of our ap- 

 propriation. Close inspection is absolutely necessary, especially 

 where the density of population reaches nearly seven thousand to 

 the square mile. 



The usual conditions that cause mosquito breeding, such as 

 swamps, pools, public dumps and the thousand of small breeding 

 places found in backyards which are created by the carelessness of 

 the public, prove that this part of the work should not be neglected. 



Successful and progressive mosquito control work is not possible 

 at the low cost of six cents per capita, although the success of local 

 extermination work is not always relative to the cost. 



In 1917 we expended fifteen thousand dollars and were success- 

 ful in reducing the annoyance to the point where we received pub- 

 lic commendation for our good work. While in 1918 our expen- 

 diture was about the same, we failed to prevent mosquito annoy- 

 ance to meet public approval. There was a substantial reason; 

 that reason was the Salt Marsh Species — Aedes cantator.^ 



Results of the Present Year's Work and Attitude of the 



Public 



In analyzing the results of the past season's work, it may be said 

 that our efforts to prevent the mosquito annoyance should have 

 given much better results than they did. Local breeding showed 

 a lower percentage than in past years; Aedes sylvestris, which was 

 the predominant species in 1917, was only 16 per cent, and Culex 

 pipiens was 15 per cent of our mosquito annoyance in 1918. This 

 low percentage ought to have made our work successful in reducing 

 the annoyance and should have held public opinion favorable to the 

 work of mosquito extermination, but the invasion of our territory 

 by the salt marsh species, over which we had no control, during the 

 summer, turned the tide of public sentiment against mosquito ex- 

 termination work and led the public to believe that we were unable 

 to control local breeding and prevent mosquito annoyance. Public 

 confidence is not so firmly established in the belief that mosquito 

 extermination can be made a success, that we can offer as an excuse 

 for our failure to prevent mosquito annoyance, that the salt marsh 

 mosquito is the trouble maker. 



