48 N. J. Mosquito Extermination Association 



cleaning. On the adjoining territory, however, water was stand- 

 ing and larvae in plenty were found. 



June 3, a very bad tiight of solHcitans appeared at Beach Haven, 

 and the district to the southward was tound responsible. This 

 territory was supposed to have been fairly well drained, but evidently 

 the ditches were not close enough to drain completely, and water 

 from tides laid on the meadow too long. 



The space between the county road and the sand hiUs was also 

 responsiDie for some of this hight and some subsequent ones. In 

 this section are many old glades where the ocean formerly found 

 its way during storm tides. Sand hills have formed around these 

 flat bottoms and stopped the natural drainage. There is now a 

 rank growth of grass all over them and economical drainage was 

 considered impossible. When the contractors for the State drained 

 the territory south of B^ach Haven in 1910, they dug permanent 

 sink holes m this area about eight feet square and cut ditches into 

 them. Ihese holes were then stocked with hsh, the theory being 

 that no matter how dry the glade became, there would always be 

 enough water in the hole to keep the hsh alive, and when the 

 ground was hooded they would spread over the ditches and devour 

 the larvae. 



This worked well for a while, but grass grew in the ditch bot- 

 toms, making it difficult for fish to penetrate to the ends. In some 

 cases the hsh increased in numbers, but more frequently they 

 disappeared altogether. This was blamed on innumerable small 

 turtles. One of our men is an old trapper, and according to him 

 mink are more responsible for the disappearance of the fish. Mink 

 tracks were seen in many of the old ditches, and if mink were 

 not protected by law could be soon exterminated. 



Fortunately for this particular locality, it was found that by 

 placing some twelve-inch terra cotta pipe under the Township 

 Road at several places and connecting them with deep cut ditches 

 from the bay, the whole area could be drained. Twelve thousand 

 feet of ditches were found necessary to do the work. 



Frequently the storm tides from the ocean wash over the ridge 

 and completely flood these pockets, but now this water, as well 

 as the rainfall is all carried prompty to the bay. It is an Inter- 

 esting sight to see this drainage take place and the countless min- 

 nows following the ditches to their ends. 



