118 



N. J. Mosquito Extermination Association 



in Cumberland, and 31,780 in Salem, making a total of 184,815 acres. 

 More than 30,000 acres (C. C. Verneule gives 34,300 acres for the 

 State) of this total have been at some time diked and drained for 

 agricultural purposes. A large part of this improved land has 

 been reclaimed by the sea and will have to be treated, and about 

 20 per cent of the miarsh is swept by the tide with sufficient fre- 

 quency as not to require mosquito drainage. 



Subtracting the 20 "per cent which will not require drainage, 

 there yet remains about 150,000 acres to be drained. At the es- 

 timated acre cost of $5.00, about $750,000 should complete the 

 initial work of drainage. 



While the initial drainage is going on, and after it has been 

 completed, the problem of maintenance must be met. The ex- 

 perience on the marsh already drained for several years is variable. 

 The ditching systems on shut-in meadows with none, or only a 

 slight tidal pull are costly, while those on the open meadows with 

 strong tidal outlets are cheap to maintain. When the initial drain- 

 age has been completed there will be about 70,000,000 feet of 

 ditching on the salt marshes of the State. About 20 per cent of 

 this ditching will be served with such a scouring tide that nothing 

 but removal of occasional blockages and shearing of over-growing 

 sides will be necessary. Of the balance, 56,000,000 feet, about 

 one-third, or 18,666,666 feet, will have to be cleaned each year. The 

 average cost should not exceed one-third of a cent per linear foot, 

 or about $63,000. To this must, however, be added blockage re- 

 moval, which may be figured at about $800.00 per million feet. 

 This adds $40,800.00 to the previous sum, making $103,800.00, or 

 about 35 cents per acre. 



Thirty-five cents an acre for maintenance is an average figure 

 for the salt marsh as it lies and includes the area of the 20 per 

 cent marsh which does not require drainage. The average cost 

 of the drained areas, exclusive of the areas not needing drainage 

 would, therefore, be somewhat greater than 35 cents. Furthermore, 

 local conditions of marsh, labor and oversight will make a great 

 difference in the cost. Without doubt there are counties where, 

 owing to the fact that the miarsh is open, has a good tidal suck, 

 that labor is low-priced, and that oversight is peculiarly efficient, 

 the cost of maintenance will be much less than 35 cents an acre, 

 also, without doubt, there are counties where, owing to less favor- 



