130 N. J. Mosquito Extermination Association 



The Attitude and the Part of the Department of Conservation 

 and Development in the Problem of Finishing the Mosquito 

 Drainage of the New Jersey Salt Marsh. 



BY MR. ALFRED GASKILL, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPT. OF CON- 

 SERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT. 



As to the attitude of the Department of Conservation and Devel- 

 opment, I think I can put it in four short words, "We are at it." 

 The work of this department in the mosquito control movement 

 seems to have resolved itself very largely into an effort to induce 

 those in power in the state to take up this question of mosquito 

 control as perhaps the one that transcends all others in importance 

 at this moment, as the question which is likeliest to yield great 

 and immediate returns. 



We do not have to consider what may be the relative value of 

 this question and other large schemes of state extension. We are 

 here to consider the mlerit and value of the mosquito program. 

 That is big enough for us. But as I said, in our view it does stand 

 at the very head and front of all those problems which promise the 

 greatest results. 



The speakers who have preceded me have made it pretty evident, 

 I think, what are the results that may be expected from the carry- 

 ing out of the program. After figuring what may be counted on 

 in the way of money return, you may have noticed that we set the 

 time at which the very great gains might be realized at something 

 like twenty years. That is not very far beyond the period that might 

 be required at the present rate of progress to achieve the complete 

 drainage and mosquito control of the whole salt marsh. At any 

 rate, you can m/ake your own figures in connection with almost 

 any one of the bases of this question, and every time you do it 

 I will venture to say you will find that your earlier estimates were 

 too low, and you have been too conservative. In other words, you 

 scarcely can reach the realization of what this thing means. 



The fame of Jersey has gone abroad through the whole country 

 as the home of a pest. And though we see the boardwalk here 

 crowded, though we see other resorts along the coast thriving, 

 though our metropolitan district is prospering, though other sec- 

 tions of the state are developing, you can find that we are not half 

 way, quarter way, one-tenth of the way along the road that lies per- 



