130 . N. J. Mosquito Extermination' Association 



asked to pay the interest on the sinking fund necessary to pay it off- 

 counties that are not affected one l)it. by.the proposition. I have 

 doubts that such a proposition would go through. 



For instance, there are Essex and Hudson counties. I do not 

 say that Essex would vote against it, I do not say that Hudson 

 • would yote against it; but the facts are that we have in Essex County 

 absolutely controlled our meadows ; and the same is practically true 

 of Hudson County. There is all manner of doubt as to whether 

 the people of these counties would vote for the additional amount of 

 taxation to meet those bonds and interest. 



Mp. Rider : I live in a town where twenty years ago you could 

 have bought any farm and taken your choice at $50 an acre. Since 

 the mosquito work has been going on in Atlantic County — and the 

 prevailing winds go toward this country where I live — we have not 

 seen a salt-marsh mosquito for three years. That land today, that 

 you could have bought twenty years ago for $50 an acre, js now 

 bringing $500 an acre for agricultural purposes alone ; not»building 

 purposes, but for agricultural purposes. And there are many hiin- 

 dred thousand acres just as good land outside of Hammonto.n as 

 we have in Hammonton ; in fact, some that is much better. 1 stated 

 at a meeting of the State Horticultural Society at my house some 

 five years ago that there were ten square miles of land about Ham- 

 monton that produced niore clear money peracre than- any similar 

 land in the United States. Only one man questioned that statement 

 — Mr. Roberts, of Moorestown. "What about Los Angeles, Cali- 

 fornia?" he asked. "Have "you been there?'' No, he had not been 

 there, but he had heard a great deal of it. I said, 'T was there two 

 years ago. Meri 'who had put their. whole fortune into orange groves 

 about Los Angeles were ready to .sell them and their houses at less 

 than the houses cost to get money to get away. .The frost had de- 

 stroyed their crop, and' every acre of ground was Coyered with 

 oranges." I said, "Do you 'know , of any Other place?" He said, 

 "We are selling land up around .Moore.stown for $500 an acre.". 

 "For agricultural purposes?" "Oh,-, no, they were selling it for. 

 building lots." "That is.a different proposition. We are selling it 

 at $500 an acre and there' is not a week passes that farms do not 

 change hands at that price,' irrespective of buildings." "For what 

 purpose?" "Raising peaches, apples and smalL fruits. The grow- 

 ers make a good profit. They have a market: right at their door for- 

 all they can grow." And I think ^the people ar^e willing to come and 



