12 N. J. Mosquito Extermination Association 



and beasts of burden are unable to live in comfort and perform their 

 labors. 



I first learned of the attempt to control local breeding while a 

 member of the East Orange Board of Health. The work had been 

 started some few years (I think in 1903) in South Orange, largely 

 through the appeal of Mr. Spencer Miller. At this time, the work 

 was growing slowly, and to the late Professor John B. Smith of the 

 State Experiment Station, was due to the scientific standing of the 

 movement. 



Little was known of the life history of the different varieties of 

 mosquitoes from which the state was suffering. I lay stress upon 

 the work of Professor Smith, for it was he who delved into the life 

 habits of the mosquito and made control a possibility. I can well 

 remember Professor Smith, stout, thick set, a beard which covered 

 his face, legs which scarcely raised him above the meadow grass, a 

 little blue soldier hat with a vizor like that of a pullman conductor. 

 I can see him wading through the marsh, with a net in one hand 

 and a bottle of wrigglers in the other. Always smiling, always 

 optimistic. He could not see the difficult tasks which have often 

 beset our path since then. His optimism carried opposition before it 

 and was a large factor in the success .of the movement. 



The next concerted movement in the state was the formation of 

 the North Jersey Mosquito Extermination League whose member- 

 ship consisted largely of members of the local Boards of Health of 

 Northern New Jersey. This was an enthusiastic body of workers, 

 and served to accentuate and make the movement permanent. Our 

 meetings were held in the rooms of the Board of Trade in Newark, 

 and often the mosquitoes were a pest during the meetings. This 

 society grew in membership and finally was instrumental in secur- 

 ing the passage of the present county mosquito commission act^ 

 under which our Commissions of today are working. 



It will thus be seen that the work of mosquito control was spor- 

 adic until 1912, when the present county commission law was 

 placed upon the statute books. This law gave a non-partisan per- 

 sonnel, and an appropriation based upon ratables. It made the giv- 

 ing of funds mandatory upon the county boards of freeholders, 

 after the budget had been approved by the Director of the State 

 Experiment Station. 



The county unit was adopted because it seemed to offer a large 

 enough unit for effective work. When one is dealing with a pest,, 

 the range of flight of which varies from a few hundred yards to 



