5 



The education of the pubhc has not been the least of the en- 

 deavors of this body. By pubHc lectures, by the press of various 

 communities and by well-chosen literature it has been system- 

 atically brought to the attention of the people. The proposition 

 Avas new to- most of them. The miosquito w'as sO' prevalent and 

 such a constant quantity in every community that by many it 

 was considered preposterous to talk seriously of getting rid of 

 it. However, it was not long before incredulous skepticism 

 gave way tO' serious thinking and investigation. To-day we 

 have the nmjority of the public with us, and our former most 

 doubting Thomas's are now our most ardent supporters. 



Practical thinking business men have not been slow to grasp 

 the enormoufi benefits accruing to the State o-f New Jersey by 

 the extermination of mosquitoes. The advancement in ratables 

 in real estate which will total an enormous figure, the encour- 

 agement of a miore progressive agriculture and the comfort and 

 health of its people are among its advantages, but has it not 

 occurred to you that the geographic position of New Jersey 

 makes it unique in another way ? A large part of its wealth lies 

 in the fact that its seaboard is by nature one long health and 

 pleasure resort from. Seabright to Cape May. To its shores are 

 attracted in a year's time millions of people who' leave in the 

 State millions of dollars and within a radius of five hundred 

 miles of this city live a majority oi the population of the United 

 States. The entire elimiination of the mosquitO' from the sea- 

 board alone will, by the greater attraction of people and the in- 

 vestment of their money, mean wealth and prosperity of such 

 proportions that it is hardly conceivable tO' the humian mind. 



The average cost of mosquitO' freedom annually was quoted 

 at our last year's m,eeting as being less than, fifteen cents per 

 capita. This is not much to pay for the health and wealth, the 

 comfort and prosperity that will follow' its accomplishment. 



The earnest study of earnest men from all over the State has 

 taught us many newl facts about mosquitoes hitherto unknown. 

 A fund of scientific knowledge has been added to that already 

 possessed, and it has been demonstrated that the needs of one 

 community cannot be entirely measured by a comparison with 



