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1  do  not  advocate  any  extensive  attempt  to  do  this  at  once.  But  1 
do  suggest  that  each  town  should  undertake  the  gradual  filling  up 
the  swamps  in  its  immediate  neighbourhood.  A  special  portion  of 
the  swamp  should  be  selected  and  all  town  rubbish  should  be 
deposited  in  such  spots. 
In  some  places  this  has  been  done  with  great  benefit,  for 
example,  at  Port  Antonio  a  considerable  area  of  the  swamp  has 
been  filled  in  to  form  a  cricket  ground,  and  a  piece  of  ground,  which 
formerly  supplied  thousands  of  mosquitoes,  is  now  solid  ground — a 
most  excellent  piece  of  reclamation.  At  Folly  Point,  too,  by  the 
enterprise  of  a  private  individual,  Mr.  Mitchell,  a  considerable  area 
of  ground  has  been  reclaimed ;  and  I  understand  he  was  anxious  to 
do  more  on  a  piece  of  land  which  was  not  his  own  property,  but  was 
unable  to  obtain  permission  from  the  owner.  This  is  regrettable, 
and  I  think  that  in  such  cases  private  idiosyncrasies  should  not  be 
allowed  to  stand  in  the  way  of  public  improvements.  At  Annotto 
Bay,  too,  a  gentleman,  Mr.  Westmoreland,  is  depositing  his  cocoa-nut 
refuse  on  a  swamp  at  one  side  of  the  town,  which  will  eventually 
have  the  effect  of  reclaiming  this  portion.  These  are  examples  of 
the  object  to  be  kept  in  view,  constant  and  systematic  filling  up  of 
the  swamps,  and  if  the  supervising  boards  will  carry  this  out  much 
will  be  done.  But  it  must  not  be  haphazard,  it  must  be  continuous. 
But  while  this  is  going  on  other  palliative  measures  can  be 
adopted.  Where  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  sea  to  back  up  the 
outlet  of  the  river,  an  endeavour  should  be  made  to  keep  it  open. 
This  will  reduce  the  area  under  water  behind,  and,  if  regularly  done, 
should  not  involve  much  expenditure. 
Then,  I  have  already  pointed  out  that  the  Anophelines  breed  in 
shallow  water  where  there  is  grass  and  weeds.  Therefore,  clear  out 
the  grass  and  weeds,  and  especially  at  the  edges.  A  great  improve¬ 
ment  can  be  effected  by  deepening  the  pools  at  the  edges,  and 
making  a  square  margin  with  rough  stones.  This  should  not  be 
costly  near  the  beach,  where  stones  are  available. 
Where  the  area  of  swamps  is  considerable,  with  scattered  pools, 
a  trench  or  two  will  be  found  beneficial.  A  trench  collects  the  water 
and  is  more  easily  kept  clean  and  treated  than  a  large  area. 
In  somie  instances  it  may  be  practicable  to  admit  salt  water  to 
pools  or  trenches  where  the  level  is  low.  The  possibility  of  this 
