John Bernhardt Smith

“ New Jersey has always had something of a reputation in the mosquito line and at several points active work was begun. There were not wanting those that lacked faith, however, and there was abundant ridicule for those engaged in the work which, by the way, did not turn out as well as had been expected. ”

“ But when they become covered in summer by a spring tide or a heavy rain they hatch within an hour or two, and millions of wrigglers will be found on a marsh after a storm, where none were seen the day before. In a week these wrigglers are ready for the change to pupa and adult. After the adults have hatched, the first warm sultry night sends swarms numbering millions over the surrounding country. Few of these ever get back and none that leave the marsh finally ever reproduce their kind. ”

“ On this narrow shore strip summer resorts like Seaside Park, Barnegat City, Beach Haven, Atlantic City, Ocean City and many others have developed and there is no better beach in the world for bathing and other aquatic sports. ”

“ Altogether there are many thousands of acres of such marsh and on it, in water ranging from fresh to salt, breed four species of mosquitoes. They breed there and nowhere else in the state; but practically two of these salt marsh forms dominate the country for from twenty to forty miles back. In other words they migrate in immense swarms from the places where they were developed and live for weeks or even months in places where, but for them, mosquitoes would be unknown. ”

“ Its texture is also such that it will maintain even a narrow ditch perfectly and, if it is deep enough—two feet or more—no growth will start from the bottom. For slow drainage a ditch six inches wide, that will affect from thirty to fifty feet on each side can be cut by machine, and will dry off even the heaviest precipitation of rain in twenty-four hours. If a spring tide soaks the marsh the drainage is slower ”

“ The investigations made are important as eliminating from consideration vast stretches of supposed breeding grounds like the cat-tail areas in the Hackensack Valley; as limiting the number of species which must be dealt with; as showing clearly the natural checks that may be practically utilized; as proving to demonstration that control amounting to practical extermination is not only possible, but not even difficult ”