Important investigations have been made in Connecticut by the Agricultural Experiment Station, under the direction of W. E. Britton and Henry L. Viereck, and the results have been most encouraging. Dr. Howard, in his directions for fighting mosquitoes, acknowledges his indebtedness to the very successful experiments carried on at Staten Island. Maryland is aroused to the point of action. Dr. Howard A. Kelley, of Johns Hopkins University, is to coöperate with Thomas B. Symons, the State entomologist, in carrying the war to the shores of Chesapeake Bay. "Home talent," moreover, can accomplish much. To fight intelligently, let it not be forgotten that the battle should be directed against the larvæ. These wrigglers are bred for aquatic life; therefore, it is to all standing water that attention should be directed. Mosquito larvæ will not breed in large ponds, or in open, permanent pools, except at the edges, because the water is ruffled by the wind. Any pool can be rendered free from wrigglers by cleaning up the edges and stocking with fish. Every fountain or artificial water basin ought to be so stocked, if it is only with goldfish. The house owner should not overlook any pond, however small, or a puddle of water, a ditch, or any depression which retains water. A half-filled pail, a watering trough, even a tin receptacle will likely be populated with mosquito larvæ. Water barrels are favorite haunts for wrigglers.
A Simple Household Remedy
There are those, however, who will obstinately conduct their campaign against the adult mosquito. If energetic, such persons will search the house with a kerosene cup attached to a stick; when this is held under resting mosquitoes the insects fall into the cup and are destroyed. Those possessed of less energy daub their faces and hands with camphor, or with the oil of pennyroyal, and bid defiance to the pests. With others it is, Slap! slap!—with irritation mental as well as physical; for the latter, entomologists recommend household ammonia.
FOOTNOTES:
[3] See Bulletin No. 25, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Entomology.
Part II
PURE FOOD FOR THE
HOUSEKEEPER
BY
S. JOSEPHINE BAKER