Q articles upon the very perti
nent question of the extermination f
the mosquito which has appeared in
print fur some time. The Century has
taken nn active interest in this Impor
tant matter, having published In dif
ferent iiiimliei'H several articles tl:-.re-u.
one from the pen of Dr. L. (). How
ard, the Knliiinolotflst of the Depart
ruent of Agriculture, who is a renowned
authority upon mosquitoes. The article,
which we reproduce, Is entitled '"A Cam
Vaipi Apiinst the. Mosquito," written by
Henry Clay WVcks. and it is prefaced
liy i statement from Dr. Howard, who
sumuiarizis the efforts which are heitik'
made all over the country to relieve
t-oiiimunitics from ho annoying and
danTous a pest. Dr. Howard, hi part,
"It is my firm opinion that, wide
spread as the interest in mosquito-extermination
seems to he at present. It
Ih not a temporary Interest, hut the
iM'Klnniug of a givat and intelligent
crusade. New Jersey, a State
"which has suffered a Krcat economic
loss from the abundance of mosquitoes
kmhij; auention to tlio matter
miy m isolated coinnuiniti
s as coin-
lummy work, but also by
the Legislature having passed
to promote Investigations, but.
tunatcly, without an appropriation.
Last summer the towns of Summit and
South Orange carried on community
work which Is to be continued this
Bummer. The citk-s of Elizabeth,
Newark and Jersey City are. I believe,
to do some drainage work with this erd
In view.' The Hoard of Health
ef New Orleans has taken up the mat
ter, and is doing intelligent and satis
factory work. Nashville. Tenn.; Iiome.
3a.; Talladega, Ala.; Winchester and
Norfolk, Va., nnd'a number of other
places are looking into the matter with
a view to immediate effort, and smaller
communities all over the country,
North, South, East and West, either
have, the matter under consideration
or arc already beginning work."
UFKUATIONS AT OYSTER BAY, L. I.
.BX HENBT OLAY WKEKS.
With no- elalm to be acting under
other than well-known principles of
MAP OP CENTEB ISLAND AND VICINITT,
OYSTER DAT, LONG ISLAND.
engineering and insect-destruction, put
tiug iortn uotutng as new in nem or
laboratory, there has been going for
ward to a demonstration, on Loii;
Island, since January, 1001, tlie movt
ment of which this article is the sub
The purpose is to describe what is
probably the first a-ttempt by a commu
nity to exterminate mosquitoes ou a
large scale in this country. The
Center Island work was the outcome
10 N 0 ISLAND fShj,,1
tory of about thirty square miles made
by the writer during three days in Oc
tober, li'co, at the request of some resi
dents' wirj had previously invited Dr.
Hawaid to visit the region an I t:Me
I 71111 1 V9
whether, In his view, relief was pos
sible. Ills opinion was strongly fa
vorable. I'.ut the whole terri
tory was not then ripe for action, and
th.-re was an opportunity ff molding
; ublie H''tliueiit only In a small part
of the large area, namely, Center
Island, In Oyster P.ay Harbor.
('enter Island, of Irregular tdiapc,
about two miles long and half a mile
VIEW OF THE TAUT OT THE DIKE ONCE A SAND-UAU.
wide, was peculiarly adapted for relief
work, though there were onditions
that made it a difficult field. It is
connected with a famous breeding re
gion by a narrow strip of land, along
which, as well as over the Intervening
water. It was feared mosquitoes would
be borne. A large, sodden marsh ran
through the middle, wherein were nu
merous marsh holes, always excellent
breeding grounds. Shore ponds were
uumeroiiH, where nign tkles would
leave water behind barriers of sand,
which water would become brackish
by rainfalls and seepage. As a whole
the island was a rare breeding place,
and Its reputation for mosquitoes was
Of course the enemy is the same,
though of great variety of species.
He or rather she, for It is only the
female that bites seeks blood wher
ever it can be found. She seeks water
for oviposition as industriously as do
tbe roots of a tree for nutrition, and
with a determination as . irresistible.
Her Ingenuity almost baffles human
skill, and one hns to meet her on the
same grounds of persistence, giving
close attention to natural instincts,
times and conditions. It would be
useless to attempt to enumerate the
strange places mosquitoes seek for
laying their eggs from high-water
tanks and clogged roof -gutters to wells
a hundred feet deep; from a hole in a
tree holding only a few spoonfuls of
water, discarded tinware, or the foot
prints of animals, to a quiet pond of
With the knowledge that water Is
absolutely required for breeding, it in
volved no great brilliancy to say that
water must be denied the enemy. Her
breeding places must le abolished by
draining marshes or pools, and water
barrels and the like must be done away
with. Knowing also that in the larval
and pupal states (wigglers) air is re
quired for breathing, It was equally
patent that if a thin lilm of oil was
placed on their breeding places, des-
truction would result for want of air.
It is the insistence of operations under
these ideas that insures success.
So the work has consisted of the em
ployment of drainage and petroleum.
Uut while that appears simple, it en-
tails careful planning and cmm1ucs
in execution. Drainage is the r
mancnt cur--, petroleum the temporary
expedient, but each Is essential In It
ophere. The former must be mployed
thoroughly, the latter slightly. It N
not neivssary. as some have Inllmateit,
to consider the depth of a pond, but
only its HiipiTllcles. The film of fuel
petroleum docs the work.
Eight oil stations were established
on the Island, wh'ic one or two bar
rels were placed on platforms in the
shad" of trees, and at these the pe
trollcr would till his knapsack sprayer
and sally forth for the en-my. Ten
barrels were purchased, but only liv"
were required throughout the Island,
and now that so many points are per
manently reclaimed by drainage and
the tilling In of iols, probably one
barrel, or at most two, will be suill
clent this season. Only live comp
tours of the Island were found neces
sary from May 1 to Octolier 1, though
applications were often required at
special points. As it was Impossible
to do all the permanent work before
the breeding season legan, both reme
dies were worked co-ordinately. This
was done in order to show best results.
To leave any breeding places untreat
ed would have thrown discredit on
successful work at other points.
Surveys were first taken for the
drainage work, to ascertain the entire
cirtchment of the worst point, namely,
Oreat Meadow, so as to plan the num
ber of ditches necessary to hold the
water in case of a heavy rainfall. Too
much excavation results in a waste of
money; too little In a flooding of the
reclaimed area and Injury to crops.
Levels were taken for the ditching,
and it was fouud that only one inch
of descent could be had in sixty feet,
though this was sufficient, owing to
the great care in grading.
A squad of about twenty-five men
INNC ANO 0UTE
CtMTCII IftLANO, L.I.
JXU filM JfN, At.
Piking. I JA4 ft.
was engaged for many weeks on the
ditching and diking. Wbere no dikes
were required the soil from the ditches
was used In filling the marsh-holes nud
streams or was graded back at the
edge of the uplands, leaving no holes
for water to settle In.
The pools formed perfect breeding
places, and the general sodden condi
tion of tte marsh made Ideal breeding
conditions. Early in the season (before
May 1) the pools were found to be alive
with larvae, and unless one had ab
solute confidence In the processes
of extermination, a glance Into one
of them would have destroyed all hope
of succes. While the excavation was
progressing, the petrollers were set at
work, aud by care and cloe supervi
sion scarcely an insect gt to wing.
Of the few that did, it was found that
near them a little water surface had
been overlooked, which showed two
things: that mosquitoes do not. fly far
from their native place, a rid. that most
careful work is essential for complete
The writer has been informed that,
in other years, to drive along the bor
ders of this marsh was a perilous un
dertaklng for mau and beast, but he
walked over it many times during
and after the work, and did not en
counter a single mosquito.
Another source of great trouble had
heretofore been the brackish ponds
formed on the shore within barriers
of sand by extra high tides. In these
cases the plan was carried out of ex
cavating an opening, and allowing the
water to run off at low tide, which
would carry oft a stream black with
l.nvn In (In finNh of v..itv iit mU
point nu autoiwulr lidf pit' liiol t
W insert n in t lie openl:u. whit h h
the rimiouF.n and ak oil station.
set somewhat lielow the level of th"
bottom of the ponds. A number of
these ponds were so thoroughly dried
out that no breeding occurred In them,
and one could walk through the former
beds and about thfir vicinity, where
formerly It was well-nigh Impossible.
The automatic tide-gate lets out the
water as soon as the tide has fallen
below Its level, and closes wh n the
title begins to rise, so that in these
shore ponds, as well as In larger
marshes Hie inner ditches must be large
enough to hold the water which has
collected between tides, without Its
overflowing the land. Dikes ar built
along the shore line to exclude the
titles, and the gates are set in at the
The results of this skirmish hav
been very pronounced, so much so that
the committee having the work in
charge says of it that "it was in every
way successful and gratifying, and
that although the season of 1001 was
unusually favorable to the breeding
of these pests, yet Center Island was
practically entirely relieved from mos
quitoes, and, for the first time, at al
most all hours of the day and evening,
we were able to enjoy the use of our
piazzas and lawns without the annoy
ance of these pests. The results
achieved by the use of fuel-petroleum
were simply remarkable, and we were
astonished to find how little it was
necessary to use to accomplish the
New Fly Calcher.
It seems somewhat cruel to make a
flower holder au Instrument of death,
but since the housekeeper will kill the
flies any way, why not make the fly
trap as attractive as possib'.e. Ordi
narily fly-traps are unsightly and ob
jectionable objects to have upon the
dinner table, as they expose the dead
and dying flies to the sight of those
seated at the table. In view of this
objectionable foature the invention we
show In the picture has been designed
to provide a trap which, while ar
ranged for effectively enticing and en
trapping the flies, is also constructed
to form a flower holder and to present
a neat and attractive appearance, and
at the same time to conceal the flies
after they have entered the device. The
upper portion of the trap is in the
form of a vase, to contain cut flowers
for the decoration of the table, and
the guests may not even suspect its
real use, but the under portion nas an
entrance through which the flies gain
access to the bait which is suspended
insidf. The Illustration shows an in-
FLOWEB HOLDER AND INSECT TRAP.
ner shell, which has an opening at the
top through which, the flies crawl, de
scending thence to the gutter; in which
is concealed the poisonous liquid which
kills the Insects. To clean the in
terior the outer shell can be detached
exposing the trap and allowing it to be
rinsed out and refilled. The inventor
Is Joseph Herfert.
A l'ln 1I1 It.
A Paris thief, while picking a lady'
pocket recently, pricked-himself so se
verely with a pin that happened to be
in her dress that he uttered a cry of
pain, which led to his immediate ar
rest. The sum of $'."0 in cash was
found upon him.
The surgeon is not always super
cilious when he cfiU his patients.
MISS VIRGJP GRANES
about tistlmvnlal lit rot gnuln.
I.Tdbi TL IMnkliam' vecretable i
Compound has stood the test of Q
time, and has cured thousands. (
Mrs. Pinkham advises sick wo
men free. Address, Lynn, Mass,
Llbby's Natural Flavor Foods
Cooksd Jn KxMttr Rlsht, than tmt np In kT
opening ean. Ton gM thm at Tour roo.r"
IBM u tbf Ukt n dalntj, dnliclou and
MKlitomm. o will BTrkMpbouM with
oat Libbi'i Woods mha too odd. trr th.m.
L LIBBY, McNULL & LI GUY, CHICAGO
Ak for our boofclt, "How 10 Mm Good
r to Mjlxi Gooi A
b-MBt joa flM.
ABINOft TO KA.T." it Will
ttJk. V A AAA
L suffered untold misery, for a, period
of over five years with a. case of enronit
dyspepsia. I would rise in the morning
feeling draggy, miserable and unilt for
work. For weeks I would be unable
to eat one good meal. After eating I
would swell and the oppressions would
aJmost drive me crazy. At times I
would be troubled with spells of dizzi
ness. Constant worriment red'iwed my
weight until I was a shadow of my for
mer self. I have been, taking liipans
Tabules now for two months and am al
most cured. My old symptoms have
disappeared. I have gained in weight
over twelve pounds.
The Five-Cent packet is erumgh for an
ordinary occasion. The family bottle,
60 cents, contains a supply for a year.
Genuine stamped C C C Never sold in balk.
Beware of the dealer who tries to sell
"something just as jood."
2SO Touns 3Io3r