176 TOMATO. 
aviorum) is a common pest here on tomatoes. The im- 
perfect insect is a small white scale-like body, preying 
upon the under surface of the leaves, and the mature 
form is a minute fly-like insect which flies about the 
house. It can be kept in check by fumigating with to- 
bacco smoke. 
A much more serious pest is a small spotted mite, 
scarcely larger than the red spider ( Tetranychus bimacu- 
latus, of Harvey). The mites feed upon the under sides 
of the leaves, causing the upper surfaces to appear 
speckled with white, as shown in Fig. 59. They attack 
many plants, but to- 
matoes and cucum- 
bers are _ favorites. 
We have tried num- 
bers of remedies with 
great thoroughness, 
but the first way we 
discovered of keep- 
ing them in check 
was to syringe with 
water so forcibly 
once or twice a day as to knock them off. By the time 
they were fairly resettled on the plants we would knock 
them off again. By this alternating warfare, aided by 
picking and burning the worst leaves, we kept our plants 
in tolerable order. Later, however, we have found that 
Hughes’ fir-tree oil is fatal to them, as also to all kinds 
of lice and scales. For the mites, we use a half pint of 
oil to two gallons of water, and the material may be ap- 
plied with a syringe or knapsack pump. In more recent 
experience, we have not had so good success with this 
oil. We now keep them in check by exercising every 
care to have the house free of the pests before setting 
in the plants, and by spraying the leaves (particularly 
beneath) with a fine nozzle every bright morning. If 
the mites once get a thorough foothold upon a plant 
59. Work of the mtte. 
