DISEASES IN GREENHOUSE 125 



Life History. The eel worm is a very 

 minute organism seldom exceeding one- 

 twenty-fifth of an inch in length, and since 

 it is semi-transparent, it cannot be easily 

 detected with the naked eye. In search- 

 ing for eel worms, endeavor to break a fresh 

 knot. Close examination will usually re- 

 veal two types of worms : a spindle shaped 

 worm, the male, and a pearly white pear 

 shaped organism, the female, firmly em- 

 bedded in the gall tissue. The female is 

 very prolific, depositing no less than 400 

 to 500 eggs during her lifetime. The eggs 

 are whitish semi-transparent bean shaped 

 bodies and too small to be noticed without 

 the aid of a magnifying glass. The time 

 which elapses until the eggs hatch depends 

 largely upon weather conditions. With 

 warm days the eggs hatch sooner than in 

 colder weather. Upon hatching, the 

 young larvae either remain in the tissue of 



