the leaves on which they feed soon present a sickly yellow or scorched
appearance, for the supply of sap is drawn off by myriads of these
little mites, which congregate on the under sides of the leaves, where
they live in a very delicate web, which they spin, and multiply very
rapidly; this web and the excrement of the red spider soon choke up
the pores of the leaves, which, deprived of their proper amount of
sap, and unable to procure the carbon from the atmosphere which they
so much need, are soon in a sorry plight. However promiscuous these
mites may be in their choice of food plants--melons, cucumbers, kidney
beans, hops, vines, apple, pear, plum, peach trees, limes, roses,
laurustinus, cactuses, clover, ferns, orchids, and various stove and
greenhouse plants being their particular favorites--they are by no
means insensible to the difference between dryness and moisture. To
the latter they have a most decided objection, and it is only in warm
and dry situations that they give much trouble, and it is nearly
always in dry seasons that plants, etc., out of doors suffer most from
these pests. Fruit trees grown against walls are particularly liable
to be attacked, since from their position the air round them is
generally warm and dry, and the cracks and boles in the walls are
favorite places for the red spider to shelter in, so that extra care
should be taken to prevent them from being infested, this may best be
effected by syringing the trees well night and morning with plain
water, directing the water particularly to the under sides of the
leaves, so as, if possible, to wash off the spiders and their webs. If
the trees be already attacked, adding soft soap and sulphur to the
water will destroy them.

[Illustration: FIG. 1--Red Spider (magnified). A 1. Ditto
(natural size). 2. Underside of head. 3. Foot. 4. Spinneret.]