Now look here," he said, picking off a melon leaf and holding it before me, "What's the matter with that ?" "I don't see much the matter," I said, "only that the leaf looks specked a little with yellow, as if it was unhealthy." "Turn it over," he said.
I did, and looked at it well.
"There are a few red specks on it--very small ones," I said.
"Good eyes," he said approvingly.

"That's what's the matter, my lad.
You've seen the greatest enemy we have under glass.

Those red specks, so small that you can hardly see them, cover the lower parts of the leaves with tiny cobwebs and choke the growth while they suck all the goodness out, and make the yellow specks on the top by sucking all the sap from the leaves." "What, those tiny specks!" "Yes, those little specks would spoil all our melon plants if we did not destroy them--melons, cucumbers, vines, peaches, and nectarines-- anything almost under glass.

But there's your gun and ammunition; load up and shoot 'em.

Never give them any rest." I looked at him wonderingly, for he was pointing at a syringe standing in a pail of soapy-looking water.
"Yes," he continued, "that's right--kill 'em when you can.