24 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

tal opening prior to egg production (Figs. 14 & 16). The number of
eggs produced varies a great deal. The average is considered to be 400 4
to 500, but this number may be much smaller or considerably larger
since over 2,000 eggs have been observed to be produced by a single |


Figure 14.-Drawing of an adult female of a root-knot nematode with attached
 egg mass embedded in a protective jelly. x 115