14 BULLETIN 807, U. S. DEPAKTME:NT OF AGRICULTTJKE. 



nation is slow, than during warm weather, when germination takes 

 only a few days. One germination experiment had to be discarded, 

 as rotting of the seed was practically 100 per cent. In another test, 

 the soil was sterilized with formalin, and germination was perfect, 

 not only with uninjured beans, but also with those having 1, 2, and 3 

 weevils in them. Those having 4 and 5 weevils gave a 92 per cent 

 germination, the balance being injured in, or too close to, the germ. 



Fig. 6. — Broad bean cut in half to show pupal cell of the hroad- 

 bean weevil containing predacious mite {Pediculoides ven- 

 tricosus). Enlarged. (Chittenden.) 



Whether infested beans produce weak plants or small crops, was 

 not determined, but it was observed many times that the sprouts 

 from infested beans were much less vigorous than those from perfect 

 beans. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



The only natural enemy of Bruchus rufimanus observed during 

 the investigation was a predacious mite, Pediculoides ventricosus 

 Newport (fig. 6). This was observed a number of times, but only 

 a small fraction of 1 per cent of the insects were affected. Mr. W. 

 B. Parker reports having observed a beetle in the clutches of the 



