178 DISEASES OF THE SWEET PEA 



seed coats. Others upon culturing in the 

 laboratory are found to contain a variety 

 of fungi, such as Alternaria, Fusarium, 

 Clonostachys, Rhizopus, and Botrytis (fig. 

 42) . These seem to play the role of sap- 

 rophytes on the growing plants, but they 

 may be weak parasites, capable of attack- 

 ing these few shriveled seeds which may 

 lack in vigor and resistance. 



The Drug Store Beetle.^ Sitodrepa 

 panicea. This minute beetle (fig. 44) 

 is of considerable economic importance 

 to seedsmen, since sweet pea seeds in the 

 storehouse are very frequently seriously 

 injured by it. This pest is often found 

 feeding on dry bread, and because of 

 this, it is known in Europe as the bread 

 beetle. In this country it is found to 



^See also Bull. 4. Bur. Entom. U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 1896. 



