82 Voyage of the Novara. 



is called sparkling hock, which is very like the Austrian 

 Schaumwein. 



Some of the wealthier landowners formed an association 

 for the purpose of introducing the culture of cochineal, to 

 supply the place of that of the vine. Several plantations 

 of nopal, or cactus, were laid out, and the first harvest was 

 gathered in 1858. The no\)a\ ( Opuntia cochinillifera^ is the 

 only kind of cactus on which the cochineal insect breeds, 

 and the south of the island, up to an elevation of 500 feet, 

 the only part adapted for its cultivation. An attempt was 

 made to introduce the culture of cochineal in the island 

 hy Senor Miguel de Carvalho, as far back as 1836. But 

 the indifference of the people, and their prejudices against 

 innovation, as well as the limited spirit of enterprise pos- 

 sessed by the native merchants, rendered the attempt, in 

 that instance, abortive. In consequence, however, of the 

 vine disease, the idea of cultivating cochineal was resumed, 

 without considering, as it w^ould appear, the probable results 

 in a mercantile point of view. At the time of our visit there 

 were about thirty acres of land planted with cactus, and the 

 '* seed " of the cochineal insect was expected from the Canary 

 Islands. One cannot but think the notion of suhstitutino- the 

 cultivation of cochineal for that of the vine was not a lucky 

 one, the large capital required, and the limited market 

 for the article, holding out small chance of success. The 

 entire consumption of cochineal in the whole world amounts 

 to no more than about 30,000 quintals, and towards this 



