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the small branches of a tree, for the preservation 

 of its eggs, as well as for the nourishment of the 

 young maggoj; afterwards. As the gum is laid 

 on, it is formed into small cells, which have as 

 much regularity as those of a honey-comb; 

 and in each cell there is found a little red oval 

 egg, about the size of an ant's. When the eggs 

 are hatched, the young grubs pierce through the 

 gummy coat that surrounds them, and go off, 

 one by one, leaving their exuviae behind, which 

 are, in fact, the white membranous substances 

 found constantly in stick lac. 



The lac insect is cultivated in many parts of 

 the Mysore in the East Indies ; but is found only 

 on trees of some particular species. These trees 

 put out their leaves from the middle of March to 

 the middle of April ; during which time, a small 

 twig, having some of these insects on it, is tied 

 on each of them, and by the latter part of Oc- 

 tober, all the branches are thickly covered with 

 the insect, and almost all the leaves are de- 

 voured. The branches are then cut off, spread 

 on mats and dried in the shade. They are after- 

 wards sold to the merchant under the name of 

 stick lac, and are a staple article of commerce 

 in the Mysore, as well as in Assam, a country 

 bordering on Thibet. The only trouble in pro- 

 curing it, is that of breaking down the branches 

 and taking them to market. 



