1910 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III* 



young, possesses locomotive powers, yet, after impregnation, it greatly increases 

 in size, and the eggs are deposited beneath the body ; so that, by degrees, as the 

 eggs are excluded, the two surfaces of the body come together, and form a 

 covering for the eggs : hence, it will be observed that it is only the females 

 which are collected ; the males, in the perfect state, being minute, active, two- 

 winged flies, totally unlike their inert partners. This production has been 

 in use amongst the Eastern nations from the earliest ages. It was known 

 to the Phoenicians, before the time of Moses, under the name of tola, or 

 thola (s^n); to the Greeks, under that of coccus (eoincoc;) ; and, to the 

 Romans, under that of coccum, or coccus baphica; whence the origin of the 

 terms coccus and coccinum, which were given to cloth dyed with kermes ; 

 whilst persons wearing this kind of cloth were said by the Romans to be 

 coccinati (Mart., lib. i. epig. 97. lin. 6.) From the peculiar character of 

 this production, it is not surprising, that its real nature was long unknown. 

 By some of the early naturalists, it was regarded as the fruit of the tree upon 

 which it was found ; and by others, who discovered the real organs of fructifi- 

 cation of the tree, that it was a vegetable excrescence similar in its nature to 

 the galls caused by the punctures of the Cynipidae. This opinion was main- 

 tained even in 1711, by M. De Marsigli, in a dissertation written at Bologna, 

 and addressed to M. Vallisnieri. In 1714, however, M. Cestoni addressed a 

 letter to the same philosopher, in which he clearly traced the identity of the 

 nature of the kermes, and that of the scale insects of the orange and other 

 trees. This letter is printed in the collection of the works of Vallisnieri, 

 with a short preface by the latter, who appears to have hesitated in adopting 

 the opinion of M. Cestoni. Very shortly afterwards, however, the entire 

 history of the insect was traced by Messrs. Garidel and Emeric, correspond- 

 ents of the Academy of Paris ; who, prompted by M. Tournefort, by 

 daily examinations of branches infected with the kermes, made themselves 

 fully acquainted with its history, and proved it to be a species of Coccus. 

 (Garid. Air. Env. y 250., t. 53. and 2.) Reaumur has also given a full account 

 of it in his Memoires, torn. iv. mem. 1. pi. 5. In its natural state, the 

 kermes is of a shining appearance, and of the colour of a plum covered with 

 a whitish bloom. In the state in which it is brought into the market, it 

 appears of a dull reddish brown ; which is not, of course, the natural colour 

 of good kermes, but is imparted to it by steeping it in vinegar. The inha- 

 bitants of the countries where the kermes is obtained, distinguish three 

 different stages in its existence. In the Provencal language, they call it 

 " le ver," and say of it, when it is in its earliest state of activity, " Le ver 

 couve;" subsequently, in the month of April, when the kermes becomes 

 stationary, and begins to attain its fullest size, they say, " Le ver commence 

 d'eclore ; " and, in its last state, in the middle or towards the end of May, the 

 insect is found reduced to a skin, covering its brood of eggs, to the number of 

 1800 or 2000. The crop of kermes is more or less abundant, according to 

 the state of the preceding winter ; when, therefore, there has been no frost, 

 and the weather has been generally mild, a good crop is expected, which is not 

 obtained every year ; and, as there is no trouble in planting or attending to 

 the growth of the kermes, and as no other instruments are required than long 

 nails to the fingers, it may be easily supposed that the harvest is a very unex- 

 pensive one. Females are employed in collecting the kermes in the morning, 

 before the dew is off the ground ; at which time the leaves and the prickles of 

 the plants are less to be dreaded. Experienced persons will thus collect a 

 couple of pounds* weight per diem. Belon (Observations des Singularites, liv. i. 

 p. 19.) has given considerable details respecting the gathering of the crops of 

 kermes ; and states that the price decreases considerably during the gather- 

 ing, in consequence of the latest-collected kermes being lighter than those 

 first obtained, owing to the young ones having escaped. The merchants who 

 purchase the kermes immediately steep them in vinegar, and then expose 

 them to the action of heat sufficient to destroy any remaining vitality in 

 the young : this process considerably alters the colour of the insect, and 



