THE WILD COCHINEAL INSECT OF INDIA. 249 



indigenous cactus, capable of supporting a cochineal insect of the quality 

 above described ; and the true Mexican nopal or Cactus cochinellifera is 

 thriving in the Botanical Gardens of Calcutta, and can easily be transferred 

 to suitable localities in those provinces. Lastly, labour is cheap, and little 

 agricultural management requisite. 



The attention of the Government and the public has, at various times, 

 been directed to the propagation of cochineal, both in Bengal and Madras ; 

 but, like many other important objects, it has been abandoned as often as 

 it was begun. The Dutch have been more successful, and cochineal has 

 become one of the great sources of public revenue in their Eastern 

 possessions. 



About the time that trials were made extensively at Madras, Dr. Box- 

 burgh was engaged in similar trials at Calcutta, and planted several acres, 

 in the Botanic Garden of Opuntia cochinellifera. No records exist of the 

 result of the experiment, or why it was abandoned ; but, from the circum- 

 stance of a reward having been shortly after offered by the Court of 

 Directors of the E.I. Co. for the introduction of the Granafina or species of 

 coccus employed in South America, probably some difficulties arose as to 

 the employment of the indigenous species of Bengal. In 1839, the South 

 American insect was introduced by the Agri-Horticultural Society, Calcutta, 

 and an acre of ground laid out in the Society's nursery for its cultivation, 

 which was likewise abandoned, but for what reason does not distinctly 

 appear. 



It is highly probable that the failure of all former efforts to produce a 

 fine cochineal dye in India, is mainly to be ascribed to the selection of un- 

 favourable localities, and the attempt to introduce a foreign insect, instead 

 of cultivating and improving the indigenous one. 



Besides the selection of proper localities for the cultivation of the 

 Opuntice, correct information must be obtained on the following points — 

 viz.: 



1st. Number of generations of the Coccus in India during the year. 



2nd. Number of crops which can be profitably gathered in twelve 

 months, and proper periods of gathering them. 



3rd. Broper seasons of setting the young insects. 



4th. Most effectual mode of preserving the insects during the rainy 

 season. 



Dr. A. Fleming, in a letter, dated March 3, 1848, states : — 



" When marching past this village (Gindialaj to get to my tent this 

 morning, I got satisfactory proof that the Indian cochineal is an article of 

 commerce in the country, and is used extensively by the Umritsur dyers. 

 All the roadsides and fields near the village are lined with magnificent 

 specimens of the cactus, far superior to any I have seen since I left Loodianah, 

 and their leaves are covered with the cochineal insect, which, it strikes me, 

 attains here, probably Irom good feeding, a larger size than I have ever seen 

 it before do. As I passed these hedges of the prickly pear, numerous 

 Cashmerees were scraping the cochineal, with a blunt iron instrument, from 



