318 DIRECT BENEFITS DERIVED FROM INSECTS. 



The scarlet grain of Poland {Coccus polo?iicus, L.) is 

 found on the roots of the perennial knawel (Sclera?ithus 

 perennis, L. a scarce plant in this country, but abundant 

 in the neighbourhood of Elvedon in Suffolk), and was at 

 one time collected in large quantities for dyeing red in 

 the Ukraine, Lithuania, &c. But though still employed 

 by the Turks and Armenians for dyeing wool, silk and 

 hair, as well as for staining the nails of women's fingers, 

 it is now rarely used in Europe except by the Polish 

 peasantry. A similar neglect has attended the Coccus 

 found on the roots of Poterium Sanguisorba, L. a , which 

 was used by the Moors for dyeing silk and wool a rose 

 colour ; and the Coccus Uva-ursi, which with alum affords 

 a crimson dye b . 



Cochineal, the Coccus Cacti, L., is doubtless the most 

 valuable product for which the dyer is indebted to in- 

 sects, and with the exception perhaps of indigo the most 

 important of dyeing materials. Though the Spaniards 

 found it employed by the natives of Mexico, where alone 

 it is cultivated, on their arrival in that country in 1518, 

 its true nature was not accurately ascertained for nearly 

 two centuries afterwards. Acosta indeed as early as 1530, 

 and Herrara and Hernandez subsequently, had stated 

 it to be an insect. But led apparently by its external 

 appearance, notwithstanding the conjectures of Lister 

 and assertions of Pere Plumier to the contrary, it was 

 believed by Europeans in general to be the seed of a 

 plant, until Hartsoeker in 1694, Leeuwenhoek and De 

 la Hire in 1 704, and Geoffrey, ten years later, by dis- 



a Rai. Hist. Plant. \. -401. » Bancroft, i. 401. 



