320 DIRECT BENEFITS DERIVED FROM INSECTS, 



the interior of their huts, and then exposed to the open 

 air under a shed, where from their succulency they con- 

 tinue to live for several months. In August and Sep- 

 tember the mother cochineal insects, now big with young, 

 are placed in nests made of a species of Tillandsia called 

 Paxtle, which are distributed upon the nopals. In about 

 four months the first gathering, yielding twelve for one, 

 may be made, which in the course of the year is suc- 

 ceeded by two more profitable harvests. This period of 

 sowing and harvest refers chiefly to the districts of Sola 

 and Zimatlan. In colder climates the semilla is not 

 placed upon the nopals until October or even December, 

 when it is necessary to shelter the young insects by co- 

 vering the nopals with rush mats, and the harvests are 

 proportionably later and unproductive. In the imme- 

 diate vicinity of the town of Oaxaca the Nopaleros feed 

 their cochineal insects in the plains from October to 

 April, and at the beginning of the remaining months, 

 during which it rains in the plains, transport them to 

 their plantations of nopals in the neighbouring mountains, 

 where the weather is more favourable. 



Much care is necessary in the tedious operation of 

 gathering the cochineal from the nopals, which is per- 

 formed with a squirrel or stag's tail by the Indian women, 

 who for this purpose squat down for hours together be- 

 side one plant; and notwithstanding the high price of the 

 cochineal, it is to be doubted if the cultivation would be 

 profitable were the value of labour more considerable. 



The cochineal insects are killed either by throwing 

 them into boiling water ; by exposing them in heaps to 

 the sun ; or by placing them in the ovens ( Temazealli) 

 used for vapour-baths. The last of these methods, which 



