98 
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
In commerce, Cochineal appears in the form of reddish or black 
shrivelled grain, covered with a white powder. This grain is the 
dried body of the Cochineal insect {Coccus Cacti), and yields a 
beautiful crimson colour. The insect is carefully fed or raised 
on the flat, blade- like branches of the Cochineal Cactus {NojKdea 
coccmellifera and other species). The abundance of these 
plants everywhere in the Canaries indicates the great extent of 
the Cochineal industry in former days. The insects are trans- 
ferred to the plants on white rags, which are pinned to the 
branches by means of spines from the Spiny Cactus (Opimtia 
Dillenii). A Cochineal plantation, with the plants covered with 
white rags, looks as if it " were yielding crops of white paper 
bun-bags." When the insects are fully grown they are brushed 
off into trays, and carefully cured by being dried in the sun. 
Considerable intelligence and skill are necessary in the successful 
treatment of the insects, as well as in the proper cultivation 
of the plants. 
Cereals. — A good deal of Wheat is grown in Lanzarote and 
Fuerteventura, and moderate quantities in the other islands. 
The bread from native Wheat, made into flour in the *' Gofio " 
mills, is more palatable than any other. Good bread is a feature 
even in remote parts of the Canary Islands. Barley, Oats, Rye 
are also grown, but for the most part they are cut in the green 
state for fodder purposes. Nearly all the cattle and horses and 
pigs are stall-fed. Sheep only are pastured on the grassy slopes 
in the mountains, while destructive goats are allowed to roam 
everywhere on land not actually under cultivation. 
Maize (Zea Mays).— The Maize crops in the Canaries are 
amongst the most valuable of all the agricultural produce. Two 
crops are raised on first-class land. Beans are often planted with 
Maize, and the returns are often very considerable. The rent of 
land is, however, very high, and there is also a considerable sum 
to be ])aid for water for irrigation. 
Sweet Potato {I pouioca IkUatis). — Altliou.^li not inucli in 
('vid('n(;('. Sweet Potatos are grown to a hirge extent. Tlu; land 
yields two and tln-ee crops annually. Tlie leaves are given to 
cattle. 
Sugar-cane {SaccJianuii ojjlcinariivi). — The cultivation of 
ihv Sugar-cane is one of the oldcist industries in the islands. 
Large areas are planted in Grand Canary, and under the measure 
