A V O Y A G E T O Book VI. 

 eoloiir of the wild cochineal and that of Caxaca, it 

 does not proceed from a difference of fpecies, but 

 from a vv^ant of proper care in its improvement ; and 

 were the culture every where alike, this difference 

 would no longer fubfift. But the Indians negiefl it^ 

 either becaufe no commerce of that kind has been 

 opened among them •, or from an averfion to the 

 trouble and attention requifite to bring thofe infects 

 to perfection or, laftly, from the apprehenfion that 

 the fruits of all their time and care may be deftroyed 

 by one of the above-mentioned accidents. 



The temiDerature bed adapted to the production of 

 this infetl cannot be precifely determined, there being 

 in Caxaca, as well as in the province of Quito, 

 parts of very dilferent temperatures, fome hot, fome 

 temperate, and others cold ; yet all breed the cochi- 

 neal. It IS, however, very probable, that the m.oil 

 proper climate is the temiperate and dry ; becaufe in 

 thefe the nopal thrives the bed. And agreeably to 

 this obfervation it is remarked, that Hambato and 

 Loja are the countries in the province of C^uito 

 where they moft abound ; though they are alfo ieen 

 in other parts, where both the heat and cold are 

 greater. 



Here I cannot help obferving, that Andalufia in 

 Spain appears to m.e extremely well fituated for 

 breeding cochineal, both from the nature of the cli- 

 mate, and the plantation of fig-trees, which there at- 

 tain fo great perfedion. Here alfo neither frofts, fogs, 

 or fnows, are to be apprehended, particularly in fpring ; 

 and the happV medium between cold and heat is, as I 

 have before obferved, that which this creature is par- 

 ticularly fond of. 



The inhabitants of Loja, who are known all over 

 this province by the name of Lojanos, do not exceed 

 ten thoufand fouls, though formerly, when the city 

 was in its greatePc profperity, they vvxre m.uch more 

 numerous. Their charader is much better than that 



of 



