THE COCHINEA*. 
4‘+4 
leaves of a plant known by the various names of cpuh- 
ti ' nopal, racket, and cardaffia. The method of culti 
vating them upon this tree, pradifed by the Mexicans', 
is by collecting ten or twelve together into one nidus, 
made of mofs or cotton ; thefe infefts being put into thefe 
aefts, are fixed- to the branches 'of opuntia, which is plant- 
ed around their houfes. 
Cochineals have not long remained in this ftate when 
they produce fwarms of young, which difperfe and feed 
among the juicy leaves, and there produce a new gene*- 
ration. The infects having thus multiplied, are gather- 
ed three different feafons in the year: the iirft is per- 
formed by taking- away the nefts that were placed oriiu- 
naily upon the tree j the fecond, by picking the cochi- 
neal from the leaves with pincers ; and the third, at the 
apptoach ot winter, by cutting oft the leaves, which are 
yet loaded with infects : This laft contains animals in 
various ftages of their exigence, and of different fixes 
it is therefore reckoned of inferior equality on that ac- 
count, and alfo, becaufe, in feraping the leaf, fome part 
of the epiderm neceflarily comes off, and mixes with the 
cochineal. The Spaniards call it GrariUla. 
Having thus collected the infeds, the next part of thx 
pr >eefs is killing them and preparing them for fale ; and 
ac .-idmg as this is performed, the cochineal is fuppefed 
to be of different quality, and obtains various names, ac- 
cording as its colour is fuppofed to be more or lefs af- 
fected. That which is prepared by the gentle heat of o- 
vens, is ot an afh-grey, or mottled colour, and named- 
J^Jpcada lx the i elect s are deprived of life by plunging 
t' m with bsfkt ts into hot water, it then goes by the- 
name of Reregrida, and is not covered over with that 
white powder, common to the other kinds. Lafllv, it- 
beartr 
I 
