I take the liberty of writing to you, as I wish to know if you could give me any information about Cochineal. We have here plenty of Prickly-pear (cactus) and I believe it is the same kind used in Madeira for the growth of the insect. I should be very thankful if you would let me know something about the matter.

Answer.-- the cochineal insect, Coccus cacti, feeds upon differend kinds of Opuntia, or Prickly-pears. Pountia Tuna and Opuntia, or Nopalea coccinellifera, are the species principally used in Mexico, and these, with Opuntia Ficus Indica, are employed for a like purpose in the Canary Islands, New Grenada, and Madeira.

In arranging plantations or, as they are sometimes termed, nopaleries for raising the cochineal insect, the plants are set out in formal lines, several feet a part, so that they can be cultivated similarly to a carefully checkered corn-field, and when the plants are large enough the insects are distributed upon the plants. these soon give origin to countless numbers of minute insects, of which the females soon increase reapidly in size until they almost lose the appearance of insects and look like small warts. At this stage of their growth they are gathered by detaching them from the plant by a flat wedge-like stick, and placed in a bag, which is then dipped in boiling water to kill the insects, afterwards drying them in the sun.

It has been estimated that 70,000 of these insects are required to make a pound of cochineal.

It may be surmised that the profits of this industry will greatly depend upon the cost of labor required for these manipulations.

Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture, 1887