The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-08-20
Correspondence Of the Pacific Gem. Advertiserl
The C~~k;->.u


The C0ckineaI.
SHIN your paper of August see an edi-
torial remark appended to a snort extract refer
ring to the cochineal which contains the unqual-
ifed statement that the species Of cactus, so
abundantly found on our islsnds, is not the plant
upon which the said insect feeds, and that conse-
quently it will be necessary to procure the true
plant with the insect As was the original
mover of the resolution with regard to the intro
duction of the cochineal insect in the meeting of
the Directors of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural
Society, and was so, under the supposition, that
our plant was one of those upon which the insect is
raised in Mexico and elsewhere, you will admit
that must feel little concerned in a statement
which at once must take from my proposition the
character of practical plausibility and rank it
under the head of wild schemes 1t was just
the fact, that such plant already existed here in
abundance, and mostly in localities which for
seven eight months in the year are almost ex-
empt from rain, which seemed to me to hold out
unusually good prospects for the successful cult-
vation of the insect in question. Now, however
great may be my respect for any dictum coming
from your editorial oathedra, the rebelious spirit
of our age will not submit to that authority,
unless it can support itself by good reasons.
Hoping to hear these in your next, take leave to
give my reasons why / take our plant to be not
only cochineal feeder but even the best one.
The species of cactus, commonly called here
the SPs.eSaS 1f-r9'' has always been regarded by
me the Opuntia Tuna (diller) synon. Cactus
Tuna Qinne), Cactus Bonplandi (H. B. and
Kunth), and more careful examination, made
since reading your remarks, has confirmed this
7 hay hoo
sured by gentleman who has resided many years
in Mexico that this is the plant yielding the Tuna
fruit 50 much esteemed in many parts of Mexico,
wEnOh is other than the above mentioned spe-
cies. In addition, / have it from French naval
officer who visited the NOpaleries in Teneriffe,
that our plant is the the one cultivated
there. IF more evidence were needed it might be
found il the circumstance that it is the Op.
Tuna, which in the countries of its natural
growth is commonly used for fences. Thus, ac-
cording to Sloane, when the Islandof St. Christie
pher was to be divided between the English and
French, three rows of Tuna were planted by COM
mon consent between the boundaries. Phe great
adaptability of plant for fences is known to
every one. As there seems to prevail some OBJ
scurity with regard to the present subject, will
here remark (and this may explain the discre-
pancy of your information) that not one, but
three different species of the Opuntia are culti-
vated in different countries for the purpose of
rearing the cochineal. These are: 1. Op. Tuna,
which is cultivated in the Nopaleries (nopal is
the generic name for all cochineal feeding plants)
of Mexico, and according to Humboldt and Bon
plandi yields the finest kind of cochineal-grana
fina 3 Op. Decumana (Hawes) syn. Op. Max
ina (AIiller) g. Op. Cochinillifera (NIiller) syn.
Cactus Cochinillifera Q4inne) most cultivated in
the West lilies. Besides these there are one or
two others, as the OPP. Hernardezii, upon which
the insect can live. but which are not raised in
the Nopaleries.
For the further elucidation of the subject re-
fer those interested to the following works:
First. George Don's 4" General History of the Di-
chlamydeous Plants,'' second Kirby & Spen-
ce's Entomology, third Id. Pfeifer's second
voyage round the world.
From these descriptions it would appear that
the gathering of the insect requires a great deal
of labor, of which article, many will say, We
have not too much to spare. But it must be
borne in mind, that the kind of labor is such
one as requires the least possible amount of
exertion, physical or mental. 1t is essentially
a law labor and therefore must be highly
adapted to the taste of our Hawaiian ma
tives. They can performs s4uatting and chat
ting. and feel s,szndesht that they will learn to
like Children and women are serviceable
en, and may eventually be employed in it
exclusively. That the cochineal can become
most valuable article of export to our islands is
unquestionable. At the Island of Teneriffe,
where the insect was brought about twelve years
ago, it now already stands second in rank
amongst its valuable productions
Respectfully yours,
WM. HILLEBRAND.