The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-05-16
CULTURE OF COCHINEAL,
ONE OF THE INTERESTING INDUS.
TRIES OF OLD MEXICO.

cupleu very prominent position In
the worlds commerce. The market
quotations OF this article were watch ed
with rs much interest as those of cof-
fee are to-day. Immense sums of
money were invested, both in the pro-
duction Of cochineal and in its market
ing and transportation. While Spain
was the ruler of the Western world
cochineal was one of the principal
sources OF revenue for that nation.
and her Government as we'll as her
merchants were guarding with jealous
care the monopoly they enjoyed in this
much sought after dyestuff.
The centre of the State of Oaxaca.
Mexico, with it's many high plateaus
and valleys, seems to be the native
home of the tiny insect which pro-
duces the cochineal of commerce and
probably has been the chief seat of
the cochinesl industry for many CEN
turie1, as cochinenl was extensively
used for generations before the dis
covery OF America by modern civiliza-
ton. 1t is well known that Montezuma
and other Aztec rulers before him
sent merchants TO Oa1aca to procue
the priced color with which to adorn
works of art and even of common use.
No doubt the civilization known TO
have undoubtedly existed in the West
ern Hemisphere long before the al
vent OF European conquerors made ex-
tensive use of the product of the OAK
AGA valleys.
1t is a matter OF record that during
the last half century over 500, 600. 600
was paid out in Oaxaca to the cochin al
producers, which probably does not
represent more than one-ffth of the
price paid by the actual consumers.
The Spanish Government alone ex-
acted tax of about S1.75 a pound
and the cost OF transportation, which
must have been very great, and the
commissions amounted to enough
more to make cochIneal bring SIS n
pound IN the wholesale market of
Europe. But since the middle of the
present century dangerous competi
tor for the Oaxaca insects has been
discovered i'll coal tar, from which
science is producing the brilliant
colors known as sniiine at an ex-
tremely low cost. If it were not for
the fact that there ara certain classes
OF goods which cannot be dyed except
with the aid of cochine cal, the industry
would have been killed entirely.
While the producer formerly would
refuse less than 81 pound the price
went down as low as fifteen cents.
quite recently, however, the demand
for cochineal has increased, and the
price has gone up to fifty and even
SIXTY cents pound, at which rate the
cochlneal industry is a paying one.
In consequence the interest in the in
sect has been revived in Oaxaca. and
many new plantations for it's cultiva
ton have been laid out in the valley
OF Oa1aca
The cochineal insect, which is the
female of species OF wood louise, feeds
upon plant belonging to the great
cacti family commonly called the
"nopal" This plant grows from leaf
to leaf, the leaves being obong IN
shape, rather round and heavy at the
upper end, with but few spines on the
edges. Ii left alone the plant adds
new leaves from year to year, and will
reach height of from ten to twelve
feet. The cultivators of the plant use
the new leaves, after they have grown
to be about four inches broad in the
largest diameter, as sprouts for re-
planting and making fields for the cul-
tivation of tho insect The planting
is done IL shallow trenches. about :wo
or three inches deep, dug about two
and half feet deep. The sprouts are
o al Htuta &c Oh
inches from each other, and generally
take root very rapidly after having
been set out, and grow new leaves.
Within a years time they are ready TO
recsive the insect
AS rule there are men who make a
business of supplying planters with
the seed or mother insects, which ere
set out in October or after the rainy
season is over, as a heavy rain would
wash the insects of the plants and
cause irreparable damage, because the
insects would be either total loss bv
drowning or become 80 weak ened by
the rain that they could not return to
the plant The meets are planted on
the leaves in the following manner.
About twenty or thirty are placed in
a small tube, closed at one end. about
two inches long and half an inch in
diameter, made Of the fiber o. species
OF the maguey plant The tube is
closed with moss, after having been
loaded, and fastened to lead by run
ming a spine through it and bending
il onto the leaf From two TO six of
these tubes are fastened to each leaf.
according to the size Of the latter, and
the entire plant il then covered with
n mat Within few days after tiny
white specks, barely visible 10 the
naked eye, except that of the trained
Indian, begin 10 appear on the leaves,
covering them after while with larger
spots, looking like mildew. II one Of
them is touched it will leave a bright
crimson stain.
After the leaves appear TO be COW
cred the little baskets are removed.
They still contain tho mother insects.
most Of them dead Those that are
still alive are carefully preserved for
future use. The dead ones have been
partly eaten by their offspring. but
what remains OF them produces the
finest quality Of cochineal, and IL is
generally rated at several cents more a
pound, the color produced by them be-
ing Of special richness. The mat COW
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