Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/795

COCHINEAL COCHKANE 779 " black grains," and the " foxy " of the London market, the last being those killed by boiling water, though others ascribe it to the former being the female before laying her eggs, and the latter after she has parted from them. The quality of the cochineal is the same in both cases. When dried, the cochineal pre- sents the form of grains, convex on one side and concave on the other, about one eighth of an inch in diameter, with the transverse wrinkles still visible. It is stated that it takes about 70,- 000 insects to weigh a pound. In 1866 England imported 32,757 cwt., valued at 594,818, and exported 21,238 cwt., the annual consumption being about 12,000 cwt. ; the price in 1870 was about 3s. per pound, a little more than half its former rate. In 1871 the imports into the United States were 1,849,842 Ibs., valued at $1,184,- 255 ; of which 800,995 Ibs. were from England, 736,573 Ibs. from the United States of Colombia, 184,615 Ibs. from Mexico, 100,675 Ibs. from the West Indies, and 26,989 Ibs. from other coun- tries. An inferior quality of cochineal, called Sylvester, is collected from a wild species of cac- tus, though the insect is sometimes cultivated with the others. Cochineal insects are attacked and fed upon by birds, mice, and the larvae of other insects ; the last named suck out their bodies, leaving only the skin. Attempts have been made with some success to introduce the culture of cochineal into other countries. The English government at one time offered 6,000 to any one who would introduce it into India. The Spaniards, however, for a long time took every precaution to prevent the removal of the living insects from the country. They were introduced into the Canary islands about 1830, and after the failure of the grape in 1850 be- came the principal article of export. In 1856 the exports were about 1,500,000 Ibs. ; in 1870, 6,000,000 Ibs., valued on the spot at $3,200,000, most of which was sent directly to England. The French had succeeded in 1844 in establishing cochineal plantations in Algeria, and specimens have been produced from that country said to be superior to the best Mexi- can. The Dutch have also succeeded in pro- ducing large quantities of genuine cochineal in Java. A variety found in California has all the properties of the cochineal of Brazil and the southern part of Mexico, the only apparent difference being that the article found in Cali- fornia is a light pink, while that of other re- gions is a deep scarlet. The coloring principle which causes cochineal to give a crimson color to its watery infusion has been separated by Dr. John, who gave it the name of cochiniline. It is a brilliant purple red color, very soluble in water and in alcohol, but insoluble in ether, obtained by macerating cochineal in ether, and treating the residue with alcohol, and evapo- rating. It is next to be purified from fatty matters which accompany it by dissolving again in alcohol, and adding a little sulphuric acid, which causes it to be precipitated in a few days. The coloring matter is thrown down by different metallic salts, as those of zinc, bismuth, iron, nickel, tin, &c., and thus produces precipitates of various brilliant colors. By means of the chloride and nitrate of tin the bases of the splendid crimson and scarlet dyes are obtained, to which the great value of cochi- neal is chiefly owing. (See CARMINE.) The best of the pigments called lakes are made by introducing freshly prepared gelatinous alu- mina into the decoction of cochineal. The high price of cochineal has led to the substitu- tion of other articles in dyeing, and lac and madder have superseded its employment to a great extent. Various articles are used in the adulteration of this substance. Powdered talc or carbonate of lead shaken in a bag with the insects adheres to their bodies, and in- creases their weight. Grains pf a substance manufactured from colored dough have been prepared in France to imitate the dried insect. COCHITCATE LAKE, a small sheet of water in the towns of Wayland, Framingham, and Natick, Middlesex co., Mass., 17 m. W. by S. of Boston, which is supplied from it with water. It covers 650 acres. COCIIRAXK, Lord. See DUNDONALD, earl of. COCHRANE, John Dnndas, a British traveller, nephew of Archibald, ninth earl of Dundonald, born about 1780, died in South America, Aug. 12, 1825. He entered the British navy at the age of 10, and rose to the rank of captain. In 1815 he commenced a series of journeys on foot through France, Spain, and Portugal. In 1820 he submitted to the British admiralty a plan for exploring the interior of Africa and the course of the Niger, which was declined. Cochrane then resolved on making a tour of the globe, as much as possible on foot, his means not allowing him to travel otherwise, intending to cross from Asia into America at Behring's strait. He started from London in February, 1820, reached St. Petersburg April 30, and left that place May 23, the Russian govern- ment affording him various facilities. Before reaching Novgorod he was attacked by rob- bers and plundered of everything, even his clothing. The governor of Novgorod reim- bursed him for these losses. He visited Mos- cow and Kazan, crossed the Ural mountains, halted for a time at Tobolsk, and ascended the Irtish as far as Semipalatinsk. Thence he turned his steps to Tomsk, and afterward to Irkutsk; there embarking on the Lena, he reached Yakutsk Oct. 6, 1820. From this place he struck out north, continuing his jour- ney on a sledge drawn by dogs ; the thermom- eter often descended as low as 29 F., and on Dec. 31, the day that he arrived at Nizhni Kolymsk, it went down to 62*5. The Tchuktchis would not allow him to traverse their country on his way to Behring's strait, and he took a S. E. direction, reaching Ok- hotsk June 23, 1821, after suffering intensely from cold and hunger. For 400 m. he had not met a single human being. On Aug. 24 he set out for Kamtchatka, and on arriving at