sufficient nourishment for the cochineal insects. We are also assured,
(says an intelligent correspondent of _The Times_,) that these precious
insects were introduced last year on the island of Malta, by Dr. Gorman,
on account of the government, and that they are likely to do well on that
island.

Dr. Gorman discovered a few weeks since, in the botanic garden at
Cambridge, the _grona sylvestris_, or wild species of cochineal, living
among the leaves of the coffee-plants, the acacia, &c. This is the kermes,
or gronilla of Spain, about which so much has been said in endeavouring
to identify it with the grona fina. At all events, this is the same
species as the gronilla found on the hairs of the green oaks in Andalusia;
and in some years large and valuable crops of the gronilla are gathered
in that part of Spain by the peasantry, and sold to the Moors to dye
their scarlet.

The gardener at Cambridge could not inform Dr. Gorman how long the
insects had been there, or from whence they came, but they went there by
the appellation of "amelca bug." The gardener found these insects very
destructive to plants upon which they fostered, and although he tried
every means short of injuring the plants to remove them, he found it
impossible, as they adhere to the leaves and parts of the stem with such
tenacity, and are so prolific, that the young ones are often found
spreading themselves over the neighbouring plants. On this account, it
would be worth while to attempt the cultivation of the prickly pear in
the open air in this country, and place the insects upon them, for in all
probability the insects would, by good management, do well.

[1] It is computed that there have been imported into Europe no less a
quantity than 880,000 lbs. weight of cochineal in one year!