Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-12-15
OLIYES. CArERS. EIGs

HN'ei".h communication through the rock IN which
from above, being closed by iniiltration. no
OLIVES, CATERS, FIGS.
FROM nocToR JAMES MEAsEs " ARCHIVES OF
~ USEFUL KNowLEDGE."
The acquisition OF the Foras arigmen,s the inter-
est OF that portion Of the following letter which, re-
llics 70 the Oi,e-snce IL is acknowledged that :,
large part OF that territory is adapted TO lis cuitiya-
ton.-Edi I'm. FttrA1er1
ne following letter the cultivation of these
fruits, was addressed by Ar Jefferson while minister
of the United States mt the Court of France TO he
Agricultural Society of South CaroIina and PUBLISH
ed by them in 1888
PARIS, july so, 1857
was induced, IN the cou,se OF my journey
through the south o France, To pay very particular
attention TO the objects Of their culture because the
resemblance of their climate to that of the southern
parts oil The United States, authorizes ms 10 presume
we may adapt any of their articles uf culture which
we would WISH for We should not wish for their
vines, though they good and abundant The Gull
,'e OF thr 'inr Is moi desirable in lands capable of
P'ouuc'S any hing else. II species OF gambling
'''', "' N'Sciihe gtmhling too, Wherein whether YOU
make mach or nothing Nou are equally mined the
m'odiing crop alone Is The savm, point and that The
Ne"S"iS seldom hit. Accordingly we see much
wreiched''Ss amidst this class oi cuiGvators Wine
'"p - 81 chttp IN these counties. that II l9bourer
whh rs, employed in the culture OF any other article
""'S eAc'"ngc 1t ior WINE, more ard better than he
c"""i RAISE himself. IL is resource Tor a cnuntry
me whole n whuSe gond soil is otherwise emnlnved
an'l which sill has some barren spots. and sr,lns
oil population 10 enpoy them. There. the vine is
'''i pc'a'se II IS something in The place of nothing.
:, may become resource 10 us ut still earlier pc
''o wheh The increase of population shall Increase
o"r productions beyond the demand for them both nj
home and abroad. Instead of going ON 10 make an
useless surplus o them, may employ our s,incrnu-
arrived" " ~ "
=" he almond Tree is also so precarous, that none
can '''cnd Tor subsistence its produce hut uer-
S0ns Of clritll. -
Gamer ftorrI 80.
ceGt'in VA rs produce; hccus Il mound of earib or
SIC oi " cue unibei hill, thrown over The plant in
me l'l protects II eifcclnally against the cold of the
winter. When the danger of The irost is ovnr ~, M
.l'"hS "'cN uncover H. and begin lis culture There
- great Deal OF tiis IN The ncglborhood of Touon
/ ne plants arc set about eight eel apart and yioII
one year wan another about two pound of capers
each, worth on the spot six pence sieroo the nonnd
lhcy require little culture and this NAV he nerforn,
cd eiiher with the plough hoe The PRINCIPAL work
Is tae gathering OF The fruit, as forms Every plant
Est DC liched every other day from the last OF June
MI me middle OF October. But this is the work oc
women and chdrcn. This plant does well in any
k'"n ." Soil, WHICH Is dry or even in walls where
mere Is no soll and iley lat the life of a man
Ho"lu ne 'ie proper port 10 apply for them
must observe that the preceding details cannot he
relied on with the fullest certainty because in The
''"h where this plant IS cultivated, the inhabitants
sp'',h no written Language, but medley, which |
cu, ~. understand hut very imperiectlyt
ne hg aHd the mnibeIry are SO well known in
america, iiia nothing need he said of them Their
c"'t"re Too IS ny women and children, and therefore
eaFhfS silly To he desired in countries where there are
slaves Ia these the women and children are often
employed M aIouis disp,oportioned 10 their sex and
age. BI presenting 10 their master objects of cuure
easier AND equally beneficial, all temptation TO mis-
employ them would be removed and The lot az ,L.
tender part of onr species bc much softcned Rv va
F\ing too the ARTICLES OF culture, we muItipIy lie
chCes OF making something, aud diSarni The sea-
sous III ir"porton;!ble degree, oil their calantous
he olive tree is the least known in America
't.,H yci tne most worthy of being known OF all the
gus oI Heaven TO m;in is the most precious
u II % not me most precious. Perhaps ii may claim
preference To bread, because there is such an in
hhitue oil vegetables, which il renders n proper and
G,ohl"r'ahIc noufIshment. In Passing the Alps al
"e CoI &c lende, where they are mere masses of
W!"tele' mere happens to be little soil, there
nc q hum'Sf "i olive trees, and village supported
ny mem lake away these trees, and The same
s'o"l" ID corn would not support single family A
pound Z" o'l, which can he bought for 3d. OF M sfer
'"S' - equivalent many pounds of flesh by the
quaint ~ Oi vegetables il will prepare and render IN
ana comfortable food. Without Ills tree the conn
~ 81 Provence, and territory of Genoa womb moi ann
port one halt, perhaps one third of their prescr
lh'pIli,s he nature of the soil is of little conse
i"rnrc, It he dry. The trees are panted from IL
10 20 ieet apart, and when olerably good will Weld
10 or 70 lbs. OF OIL yearly; one with another There
are trees, which yield mach more They beo;n 10
render good crops at 20 years old and last rim L;i
ny cohi, winch happens some time OF Other, even
IN ineir best positions IN France but thew uut out
'N'"" lnm ucir roofs In Italy, am told, they have
u eCs &OO Years old. They afford an easy l,,, ran
Sti stan employment through the year, and reonre so
''e nonrIslneni thai, II the soil be fit for any other
pndUciion' II may be cultivated among the olive trees
without i'yuring them The northern limits Of this
nee are INC mountains of the Ceyennes from about
me merGmn OF CarcaSsouno to the Rhone and
IRON thence the Alps and Apprentices as far as &C.
nor, Know, and liOw much farther am NOT inform,
co. ne shelter 81 these mountains may be consi
d"rcd rs equivalent 10 a degree aud an half oflat;
'u'c :" !cast because westward Of the commence
meht o Tie Cevennes, there no olive trees in 35
- degrees, OF even 10, Of latitude; whereas we
NM them Rpi7 on the lthOnc at Pierrelatie in 81 .
hh" {"fWfFy my were ~ Tams, above tie mouth of
Tue scre IN -, sheltered by the near approach Of tl,r
Sele"nes and Alps, which only leave there Il passage
lot tie iiAo"r Whe,her such shelter exists or
no'' J" ihc states OF South Carolina and Georgia /
MO" hnt b' u'iS we may say, that either il exists
OF '',t " * not necessary thcrc--hccausc we know
''u ihey produce tie orange in open air a,oi uiey-
fJe'We 9'd7Se irH stt"d NJ ak experience sheos the
""e W"f ShtN" PeH, 6eiVg q hVrfijer tree Notwi,l-
stindng the great quantity of oil made in France