Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-03-18
The Olive Tree.


The olive tree is among the oldest of
cultivated plants, SO old that it's native
country is not known. Homer
mentions green olives in the gardens of
Alcinous and Laertes, which were
brought by Cecrops to Greece. Minerva
planted it with her own hand upon the
consecrated locality of her citadel, by
| thrusting her spear into the ground.
No temple or sacred place dedicated to
her is without it's olive tree AS light
is kept up by means of oil, so this has
become an Indication of the devine
peace and Of earthly blessings. Jehovah
himself announced his reconciliation
with earth by means of an olive branch.
The olive belongs to the fruits which
were promised to the Jews in Canaan.
This tree was first brought to Italy in
the year 57l before Christ, and at the
time of Pliny the Romans cultivated
twelve different kinds of olives. At
the present time the olive is distrib-
uted not only over all the lands of the
Mediterranean, still forming an impor-
tant source of the riches of many of
them, but it has also transcribed these
limits. 1t is one of the most impor-
tant articles of Syrian commerce, and
it is said that half million new trees
are annually planted on the plains of
Safet, Nablons and Nazaren. The aver
age product of oil is 1000 tons, the
quality of which is equal to the italian,
although the presses used are old rude
native ones. One quarter of the crop is
exported to France.
1,, Tto1x, onI SDo,, 4bo 1.-Two 4ro.a
forms forests and groves, and along
some OF the mountains the whole ex-
tent is covered with these trees, pro-
ducing a most magnificent foliage. The
olive tree is very long-lived, and many
incredible tales are related of the ex-
traordinary duration there is no doubt
that when carefully cultivated it will
continue to produce fruit and remain
in healthy vegetation for centuries.
The flower, which is small cluster,
not unlike that of the grape, is put
forth from the shoots of the former
years growth, in the month of June.
The fruit begins to set, and from then
to the end of August is considered the
most critical time for the crop, in which
the rains are most injurious. From this
and to be infested with small insect,
which, penetrating the skin, produces
a worm or grub that consumes the pulp
within, leaving little more than the nut
or stone covered with the outer rind.
Its progress is very seldom checked,
and in few days the most promising
crops have been rendered of little value
so that the cultivation of the olive is
very precarious, even under the most
| favorable circumstances and seasons.
There are two varieties which are gen.
orally cultivated in Europe. The long
leaved olive is chiefly cultivated in the
South of France, Tuscany, and Pied
mont, and from the fruit of this species,
which is of bright green, we are
| furnished with that delicate oil so much
esteemed for our tables. The broad
leaved is the species chiefly cultivated
in Sicily and Italy, where the trees
grow to a much larger size than those
of the other variety. The fruit is also
much larger and produces oil better
suited to manufacturing purposes than
the other variety.
From October to January the work of
gathering the fruit is done The trees
are shaken or beaten with poles, and
the fruit that has fallen is collected
and conveyed to it's receptacles, where
it remains until required for oil. The
cultivation of the olive tree is so gener-
al that it's fruit is considered one of
the greatest sources of the national
wealth of the countries where it grows,
and it is very difficult to form an idea
of it's extent, as there are no statistics
relating to it. The olive has been fire.
quently introduced into the Southern
States and the tree has been advantage
ously cultivated in many parts of the
United States, particularly in Califor-
MIA and Florida. ..' ,-.....