The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-01-29
The Olive Tree.

The common olive is one of the ear
Hest trees mentioned in antiquity: prob
ably it was native of Palestine and per-
haps of Greece, and it was introduced
into other countries ut a very early day.
1t is largely cultivated in Southern Eu
rope. Western Asia and Northern Africa.
It was brought to South America and
Mexico more than two hundred years
ago. and in various parts of California it
was planted at the mission establish
ments. where some of tho old groves
still remain, notably that of San Diego,
which is still in good bearing, and other
plantations have recently been made
there In the Atlantic States the olive
was introduced before the Revolution,
and at several times since. 1t is per-
fectly hardy and fruitful in South Caro-
lima. The chief obstacle to its cultiva-
ton seems to he the fact that its crop
natures Just mt the time when oil the la
Dor is needed to secure the cotton. The
French enumerate over twenty varieties,
differing in the size and color of their
leaves and fruits. Olive oil is obtained
from the ripe fruit. the pulp of which.
contains about 20 per cent. of oil. Italy
produces annually about $4,000. 900 gal
Ions. while the production of France is
only about 7,OO0, 900. -AJYie,oa's 4Ameri-
can CyclYoelia.
CALIFORNIA HOPS. Not many years
ago strong prejudice was entertained
against California hops in the East, but
as soon as a comparison began to be in
stituted between those raised in Cali
fornia and those of Eastern States, that
prejudice fell and great demands We're
made in California for that article. and
it seems now that, Just as California
hops superseded those of the East, SO
are those of American growth taking the
place of foreign. Over 3, 600 bales have
been shipped from New York to Liver
pool in the last two months. and English
and German brewers are taking up all
the American hops that they can obtain.
The inclemency of the weather in Eng
land and Germany has rendered this
years crop of those countries almost
worthless. and heavy demands will be
made on America through all the year,
ana perhaps even afterward, when they
begin to notice the superiority OF the
American article. The London Brerers
Gumtlian of October 9TH says that one
fourth of the whole hop acreage of the
United Kingdom has been left unpicked,
and that which has been picked were
found to be "chaffy, miserable. condi-
tionless things, that never ought to have
been picked at ALL" The same journal
says that the German crop was badly
managed, and suffered greatly from rust.
1t is wonder that California, which is
so favored with soil and climate pecu-
liarly adapted to the production of SUI
perior hops, should not have more acres
under cultivation. 1t is a crop that can
hardly ever he destroyed in this climate,
and a crop, moreover, that generally
pays we'll.
OxETHoUsAND BRAINs.--Ina an address
before the Chemical Society, London,
Dr. Thudichum stated that, in his in
vestigations for some years past, he had
examined one thousand brains, in order
to ascertain the chemical constitution of
that organ. He found that of the con-
stituents of the brain, nearly all OF the
albumen present was in the insoluble
form, and the sub-group OF the phos-
phorized principles, to which he prlnci-
pally directed his attention, all contained
phosphorus. There were also present
nitrogenized principles, oxygenized
principles, inorganic matter, and about
eighty per cent. Of water-the latter be-
ing very difficult to remove from the
brain matter, but it can he done by slic-
ing it thin and soaking it in successive
quantities of strong alcohol. The dried
product is then finely divided, and
rubbed through sieve. Heated to lob
deg. Fahrenheit, with alcohol, it leaves
white matter of albumen, phosphorus,
nitrogen, and cholesterin.