New-York tribune., 1878-03-01
TIE OLIVE ~ 1MLEICI.

JrrFFHS0N's WISH THAT TIE TREE NIGHT BE
PLANTED H"EE-INTFHE,IING PAPERS oN 1nE
SUBJECT BY GENERAL T. c. JONES.
fFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE oF TIE TRrgrNE.l
WA>nrNGrov Feb 27.--Thc Italians have say
ing. "If You want to leave lasting legacy 10 Your
ch,ldren's children, plant on olive
Thomas Jefferson wrote from Paris IN 1877. Al
though the olive is tree the least known IN Amrri-
ca it is the most worthy Of being known. OK all
the gifts Of Heaven 10 man ii is next ia the most
precious. And" hc added, having been myself an
eyewitness to the blessing. which this tree sheds
on the POOR never had my wishes 30 kindled for
IN, introduction of any article Of culture into
our new country
General A. &. Jones, of tho Department OF Agri-
culture has prepared, under direction of the COM
missioner Of that department, some Interesting
papers ticating-of the culture and uSr5 Of several
species Of agricultural products which are only
known 10 the majority Of Americans ~ Elch priced
and rather ujIg~stDc lnVurics, bat winch furnish
Il, many other countries valuable STAPLE articles Of
food 10 al classes. Among these aIe the date, the
fiC and the olive.
OF The hitter General Jones says the olive tree in
full bearing yields average from Two to three
bushels Of fruit, which would produce from fifteen 10
twenty pounds Of oil. An acre Of land properly
planted should contain about one hundred such
trccs, and grass or other crop may be cultivated
bctvcen the trees to advantage. The tree viii
grow where there j. not a redundancy ol moisture,
and IN any kind of soil in a latitude congcnal 20 IT,
II is branching ever green tree, slow OF growth
very tenacious Of life. and of great l"ngcv-
ity: so great, indeed, that il Is Thought prob
able thai the trees ~ present growing III the
valley of Gethscinane are those which existed at
the beginning Of the Christian era. Olive OIL may
he SAID 10 form cream and butter foI those countries
IN which il j, produrcd. The fruit of the olive is
preserved by p1ckling and in Europe form, IN i'm
portant article offood for the people. The wood oi
the olive, especially the root part, is beautifully
co,dcd and vcincd, has an agreeable odor. AMI IL
susceptible of the highest polish. Valuable lubri-
eating and Illuminating oils are also Produced from
the fruit and an inferior product enters largely
into the manufacture of fine soaps.
The cultivation Of the olive has several times
been attempted in this country, and hardy spec-
mems now exist in California and IN South Carolina
Although one seems ever to have carried the
matter to profitable end, the results of the various
experiments prove, Mr. Jones thinks, that our eli
mate IL noi unfricmdy to the olive; and 10 reason
is known why an industry which is Of so much
value to France Italy, and various countries
in the East should not thrive in America
No traveller in Eastern lands, nor reader ol
books of Eastern travel needs to be told
BOW important a PIdcc I'D INC 'IIchtdI pii ,i VI
fare especially of the poorer classes IS that held by
the date and the . OF the latter 1t Is said that he
good wlie OF the Arab serve her lord with dish
prepared III Il different form every day III the month,
while the date. dried and pressed, forms a chief ar
ticlo of food for crossing the deserts. ne
liz is already raised many plantations, from Nlr-
ginia " IcXas and its fruit is of quality not infe-
nor To that 50 pIizcd by the Oriental, and Is pre-
served by Sout bern house wives for table usc
Mr. Jones has collected information from our
foreign representatives and others abroad. and hiS
papers give all that can be learned regarding the
soils and climates most favorable to those trees, as
well as tie best methods of cultivation and prepara-
ton of the fruit for the mar ket. The paper, VIII
form part of the next annual report of the Com
missioner OF Agriculture Mr. Jones believes that
both the tig and the date mag be cultivated III GER
tain parts of the United States with profit.