Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-12-28
Give propagation.

Frank A. Kimball Of National City
writes as follows to tho Caitivdtor
Guide.
Having personally made ii;;.s:yy expert
ments with olive cuttings and plants, |
may he able to throw some light ON the
subject of ftheir propagation.
| applied to several OF the Catholic
priests at the old Missions, where there
were olive orchards, and was instructed
to take '1arge limbs from bearing trees,
cut them in lengths Of from three to four
feet, and to plant them perpendicularly,
where they are to remain, two.thirds in
the ground, and to bank the earth In a
mound to the top OF the part remaining
above the ground"
followed directions, planting the cut
tings in sandy loan, with heavy clay
sub-soil. This was in January. In
August not one OF them showed the least
disposition to start, so dug them up
and found about foot al the bottom
which was below the line of the clay
of every cutting was rotten, SO that the
bark would readily slip off.
As did not build the mound of earth
around them, the tops had become some
what dry, so sawed off about third
part from each end, and planted the re-
mainder, and did not lose single.cut-
ting; but this time planted all Of the
cutting My next planting was from
pile Of olive stove wood, cut in January,
and thrown in pile in the woodward,
and remaining there till March, when l
picked out TAI sticks, IA inches long,
and planted them, leaving about inches
above ground From this lot got l39
good trees, by splitting some of the cut
tings in the middle, when there were
good canes from opposite sides.
My best success has been in planting
where the trees are to remain, with the
top OF the cutting about inches below
the level OF the ground-the cutting be-
ing in the center of basin inches deep
and about 2 feet across-covering the
top of the cutting with earth 3 or
inches deep. These basins filed with
water three or four times during the
summer, breaking the ground after each
watering very fine with hoe, leaving
the basin all ready for the next irriga-
tion.
IMPORTANT POINTS.
Alter the holes are dug it is best to
have two men to set the cuttings in po.
sit;on, and to tread the earth very firmly
around from bottom to top, while it is
being thrown in by the other man.
The earth should be kept moist, and
wet-too much moisture being far worse
than too little--for if planted late and
neglected, many Of them viii start the
next year from the effect of the winter
rains. l have had them remain dor
mant for long period, in one instance
more than five years, and then make
good trees. have cut limbs in every
month, from December to July, and find
little difference in results, except in loss
of time; few of those cut in june last
are now foot high, but generally, from
Just pushing out buds, to or 3 inches.
| took 2l cuttings from limb in full
bloom, and gave them to a neighbor
with directions how to plant. Not one
failed.
would not make cuttings for nursery
or orchard more than l0inches long, and
for planting, where they are TO remain
lin orchard-not less than three-fourths
of an inch in diameter. For nursery
planting, with careful attention, they
can be- much smaller. / have tried
trenching, and have removed the cut
ting with great care after the callus had
formed, and never have saved rs per
cent. Good cuttings, firmly planted and
well cared for, should at least turn out
90 per cent.