The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-10
TENAS OLIVE OIL.
So May be Branded the Product of a Plant
Proposed for Cultivation.

DIR. V. o. King, OF this city, has for some
time had the idea that olives could be the
source of profit and pleasure to the people of
Texas. When he resided in Austin he planted
and successfully cultivated olives i'm that city
Now he proposes to do the same thing in San
Antonio
A LIGHT Commissioner waited upon DR.. ing
yesterday, and interviewed him in respect to
his olive growing experiment. and was cOurte-
Ously favored with the following particulars:
THE experiment in olive growing in Austin
was decided success, and am of the opinion
that they, can be well cultivated in
Texas, and become the source of IL new
industry and profit. The plant is in itself
u very pretty one, and the glossy olive green
leaves are very beautiful. For the first few
years they require care to protect them from
adverse climate influences. but when root is
once taken deep enough they are indestruc-
tible except by fire. The grove in which Christ
walked long before the days of PIiny, is now
in existence and still nOurishus. Even the
sprigs of the olive tree readily take root, and
that done no attention is required. In seven
years the olive tree bears fruit, but Is years
Clapse before 1t .attains the zenith of prOduc-
ton. When the olive grove has attained its full
growth il needs no further cultivation. You
have simply to go there once a year, collect
your fruit and turn ii into money. | have or
dercd 100 trees from California. The major
part of these intend planting at my residence
on Dwyer avenue; the remainder shall give to
friends who will undertake to make the expert
ment in various parts IOf the city, acting under
the instructions give for their culture. Time
will, am quite sure prove that, properly cared
for in The first stage, the olive can he well and
successfully raised i'm Texas"
On being asked whether the cultivation of
the olive was profitable DR.. King answered:
decidedly; the olive is at all times very
profitable. The ancient Greeks passed Il law
that every man must have at least one olive
tree and that was considered sufficient for the
support of woman and two children. MY
friend Mr.. Ashley, o. San Diego, commenced
business with $1,000 worth u few years since,
and to-day they yield him a revenue of 200
1t will be even more profitable than stock, be-
cause land can thus be made to yield about $40
or $50 per acre, and after certain time no cul-
tiyatiOn or attention is required"
In response to question us To the quality of
native olives DR.. King said that the olives of
San Francisco are the best, because more atten-
ton has been given to the subject there than
elsewhere in America. The northern merchants
now are importing no olives or olive oil be-
cause those of san Francisco are cheaper than
the foreign olives, and in every respect equally
us good Much imitation olive oil is sold which
has been exported in its original form of
cotton seed oil, and after being bottled and la
Dclled, is imported as olive. oil. If due attcn-
ton is given TO the subject Texas olives can
compare favOTably with those of San Francisco
and will be the source of considerable revenue
to Texans"
In speaking of the production of silk Dr.
King said he thought that this could be done
in Texas. In Lavacca and even at the missions,
in ISL, silk was successfully cultivated, and he
could now show trees i'm which myriadS of CO.
cOOns had been raised. The Spaniards evidently
were OF the same opinion, and prohibited the
cultivation and expectation of silk believing
that it would injure the silk trade of that king
dom in the products of American worms.