The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-14
OLIVE-GROWING.
1t Can BE Made Success in the
Foothills Along the Coast.

John l.. Beard, a well-known vineyardist
and wine-maker of Warm Springs, Alameda
County, has recently uprooted 200 of his
large olive trees, which he will replace with
orchard trees of other varieties. According
to the Oakland papers Mr.. Beard is doing
this because he finds the moist climate of
the bay district, where his olive plantation
was situated. unadapted to the successful
cultivation of the classic berry. The Oak
land papers also credit Mr.. Beard with the
assertion that Alameda County is too close
to the coast for the successful growth of the
olive, and this statement is being taken up
by tile journals of the State, with reference
not only to Alameda, but other counties
along the coast where the cultivation of the
olive has been inaugurated. Now it is prob
able that the rich, moist, warm land of the
Warm Springs district, most of it perfectly
level, and, in any unusually wet season,
su bject to flooding from the accumulation of
moisture in the hills, may not be adapted to
the olive. which does best in a light, sandy
soil. and even thrives on rocky upands
where it would seem as though no fOothold
was afforded for vegetation OF any desirable
order, but the fact remains that at the old
Mission of San Jose, scarcely three miles
from Mr.. Boards farm, the olive tree grows
and thrives, and has since the early days of
the Spanish regime. Even among the hills
at Warm Springs Mr.. Henry Curtner, a
pioneer fruit and wheat grower of that sec
ton, has some flourishing olive trees.
AT Linda Vista, his beautiful place among
the hills back OF the old mission, G. c. Nc
liver, the well-known vlneyardiSt is making
and putting upon the market olive oil of
quality to make the epicure regret to turn
his back upon world where such things
can be produced, and the plantation of Pro-
lessor Z. W. Hilgard, also at the ex-misson,
is a striking example of the success with
which the olive may be cultivated in the
foothills along the Coast With the exception
of a number trees OF the Mission variety,
late ripener Professor II ards trees are all
young, and not yet IN lull-bearing. The
Mission olive, like the Mission grape, was
introduced in California by the Spanish
padres, and both are the best of their kind
for practical, all round purposes. Modern
experiment and cultivation, even under the
most approved methods, has yet to produce,
along these lines, any very material im-
provements upon the selections made by
those early priests. They did their work
wisely and well, and many years must
eIapse before California ceases to owe
debt of gratitude to their wisdom and fore
sight.
Hilgard has upon his place many other va
rieties that are doing well. Among them
the NeVadillo Blanco, C0lumbella, IVA
ria, the Redding Picholine, Atr0-yolacea
and Ebonga are mentioned as producing
well, although the crops naturally do not
compare with what would be obtained from
older trees.
Half a dozen miles fu Their north lies the
plantation of the California Nursery Com
pany, where a large number OF trees are in
high state of cultivation including long
list of foreign varieties, which, this year,
are bearing but very light crop, owing
doubtless to imperfect atclmation. Observ-
alton here. as well as at Warm Springs,
leads to the conclusion that the hillSides are
better adapted to the needs of the tree than
are the lowlands. As result, probably Of
the better supply in the higher sections of
air, heat and light, all essential to their
healthy growth. The trees of the hillside
plantations ripen several weeks i'll advance
of those lying lower. The oil produced
among these hills is limpid, clear, of deep
golden color, sweet and palatable-delight-
fui, in fact, and superior in appearance,
flavor and odor to most that is produced in
warmer districts.
Across the mountains in the Lverm0re
district, also famous for its fine wines, olive
culture is proving a success. As IN the Santa
Clara Valley there exist here large tracts of
land admirably adapted 10 the needs of the
trees, which, after the first two years, make
vigorous growth and bear early and heav-
lily. There is, every year, more interest
being taken along the central coast regions
of California in olive culture. The trees
require less care aud yield better returns for
the outlay made than almost any others,
and thus far the olive here has largely eS-
capped the depredatlons of those enemies
that attack it in other countries. The
black scale has appeared in some
sections of the south, but the
more northerly districts have had immunity
from this pest. As for the market there is
no danger Of its ever being oyerstOcked.
Americans have only just begun to use the
oil and the pickle, and the properties Of both
have yet to be learned by large proportion
of our people. When the olive comes TO be
a well-known home product it will create for
itself market where now it Is almost uu-
known. Olive oil will never be cheap, for
it takes from ten to fourteen gallons of olives
to make gallon of oil, but the tine is COM
ing when it can be proftably put upon the
market here at a price that will enable 1t to
take the place Of those abominaDle COM
pounds that now pass. among large class
of people, as butter and 1t will then be
largely used in the place OF butter, as 1t Is
now in European countries, much to the i'm
prOyeEent of the health and the complex
ions of the residents thereof.
Despite the reports growing out Of the dis
astrous experiences of exceptionally located
individuals. thore is no reason why olives
should lot be largely aud successfully culti-
waited in the central coast counties. Ali
along the foothills of these districts are i'm
mense tracts of land where the soil meets all
requirements Of the trees, and. for the most
TART, these regions are just far enough from
the coast to escape the fogs, while catching
in the air that faint saline touch which i'm
parts the delicious flavor so priced by lovers
Of the aueenly berry. Ii good olives were
raised in quantities to justify the outlay. it
would not be long before enterprise and
capital would be forthcoming tor the cree
ton OF oil-mills with capacity sufficient to
use all the fruit. 1t would then naturally
follow that good brands Of oil would become
well known and command ready market.
One objection raised to olive culture is that
the slnw aI1V in mn
ing. This must be granted. At the same
time the planting and care of an olive grove
costs hardly one-third that of vineyard,
while in the end the trees are far more re-
munerative than are the vines. Then, too,
the trees flourish where the vines will not
The longevity of the olive is also a point in
its favor. There are trees in the Sonuma
Valley planted by the mission fathers ninety
years ago that are still in vigorous bearing.
ADELISE 4. KNAPP