Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-15

Oh many fruit growers, as the high
wages demanded and received by
laborers, and especially the Chinese, 10
value.
think simple solution to that ques-
tlon will be found in a greater diversity
OF crops, so that az soon as one has been
handled and disposed of another will
follow, and thus employment will be
given to men for more months in the
year, with the result that wages will
not, during the fruit season, be as high
as in past years.
The olive ripens when all other crops
nave been gathered, some varieties COM
menclng to ripen with us November 1st
and continuing until January 1st, thus
giving ample time to gather the crop pro-
vldlng you will plant varieties in accord
ance with their time of ripening. Labor
at this season of the year is easily OBJ
tanned at much lower rates, and further
more, the fruit can hang on the tree sew
eral weeks without being damaged 4;
rains are benefit, are actually required
the trees gather increased vigor in the
fall, and hesfruit fills out and ripens
much more readily than it otherwise
would.
True, the olive does not come into
bearing as coon as other trees, but tax
Ing into consideration the difference
between the profits of an olive orchard
and that of some other varieties of fruit
on the same soil, l feel satisfied when
yonr trees do come into bearing you
will be amply repaid for the time
you have had to wait before re-
ceiving any returns. The olive COM
mences to bear when about four years
old, and from that time on will increase
in productiveness every succeeding year
for an indefinite period. There are
trees in Europe said to be 1000 years
old, still bearing large crops annually.
A number of my trees commenced to
bear few olives when years old, and
since that time l have never known the
crop to fail.
Just such soils as are not adapted to
the raisin grape are suited to the olive.
| refer, of course, to the sandy. light
loan, of which there are many thous-
ands Of acres in this valley, and which,
in my opinion, is best for the olive.
In making this statement 1 speak
from actual experience and observation.
| had about seventy-tive acres planted
to the olive on such soil as mentioned
above. The Oldest of my trees are not
more than seven years, and for three
years have been loaded with fruit, while
olive trees OF the Mission variety grow
ing on the Fresno Vineyard company's g
place, on heavy argillaceous soil, have
never had on any one OF their trees, now
fully ten years old. as many olives as
have been gathered from my trees when
only six.
In planting an olive orchard the first
step to be taken is to plow your land
good and deep, not less than twelve
inches, the deeper you plow the better
the results. have planted trees at the
Fancher Greek nursery twenty-five feet
apart; many, however, recommend
thirty and thirty-six feet. In such soil
aeZ have twenty-five feet is a good
distance, and if eventually tie trees dc
become too much crowded Git will
take at least fifteen years. every other
tree can be cut out and then the trees
will not be too far apart. Mr.. Roeding
gave it as his opinion that the interior
counties are better suited to the olive than
any other portion of the state. He said
that olives may readily be transplanted
when four or five years old, and instances
are known of their being successfully
transplanted when 20years of age. Pa
cific Rural Press.