Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-27
A TREATISE ON OLIVE CULTURE.
The Whole Subject Treated by
John s. Calkins.
The Paper Which He Read at the
POmOlOgical Society,",
New Method of PrOpagating the Tree.
Soil and Climate-vArieties.
Valuable Instruction as
TO Culture.

At the recent meeting of the Southern
California Pomological society, held at
Pomona, paper was read on olive cul-
ture, by John S. Calkins of Pomona
which is such an admirable epitome of
the matter that it is herewith given in
full:
NEW METHOD OF PRoPAGATING THE OLIVE
TREE.
In treating of olive culture in Caliior-
MIA will first notice new method of
propagating the trees, which las come
into use within few years, and so far
as know is not practiced outside of this
some three inches long with two leaves
near the top; these are planted during
autumn and winter in glass covered
houses provided with bottom heat; q
portion Of the cuttings will Usually pro-
duce roots in the course OF four to eight
months, but often nearly all of them
lose their leaves and decay; vigorous
trees with excellent roots are grown by
this method; trees so raised have pro-
duced olives in four years from the time
of planting the cuttings in the house;
the cuttings in the houses require con-
slant attention, and even the most care
full propagators often meet with total
loss probably in no other branch of the
nursery business 10 success Eo uncertain
The rooted cuttings are planted out in
nursery rows from March to December
those planted early in the season attain
a growth of one to two feet the first
year; trees of this eize may be success
fully transplsnted and by many are pre-
ferred to those Of any other age for
orchard planting. =
TRANsPLANTIEG AND PRUNING.
In transplantipg olive trees from the
nursery to the orchard the roots should
be carefully protected from the sun and
wind, and the tops too, as much as pos.
sible; the work should not be done when
a dry wind is prevailing. They should
be taken up ia as dormant q condition as
possible; they are usually in this state
in January and February. If it is not
convenient to plant them then, they
may be taken up before they commence
to grow and heeled in, and set out later
in the season. At the time of planting
the soil should be settled around the
roots with water. The olive tree is very
tenacious of life, and may be successfully
transplanted at from one year Of age up
to the size of large bearing trees, this
having been often done. Although most
varieties are apt to grow unshapely in
the nursery, they become symmetrical
after being out in the orchard two or
three years. AS some of the roots are
cut off in digging, some of the branches
t,> 1.,x ot f,, AtxIrn Nf Nm
ing; after that but little pruning will be
necessary till they begin to bear. Mr..
Goodrich, who has bearing orchard
near Santa Clara, trims HE trees in tine
form of goblet, the center OF the tree
we'll followed out to admit the rays OF
the sun, leaving sufficient wood for the
next two years crops.
DISTANCE APART TO PLANT THE TREES.
The distance apart to plant 60 as to
get the best results has been determined
by Ellwood Cooper, an experienced
olive grower. He planted an orchard in
1872, 20 feet apart, but some l5 years
after he found il necessary to thin out.
He removed every other diagonal row,
the remaining treas then being about %
feet apart; if it is necessary to thin out
again, he recommends the removal of
every other alternate straight row the
remaining trees will then be 40 feet
apart. AS he still favors this plan after
years of experience, planters may safely
follow his example; this appears to be
better than to plant the trees farther
apart at first with some short lived trees
or vines between them, as is sometimes
recommended. The trees which are re-
v,oN ho inf q rd
where they will again come into profit
able bearing.
SOIL AND CLIMATE.
As to the kind of soil in which the
olive succeeds, the same authority says
that "he has trees growing without irri-
cation in black adobe, on stony hill
sides, on adobe hillsides, on table land
with clay subsoil, in sandy lands made
from the wash of the mountains, with
no difference in the bearing of the trees
or the oil made" They are known to
succeed where peach, apricot and nee
tarine trees have been destroyed by the
black alkali, and also in land so rocky
and steep that it cannot be ploughed.
Our virgin soils of California are rich in
lime and potash, two of the chief con.
stituents required by the olive tree.
Prof. Hilgard has stated that the sub-
stance of olive oil is taken entirely from
the air, and that if the crop is made
into oil and the pomace and all other
offal returned to the land from the out
set it needs no other mannre If the soil
is fairly good one; it does not wear
out the soil; but ii the fruit is picked,
returns should be made to the soil, and
then potash and nitrogen are especially
called for, The olive tree fourishes
under varied climatic conditions; it will
Withstand temperature of IA degrees
above zero; it succeeds in the dry inte-
rior valleys of the state where the mer-
curry during summer often ranges from
100 to 120 degrees in the shade; along
the coast and on the high foothills of
our mountain ranges. In Algeria, lati-
tude 35, it thrives at an elevation OF
1890 feet above the level of the sea; in
Italy, at height OF 5000 feet, and there
is bearing orchard in about the lati-
tude of Pomona, situated upward of
5000 feet above the sea.
IRRIGATION.
The olive is deep-rooted tree, fourish.
ing in arid countries, and if properly
treated from it's first planting, requires
but little water in most locations, other
than the usual rainfall there are many
bearing trees in different parts of the
state that are not irrigated; while there
are localities that will give the best re-
suits without irrigation, there are nc