The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-10-01
ABOUT OLIVE CULTURE.
A Paper Read mt the Farmers
Institute by John D. Calkins-
HOW TO TRIM OLIVE TREES.
According TO an Analysis Recently Made
Il Was Found 10 Contain as Much
Rutrimsnt as Beef.

The olive has attracted attention in
this country from remote period OF
our history. As early AS 1755 olive
trees were imported and planted at
Charleston, S. c., and later at other
southern points. In 1888 Thomas
Jefferson wrote home from France as
follows: "Of ali the gifts of heaven
TO man the olive is the next to the most
precious, if it be not the most precious.
Perhaps it may claim preference even
TO bread because there is such an in
finitude Of vegetables which the olive
renders proper and comfortable hour
ishment. In passing the ALPS at the
Col. de Tende, where they are mere
masses of rocks wherever there happens
to be a little soil there are olive trees
and village supported by them.
Take away these trees and the same
ground planted in corn would not sup
port single family. A pound of oil is
equal TO many pounds of flesh by the
quantity of flesh it will prepare and
render fit and comfortable food. With
out this tree the country of Provence
and the territory of Genoa would not
support one-half, perhaps not one-third
their present inhabitants. The nature
Of the soil is of little consequence If it
be dry. The trees are planted fifteen
to twenty feet apart and will yield
when tolerably good fifteen or twenty
pounds Of oil yearly, one with another.
There are trees which yield much
more. This is an article, the con-
sumption of which will always keep
pace with its production. Raise it and
it begets its own demand. Cover the
Southern States with it and every man
will become a consumer of oil within
whose reach it can be brought, in point
Of price. Having been myself an eye
witness to the blessings which this
tree sheds ON the poor never had my
wishes SO kindled for the introduction
of any article Of new culture into our
own country"
Owing to an ungenial climate the
olive did not get foothold in the
South and Jefferson's desire was not
realized. But in California the result
has been different; trees planted more
than hundred years ago by the Mis-
sion fathers are yet in bearing condi-
ton and lately olive culture has be-
come subject of general interest
throughout the State.
Consul Mathews, in report ON the
olive to our Government, says: "The
great value and importance Of the
olive tree is that it will thrive and
prosper in soils where nothing else Of
value would grow. Those dry soils
of arid aspect in many partsof Califor.
mia are the genuine lands for raising
the most productive olive orchards
worth in due time, and at no distant
period, millions of dollars. The
prospective value of this industry tC
California is more fully realized wher
we consider the Importance of TIE olive
crop to the people of the olive growing
regions abroad. A late Consular report
puts the average annual production o.
olive oil in Italy at ninety millions O.
gallons, which, at $l.50 per gallon
(not much more than one-third tn,
price of California olive DILL, amounts
to one hundred and thirty-fve million
ollars, which is more than the valu,
of the annual wheat export of tn,
United States. The total value of tn,
crops of California for 1896, including
fruits, has been estimated at abou
seventy-two million dollars. or min,
millions more than one-half the valu,
of the Italian olive crop. The world
gold production of 1895 was less thai
two hundred million dollars. That O
the United States fifty millions Will,
California's output was fifteen mil
lions, as against the annual Italian
olive oil crop of one hundeed ant
thirty-fve millions, to say thing O
her output of picked olives; thus, W,
see, by comparison, what the olive crol
means to Italy alone, and what posi-
bilities are within our reach in tn,
line Of olive culture. The importa
tions Of alleged olive oil for table us,
in 1895, was given by the United
States Treasury reports, were 776, 500
gallons, duty 30 cents per gallon, ant
S29, $3.50 gallons for mechanical ant
manufacturing purposes unfit for tabl,
use, free of duty. The value of tn,
picked olives imported that year wa
$685. duty 20 per cent. l use tn,
term alleged olive oil because imported
olive oil is known to be basely adulter
ated. William L. Welsh, Esq, on
Consul to Florence, in 1884 reporte,
the Department of State that no pur
olive oil was exported from Italy, tina
the liquid exported was composed o
% per cent to 90 per cent cotton see,
oil. 1t is conceded that the foreigl
olive, as it is put up for our market
is immature and without nutriment
simply an indigestible condiment, as
the cucumber pickle. while our rip
California olive, as we find it in tn
market, is nutritious food. Accord
ing to analysis lately made at the Z,
pertinent Station at Berkeley, Califol
mia. it was found to contain as muc
nutriment as roast beef, pound fo
pound. The purity of California div
oil cannot be denied when found in th
packages Of the producers. The Amer
lean public needs to be educated onEth
olive question, and the fact of the i'm
purity Of foreign oil and the inferiorit
Of imported picked olives to those 0
our own production cannot be too Otter
repeated.
A glance at some Of the cultural fea
lures Of the olive may be Of interest
Something over dozen years ago tn
Experiment Station at Berkely com
menced the propagation Of olive tree
by means of small cuttings not mucl
larger than match; this new metbo,