The herald., 1897-06-05
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planted, and equally true that more
olive trees-often those of full growth
| have been pulled up and burned than OF
any other orchard tree. The reason for
! this Is not far to seek The facts stated
above, which have been industriousiy
circulated by enthusiastic friends OF the
olive, not infrequently nursery men VINO
raise tres for the market, as also the fact
that in many cases large and regular
crops of fruit are produced, have stimu-
lated many to plant these beauti1ui
trees. Indeed, the rare beauty OF the
! olive orchard is not without its influence.
The further fact that the olive will grow
| in wild places, and do well, has weight
with many. Anyone who has visited
the wondrously beautiful mountain
fruit ranch of Mr.. Adams of Fallbrook,
San Diego county. will appreciate both
of these last arguments. On the other
hand little observation will convince
anyone that no orchards have given
more bitter disappointment in very
many localities than has the olive.
Whole orchards of mature age and
growth have gone for years and given no
crop at ALL We know of many such
orchards. and some of them composed of
large trees that have been recently re-
placed by citrus tres. Surely. then. it
behooves every prospective orchardist
to thoroughly study into this matter be-
fore he proceeds to plant HE trees.
1t is safe to say that those who have Sc
lected wisely regarding varieties to
plant; have mixed varieties 80 as to en-
sure ample cross pollination; have look
ed to it that insect depredations were
not committed; have studied and prac-
ticed wise system of pruning, and have
cared we'll for their orchards in way Of
cultivation and irrigation are able to re-
port regular and bountiful harvests.
In some cases, especially about Elsi-
nore and Fallbrook, satisfactory success
has been achieved without irrigation, If
we can rely upon reports that seem to be
authentic. The matter of pruning and
insect despoliafion is especially worthy
of far more attention than 1t receives in
most of our olive orchards. visited
large olive orchard of large trees few
days ago to secure twigs of foliage to
feed the olive caterpillars that I am
rearing. IT was an orchard that has
given no crop for at least three years.
The foliage was 50 black with the
honey-dew fungus consequent upon the
presence of black scale that ii was unfit
for my purpose, while from the same
cause there were actually too few twigs
of new growth for me to secure clean,
nice food for my insect livestock. I
am quite of the opinion that the
reason that the olive is such a shy
bearer about Claremont, in many cases
at least, is largely due to the ravages
of the black scale, supplemented in part
by lack of pruning, and in some cases
from the fact that only one variety
of tree is set, and so the invigorating
effect of cross -pollination is lost.
The matter of cross -pollnation is not
understood as it should be by many of
our fruit men. They see orchards with
a single variety in full bearing and
shake their heads when the advisability
of mixing varieties is suggested or
urged. 1t is a fact that many varieties
that are impatient of close pollination
will do fairly, perhaps very well, when
self -pollinated, in case no untoward cir
cumstance depletes their vigor. Yet
with adverse circumstance they will
bear not at all. My experiments in
hand pollinating the olive and in pre-
Guiding cross pollination prove conclrls
lively that it is never wise to plant only
one variety of this fruit in the orchard
1t is also true that success demands
that the insect pests, especially the
black scale, be kept from the olive trees.
This matter for some reason is much
more neglected in the olive than in the
citrus orchards. 1t will never do to neg
lect it If success is expected.
In conclusion, would urge that un-
less good care can be assured, especially
unless the trees can be kept free from
insect pests. and well pruned-this is the
only practical way to thin the olive
(See Herald of May 21st), then 1 say
for the good of the pocket book, for the
good of your community-a neglected
scale infested orchard is a menace to all
ones neighbors-and for the reputa-
tion of our beloved Southern California.
do not engage in olive culture or set an
olive orchard.