The times., 1899-07-24
THE MEXICAN OLIVE.
The Story of It's Cultivation and of
the Extraction of the Oil.
From the Mexican TrnderN


The olive tree grows in cold and hot
climates; but extreme cold as well as ex-
cessive heat is detrimental to its develop
ment. Extreme cold Injuries the plant when
In tender condition, that is to say, un-
til three years old, and extreme heat pro-
duces sterility. Propagation is obtained
by means Of seed, shoots, ard cuttings.
Propagation by seed is effected from the
kernel of the olive fruit, which Is left in
water forty-eight hours: afterward it is
sown two In place metre part, being
covered with loose earth, to a depth of
SIX or eight centimetres, in regular rows,
metre distant from each other. In our
not region the time most appropriate for
the sowing Is in the autumn, and in the
temperate and cold regions the months of
February and March. ~ the commence
ment OF termination the plants. in order
that they may be shielded from the rays
OF the sun, are covered over with dry zac-
ate grass in the form of funnel during
the first year. This system has not given
good results in practice. We are unable TO
say why this is so.
The propagation by shoots is made with
the product of the pruning. which takes
place in the eighth year after planting the
cuttings; by this means the greatest num-
Der of plants is obtained from a definite
area, but the fruit is less abundant The
culturalists Is by cuttings; these are form
ed in nurseries. with trenches from so to
100 centimetres in width and so in depth
Tho cuttings are put in water twenty -four
hours and then planted, two in a place
In each trench, their roots being carefully
spread out. The average distance between
the trees is IS metres.
The olive, more than any other tree,
needs pruning; its branches become en-
twined the one with the other TO such
an extent as to intercept the rays of the
sun and produce barrenness If care IS not
taken to cut OFF some OF its branches
This practice is not less essential so far
as the offshoots from the root OF the tree
are concerned, The top of the tree should
be pruned in order to diminish its height
so as to facilitate its production; in this
way the tree gains in circumference what
1t loses in height. In cold climates it is
necessary that the soil have sufficient
degree of moisture during the first five
years of the plants existence The weekly
quantity OF water should be from 20 to
25 litres. Once the propagation of the
olive tree is effected by means of cuttings.
according to the plan indicated. it is plant
ed in its ultimate place and its small
roots shoot up in about two months. The
flower appears at the end of the fifth or
sixth year. Fructifcation is effected in
from twenty to thirty years of its sxist-
ence, when the tree attains full growth.
it being able then to produce up to so
arobas (25 pounds each) OF olives.
The gathering OF the olive is made in
September or October in three different
ways, /. e., by hand, by beating with a
stick. and by shaking.
The first method Is most suitable, for
which reason we copfne ourselves to the
circumstances connected with the gath
ering by hand AS all the fruit does not
ripen simultaneously. the crop has to be
gathered in as It ripens The gathered
fruit must be stored in Il dry and we'll
ventilated place The fruit must not re-
main in said place longer than is Heces-
sary for the extraction of the oil.
The industry of preserving the Mexican
olive by evaporation or picking is not a
lucrative one. II is true that the demand
! for it is sufficiently great. but it pays bet
! ter to extract the oil The oil is extracted
| in two different ways By pressure when
| cold. or better still by heating the green
or perfectly ripe fruit. The best oil is that
which is extracted from fruit previously
heated to certain degree. Once the oil is
extracted by means of hydraulic or screw
presses. sea salt indissoluble in the oil, is
| added with the object of extracting the
water still remaining. and 1t settles in the
bottom of the receptacle. As before said.
| the preservation of the fruit has no com
mercial Importance; but merely as a mat
| ter OF interest we will indicate the pro-
cess adopted by our Indians in preserving
the fruit of the chiquhucapolh (o.ive).
| They put the fruit in ordinary water for
| fifteen days in order to remove the Shiny
| particles, renewing the water every third
day. until the fruit has lost its acid; then
they mix l IL cuartillos (half a iitre each)
of sea salt, four heads Of garlic QuGrtered,
/ ten lemons, also cut up, and other herbs
and condiments, the names of which the
| Indian women would not diyulge. guarding
! the secret in the sanctuary of their con-
ceited brains. We will say. in pa sing that
| it is well nigh impossible to extract a
! secret from them. With all this we must
repeat that in order to relish the Mexican
| olives a special taste is needed. 1t tastes
| Of everything which nature never intended
| 20 be put in a human mouth.
| The beer YOU should drink is Heurch's Senate,
the beer especially adapted for family trade.
Phone, GA, Arlington Bottling Company for a
| case OF Senate.
|