The Florida agriculturist., 1907-08-14
The Olive Tree and It's Products in
California.

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California.
Although little or no success has
attended attempts to grow olives in
this state, within the last 40 years,
there are reports that olive trees did
bear good crops OF fruit before the
war, and 1t that is true, we see no
reason why the same success should
not be had at the present time. Where
they do yield good crops the business
OF raising olives is profitable one.
lhe Rural Californian prints an ar
tlcle on the olive and its products in
California, which contains infOrma-
ton which may be useful to those who
may think of experimenting with this
tr1ut. Possibly 1t may be found that
on limestone soils it will thrive and
yield good crops. Has any one in this
state grown olive trees on a limestone
soil? Following is the article:
Never shall l forget the expression
"a luscious, blue-black, German plum
that happened to be beautiful, large,
ripe SevlllanO olive fresh from the
tree. The intimate resemblance OF
these mammoth olives to the plum
IlduC TIE HOdX possible.
The rapidly increasing popularity Of
olives and olive oil is stimulating en-
thuSlasm and awakening an interest
that will meet it's safety only by an
immense increase of orchards and, the
time is not far hence. when tourists
will seek the olive groves with the
same curious anticipation that they
now contemplate a first visit to the
orange groves. So distinctly individ-
ual is this gray-green aspect OF the
olive tree that an inspection of the
olive groves will effect a pleasurable
memory imprint not easily efaced
which will be an inspiration for remi-
niscent discussion at the home terminus
of the journey and casually an effective
advertisement for the enterprise of the
Golden State.
The California history of the olive
is cO-extensive with the occupation of
the state by the Spanish missionaries.
The first seed was imported from San
Bias, Mexico, by Father Junipero
Sierra, according to historic records;
and was planted at San Diego mission
where it grew and prospered The
padres extended their domain and
wherever they built new missions the
first tree planted was the olive. Cut
tings taken from the trees of the San
Diego mission were chiefly used for
propagation, for this process is ex-
peditious compared with seed planting.
All the mission orchards were very
small, and had but few trees, these
trees, however, have assumed an i'm
portant part in the horticultural his
tory OF Our state, for they laid the
foundations OF a gigantic industry and
provided maternity for many groves,
which today may be denominated the
pristine orchards of California.
At the missions olive oil rendered
threefold service-dietetically, medi-
cinally and ceremonially some
times even, as an illuminating OIL
The priests appreciated the nutritive
value of the fruit and oil and also the
curative powers of the latter
Although innumerable olive varie-
ties have been introduced from almost
every locality in the world where the
olive grows, no variety has as yet
given such universal satisfaction as
the Mission and it stands today pre-
eminent as the most popular variety
grown. 1t is a remarkable kind and
adapted for either oil or pickles. The
Ascolano, San Agostino and Sevillano