The Parker post., 1914-05-09
THERE'S MONEY
IN OLIVE TREES
FEW PRODUCTS OF THE SOIL
WILL COMPARE WITH OLIVES
FOR PROFIT-THRIVE IN THE
SOUTHWEST.

OF all the products of the soil there
is perhaps none which will compare
with olives in profit The actual re-
suits in Arizona which have been
obtained from this industry seem al
most incredible to one who has not
investigated the subject, says the
Arizona Gazette. A fact not gener-
ally known will be surprise to many
people concerning the olive. That
is that the only place where the fruit
is grown to maturity. ripened and
picked successfully, in Arizona and
California In foreign countries where
the olive is raised extensively it
shrivels as soon as it natures and
commences to ripen. The result is
that these two states have a com
plete monopoly On this product, al
though Spain, France and Italy ex-
port large quantities of green picked
olives to this country
another fact perhaps equally un-
known to the general public, and even
10 the habitual olive eater, is the
fact that the olive contains a greater
percentage OF real nutriment than
any other article of diet of equal
weight A pound of ripe olives con-
tains more real food substance than
pound of beefsteak or any sub
stance grown from the soil, is the
claim of those who have investigated
the subject
The best varieties for picking as
we'll as fol it's oil products is said
to be the Mission and the Manzanillo.
For curing and picking a large var
iety is the best and these varieties
grow larger than others, while at the
same time they contain a larger per-
centage Of oil, pound for pound, than
other tarieties.
An example of the profit of olive
glowing is furnished by report of
20 acre ranch, located near FL
sinore, California, which produced in
one year 25O tons of olives, of which
1s8 tons were picked and sixty-two
tons were converted into oil. This
production on being marketed netted
profit of $25,017. which is equiva-
lent to $743 per acre for single
crop
Olive trees commence bearing, if
properly cared for, in the third year
after planting, and increase from year
to year thereafter until twelve years
cid, and continue to bear indefinitely.
This tree is noted for its longevity,
no other approaching it in this re-
spect
Peach and apricot trees can be
planted between the olives in the
early years of their growth, and from
an olive orchard planted and cared
for in this way profit can be OBJ
tanned within three years, the usual
time Cor such trees to come into fair
ly full bearing, and at the same time
when the olive commences to produce
it's first fruit
While the tree will live longer than
any other without water, there are
two periods in it's life when plenty
OF water is essential for the best re-
suits. Those periods, are just when
Il commences to bloom and again
when the fruit commences to mature.
Trees should be watered abundantly
ar these times, otherwise the best
returns will not be obtained. 1t has
been demonstrated by actual practice
that this is necessary
Statistics show that O,OOO, 900 of
green picked olives were imported in
to the United States from Spain alone
last year Taking into consideration
the fact previously mentioned. that
Arizona and California are the only
places in the world where ripe olives
are raised successfully for CONNER
cial purposes for picking, it can at
once be seen that there need be no
fear Of overproduction.
A California statistician has figur-
ed out that if all the acreage in Ari-
iona and California adapted to olive
raising were planted to trees and
producing, and if the city of New
York consumed as many olives per
capita as Los Angeles does, that this
would only provide enough for half
of the supply of the above city.
But il is necessary to prove or dis
prove this claim to demonstrate that
the industry is in no danger of be-
ing OvercroWded Spain has 3,OOO,-
600 acres in olives.