416 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



blossom. Although the olive is much hardier than the orange and lemon 

 trees, it bearing a temperature of 17° above zero without being killed, a 

 warm climate, such as that of the riviera, is yet necessary to the produc- 

 tion and ripening of its fruit. 



The process of obtaining the oil is as follows (and for the most of the 

 particulars I am indebted to the kindness and practical knowledge of M. 

 Alexandre Escoffier, of San Kemo) : The olives are sold by the grower to 

 the manufacturer, and are carried to the mills by the women who collect 

 them. The mills are usually situated, for the sake of water power, in the 

 course of the streams which flow through the valleys. The olives are 

 strewn on the floor, the different days' gatherings and qualities being sep- 

 arated by boards placed edgeways, and the sooner the olives are pressed 

 after they are collected the better the oil. The olives are next reduced to 

 a pulp by means of a revolving stone, an operation which takes from three 

 to four hours; the pulp is then taken out of the mill and put into circular 

 bags, termed "exportine." having a large hole at top and bottom, and made 

 of a very tough kind of fiber worked in meshes like a net; these, when 

 filled, are placed one on top of the other, to the number of ten or fifteen, 

 under a press which is almost always worked by hand. A portion of the 

 oil escapes from the pulp before any pressure is applied, and this is called 

 "virgin oil; " that produced by pressure is mixed with the water naturally 

 contained in the olive, and the expressed liquid must consequently be 

 allowed to stand for some hours, that the oil may rise to the surface. This 

 oil is called " huile de seconde," and is not so good nor does it keep as well 

 as the "virgin oil." It should be understood, however, that unless special 

 orders from the merchants are received to the contrary, the manufacturers 

 do not keep them separate — they are mixed together at once. 



After the olives are pressed the pulp is placed in large pits called " fosses 

 a ressences." where it is left to be used two, three, even six months later; 

 or it can be immediately placed a second time in the mill, the oil to be 

 extracted by the " cold process," as it is called. The mill is set going and 

 a stream of water continuously poured on the pulp, the water and pulp 

 being carried away by a siphon into five or six receptacles, all communi- 

 cating with each other. The stones of the fruit, of course, sink to the 

 bottom. The pulp and any parts containing oil rise to the surface in these 

 receptacles. This is all skimmed off, and the pulp once more placed in 

 the "exportine," which, however, are of a much closer make than those 

 first used, and are called " spagnolettes." They are subjected to pressure, 

 as before, and an oil is obtained which is used for burning and also for 

 greasing machinery. In case the manufacturer prefers to wait for some 

 months, the pulp, before being put under pressure, is placed in a large 

 caldron with one third the quantity of water and boiled for several 

 hours. The contents of the caldron are then put into the "spagnolettes," 

 which are pressed and a very thick greasy oil procured; this after being 

 allowed to stand for a long time divides into two qualities; the upper por- 

 tion has a bad smell, is often green, very limpid, and is used for machinery 

 and in cloth manufactories; it is more valuable than the other quality or 

 lower portion, which is only used in the making of soap. The pulp that 

 still remains for this last process is sold to the manufacturers of sulphuric 

 acid, who by the aid of this and hydraulic pressure, produce an oil which 

 in the trade is known by the name of " sulphur oil." Soap is also made 

 from this. The stones of the fruit are sold for fuel to heat ovens and for 

 steam machinery. The water from the pulp contains much of the color- 

 ing matter of the ripe olive, and is stained a deep red. Sometimes this is 



