THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 411 



THE OUTLOOK OF THE OLIVE * 



By B. B. Meek, Oroville, Cal. 



A brief consideration of the olive industry in California, past and 

 present, will assist in the intelligent consideration of its future. 



It is interesting to note that it was during the stirring days immedi- 

 ately preceding the American Eevolution that the olive — the historical 

 emblem of peace — was first introduced into California by the early 

 Spanish fathers. Many of the olive trees planted by these sturdy mis- 

 sionaries in their mission gardens are still alive and producing bounti- 

 ful crops. From these trees was propagated the most popular variety 

 of pickling olive we have today — that known as the "IMission" variety. 

 Surely to these gentlemen we owe a deep debt of gratitude. 



But it was not until about a generation ago that there occurred an 

 awakening as to the commercial possibilities of olive culture, and 

 then, in many parts of the State, stimulated by nurserymen ancl pro- 

 moters, a large acreage was planted. Little or no care was taken in the 

 selection of varieties, with the result that when these orchards reached 

 a bearing age many of them were found to contain almost all known 

 varieties of olives — pickling varieties, oil varieties, and varieties good 

 for neither of these purposes. 



Again, soil and climatic conditions were not given due consideration. 

 Many groves were planted in the coast regions, where the moist atmos- 

 phere encouraged scale, and where the yield was found to be irregular. 



But oil was made and green olives were pickled and the commercial 

 history of olive culture in California began. However, it is doubtful 

 if the oil and the green pickled olive could ever have placed the olive 

 industry on the horticultural map of California. It remained for the 

 pickled ripe olive to revolutionize the industry, and to give to Cali- 

 fornia a climatic corner on a new and delicious form of a food famed 

 for centuries in the Old World for its nourishing and healing value. 



Long years of tedious experimenting for a pickling process that 

 would retain in the ripe olive its rich, oily flavor, preserve it indefi- 

 nitely for Eastern shipment and not destroy its beautiful, deep purple 

 color, were followed by long, trying years of discouraging and costly 

 attempts to educate the people to its exceptional food value, and to 

 introduce the delicious product to the markets through the country; 

 but so well done was the work of these pioneers in the building of this 

 industry, and so meritorious their cause, that today the gospel of the 

 California ripe olive is being spread by enthusiastic food experts, by 

 physicians and by magazine writers throughout the entire civilized 

 world. And thus, while the introduction of the ripe olive began only 

 a few years ago, the expansion of the market has been phenomenal. 



The early promiscuous planting served the purpose of disclosing the 

 best commercial varieties, and of determining the ideal soil and climatic 

 conditions. 



More recently a great improvement has been made in the cultural 

 methods. It is now an established fact that the olive tree responds 

 well and continuously to good cultivation, to regular irrigation, to con- 



♦Address before the State Fruit Growers' Convention, Palo Alto, Cal., July. 1915. 

 2—19045 



