422 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



VARIETIES. 



*Mission. — This variety was found growing at most of the old mis- 

 sions of California and is perhaps a seedling of the Spanish variety 

 Cornicabra, which it resembles. It does well or fairly well in nearly 

 all districts in California in which the olive can be grown successfully. 

 The tree is rather a tall, upright grower and very vigorous. The foliage 

 is somewhat lighter in color than that of some other varieties and is 

 only moderately thick on the tree. The fruit is of medium size or a 

 little above and has a rather sharply curved axis. The pit is similarly 

 curved and has a long sharp point at the apical end. When thoroughly 



Fig. 91. — Photo of olive liee grafted in March, 1913. The 

 picture .shows the tree one year later. (After Weeks, 

 photo by the H. J. Henny Co., Corning, Cal.) 



ripe the fruit is of a blue black color and very attractive in appearance. 

 In the warmer regions of the interior the Mission olive begins to ripen 

 about October 20th and all the fruit is off the trees by the middle of 

 December. In the cooler places, ripening is much retarded, some not 

 ripening until February or March. The Mission olive makes good oil 

 processes easily and makes an excellent pickle. In most places those 

 who process olives prefer the Mission and will generally pay a little 

 more for it than for any other olive of the same size. The main objec- 

 tion to the Mission olive is that it ripens unevenly. The crop cannot be 

 gathered under three pickings, which increases the cost of harvesting. 

 Mission trees show considerable variation and the name may possibly 

 include more than one variety of similar character. It is important to 

 procure stock from trees which have produced desirable fruit. 



