THF. MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



481 



OLIVE POSSIBILITIES IN YUBA COUNTY. 



By G, W. Harney, County Horticultural Commissioner, Marysville, Cal. 



There nrc at least fifteen thousand acres of laud suitable for the culture of the 

 olive in Yuba County. By suitable I mean land that has been tested, laud that 

 needs but little preparation for planting, and land that carries, from 30 to 75 feet 



beneath the surface, a stratum of water, from which 

 may be economically pumped an abundant supply of 

 water for required summer irrigation. Of the fifteen 

 thousand acres, about twelve hundred acres are now 

 planted to the olive in Yuba County, and of the 

 twelve hundred acres, three hundred and fifty acres 

 may l>e said to be in full bearing. 



The Sierra (or San Joaquin) loam soils of Yuba 

 County — red gravelly soils, well drained with an 

 abundance of water for summer irrigation — have 

 proven to be the ideal soils for the olive. The 

 bearing orchards of Yuba County are planted on 

 such soils and they are producing right along an 

 average of three tons of fruit to the acre; in some 

 seasons as high as four tons. 



The first commercial orchards of Yuba County 

 were planted some twenty-five years ago, and one 

 100-aero orchard planted about that time, pays at 

 least 15 per cent net on a valuation of $1,000 per 

 acre. This 100-acre orchard has gone through some 

 vicissitudes, however. The trees were planted 24 

 feet apart, or 75 trees to the acre and are now becoming crowded and constant 

 pruning is required to keep the grove open. If not kept thinned out, the inside rows 

 especially mature the fruit late and in small sizes. Part of the grove was planted 

 to a variety known as Nevadillo Blanco, the larger part to Missions. The Missions 

 having done so much better in every way the Nevadillos were grafted over to the 

 Mission variety. 



Experience has proven that olive trees should be planted about forty feet apart 

 each way. This distance gives room for the proper setting of the tree in its prime, 

 gives plenty of sun and air in the groves, retards the forming of a humid atmosphere 

 in the inner spaces, which is conducive to the growth of black scale and insures the 

 early maturity of large-sized olives. Note that phrase "early maturity of large-sized 

 olives." The fruit must be large, well colored and off the trees before the early fall 

 frosts. Fall frosts may shrivel or crinkle the skin of the olive, making them unsuit- 

 able for the processed edible ripe olive and leaving the fruit in a condition useful 

 for oil only. This is said to be the reason why the French and Italian groves can 

 not turn out the edible ripe olive. They can not color and mature the fruit 

 before the early fall frosts and are thus forced to process the olive in the uncolored 

 or green state. 



The Mission variety has proven the best for all purposes, as it contains a large 

 percentage of oil, and has a delicious aud nutty flavor which is entirely lacking in 

 some varieties that produce a larger-sized fruit than the Mission. The Mission is 

 more prolific. In the Smartsville district in Yuba County a variety producing a 

 large fruit was tried out some years ago. The trees were shy bearers and did not 

 make a good growth. 



The planting of the olive in Yuba, taken up about twenty-five years ago as a 

 commercial proposition, progressed slowly at first. .Mistakes were made as to 

 varieties; irrigation was considered unnecessary. Slight attention was given to 

 cultivation aud too much stress was laid on the fact that "the olive is a hardy tree." 

 In recent years planting has been progressing more rapidly. Better matured nursery 

 slock is being used — two and three year old trees are being planted — thirty to forty 

 trees to the acre with an inter-row of prunes or shipping plums, on land properly 

 graded for furrow irrigation. The prunes and shipping plums will mature in three 

 or four years aud produce dividends before the olives come in to profitable bearing. 

 When the olive trees need the space the inter-rows of plums aud prunes, having 

 passed their more profitable days, can be entirely removed. It has been shown that 

 from five to six years are required for the olive to produce to any extent. 



