Thk Oliviv in Arizona 515 



by the "feci" of the fruit, which is sHghtly soft to the touch when fully 

 mature. It is a common practice to test the ripeness by pressing out 

 the juice of the fruit and allowing it to stand for some minutes. If 

 minute globules of oil rise to the surface, the fruit is ready to be 

 gathered either for ripe pickles or oil. 



The most important point to be observed in gathering olives for 

 pickling is to prevent their being bruised. If the fruit is even slightly 

 bruised its quality is seriously impaired, and the wav is open for bac- 

 terial growth and decay. 



The best receptacles to use in picking olives are canvas bags, such 

 as are used for gathering oranges. When buckets are used, they should 

 be lined with cloth or burlap. The lug boxes used in carrying the fruit 

 from the orchard should not be filled more than one-half to two-thirds 

 full. If the fruit is to be kept for some time before processing, it 

 should be placed in a brine made by dissolving one pound of common 

 salt in five gallons of water. Handled in this way, olives may be 

 shipped great distances by truck or rail, as they will keep perfectly 

 for several weeks. 



It is not necessary to exercise the same care in harvesting olives 

 for oil as for pickles. The olives may be pulled off the trees and 

 allowed to drop onto canvas. A wooden comb with teeth wide apart 

 is sometimes used for stripping the fruit from the trees. It is practi- 

 cable to ship oil olives in sacks, but if the distance is great the fruit 

 should be dried somewhat before shipment. 



GRADING 



Olives used for pickles must be carefully graded according to 

 size. This is necessary because uniformity in size adds to the attrac- 

 tiveness of the fruit, making it more salable than if the sizes are 

 mixed, and lessens the difficulties of processing. It is practically im- 

 possible to process all grades of olives together and obtain a uniform 

 product. Several types of machinery are used for grading olives, all 

 based on the variation in the shortest diameter of the fruit and having 

 a sixteenth of an inch as the unit of measurement. At least four 

 grades should be made, designated as follows : 



