3 1 Dec. 1911-] The Olive. 839 



be found suitable; however, the greater portion, perhaps, of these lands 

 would ha\e to be irrigated during our dry sunamers. Through the greater 

 part of the Goulburn Valley, where a fairly wide range of soils will be met 

 with, olive trees will be found in isolated places making good growth and 

 bearing good crops, even in some cases where no cultivation is carried out. 

 The trees are therefore not fickle as to soils, although succeeding best under 

 the most genial conditions, and when once established they will w ithstand 

 drought and neglect that would quickly kill out the majority of our other 

 fruit trees. 



Irrigation. 



It is possible that, in years to come, with a largely increased population, 

 the result of closer settlement, that olive culture will attain a position 

 similar to that which it enjoys as a staple industry in man\ of the older 

 countries. Many of our inland areas that have an annual rainfall of 20 to 

 25 inches are suited to unirrigated olive culture. This would, of course, 

 entail careful cultivation and conservation of all available moisture. In 

 a large part of the Goulburn Valley, where the rainfall approaches the 

 above figures, oli\es are found to thrive. It is therefore possible that good 

 results might also be obtained in parts of those areas in Northern Victoria 

 where the rainfall is between 10 and 20 inches. The introduction of 

 drought-resisting varieties would no doubt enhance the chance of success in 

 these regions. However this may be. it is fairly certain that, for the 

 present, and for years to come, we must look to the varieties we have and to- 

 irrigation to make the conquest of these dry lands. 



It is manifest in those older European countries where irrigation has been 

 practised for many years, also in Arizona and California, in America, that 

 the olive thrives when well watered, no matter how hot and dry the climate. 

 The same results are evidenced in Mildura. Renmark. and several places in 

 Rodney. Not only does it thrive well in the hot dry districts under irriga- 

 tion, but it comes into fruiting earlier than in the wet districts. This is, 

 no doul>l, due to the better maturation of the wood under drv conditions. 



P'ig. 6 shows a tree two years old over 6 feet in height, with a pro- 

 portionate breadth. This tree was grown under irrigation, and was carrying 

 several fruits. The writer has, however, known five-year-old trees in other 

 places carrying good crops. It is believed that in the warm districts, 

 under irrigation, crops could l)e cj.nfidently expected from trees of that age. 

 Although it is generally considered that the olive does not come into fruit- 

 ing early, it has been demonstrated that under irrigation, where good 

 growth is made and proper pruning takes place, tlie trees will ccne into- 

 fruiting as early as a number of our other fruit trees. 



With the {)rogress that has been made in the North of late vears with 

 irrigation and the ultimate extension that must take place if our Northern 

 plains are to yiehl their latent harvests, olive culture must eventuallv ex- 

 tend ; following, so to speak, in the trail of closer .settlement. There are 

 few trees, in fact, more suitable for ornamental, shelter, antl economic 

 1 lanting, and few that thrive better under irrigation. The State Rivers 

 and Water Sii|)])ly Commission has aln;ul\ obtained .several humlred trees 

 for tile initiation of ditch |)Ianting. When once establish<*d alongside the- 

 cl.annels these trees ought to do well, and will evt-ntually convert to prolific 

 use strips o( l.nid that at i)resent are waste. 



{To hi ctuitiuucd .^ 



