Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo April, 1912.. 



THE OLIVE. 



{Continued from page 198.) 

 By L. Macdonald, Horticulturist, Dookie Agricultural College. 



Pruning. 



Compared with the advances that have been made in the treatment of 

 many other of our fruit trees very little has been done, as yet, towards the 

 scientific pruning of the olive. This fact is more remarkable when it is- 

 considered that the olive has held such a proud position in the economic 

 field for so many centuries and is destined, no doubt, to bear its great repu- 

 tation for ages yet to come. 



It is due probably to the longevity and hardihood of the trees, which 

 have proved themselves capable of bearing good crops for years without 

 pruning. Hence it is often contended that pruning is unnecessary. How- 

 ever this may be under some circumstances, it is obvious, nevertheless, 

 that careful and scientific pruning must contribute largely towards the ulti- 

 mate success of olive culture. 



True, in some places pruning is performed periodically, but in such 

 a crude manner that it is almost unworthy of the name. The 

 methods referred to consist of thinning out some of the large branches of 

 the trees at long intervals of time or promiscuously cutting out the branches 

 from the centre of the tree. Such methods are not based on the lines on 

 which proper treatment should rest, and must inevitably fail to bring 

 about the desired end. Sunscalding frequently takes place in the exposed 

 portions of the remaining limbs and permanent injury is thereby caused. 



It will be found that after reaching a full fruit bearing age, the olive, 

 like many other trees, when left to itself has a strong tendency to alternate 

 between the production of heavy crops and light crops during a series of 

 years. The wanton prolificacy of the good years carries almost as many 

 disadvantages as the barrenness of the lean years, for many reasons that 

 are obvious. Therefore it is to pruning that we must look to modify 

 these wayward tendencies and maintain uniformity and economy in crop- 

 ping both advantageous to the grower and to the tree. Furthermore, 

 where diseases are prevalent pruning will facilitate their successful treat- 

 ment. 



It is first of all essential that the pruner understands the nature of the 

 fruiting wood, and habit of the tree's growth, before he can make any in- 

 telligent progress in carrying out the work. It is often stated that the 

 olive bears its fruit on two-year-old wood. As this is a matter that vitally 

 affects any theory in regard to treatment, it would be well, at the outset, 

 to examine it closely, so that the beginner may understand exactly how 

 far it is true. It will depend greatly on the time of the year at which the 

 wood is examined, to define what is m.eant when speaking of its age. If the 

 laterals are taken when the fruit is on the tree they will be found to be 

 carrying the bulk of their fruit on the previous season's growth and may at 

 that time be spoken of as two-years-old or in their second season's growth. 



However, it is only to be expected that any classification of the wood 

 designed to assist the beginner must be made to suit the wood at pruning 

 time, that is in the winter after the crop is off and before the spring growth, 

 sets in; not when the fruit is on the tree; otherwise, a great many compli- 

 cations might occur. Hence, we find that, like other drupaceous fruits, e.g., 

 plum, peach, and apricot, the olive bears its fruit chiefly on the previous 



