REPORT OF THE SUPEEINTENDENT OF GARDENS. 67 



soil, but it dislikes clays. Proximity to the sea is favorable to it, and 

 hill-sides are more eligible for its culture than iilaius." 



The olive is one of the oldest cultivated plants of which history makes 

 mention, and during the centuries of its culture it has doubtless run into 

 innumerable varieties, differing uidely from the original form, from 

 which selections have been made of those possessing the most highly- 

 valued properties of tree and fruit. It has been stated that the num- 

 ber of distinguished varieties of the olive in Europe is equal to that 

 of the apple in America. It is readily perceived that plants raised from 

 seeds, even if the seeds have been collected from the most esteemed 

 varieties, may not inherit the qualities of the parent plant ; and plan- 

 tations formed of such seedling-plants may produce fruits of inferior 

 value, causing great disappointment and loss. 



The following descriptive list of select varieties is taken from a recent 

 treatise on the culture of the olive in Spain, and may therefore be consid- 

 ered to include only the best in cultivation in that country : 



Spanish varieties for early maturation, for colder localities, 



1. Var. Promiformis. — Manzanillo; (French, Ampoulleau.) — Fruit 

 above an inch in diameter, spherical, shining black. 



2. Var. Eegalis. — Sevillano; (French, Pruneau de Catigjiac.) — Fruit- 

 about an inch in diameter, ovate-spherical, blunt, bluish-black. 



3. Var. Bellotudo or Villotuda. — Fruit about an inch long, egg-shaped ; 

 pericarp outside dark red, inside violet. 



4. Var. Bedondillo. — Fruit ovate-spherical, nearly an inch long ; peri- 

 carp outside bluish black, inside whitish. A rich yielder. 



5. Var. Ovalis. — Lechin; Picholin; Acquillo; (French, Saurine.) — Fruit 

 broad-oval, two-thirds of an inch long. A copious yielder. 



6. Var. Argentata. — Nevadillo bianco; Doucel; Gorzalena; Moradillo; 

 Ojiblanco ; Olivo lucio. — Fruit broad-ovate, an inch long, very blunt, 

 not oblique. Quality and quantity of oil excellent. 



7. Var. Varal bianco. — (French, Blanqueite.) — Fruit ovate, globular, 

 three-fourths of an inch long, neither pointed nor oblique, outside black- 

 ish-red. 



8. Var. JEmpeltre. — Fruit ovate, an inch long, equable. Eich in oil of 

 excellent quality, also one of the best for pickles. Outside violet, inside 

 white. 



9. Var. Racimal. — (French, Bouteillan, Boutinieiie, Ribien^ Rapugette.) — 

 Fruit violet-colored, globose-ovate, about an inch long, neither pointed 

 nor oblique. Bears regularly also on less fertile soil, and is one of the 

 earliest to ripen. 



10. Var. Yaral negro; Alameno; (French, Cayon, Nasies.) — Fruit 

 violet-black, spotted, globose-ovate, nearly an inch long, somewhat 

 pointed. Bears richly. 



11. Var. ColcJionudo. — Fruit spheric, outside red, inside white, one 

 inch in diameter, slightly pointed. Produces a large quantit}' of good 

 oil. 



12. Var. Ogillo de Liebre. — Fruit nearly spheric, outside violet-black, 

 about one inch long, somewhat oblique. 



13. Var. Carrasquena. — (French, Redouan de Cotignal.) — Fruit black- 

 red, almost spherical, slightly oblique, about an inch long. Valuable 

 both for oil and preserves. 



14. Var. Hispalensis. — Gordal; Ocal; Olivo real. — Fruit black-gray, 

 oblique, spherical, measuring fully an inch. Rather a large and quick- 



