Remarks on the Culture of Exotic Vegetables. 167 



parent stock, taking care at the planting out, not to place them 

 too deep in the earth. 



OLEA europ.ea. Olive. Olyven. Diandria Monogynia 

 of Linnaeus, and Natural Order. Oleineee. 



There are several varieties of this species of olive, differing 

 less in their fruit than in the form of their leaves ; two of 

 these have been introduced into the Colony, — one of them 

 from England, by Mr. Thomas Perry*, in the year 1821, and 

 the other variety I believe from France, since that period. 



As the accounts of Travellers have led to many errors 

 respecting the growth of the olive in this country, and the 

 soil and climate being peculiarly adapted for its culture, and 

 also producing several indigenous kinds, I shall enter more 

 fully into the subject than I at first intended, and give the 

 various methods of propagation and treatment of the planta- 

 tions when firmly established. Much as there has been 

 written to induce the Colonists to cultivate this, it still 

 remains neglected; though there is scarcely a tree from which 

 so much benefit may be expected to be derived with less care 

 and attention than the one in question. 



The European Olive may be propagated by seeds, cuttings, 

 truncheons, blocks, layers, and by grafting on the indigenous 

 species. 



Cuttings of 9 inches in length, taken from one year old 

 shoots, should be planted in a rich light soil, and kept 

 moderately moist ; the ground ought never to be allowed to 

 become very dry ; these will root freely in a few weeks, and 

 be fit for transplanting in 12 months. 



In Italy, the propagation is conducted in the same manner 

 in which it was, during the time of the Romans. " An old 

 tree is hewn down, and the 'ceppo' or stock (that is, the 

 collar or neck between the root and the trunk, where in all 

 plants the principle of life more eminently resides,) is cut 

 into pieces of nearly the size and shape of a mushroom, and 

 which from that circumstance are called novali ; care at the 

 same time is taken that a small portion of bark shall belong 

 to each novali; these, after having been dipped in manure, 

 are put into the earth, soon throw up shoots, are transplanted 

 at the end of one year, and in three years are fit to form an 

 olive yard."— (Blunt's Vestiges, &c. 216.) 



Truncheons or stakes of the olive, two inches thick and 

 five feet long, may be driven into the ground where they are 

 intended to remain, and root freely. 



Shoots of one or two years growth may be laid down, 

 giving them a twist to crack the bark, or slit them half way 



* District Surgeon, Graaff-Reinet. 



