262 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



and Africa ; and from the earliest period, it has been propa- 

 gated in the southern part of Europe. It has contributed 

 largely to the support of the human race, in every age of 

 the world ; and it continues at the present time, to yield large 

 quantities of food, materials for the arts, and immense reve- 

 nues wherever it is made an object of attention. The small 

 kingdom of Naples exports yearly 7,000,000 gallons of olive 

 oil. The value of the annual production in France as early 

 as 1788, was $15,000,000 ; yet she has since increased her 

 consumption by importation from abroad, to the extent of 

 $6,000,000 in a single year. 



The olive was introduced into the Carolinas soon after their 

 first settlement by European emigrants. Richard Blome, 

 an old writer who describes the country in 1678, says, 

 " the olive trees brought from Portugal and Bermuda in- 

 crease exceedingly, and will produce a quantity of oil." 

 Gov. Glum, states that " he lost an olive by intense frost in 

 January, 1747, of 18 inches diameter ;" and Dr. Milligan, 

 of Charleston, adds in 1763, " we have plenty of olives." 



The tree is easily propagated by cuttings, layers or seeds ; 

 and it is a hardy, self-sustaining tree when not exposed to very 

 severe frosts. It will even remain uninjured in this country, 

 under an exposure that cuts down the sweet orange and 

 other trees reared among us successfully. It may perhaps, 

 find obstacles to its productiveness in our protracted, sultry 

 weather, remote from the sea ; yet we have a long belt of 

 coast and sterile hilly lands at the South, adapted to its 

 growth, over much of whose area it will undoubtedly flour- 

 ish. It loves a thin, dry, calcareous soil, and when once 

 planted, it will, with little care, continue to yield large 

 annual returns for centuries. The olive is among the 

 longest-lived trees, whether wild or domesticated, and though 

 hitherto comparatively but little cultivated among us, is wor- 

 thy of the particular attention of southern agriculturists. 



Uses. The olive furnishes more fixed oil than all other 

 vegetables combined, and this is of very extensive use, both 

 in the arts and as an article of diet. The fruit is crushed in a 

 mill and reduced to a pulp, and is then subjected to pressure. 

 The oil floats on the surface of the expressed liquid, and 

 after being drawn off and clarified, is fit for use. A portion 

 of the best is bottled for the table, and the remainder 

 is put up in barrels for coarser uses. A few comparatively, 

 are reserved for pickling, and are much relished by those 

 accustomed to them. f 



