THE OLIVE TREE ] ; <, tt tti j J 



dibbled down to a depth 'of ; about : 3 'fc:'m.; : and the 

 same distance apart. Sowing of stratified seed is done 

 in February or early in March, but the ripe fruit or 

 its stone is best sown in November as soon as it is 

 picked from the tree. The soil is kept perfectly clean 

 of weeds, and moderately moist by frequent spraying. 

 Germination takes place in March or April, and 

 watering is continued with regularity throughout the 

 summer. With all the care bestowed upon them, olive 

 stones will not germinate freely, and it sometimes 

 happens that quite a small percentage of seedlings 

 are obtained. At the end of a year or two the seedlings 

 will be strong enough to be planted out in the nursery. 

 This is best done in January or February. The seedlings 

 are taken up with as many roots as possible, the 

 tap-root is shortened, the lower lateral twigs removed 

 with a clean cut, and the seedlings planted out ^ to i 

 metre apart. The seedlings are budded when their 

 stem is about 2 c. m. in thickness, but if allowed to 

 remain too long in the nursery, they are liable to suffer 

 severely when transplanted. Transplanting is done with 

 a ball of earth early in autumn, at the same time pruning 

 back rather severely, to re-establish the equilibrium 

 between the roots and the foliage. Propagation from 

 seed is rarely resorted to except for the purpose of 

 raising quantities of the wild olive or Oleaster as 

 budding stock for the cultivated varieties. In the first 

 years of its life the olive when raised from seed, usually 

 assumes a bush- like habit, with a profusion of small 

 twigs, often twisted downwards, but sooner or later 

 one or more strong shoots are thrown up, one of 

 which is selected to become the trunk of the tree. 



Propagation by cuttings is done in January or 

 February. The cuttings are selected of well-ripened 

 wood, i to 3 c m. in thickness, and about half a 

 metre in length. The cuttings are planted in a cool 

 and shaded situation, in a soil well -prepared with 



