THE OLIVE TREE ] 105 



corrected by a clean cut, the surface of the wound 

 being directed downwards whenever possible. Except 

 in the case of two or three-year old suckers, all branches 

 should be cut back rather severely, leaving very little 

 if any foliage which would exhaust the tree before it 

 has time to emit fresh roots. It is well to replant at 

 least 10 c. m. deeper down than the former level in 

 order to favour the formation of roots from the base 

 of the trunk. Newly transplanted trees should have a 

 dressing of manure just above the roots, and should 

 be watered regularly in dry weather during the first 

 year, the larger trees requiring more careful attention 

 to help them to recover. 



The olive grove should be hoed at least three 

 times during the year, in November- December, January- 

 February, and March-April, the object being to keep 

 down weeds and to favour the absorption of rain and 

 the retention of moisture. It is possible to grow certain 

 field crops in the olive grove, such as green barley 

 (f err ana}, winter vegetables, beans, peas, vetches, 

 lentils and bitter vetch; but those crops which exhaust 

 the soil or dry it too much such as wheat, barley, 

 sulla etc, and any crop which is an obstacle to the 

 regular tillage of the soil in spring should be avoided. 

 All summer crops requiring irrigation can be grown 

 in the olive grove, as the shade cast by the trees is 

 hardly ever so thick as to interfere seriously with the 

 due development of the irrigated plants, and any loss 

 sustained on this account is amply made good by the 

 increased yield of the olive trees, as a consequence 

 of the liberal use of manure and of the irrigation 

 necessary for the crops of vegetables. Every sixth or 

 eighth year the olive grove should be trenched and 

 manured in the same manner as an orange grove, but 

 of course should be manured more frequently in the 

 interval by surface dressings if the ground is cropped 

 regularly. The olive tree being usually grown from 



