How I Make O live -Growing Pay. 



riRS. FREDA EMHANN 



THE olive industry in the State of California may be rightly termed 

 one of the most important of the many which this State has de- 

 veloped. Since the first trees were brought over from Spain by the 

 Mission fathers and were planted in the southern part of the State, 

 olive culture has traveled successfully to the northern part of the 

 State and is today found as far north as Tehama County, 300 miles 

 above San Francisco. 



I wish to call attention to a mistake which is so often made by taking 

 it for granted that the olive tree will grow anywhere and under any condi- 

 tions. Experience has shown that the tree may grow, but the grower 

 must not be. surprised to find a small and undeveloped fruit as a result 

 of poor soil and lack of irrigation and cultivation. Olive trees are planted 

 60 to the acre, and if large trees of good stock, say four years old, are 

 planted, they will yield a good crop in five years. From smaller cuttings, 

 however, you cannot expect a crop under seven years. It has been the 

 writer's experience that wherever olive culture has not been a success, it 

 was because of local conditions or lack of attention and special knowledge. 

 As it requires skill and experience to prepare the commercial olive by 

 pickiing, it is necessary for the grower to be located near a general pickling 

 plant so as to dispose of the crop advantageously, in case one cannot 

 or does not feel disposed to do one's own pickling. The demand for raw 

 olives is constantly increasing, while the prices paid are from $40.00 to 

 $75.00 per ten delivered at the factory. It can be readily seen that this 

 is a lucrative branch of horticulture. When we consider that California is 

 the only State in the Union where olives are grown successfully, it may 

 easily be understood what an extensive market there is open for California 

 olives and olive oil. 



I would, however, advise the planting of the large Mission variety only. 

 My varied experience with all varieties authorizes this statement. Other 

 varieties may have large fruit, but are not as desirable for the purposes of 

 pickling as the Mission olive, nor are the tree and the fruit as hardy, and 

 oil from the Mission olive is considered by the trade to be the best and 

 brings the highest price in the market. In former years the Redding pich- 

 oline was considered the best olive for oil and was largely planted for that 

 purpose, but by my advice to some of the growers, their trees of this va- 

 riety have been grafted over to the Mission variety with the best of results. 

 I may say the same of the Rubrias and other fancy varieties which are se- 

 lected and planted from the catalogue without experience and knowledge of 

 their commercial value both for pickles and for olive oil, and this, I might 

 add, has been in a great measure the cause of some disappointment and dis- 

 satisfaction to olive growers. 



At the present time packers should encourage the olive industry in 

 California by paying the best possible price for olives, delivered or on the 

 rees, as the acreage is not nearly sufficient to satisfy the demand of one 

 large concern alone. The land in Yuba, Butte and Yolo counties is espe- 

 cially adapted to this industry and as the harvest of the olives comes at a 

 time when the other farm work is over, there is ample time to give this 

 " lit proper care in marketing it. Cheap land, plentiful water, favoraoie 

 :limatic conditions and a ready market combine to make California the 

 >e«t place on earth for the successful propagation of olives. 



Any woman who feels inclined to pickle and prepare her own olives 

 for the market, will always find, ready sale for the California ripe olive, but 

 ' wish to repeat that by furnishing a poor olive to the trade the reputation 

 the California ripe olive is thereby exceedingly endangered. I have 

 Found in my own experience that the Eastern people who know and recog- 

 lize a fine, well flavored California ripe olive, are ready and willing to buy, 

 )ut where a poor olive has been placed upon the market, it is impossi- 

 >le to get these parties to give the California ripe olive another trial. 



Within the last five years, California olive oil has come to the front 

 md is to-day recognized as the best of the olive oils on the market. While 

 "le margin on pure olive oil is not as large as it deserves to be, there are 



