548 THE POMEGRANATE. 



leaves ; the fruit nearly of the same size as that of the com- 

 mon olive. 



The favorite sort in Spain is the BROAD-LEAVED OLIVE (Olea 

 e. latifolia). Its fruit is nearly double the size of the common 

 olive, and yields an abundance of oil, but the latter is so strong 

 in flavour as to be more relished by the Spaniards than by 

 strangers. 



The OLIVIER A FRUIT ARRONDI (Olea spherica, N. Duh.) is a 

 hardy French variety, which, in a moist rich soil, yields most 

 abundant crops of fine oil. 



The OLIVIER PLEUREUR (Olea eranimorpha, N. Duh.), or weep- 

 ing olive, is one of the largest and finest trees. Its branches are 

 pendant, its fruit excellent, and the oil pure and abundant. It 

 is a very hardy sort, and grows best in damp valleys. 



The OLIVIER PICHOLINE (Olea oblonga, N. Duh.) yields the 

 fruit most esteemed for pickling. It grows quite readily in any 

 telerable soil, and is one of the hardiest varieties. 



There are two varieties of the olive, which are said to have 

 been found not long since in the Crimea, lat. 45 and 46, which 

 bear abundant crops of fine fruit, and the trees endure a tempe- 

 rature in winter, of zero of Fahrenheit. These sorts have not 

 yet been introduced into this country, and though it is a deside- 

 ratum to obtain them and test them at the South, yet it is not 

 unlikely that, in common with many trees similarly reported, 

 they may prove little different from the common olive. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



THE POMEGRANATE. 



Punica granatum, L. ; Granatacea, of botanists. 



Grenadier, of the French ; Granatenbaum, German ; Melagrano, 



Italian ; Granado, Spanish 



THIS unique fruit, the most singularly beautiful one that ever 

 appears at the dessert, is a native of China and the South of 

 Europe. It grows and bears very readily in this country, as 

 far North as Maryland and the Ohio river, though the fruit 

 does not always mature well north of Carolina, except in shel- 

 tered places. It is even hardy enough to stand the winter here, 

 and will bear very good fruit, if trained as an espalier, and 

 protected in winter. 



The fruit is as large as an apple. Its skin is hard and 

 leathery, of a yellowish orange colour, with a rich red cheek. 

 It is crowned in a peculiar manner with the large calyx, which 



