14 



insertion; upper face deep green, smooth, riddled with small white 

 punctures, very well marked (peculiar); under face greenish white; 

 limbs thick and a little coriaceous, with edges slightly drawn back, 

 so that the leaf has pretty much the appearance of a wide and shallow 

 channel; nerves a little prominent on the under face only; Petiole 

 big, short, straight, growing out of the branch at almost a right angle. 

 The leaves are regularly distributed on the young branches, and 

 almost perpendicular to the latter; they are numerous enough, but 

 owing to the tree spreading out pretty "much, as a rule, the cover of 

 the tree is not very thick. 



Fruits regularly distributed on the whole length of the branch, 

 isolated or grouped; Peduncle long enough, big, light yellow, inserted 

 into a deep depression; Stigma little apparent; Olive rather big (mean 

 length two to two and one half centim., width one and one quarter 

 to one and one half centim.); cylindrical, regular, oblong, rounded off 

 at both ends; red at first, the fruit finally becomes a deep black; 

 hoary to a small degree and but for a short while gets very shiny; 

 upon this shiny background come out numerous white dots, well 

 defined, hence its name of Pigale. This olive remains firm until ripe; 

 skin thick, pulp fleshy, little juicy, colored white or light vinous red; 

 Pit big, of regular shape as the olive itself; late variety. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



The Pigale is a commendable variety. Granting that its production 

 is somewhat curtailed by its luxuriant growth of wood, the fruits are 

 of good quality and fit for table use, as well as giving a great deal of 

 oil of excellent quality. 



The largest plantations of this variety were formerly around Mont- 

 pettier t Narbonne, and Nimes; some important ones are still found in 

 the garrigues, of the commune of Saint Georges, near Montpellier] it is 

 also met with in Provence, especially about Aix. As this olive ripens 

 very late it cannot be gathered only late in winter, when often its sur- 

 face gets wrinkled on account of the frost. It would be opportune in 

 large plantations to mingle the Pigale with earlier varieties, so as to 

 have ample time for picking. 



INTRODUCED VARIETIES. 



The main object in describing the varieties herein mentioned is for 

 the purpose of identification, and in order to straighten, if possible, 

 the nomenclature of the olive, which is a very mixed one. There 

 are varieties now fruiting in this State known only by some of their 

 synonymes. In one case a variety was propagated under three syn- 

 onymes, and this fact was not, and could not be, discovered until the 

 trees fruited. The fault lies with the nurserymen abroad, where so 

 many names have been given to varieties, and in consequence thereof 

 the identity of a certain variety by its name is very difficult, and is 

 only known by few. 



The following varieties are now fruiting in several parts of this 

 State, and are of the earlier kinds. Other varieties and the late ones 

 will be described, with general observations thereto, in a subsequent 

 bulletin. 



