234 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Ocimuni sanctum, Linn. 



Arabia, India, tropical Australia. A perennial herb. The odor 

 of the variety occurring in North- Australia reminds of anise; the smell 

 of the variety growing in East- Australia resembles that of cloves. O 

 tenuiflorum, L., seems to be another variety. Probably other species, 

 cis- as well as trans-atlantic, can be used like Basil. 



Ocimuni suave, Willdenow. 



East-Africa. A scrubby species. 



Oenanthe Phellandrium, Lamarck. 



Europe, Western and Northern Asia. A perennial swamp-plant, 

 the fruitlets of which are of considerable medicinal value. 



Olea Europaea, Linn.* 



The Olive-tree. South- Western Asia; naturalized in the countries 

 around the Mediterranean Sea. A tree not of great height, but of 

 many centuries' duration and of unabating fecundity. In Corfu how- 

 ever it grows sometimes to a height of 60 feet, and forms beautiful 

 forests. The well-known olive-oil is obtained from the fruit. Cer- 

 tain varieties of the fruit, preserved in vinegar or salt-liquid before 

 perfectly ripe, are also much used for the table. For this purpose the 

 fruit is generally macerated previously in water containing potash and 

 lime. The gum-resin of the olive-tree serves as incense, it contains 

 the crystalline olivil. The oil of the drupaceous fruit is a most im- 

 portant product of countries with a warm temperate climate. Its 

 chemical constituents are: 30 per cent, crystalline palmitin; 70 per 

 cent, olein, for which reason olive-oil belongs to those 'kinds, which 

 are not drying. In pressing, the kernels must not be crushed, as 

 then a disagreeable taste will be imparted to the oil. The wild variety 

 of the olive-tree usually has short blunt leaves and thorny branches. 

 Long-continued droughts, so detrimental to most plants, will affect 

 the olive but slightly. It thrives best on a free, loamy, calcareous 

 soil, even should it be strong and sandy, but it dislikes stiff clay. 

 Proximity to the sea is favorable to it, and hill-sides are more eligible 

 for its culture than plains. The ground must be deeply trenched. 

 Manuring with well-decayed substances is requisite annually or every 

 second and third year, according to circumstances. Irrigation will add 

 to the productiveness of the plant. Captain Ellwood Cooper, of 

 Santa Barbara, Southern California, obtained from orchards 10 years 

 old sufficient fruit for 700 gallons of olive-oil to the acre, one-fourth 

 of the produce paying for the expenses of preparing the soil, gathering 

 the crop, pressing the oil and conveying it to market. Mons. 

 Riordet distinguishes three main varieties, of which he recommends 

 two: 1. The Cayon, a small-sized tree, which comes into bearing 

 after three or four years, but bears fully only every second year; its oil 

 is fine with some aroma. 2. The Pendulier, a larger tree, with long 

 drooping branches, yielding an oil of first-rate quality. Mons. Reynaud, 

 "Culture de POlivier/* separates twelve varieties, as cultivated in 



