CULTIVATION OF THE OLIVE. 



195 



es in Natural Chemistry, instead of going on eternally awarding their premiums 

 to things already known. 



" There are some departments in Natural 

 History which are too apt to be looked upon 

 with indifference, even by the considerate, 

 and treated with ridicule by the would-be 

 ■ivit, that are yet of the utmost importance to 

 the husbandman. Our cotton fields are ex- 

 posed to many enemies — at one time a small 

 caterpillar, that in summer changes into a 

 pretty moth — at another time a large kind of 

 caterpillar, called the army-worm, which pro- 

 duces a butterfly — at another time an insect 

 called the cut-worm or the cottou-louse, at- 

 tack the cotton plant and blast the hopes of 

 the planter. The Hessian fly lays waste the 

 wheat-field ; the locust that has been buried 

 in the ground, as it is said for years, issues 



from its larva, a winged plague, and spreads 

 devastation and ruin m its track. These, and 

 insects like these, are undoubtedly governed 

 in their production and ravages and whole 

 being, by laws which are little understood. 

 If we knew these laws, we might be able 

 effectually to check or even to destroy their 

 production — and thence either greatly lessen 

 or entirely prevent then* ravages. The accu- 

 mulation of facts respecting these several de- 

 stroyers, brought together and I'eported at our 

 anniversaries, would furnish materials from 

 which Science might ascertain these laws. It 

 will be for the Society to determine how far 

 they will direct attention to the collection of 

 such facts." 



But our purpose now is to detach from Mr. King's Address the following let- 

 ter, with which it was enriched, from the classical pen of a practical agricultur- 

 ist, of whom the profession may be proud — J. Hamilton Couper. 



Neak Darien, Sept. 3, 1846. 



My Dear Sir : I beg you to be assured 

 that, in complying with your request to fur- 

 nish you with any facts within my knowledge 

 and my views generally, on the subject of the 

 cultivation of the olive tree in this countiy, I 

 feel equal pleasure in promoting a patriotic 

 object, and in being able, in however trifling 

 a degree, to gratify your personal wishes. 



Having had my attention called, many 

 years ago, to this subject, by an experiment 

 on a somewhat large scale, which my iiither 

 made in 1825 ; and having devoted some at- 

 tention to the works of European writers on 

 the cultivation of the Olive, and the manufac- 

 ture of oil from it, I hope that the following 

 extracts from my note-book may save you 

 some trouble in your investigations. I have 

 probably given much that is already familiar 

 to you; but if I have, you must blame yourself 

 for professing that the subject is comparative- 

 ly new to you. 



The first and all-important question which 

 presents itself is, whether our climate is 

 adapted to the olive tree : and to what por- 

 tion of our territory we may hope to extend 

 its cultivation. The liicts which will be pre- 

 sented, are, I think, decisive, that the imme- 

 diate seaboard of South Carolina and Georgia, 

 llie whole of Florida, and the borders of the 

 Gulf of Mexico, are as suitable for the culti- 

 vation of the olive as the south of France. 



First, as to climate — Arthur Youn^, in his 

 travels through France, vol. i., page 311, ob- 

 serves, " several other plants, besides the 

 olive, mark this climate, (the olive climate). 

 Thus, at Mentelim.art, in Dauphine, besides 

 that tree, you meet with, for ihojirst time, 

 the promegratmte, the Arbor .Judic, the paliu- 

 raSyfigs, and the ever green oak." 



The orange tree is tound to be more tender 

 than the olive, in France and Italy. The 

 same writer says, " the latter plant (tlie or- 

 ange), is so tender, that this (Hieres) is sup- 

 posed to be the only part of France, in which 

 (435) 



it vdll thrive in the open air. I went to 

 Hieres to view them, and it was with pain 

 I found them, without exception, so damaged 

 by the frost, in the winter of 1788, as to be 

 cut down, some to the ground, and others to 

 the main stem." 



Rosier, in his Cours d' Agriculture, t. 7, p. 

 258, observes, " Dans le village d' Hieres on 

 est meme oblige de couvrir les citrouuiers, 

 les cedrats, etc., pendant les rigueurs da 

 froid."* 



Mr. .Tefferson in his letter of .Tuly, 1787, to 

 the Agricultural Society of South Cai'olina, re- 

 marks, " Wherever the orange loill stand at 

 all, experience shows that the olive toill stand 

 well, being a hardier tree." 



Simonde mentions, ui his work on Tuscan 

 Agriculture, (Tableau de 1' Agriculture Tos- 

 caue, ]}. 112), that the olive is considered in 

 Italy as hardier than the vine. " L'on a sou- 

 vent mis en question si 1' on ne pourrait pas 

 naturaliser 1' olivier dans des climats moins 

 chauds que ceux qui lui servent de Umites, et 

 Ton etait encourage dans cette espcrance par 

 1' observation qu'en Italie quoique 1' olivier 

 souffre d'un grand froid, il est, cependant 

 C07isid6r6 comme plus rohusle que la vigne, et 

 qu'en consequence on le place a des exposi- 

 tions on celle-ci ne pourrait pas cr6itre."t He 

 farther observes that he himself had vines 

 and olives planted together, and that the for- 



[* Translation. — In the village of Hierds people are 

 compelled to cover the lemon trees, citrons, &c., 

 during the rigors of the cold. £d. Farm. Lib.] 



[t Translation. — The question hns often beea 

 raised whether the olive could not be naturalized in 

 climates less warai than those to which it is now 

 limited ; and the hope that it might be done has 

 been strengthened by the fact that in Italy the olive, 

 though it suffers a great degree of cold, is considered 

 more robust than the vine, and in consequence is 

 placed in exposures where the latter could not grow. 

 Ed. Farm. Lib.] 



