OLIVE-TREE. 6? 



eome larger; 10 or 12 bunches only arc left on the most vigorous 

 trees. It is reckoned that a good tree produces, one year with 

 another, about the value of JO or 12 shillings to the proprietor. 

 A pretty considerable trade is carried on with dates in the interior 

 part of the country, and large quantities of them are exported to 

 France and Italy. The crop is gathered towards the end of No- 

 vember. When the bunches are taken from the tree, they are hung 

 up in some very dry place where they may be sheltered and secure 

 from insects. 



Even the stones, though very hard, are not thrown away. They 

 give them to their camels and sheep as food, after they have bruised 

 them or laid them to soften in water. 



The date, as well as other trees which are cultivated, exhibits 

 great variety in its fruit, with respect to shape, size, quality, and even 

 colour. They are reckoned to be at least 20 different varieties. 

 Dates are very liable to be pierced by worms, and they soon corrupt 

 in moist or rainy weather. 



From what has beeu said, it may easily be perceived that there 

 is, perhaps, no tree whatever used for so many and so valuable 

 purposes as the date-tree. 



[Linn. Des Fontaines, Editor. 



SECTION XI. 



Olive-Tree* 



Olea. Linx. 



This genus includes seven known species; of which the four fol- 

 lowing are chiefly worthy of notice. 



1. O.Europea. 



European Olive. 



An ever-green tree common to the woods of the south of France, 

 Spain, and Italy, with lanceolate, very entire, grey, ferruginous 

 leaves, downy or silvery underneath: flowers in small axillary 

 branches, small white, with short tubes spreading open at the top ; 

 fruit a superior-berried drupe, of an oblong spheroidal form, and 

 of a yellowish green colour, turning black when ripe. This plant 

 afford* a great abundance of varieties and subvarieties, differing 



r 2 



