352 ON OLEAGINOUS PLANTS, 



one or two degrees below the freezing point, proves fatal. 

 The plant, however, may recover, if cut down to the roots, 

 a little below the surface of the soil ; it then strikes out 

 fresh shoots, forming five or six young trees. 



Manure used for olive-plantations should be of a dry 

 nature ; and it is necessary to heap up the earth over the 

 roots, to keep them well covered. 



Caroline. These roots must be naturally very superfi- 

 cial ; for, notwithstanding the care that is taken to cover 

 them with earth, I have observed that they are continual- 

 ly making their appearance above ground. 



Mrs. B. It is rather the rugged and tortuous base of 

 the stems which you have observed, and which wear the 

 appearance of roots. 



There are several varieties of olive-trees. Those of 

 the plantations about Nice, afford us oil perfectly white 

 and limpid, and equally free from either smell or taste : 

 it is held in very high estimation in northern countries, 

 where the natural taste of oil is disliked, probably from its 

 being associated with that of rancidity ; but, in the coun- 

 tries which produce oil, where, being eaten fresh, it is very 

 seldom rancid, the oil which partakes of the flavor of the 

 fruit is preferred. 



The fruit should be gathered, not shaken from the tree 

 in order to prevent their being bruised, and the oil express- 

 ed as soon as possible afterwards, otherwise there is dan- 

 ger of rancidity. In Spain, and other countries where 

 feudal tenures still exist, the olive-mills belong to the lords 

 of the land, and the peasantry are obliged to wait their 

 turn for their olives to be pressed, to the great detriment 

 of the produce. This is, perhaps, the only harvest which 

 is gathered in about Christmas, the fruit not being ripe 

 earlier. 



Olives begin to be cultivated at 43 of latitude : in trop- 

 ical climates, they will grow at two hundred fathom above 

 the level of the sea. 



Emily. And, in temperate climates, where the olive 

 ceases to grow, the walnut replaces it. 



Mrs. B. Yes ; but the oil obtained from the walnut is 

 far inferior to that of the olive, having both color, smell, 



1909. What is said of the olive tree! 1910. What is said of ma- 

 nure for olive-plantations'? 1911. What is said of the oil from the 

 plantations about Nice! 1912. How should the fruit be gatheredl 

 1913. Where will olives grow! 



