CULTURE OF FRUITS AND NUTS 235 



3. Other Important Fruits of the South and West 



The pineapple. This is one of the desirable and 

 promising fruits of southern Florida, southern California 

 and southern Texas. The range of its territory will un- 

 doubtedly be considerably expanded within the next few 

 years. Much of the region in the southern sections of the 

 gulf states, as well as southern New Mexico and Arizona, 

 especially when the land in the latter states has been re- 

 claimed and water made available, will permit the growing 

 of this fruit. The pineapple is widely used for sauces, sal- 

 ads and other desserts, as well as for flavoring extracts, 

 marmalades, etc. 



The olive. The olive is one of the oldest fruits 

 known to the world. It is fast becoming a profitable fruit 

 industry in our southern states, especially in southern Cali- 

 fornia. The olive tree is of a low branching, evergreen 

 variety from 15 to 35 feet high. It has small dark green 

 leaves, and a dark green fruit which turns a brownish black 

 when ripe. It is native to Africa, Asia and Greece. The 

 commercial orchardists are growing the olive in Italy> 

 France, Spain, Greece, Asia Minor, Mexico, Peru, Algeria, 

 Tunis, and in the United States some very large commer- 

 cial orchards are found in southern California. The trees 

 will begin to bear when from six to eight years old. A 

 good tree of this age will produce from five to eight gallons 

 of oil, and the yield increases gradually up to as high as fifty 

 gallons. An olive tree will bear profitably from forty to 

 fifty years, but the tree itself will continue to live and ap- 

 pear hardy and strong for upward of a hundred years. 



Figs. The fig is a very valuable and profitable fruit. 

 It grows well in Florida, southern Alabama, Mississippi, 

 Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, southern Utah and southern 

 California. The tree is propagated from cuttings taken 



