PLANTS. 297 



THIRD SUB-CLASS. FLOWERING SHRUBS. 



FORTY-FIRST FAMILY. OLEACE^:. (Class 2, L.) 

 Flower-petals single, inserted on the calyx. The olive 

 is the type of this family. 



Tho Common Olive (Olea europaeae), leaves leathery, 

 dark above, whitish below, lanceolate and margined; 

 flowers white, come forth in small corymbs or tufts from 

 the wings of the leaves ; growing wild it is only a shrub, 

 cultivated it grows into a considerable sized tree. Native 

 of Asia, but transported into Italy at a very early day ; 

 farther north is cultivated in conservatories. The fruit, 

 half an inch in length and four lines thick, is of oblong 

 shape, like a small plum, at first green, afterwards black ; 

 pulp rather pithy, rough and bitter, therefore they are 

 never eaten raw. Olives are prepared for table use, by 

 soaking them in ley-water, in which ashes have been 

 boiled, then transferred to clear water, where they are 

 left for some time, changing the water frequently ; last 

 of all pickled with salt and spices, are fitted for exporta- 

 tion. They are, however, more valued on account of the 

 sweet oil which they yield abundantly, and which is not 

 only important in cookery, but used for numerous other 

 purposes. For making sweet oil it is necessary that the 

 fruit be perfectly ripe ; the oil pressed first from it cold, 

 is, with some further preparation, the well known Pro- 

 vence oil. The portion first obtained, very sweet and 

 pleasant, commands the highest price, and is called Vir- 

 gin Oil, the second White Sweet Oil. The common 

 olive oil, of a greenish-yellow color, is obtained from the 

 fruit after being heated, and has both an unpleasant taste 

 and odor. In those countries where the olive trees 

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