264 HISTORY OF FRUITS. 



upon them a thin coat of litter, and leave them thus, 

 during four months, to imbibe the restorative salts of the 

 atmosphere. Few of them have any principal bole ; for 

 all predominant shoots are early cut out, that every part 

 may derive equal benefit from the influence of the sun. 

 The fruit in some places is suffered to hang till it falls 

 through ripeness. 



Aristseus, son of Apollo by Gyrene, was regarded as a 

 rural deity for having taught mankind to extract olive oil, 

 and also to make honey, cheese, and butter. The wrestlers 

 were anointed with it ; and it was made a substitute for 

 butter, which among the Romans was used as a medicine. 



We find in the book of Leviticus, that oil formed a 

 principal part of the meat-offerings, which the Israelites 

 presented to the Lord. 



Pliny informs us, that in the 500th year of the city, 

 when Appius Claudius and L. Junius were consuls toge- 

 ther, a pound of oil was sold for twelve asses ; but that in 

 the year 680, ten pounds of oil sold for one ass, and that, 

 in twenty-two years after that time, Italy was able to 

 furnish the provinces with oil ; and it was much used at 

 their baths, having, as they supposed, the property of 

 warming the body, and defending it against the cold. 



The best olive-oil at present is obtained from Provence. 



Although the greater number of the English eat but 

 very little olive-oil, yet oil in some shape forms a consi- 

 derable part of our food, both animal and vegetable, and 

 affords much nourishment: but with some, oily substances 

 do not unite with the contents of the stomach, especially 

 where acids abound. 



Dr. A. Hunter was decidedly of opinion, that all plants 

 receive their principal nourishment from oily particles 

 incorporated with water, by means of an alkaline salt, or 

 absorbent earth. Till oil is made miscible, it is unable 

 to enter the radical vessels of vegetables ; and on that 



