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tion of Rome, there were no olive-trees either 

 in Italy, Spain, or Africa, which is a strong 

 presumption that they grew originally only 

 in Syria." Theophrastus states, that in the 

 440th year of the city, there were no olive- 

 trees in Italy, but on the coast, and within 

 forty miles of the sea ; but Pliny says, in his 

 time, they were to be found in the very 

 heart of Spain and France, but that the 

 olives -pf Syria, although smaller, produced 

 the best oil. Virgil mentions but three 

 kinds of olives : Columella mentions ten va- 

 rieties, but says he believes they were much 

 more numerous. 



The olive-tree was first introduced into 

 England in the year 1570; but there is little 

 inducement for us to cultivate it, since it 

 is by no means handsome, and we have no 

 desire for its ripe fruit. Besides, the climate 

 in general is not sufficiently warm to assure 

 us of a crop, though I have no doubt but it 

 would flourish in many situations on the south 

 side of the Sussex Downs, where the fig-tree 

 thrives : indeed, in some parts of Devonshire 

 it is found as a standard tree, and is seldom 

 injured by the frost. 



According to Columella, this tree flou- 

 rishes best in dry hills that are full of white 

 clay; for in moist and fat fields it produces 



