592 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



field. The acre is not known in the olive countries ; lands are meas- 

 ured by the hectare. A secular olive tree of great size, occupying 100 

 square yards of land, will yield on an average 40 gallons of olives, which 

 is not at all exaggerated, as there are many which yield 100 and even 

 120 gallons of olives. 



The adult field olives of moderate size yield from 20 to 40 gallons 

 of olives. Short olive trees, occupying only 25 square yards of ground, 

 yield on an average about 20 gallons of olives. 



In the orange region a mature olive tree, well cultivated, will produce 

 15 gallons of oil. If the trees stand at a distance of 30 feet from each 

 other, or at about the rate of 75 trees to the acre, there will be a yield 

 of 1,125 gallons of oil per acre. 



In Spain they calculate on an average yield of 140 hectoliters (1 

 hectoliter measures 20 gallons) of olives per hectare of ground every 

 two years, yielding 1,750 liters oil in this form : 



Pesetas. 



1,000 liters of refined oil at a medium price of 1 peseta and 25 centimes . 1, 250 



750 liters of inferior oil, at 75 centimes 526 



Total 1,775 



(A peseta is equal to 20 cents; 5 pesetas to a dollar; 100 centimes to a peseta. 

 Deducting 700 pesetas as cost of cultivation leaves a net product of 1,561 pesetas 

 every two years. ) 



When the trees are at a distance of 10 meters from each other they 

 yield, on an average, 6,000 kilograms of oil per hectare, of the value of 

 12,000 pesetas. 



Planting. The trees are planted from 30 to 40 feet apart. 



Picking. They are picked one month before the olives are quite ripe, 

 when they are of a yellow-green color, for oil, and in the month of 

 November, when the olive changes its color from violet to black, when 

 intended for pickles* 



Pickling. The olives are kept in water until their bitter taste is en 

 tirely removed. The water must be changed occasionally. Then they 

 are ready for pickling either in salt and water or with sweet herbs, such 

 as thyme, slices of lemon, etc. The Moors bruise first the olives, and 

 afterwards pack them with salt. 



Oil. The process for extracting oil consists, first of all, in gathering 

 the olives when they turn black, about the month of NovembeV, on a 

 fair day, separating those found under the tree on the ground, and all 

 discolored ones, with which the second quality of oil is made; they 

 must be cleaned of all foreign matters, such as leaves, etc.; in gather- 

 ing the olives must not be beaten, but picked by hand or with a hook 

 made on purpose. The olives are spread in a hall, the floor of which is 

 of glazed tiles and having a slope in order to allow the water which 

 oozes out of the olives to run out. The olives are turned over several 

 times, taking care uot to allow them to ferment, as it would produce a 

 rancid, inferior oil, and in this care lies the secret of success in obtain- 

 ing a superior sweet oil. It is recommended when pressing the olives 



