606 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



Pruning. Dry branches are cut away only. 



Picking and curing. Olives begin to fall from the trees in October, 

 and those that do not fall are gathered up to the 1st of January. 

 Olives for pickling should be picked when green. 



Maturity. Olive trees commence fruiting, in some localities, ten 

 years after having been planted, in others later. 



Yield. Each olive tree yields from 28 pounds to 112 pounds, in pro- 

 portion to its growth and size. 



Planting and propagating. The distance planted apart is about 18 feet- 

 Olive trees are propagated by planting small trees in March and April, 

 which must be grafted as soon as they can sustain the operation. 



ERHARD BISSINGER, 



Consul. 



UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Beirut, February 12, 1890. 



BEIRUT. 



REPORT BY CONSUL ROBESON. 

 [Republished from Consular Report No. 41^.] 



There are two varieties of olives cultivated in this district called, 1st, 

 the smuc-mucky ; 2d, the soury (Tyrian). The fruits of the first variety 

 are poor and small, while the soury are of a larger size, thicker flesh, 

 and richer sap. The best results are obtained during the twentieth or 

 thirtieth year after the wild olive tree has been grafted. There are two 

 methods adopted in the cultivation of olives in this district. The first 

 is to transplant the wild olive shoots from their native soil into the olive 

 groves and to graft them on the fourth year with grafts taken from a 

 cultivated tree. Although this method of cultivation does not procure 

 early crops, yet it is preferable to the second method in use, which is to 

 graft the wild tree as soon as it is transplanted, because the former 

 proves more productive. 



The land where olive trees are planted must be plowed four or five- 

 times a year. Generally in this district where the soil is sandy a stone 

 bench about 15 inches high is erected around the trunk of eacA olive 

 tree and filled with clay to keep the soil near the tree somewhat cool 

 and damp. The queen olives of commerce are unknown in this coun- 

 try. However, the olives exported from this port to Egypt and other 

 places are selected from the Soury variety. Olive trees come into full 

 bearing five or six years after they are grafted, and remain fruitful for 

 a great number of years. The average yield per acre of mature trees 

 is about 200 Turkish bushels (8,250 pounds). Five gallons of olives 

 produce one gallon of oil. Olive trees are commonly planted 30 feet 

 apart. Olives intended for pickling are gathered about the end of No- 

 vember, then lightly bruised, and after being spread on mats to dry in 



