THE OLIVE IN SYRIA. 609 



HAIFA. 

 REPORT JiY CONSULAR AGENT SCHUMACHER. 



Varieties. The best variety for pickling is the " Irrsezy " (Arabic 

 name), u pale green olive, with a thin skin. The best variety for oil is 

 the " Melisey," and " Syrian," a dark brown olive. 



There are two distinct varieties grown in this district ; the one is called 

 the summer, the other the winter olive; the first produces a better oil 

 than the latter. Both kinds are pickled, but the white olives are pre- 

 ferred. The summer olives are the most profitable, and can be recom- 

 mended for culture, as they are the best for producing the finest oil and 

 equally good for eating. 



Situation. The natives claim that trees planted on hill sides produce 

 a finer oil than those in the plain. The distances from sea are quite dif- 

 ferent, as the olive trees are spread over the whole country, say from 2 

 to 100 miles. The trees are planted from 10 to 500 meters apart, and are 

 exposed to the sun without injury even in the hottest weather. The 

 olive trees in my district are mostly planted on hilly land in sandy 

 black soil. But they grow also well in rolling and level land, only not 

 so luxuriant as in the above-named soil. 



Climatic influence. &hv climate of Syria is good for the culture of 

 olive trees, as frosts hardly ever occur. Temperature, minimum 2-f-R. ; 

 maximum 33 to 35+ R.; average 20 to 25 4- E. 



Rain-fall from 1 foot 7 inches to 3 feet 3 inches all year. If rain 

 falls after the summer olives are ripe it is disastrous for the fruit. The 

 olives become bloated and filled with water, and the oil in them goes 

 back and is lost. 



Irrigation. The olive tree is irrigated only for the first two or three 

 years, but not more ; say once a week ; after that no irrigation takes 

 place. 



Cultivation. The best time for cultivation is early in the rainy sea- 

 son ; say after the first rain has Mien in ^November, or December. 



Pruning. The trees are pruned in the fall ; the foliage must not be 

 abundant. The natives say the tree must be pruned so that one can 

 see through the foliage. 



Picking. The fruit is picked or gathered when nearly ripe, both for 

 pickling and oil. Olives are not pickled here for the market; for home 

 use they are put in fresh water for a day or two, and then put into 

 stone jars containing salt brine and well covered. 



0/7. The natives make no good oil here ; they take large heaps of 

 the olives and then grind them under large upright circular stones, 

 which revolve on a circular base. The pulp is then put in round press 

 baskets, made of cane fibers, and pressed. The bulk of the oil pro- 

 duced by the natives is not fit for table use; it is mostly exported to 

 France for illuminating and lubricating purposes. 



