THE OLIVE IN AUSTRALASIA. 617 



Sir Samuel Davenport occasionally supplies truncheons for starting- 

 plantations. Several thousand of these were sent to other parts of 

 Australia last year for this purpose, the truncheon being the quickest 

 and surest way of propagating the olive. The trees begin to bear at 

 seven years of age and give about one gallon of oil from each tree. 

 The fruit ripens in June and picking is continued through July and 

 August. There is a plantation of 100 acres at a place called Stony 

 Field, not far from Sir Samuel Davenport's property. The land is, how- 

 ever, very poor, and it is said will not grow anything but olives. A 

 calcareous soil appears to be the best suited for olive culture. Sir Sam- 

 uel Davenport says: 



The calcareous nature of the soil around Adelaide and the wariu and dry climate 

 assist in bringing the-olive as well as the vine to perfection. 



He adds : 



It is fortunate' for the laborers as well as for the farmers that the olive harvest fol- 

 lows on the vintage, as the vintage follows on the harvest times of wheat and other 

 grain. 



Sir Samuel, when examined by the Victorian Royal Commission on 

 Vegetable Products, stated : 



In Adelaide, and from 100 to 200 miles from that city, there is a very sunny entrance 

 to summer, and the summer itself is also warm enough. The characteristics of a 

 cultivation to suit a dry soil consist very much of plants which have a woody char- 

 acter and coM.sci|u<'iit]y are better able to resist the effects of long heats, and for that 

 purpose all the South Australian soil, he thought, should be worked to agreat depth. 

 The olive tree is delicate when flowering and will not fructify if much moisture is 

 used. 



There is attached to the Aadelaide gaol an olive plantation of about 50 

 acres. Some of the trees are very valuable. The soil consists of choc- 

 olate loam. It is well manured and irrigated. The yield of fruit is 

 something enormous. The branches are often so heavily laden that 

 they have to be propped up in order to sustain the fruit. Two hundred 

 and fifty of the best trees were imported from the grove of Count Spada 

 by Mr. \V. II. Boothby, formerly mayor of Adelaide, and the trees in 

 the plantation are usually worked from the same stock. 



The olive groves of South Australia are located from about 10 to 50 

 miles from the sea-coast and at an elevation of from 150 feet to 200 feet 

 above sea-level. The average [rain-fall for a term of years is about 22 

 inches, although in some years it falls as low as 13 inches. The aver- 

 age reading of the barometer is 30.652 inches, and the average temper- 

 ature 6-i above zero. The maximum 110, and the minimum 30. 



MANUFACTURE OF OIL. 



The method pursued by Sir Samuel Davenport is to take the ripe 

 fruit and crush it into pulp in mill on the Chilian mill principle. This 

 mill consists of two granite wheels, each weighing 7 tons, revolving in a 



