622 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES, 



Pruning depends in a great measure, too, on the position and expos- 

 ure of the trees. Olive trees exposed to high winds ought to be kept 

 low and rather compact, but those in favorable positions, on sheltered 

 hill-sides, for instance, can be allowed to grow larger. Thus it will be 

 found that olive trees along the shores of the Rhone, and indeed in all 

 the Rhone valley exposed to the pernicious mistral, are little more 

 than bushes and are kept as such, whereas towards Toulon and further 

 on, also in Tunis and other parts, the olive tree grows to a great 

 height and size, and is pruned accordingly. 



PICKING AND CURING. 



The blossoming of the olive tree takes place in April and May, and 

 if the rains have been favorable and no frost occurs the crop may be 

 considered sure. 



The gathering of green olives for pickling is done from about the 20th 

 of September to about the 10th of October and must be done by hand. 

 The date of gathering depends, of course, upon the stage of the fruit, as 

 it ought to be done just when the olive has reached its full size and be- 

 fore it begins to turn black. G-reen olives can not be eaten as they 

 come off the tree, because they are too bitter, but are pickled by the very 

 simple process of soaking them in brine or very salt water. Sometimes 

 ashes are used as well as salt. As soon as they have almost lost their 

 bitter taste they must be taken out of the brine and put into clear 

 water, if possible running water, and washed.* They are then ready 

 to be packed in kegs, barrels, bottles, or jars, but with a little salt 

 water or water highly seasoned or aromatized, and are fit for export, 

 for storing, or for immediate use. 



Black olives for pickling are gathered, as their name indicates, when 

 they are black, say during November. The pickling process of these 

 is left to nature, i. e., they can be simply spread out on wicker-work 

 hurdles or basket-boards exposed to sun and wind till their natural 

 water has evaporated and with it their bitter taste. T^ey can then be 

 eaten in their natural state, but are more palatable well seasoned 

 with salt, pepper, and oil. 



The gathering of olives for the manufacture of oil must take place 

 when they are black and quite ripe, generally from the end of Illovem - 

 ber till the end of January. They can even be left to fall to the ground 

 and then gathered up, but as they do not all fall off together, it often 

 takes a long time to gather in the complete crop. Care must be taken 

 not to let them rot on the ground, as such olives would spoil the oil for 

 table purposes. A good plan is to wait till the first good fail has taken 



* The usual way in which green olives are pickled in this district is as follows: They 

 are soaked in a solution of potash and water (1 pound to 1 pounds of potash to a gal- 

 lon of water) for about two hours, then put into clean water, which is changed once 

 or twice a day until the water remains clear. After this the olives are ready to pack 

 in salt water for keeping. 



