640 



FRUIT CULTURE IK FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



some olive trees, visited by Professor Alvi, which he judges to be of a 

 very ancient date, and some people of that country evert pretend the 

 said trees to have been from the time of Luigi D'Angio, who was sent 

 there in a manner of banishment and to govern in the same time that 

 country. 



FIG. 3. Albero con frutt. 



Vegetation. In many parts of Italy this plant grows spontaneously, 

 and principally derived from seeds deposited by some large bird's ex- 

 crements, which are in a condition of sprouting. But the plant left to 

 itself grows and rises slowly from the ground, the branches furnish a 

 few and small leaves, bearing very late, and the fruit yields but a little 

 oil. 



The olive tree propagated by seeds and subjected to grafting, when 

 located on open air and on well adapted land, throws towards the 

 ground a good main root, from which many others grow down deep, and 

 the tree from its base acquires a majestic appearance. On points where 

 the trunk joins the roots on the largest of them develop certain swell- 

 ings called ovoli (springs), which are used for propagating the culture. 

 If the plant be destroyed by storm or killed by frost from its base, yet 

 many shoots will come out, although less than when it is in the regular 

 course of vegetation ; these springs repeat their growing from the orig- 

 inal roots. 



