THE OLIVE IN ITALY. ('.17 



tage can be obtained in propagating the olive growth, as this is the 

 quickest mode of all. Very often it seems sprouts are provided with 

 roots, and if they spring up in great number from the plant some are 

 dug up, leaving the largest and most vigorous ones and covering their 

 bases with earth. 



Propagating by tronchi vecchi (old trunks). Advantage can also be 

 derived from old trunks in the propagation of olive trees. 



When a plant dies and contains living roots you see a great number 

 of sprouts growing therefrom, which are also useful for propagation, 

 and for which use those most vigorous and largest are left on the 

 mother plant well covered with earth, and the smallest ones are taken 

 out to let the former have more space. In this state of growing they 

 are left until their young trunks grow as thick as 1 J inches in diameter, 

 after which they are hoed up and detached from the mother plant, 

 transported to the reservoir, and planted at the distance of 2 feet from 

 each other. Where the sprouts of the dead plant are not many, then 

 it is better to leave them attached to the same. 



Propagation by olivastrelli (olivasters). Where the olive tree grows 

 spontaneously in a wild state, and is not touched by animals 7 teeth, care 

 can be taken of it until it grows to a proper size, when it is transported 

 to final position, or planted in the reservoir, at a distance of 2 feet each 

 side. 



It is, however, worthy of note, that of all these methods of propaga- 

 tion, the one operated by seeds is the best, for the reason, as above 

 stated, that plants so propagated live longer, and better resist the cold 

 weather. In propagating by stocks the character of the tree wherefrom 

 stocks were derived is perpetuated.* 



Grafting. Following the propagation, I ought to proceed with the 

 reservoirs, but as the small plants propagated by the methods above 

 stated, must be, in most cases, grafted, which can be done in the reser- 

 voir as well as in final stay, I proceed about the grafting in reservoir. 

 Plants propagated by seeds, springs and sprouts derived from graft- 

 ing, as well as those from roots of trees already grafted, and those 

 spontaneously grown by seeds in a wild state, need, of course to be 

 grafted. 



The olive tree can be grafted by several methods, and they are as 

 follows, to wit: (1) A scudetto (shield), Figs. 9, 10, 11; (2) An anello 

 (ring); (3) A corona (crown). 



The first method is mostly used in Sicily, on account of its simplicity 

 and certainty ; the second one is seldom used, because it is difficult and 

 it is operated late in the spring. The third one, Figs. 14, 16, 17, is prac- 

 ticed for adult plants, and likewise in the late spring season, when the 

 plants are in a state of anger. Here I do not proceed minutely in de- 



*Prof. A. Alvi's report, 

 156A 17 



