682 



FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



wherein the plant can easily vegetate and produce profitably. In fact, 

 out of the 69 Italian provinces only in 19 of them the olive plant is 

 not cultivated. The production, as considered in regard to land occupied 

 by the olive culture, is more profitable in Sicily, and precisely in the 

 provinces of Palermo, Trapani, and Caltanissetta. As reported by the 

 ministro di agricoltura in 1874, it seems that the present olive culti- 

 vated land in Italy (together with other plants) occupies an extension of 

 900,311 hectares, yielding an average of 3,385,591 hectoliters of oil, or 

 3.76 hectoliters per hectare. 



The annual exportation from Italy is 635,000 quintals, equal to 63,500 

 tons, and the best and finest oil is made at Pisa and Lucca, and mostly 

 in the whole region of Tuscany, on account of good picking and curing 

 the olives and extracting and refining the oil. 



The following table shows the olive cultivated land and the total 

 production of oil in Italy : 



General average, 3.76 hectoliters per hectare. 



After Italy the most oil-producing country is Spain ; next comes 

 France, Algeria included, and Austria-Hungary. 



In Greece and Turkey the olive tree is also extensively cultivated, 

 but the oil is mostly fit and used for soap-making. 



In no other country of Europe does the oil equal the Italian made in 

 quality. 



As shown in the table, the extension of olive cultivated land in Sicily 

 is 104,373 hectares, with an average production of 730,238 hectoliters 

 oil a year, and at rate of nearly 7 hectoliters per hectare. The oil, how- 

 ever, it is proper to say, is generally too rich and strong, on account of 

 the poor system of picking the fruit and not refining the oil. The finest 

 oil in this island is made in Termini-Iinerese, 24 miles from the city of 

 Palermo, by using the same system of Tuscany. I now proceed with 

 the practical one, by answering categorically the circular. 



QUESTIONS ABOUT OLIVES. 



Varieties. The name of best varieties for pickling in this consular 

 district is the Marmorigna of Catania, an egg-shaped olive, with small 

 stone and much pulp, giving a good oil. 



