CALIFORNIA OLIVE CULTURE SOILS. 19 



three seasons large, trees ready for planting are obtained. For 

 this purpose old stocks are planted, the body being cut off to 

 cause it to throw out numerous shoots, which, when they are of 

 sufficient growth, are turned down and trenched. Growers 

 adopt different modes of treating the shoots in layering them. 

 Some cause the shoot to be partly broken by bending, while others 

 cut an incision, leaving a projecting portion of the shoot on 

 the side that is to remain downward when covered with soil. 

 At any rate, the portion wherever broken or cut soon begins 

 to callus over and to throw out roots. In one or two seasons 

 these shoots are cut from the parent tree, the roots and top 

 trimmed, and are set out either in orchard or in nursery row. 



From Sprouts. The sprouts as they put forth along the 

 body of the tree, which has been cut back so as to force it to 

 throw out numerous shoots, are gouged out, taking as much 

 of the bark and wood as possible. These are planted as in 

 the above methods, and readily take root. The advantage 

 this system has over all others is that these sprouts can 

 be gathered at any time of the year when the trees are 

 growing. This method is closely allied to the "ovule" system 

 of propagation. 



SOILS. 



A great feature of the olive tree, and one that gives it an 

 important position among the fruit trees of our State, is the 

 fact that it thrives in a greater diversity of soils and locations 

 than most other trees. In the low lands of the valleys it 

 does well ; the berries become large and pulpy, and are best 

 suited for pickles. Oil made from fruit grown on trees receiv- 

 ing too much moisture is very hard to clarify. Along the foot- 

 hills the olive finds a congenial home, producing oil that cannot 

 be excelled. On rocky land, wherever there is soil sufficient to 

 give it a footing, the olive will grow, and with additional care 

 attains perfection. Heavy or damp land is not suitable for 

 it not that it will not grow on such soils, but because the 

 blossom and the fruit are sensitive to cold and will invari- 

 ably chill and drop off the tree. The quality of the oil from 



