50 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



Those who interest themselves enough to make the above 

 research can but feel safe in the outcome of their orchards, and 

 need not be asking " What is the best olive? " a question which, 

 to embody all the essential qualities in one variety, cannot be 

 answered. 



THE " MISSION " OLIVE. 



Although innumerable olive varieties have been introduced 

 from almost every locality in the world where the olive grows, no 

 variety has as yet given such universal satisfaction as the 

 " Mission," and it stands to-day preeminent as the most popular 

 and most profitable variety grown. It has qualities found in 

 no other variety, and is therefore given first place on the list. 



Mission, so called, from its first having been grown at the 

 missions and supposed to have been introduced at their advent. 

 It is a remarkable variety and fit for either oil or pickles. 

 There are various types of this so-called " Mission " olive, but 

 the one most universally grown is easily distinguished, being 

 characteristically marked, from all other types and varieties. 

 It is a tree of great longevity, of extraordinarily large dimen- 

 sions, of thrifty growth, erect, hardy, and well adapted to our 

 climate. It thrives and does well in almost every part of the 

 State. It grows in almost any kind of soil, if well drained. 

 Bark grayish, branches slightly drooping; leaf lanceolate, 

 upper face deep green, smooth, under face greenish ashy white. 

 Fruit elongated, distributed irregularly, isolated or grouped in 

 twos, threes, and clusters, red at first, but deep purple-black 

 when ripe; it carries on its surface numerous white specks, 

 most of which disappear gradually on ripening. Ripens late 

 and unevenly, which is its great drawback, especially in sec- 

 tions where the soil gets very loose after an early rain and is 

 visited by early frosts. Many, however, prefer it on account of 

 its late ripening, as' the picking is done in winter after all 

 fruits are gathered, and the growers are independent of high- 

 priced labor. 



