72 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



to the top. The water is changed every day for four or six 

 days, until every trace of lye is removed, which can be told by 

 testing. The fruit is cut with a knife, and if there is no lye 

 around the pit it is then time to add the brine. At first it is 

 best to put a light brine six ounces of salt to the gallon of 

 water on the fruit, because it prevents the fruit from discolor- 

 ing and shriveling. After the fruit has been thoroughly 

 pickled and the color firmly set, so that it will not discolor on 

 being exposed, it is put into a stronger brine made of twelve 

 or fourteen ounces of salt to the gallon of water, and in three 

 to four weeks it is ready for market. 



The success in pickling green olives so that they will retain 

 that delicate green color, depends on the care and precision 

 taken in running off the lye, the immediate covering of the 

 fruit with water, the darkened room, the prevention of draughts 

 passing through the operating-room while the water is being 

 changed, the purity of the chemicals used, and the care in 

 making the brine. 



Reddish Cast. Olives of a reddish cast, or before fully 

 ripe, are selected and pickled separately. If cured by the lye 

 process, they keep longer than fully ripe fruit pickled by the 

 same process. If cured by the water process, they become 

 greatly discolored, owing to uneven ripeness. 



In pickling olives in this state of ripeness, it is best to add 

 to the lye solution the clear liquid of at least ten pounds of 

 lime, to set the color. 



Ripe. This state of ripeness is indicated by the jet-black 

 color olives assume. The fruit must be perfectly sound. They 

 must be picked from the tree by hand, and the trees gone over 

 several times, unless they be of a variety of even ripening. 

 After having been assorted, they are placed in vats half full of 

 water, to prevent bruising, and when three-quarters full the 

 water is run off and the fruit covered with the lye solution. 

 They are kept in the lye until the bitter principle becomes 

 neutralized, which varies, according to variety, locality, soil, 

 and climatic influences, etc. During the operation the fruit 

 should be tested from time to time by taking out a few, 

 washing them in clear water, and then cutting the fruit with 

 a knife. If the lye has only penetrated a short way they 



