232 



WILD SPAIN. 



the " manzanillas," a smaller variety more resembling the 

 French olive, but, to our thinking, of superior taste. 



These two kinds are carefully gathered in late autumn, 

 and are in universal demand throughout the Peninsula. 

 Beyond its boundaries they are little known or appreciated, 

 though some few have already found consumers in the 

 north of Europe. 



Although the olive-trees are of the hardiest nature — 

 otherwise they could not survive, without irrigation, the 





' WAITING FOB DEATH.' 



intense heats of summer — yet the crop is a precarious one. 

 After the fruit has been gathered in December, or rather 

 beaten off the trees, for that is the method adopted, the 

 olives destined for the oil-mill are subjected to severe pres- 

 sure by rudely-constructed wooden screws, often supple- 

 mented by stone- weights — again the simplest appliances of 

 modern machinery are often neglected — and the oil ex- 

 tracted is drawn off and separated into different qualities. 

 None, however, is of that grade — or rather its manufacture 



