94 THE MOUNTAINS 



bly, there may come to the ear now and 

 again the sharp crack of a breaking bough 

 when the peasant's stroke has been fierce 

 or clumsy, or when the beating has been 

 several times repeated. At such a mo- 

 ment one is apt to remember the kindly 

 wise words in the book of Deuteronomy: 

 "When thou beatest thine olive tree thou 

 shalt not go over the boughs again: it 

 shall be for the stranger, for the father- 

 less, and for the widow." 



This very fruitful harvest, however, 

 takes place only once in three years; ac- 

 cording to one authority, only once in five 

 years on the average in a long series of 

 years. It would seem that in the time of 

 Horace the crop was much more reliable, 

 for he says, "There, the gray olive, year 

 by year, yields its unfailing fruitage." 

 Of course my knowledge of the matter is 

 extremely superficial, but I have the sur- 

 mise, if not the certainty, that the present 

 unprofitable condition of olive culture in 

 Liguria is due (beyond the slaughter of 



