THE OLIVE TREE IN SOUTHERN FRANCE. 627 



The olive is a tree that attains a great age, aud that, with care, is 

 said never to die. It can, howover, be repioduced by cuttings aud by 

 seedlings that must be grafted the second year. 



Chas. B. Teail, 



Consul. 

 United States Consulate, 



Marseilles, April 30, 1890. 



THE OLIVE TREE IN SOUTHEEN PRANCE. 



REPORT ST yiOE-OONHTTL MARTIN, JR., OF MARSEILLES. 



[Republished from Consular Reports No. 41 J.] 



Varieties. — The olive tree is only cultivated in France in the depart- 

 ments bordering upon the Mediterranean. From the remotest antiquity 

 it has been a source of great riches to this part of the country, as it 

 thrives on land where no other culture could be attemped, and is pro- 

 ductive for centuries. 



The varieties are almost numberless, as the tree takes a different name 

 in almost every district where it is cultivated, and are distinguishable 

 by the fruit only, as the appearance of the tree is nearly the same for 

 all the varieties. The best-known varieties cultivated in view of the 

 fruit are the " Espanenque," " Prunaou," " Triparde," " Picholine," 

 " Bouteillan," " Verdale," etc. Those that produce the best oil are the 

 '•Aglandaon" of Aix, the " Soloumen" of Salon, the "Amelon" in the de- 

 partments of H^rault and Bouches du Rh6ne, the "Bruu" and "Oayon" 

 in that of Var, and "Aubanenque," "Saurin," "Eougette," etc. 



Soil. — The nature of the ground appears to have but little influence 

 with the yield of the olive tree; still a stony soil, with a rocky substra- 

 tum, a mixture of clay and sand, or calcareous and gravelly earth with 

 a little humus, appears to be more favorable than marly, granite, or 

 schistic soil. 



Situation. — As to the situation, hill-sides or table-lands sheltered from 

 high winds, with an easterly or southerly exposure, give the best re- 

 sults. The proximity to the sea must be rather beneficial than other- 

 wise, as many orchards are planted on the very shore, and those that 

 are at the greatest distance from it are as a rule the most sensitive to 

 cold weather. In fact, there are none to be found far off from the coast- 



Gultivation. — The process of cultivation is of the most simple descrip- 

 tion. As a matter of fact, many orchards that are not cultivated pro- 

 duce the most esteemed oil, although in smaller quantities. In many 

 others one hoeing in the year is deemed sufiicient. In a few, where the 

 trees are planted iu quincunx at a distance (which is generally adopted) 

 of 10 meters or 33 feet from each other, the alleys formed between them 

 are tilled with the plow, great care being taken not to hurt either the 



