THE OLIVE IN NICE, 631 



altitude, it covers the slopes, hill-sides, and valleys by millions. The 

 general configuration of the coasts, the mountain barriers, sheltering 

 against northern winds, and the proximity of the sea itself, which serves, 

 as a vast reflector of the sunbeams, are explanatory of this result. 



It attains to a height usually of 20 feet, and even to 50 feet in some 

 localities, and commonly to an age that appears almost fabulous. One 

 of this species — a wonder of its neighborhood — lately carelessly de- 

 stroyed at Beaulieii, in this vicinity, had a positive record of five cen- 

 turies, aud measured 3G feet in circumference when it fell. It has entire 

 evergreen, lanceolate leaves, gray underneath, and its flowers, which 

 appear in June, are wliite, aud disposed in axillary branches, and re- 

 semble the blossoms of the elder. Its fruit, named olive, is exceedingly 

 prolific under culture, and is oval in shape, with a ligneous kernal 

 inclosing a seed in form like the almond. The flesh of the fruit yields 

 about 70 per cent, of its weight in oil, and is firm and covered with a 

 soft skin, green colored before uiaturity, becoming an intense violet 

 black when ripe. 



Varieties. — Among the varieties of olives here I note the following: 



(1) The black point, called in the dialect of Nice " Prince Neri." This 

 is the best quality of the fruit kno w n in this district, and is grown at Beau- 

 lieu and at the promontory of St. Jean. These olives are gathered when 

 entirely ripe, are then dried in the sun, and are excellent for the table. 



(2) The "Pitcholine" and the "Caillette" (so called), both of which 

 are esteemed best for preserving when gathered green. 



(3) The "Blanquette" (light of color), the "Sauvagette" (wild olive), 

 and the "Nostrala" (proper olive of Nice), all especially useful in pro- 

 duction of oil. 



Yield of oil. — It is computed that the amount of oil produced in Italy 

 is 33,000,000 and in France 7,000,000 gallons annually. The amount 

 of production in this department, although no statistics thereof are 

 published, may be safely estimated at from 50,000,000 to 60,000,000 

 pounds biennially. This estimate does not include the very considerable 

 quantity arriving here from Tascany and Naples, nor the increasing 

 importations to this port from Corsica, all adding to the immense stock 

 of the refiuers here, and from hence, in the distributions of commerce, 

 sold in Europe and America under the name of "Olive Oil of Nice." 



Situaiion.— The tree does not vegetate readily beyond 2,000 feet above 

 sea-level or 45° in latitude. The department of Alpes Maritimes, 

 situated 43° 42' north latitude and 4° 56' longitude east from the me- 

 ridian of Paris, is most favorably adapted to its growth. The said 

 department has an extent of 46,850 hectares of land (115,770 acres), 

 more or less wooded with the olive, of which 12,000 hectares (29,650 

 acres) are exclusively planted with olive trees. From the Eiver Var 

 up to the River Eoya the hill-sides and valleys surrounding this region 

 are sheltered against northern winds by the " contreforts " of the Alps. 



The coasts facing the sun, the immense mirror of the Mediterranean re- 

 flecting back the sunbeams and the triple girdle of mountains, gradually 

 166a 16 



