(i'.tO FRUIT f'TJLTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



The aveiage Menuial inodin'l is eHtimated at 120 liertoliters per hec- 

 tare ^40^ bushels, 2i acres), equal to 1,440 kilograms of oil (;3,174.G2 

 pouuds),or about 16i|^ hectoliters (430 gallons). The olive tree in Tuscany 

 produces au averageof 1 .188 kilograms oil (2 pounds) per year. Such re- 

 sults, however, are given, butiu good years and considering thefluctuation 

 of the product, the biennial average is reduced to 11 hectoliters (290 

 gallons) of oil per hectare (2J acres), at the ])rice of 136 lire ($27.20) per 

 hectoliter (26.417 gallons), as being the average i)rice for the last six 

 years, giving the gross amount of 748 lire per annum. To that is added 

 the value of olive husks, from 1 lire to 2.50 lire per quintal, and of fagots 

 derived from the pruning, which amount to 64 lire every two years, mak- 

 ing a gross amount of 780 lire per hectare and per year ($156 from 2^ 

 acres.) 



The following statement will show about the expenses of working a 

 hectare of olive trees and the approximate net receipts, calculating for 

 07ie instead of two years : 



Liro. 



.Working tlio ground 20. 1.'i) 



Pruning 36. 0(i 



Jlanuring ;!00. Oil 



Plucking olives 40. 00 



Presaing olives 7.-M 



Interest at 5 jier cont. per fiiiiinui 20. 2ii 



423.40 



Which, deducted from the gross amount of 780 lire, leaves 3.56.10 lire 

 net. 



It is generally calculated that the expenses of an orchard represent 

 one-third of the actual value of the produce, and that estimate is made 

 as an average. The expenses, however, exceed by far said figure, as 

 the above estimate shows. The olive cultui-e is sometimes managed by 

 what is called vie::z<'ria, or a system when half the net profits are paid to 

 laborers, all the expense but that of pressing the olives beini;' borne by 

 the owner. 



Tuscan oils from Lucca, Oalci, and Bnti are esteemed as the first oils 

 of the world. Not all Tuscan oils, however, reach that de.i^ree of perfec- 

 tion, but even judging in mass, they arc considered the best. For twenty 

 years past Tuscany has not produced oil for burning or for lubrication, 

 all attention beiiig given to tlie production of salad and cooking oils. 



In some places hot water is used to facilitate the i)re,ssiiii;. The best 

 rides adopted for extracting oil are the following, viz : 



(1.) To expedite the <',areful satliering of olixcs already fallen from 

 (lie tree. 



(2.) To harvest the olives as soon as ripe, ]>luc.king the iVuit by hand 

 01' whippiri^;' the trees gently. 



(3.) To jH'ess olives before fermentation and to dispose tJHMU in small 

 strata in the bnskets. 



