334 Propagation of the Olive. 
The olive tree is now thriving in California in a great vari- 
ety of soils. It is productive, if frosts are not too severe, on 
moist valley lands, while on hillsides, even where excavations 
had to be made between boulders, or into disintegrating rock, 
the tree has exhibited thrift and content with the situation. But 
the conclusion should not be drawn that the olive relishes poor 
soil. It may thrive with loose rock or boulders, but it finds 
among them the elements it needs. It is not to be inferred that 
the olive will succeed on sterile soil. 
The relations of soils to the qualities of oil has been investi- 
gated by the University of California Experiment Station and 
the publications can be had on application. 
We have not had experience enough in this State to dem- 
onstrate the influence of soils on the quality of the oil, but oil 
thought to be good has been made from truit grown on some of 
our best valley fruit soils, deep and naturally well drained, as, 
for example, on Putah Creek, where the tree is said to have 
attained a girth of six feet at twenty years from the cutting. 
At present olive planting is proceeding on all kinds of land 
and in all situations. From these plantations our children may 
gain wisdom. 
PROPAGATION OF THE OLIVE, 
Olives are propagated from seed, and from cuttings of vari- 
ous kinds and sizes. The growth from seed is seldom practised 
in this State, because growth from cuttings is easy, and furnishes 
the variety desired without grafting. 
Growing Olives from Seed.—The olives should not be 
planted with the pulp, but cleaned of this either by letting them 
rot in a pile or by putting them into an alkaline solution to cut 
the oil. A simple way to hasten germination is to break the 
pits, taking care not to hurt the germ. An instrument similar 
to the nut cracker has been invented in France which is said 
to work verv well. When the kernels are deprived of their 
shell, they are kept moist in a compost, or mixture of cow-dung 
and sandy soil, and are sown thickly in the month of April. If 
it is thought to be too much work to take the kernels out of the 
pits, they must be soaked in a solution of one-fourth pound of 
concentrated lye to the gallon of water. Most of the seeds sprout 
the first year. Planting the naked kernels gives the quickest 
result. Without using this artificial means the seeds may remaitr 
dormant at least for two years. 
Large Cutiings—There are two chief met hods of prop- 
agating the olive from cuttings now practised in California. 
One uses well-matured wood, and the other young wood which 
has just passed out of the herbaceous state. Practise with hard 
