ITS INTRODUCTION. 



13 



e that the culti- 

 vation of the 

 Olive origi- 

 nated in the 

 East and spre- 

 adoverEgypt, 

 Syria and Asia 

 Minor, reaching Greece 

 in pre -Homeric ti- 

 mes. The culti- 

 vation of this in- 

 valuable tree may 

 have reached the Li- 

 gurian coast even 

 earlier than it did 

 Latium. For it is stated 

 that the Phoenicians brought 

 it in 680 B. C. to Massilia, the 

 modern Marseilles. Thence it must 

 forthwith have spread both inland 

 and along the coast. 



On the Riviera the Olive tree 

 ids the calcareous soil which it 

 loves, but it can also flourish here on 

 volcanic soil. In any case it is not ver^^ 

 exacting, and is content with a tliin layer 

 of earth resting immediately upon rock. 

 But in order to \ield heavy crops the tree rec|uires better 

 ground, where it can be trenched and manured at inter- 

 vals of a few years. In addition to the ordinary manures, 



Mf^ '"'"' 



AdianlH7i 

 Capilhis 



