ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE OLIVE. 22i» 



but when their vital energies become less vigorous, either from age 

 or from artificial treatment, they will he found to produce large quan- 

 tities of fruit. Depriving the trees of a portion of their roots is 

 probably the simplest and most effectual means by which to induce them 

 to bear quickly and permanently. If the land selected for a plantation 

 be of an open friable nature trenching may be dispensed with, deep 

 ploughing will be sufficient preparation ; on the other hand, if it be of 

 a close and binding nature, it will be useless waste to plant without 

 first trenching the whole to an uniform depth of at least two feet j 

 In trenching this description of land, where the subsoil is stiff and 

 binding, it will be found of great advantage to future cultivation to 

 keep the original surface soil on the top, care being taken, however, to 

 have the whole broken up to the depth above stated. 



After the land has been prepared the intended position of each tree 

 should be staked out, so as to insure uniformity in the plantation ; the 

 proper distance from tree to tree every way is 40 feet, but if it is not 

 intended to cultivate other crops between them, in the first instance, 

 they may be planted at half that distance apart, with the intention of 

 removing every alternate tree to a fresh plantation when they meet 

 together, which, under ordinary circumstances, they will do in about 

 fifteen years. 



Planting may be proceeded with at any time between the months 

 of April and September, but May is considered the most favourable if 

 the weather is moist. The plants should not be less than three years 

 old, and if older all the better. In removing strong trees it is advisable 

 to cut them down to within two or three feet of the ground, otherwise 

 their growth will be much retarded. Small trees should not be cut 

 down more than sufficient to prevent strong winds blowing them clown. 



The olive may be propagated by cuttings, truncheons, suckers, 

 layers, grafts, and seeds, but it is only necessary to mention those 

 methods which are considered the best and most suitable to the cir- 

 cumstances of our Australian colonies and the Cape. Truncheons" are 

 large cuttings taken from the branches, of not less than two inches in 

 diameter, and cut in lengths of four feet. They should be planted in 

 trenches, leaving a few inches of the upper end above the surface. 

 The soil for this purpose should be light, friable, and sandy, and so 

 situated that it may be kept moderately moist ; in three years they 

 will be fit for the plantation ; autumn and winter are the proper seasons 

 to operate. This is undoubtedly the quickest method for getting trees 

 into an advanced state, but it retards the trees which furnish the trun- 

 cheons, whose supply for some time to come will be limited. 



In Europe, the general mode of propagation is by suckers, which 

 arise abundantly from the roots of the old trees. The next best and 

 most advisable method is grafting upon the seedlings of the wild olive, 

 which are easily obtained, and are fit for grafting when the stem has 

 attained the thickness of a man's finger. August and September 



