134 THE OLIVE 



The temptation to do this is great. It is evident that it k the cheap- 

 est way to get in the crop. Bnt it is penny wise and pound fooHsh, 

 If the crop of that year was the only one to deal with, well and 

 p'ood, there AYOuld he nothino; to say ao;ainst it, but the beating makes 

 it impossible for the tree to bear the following year. 



Hence it is plain that instead of being the cheapest mode of deal- 

 ing with a crop, it is the most expensive as it is one of the direct 

 causes of the olive bearing; onlv everv other vear. 



Each leaf shelters a bud which in time wdll be a twio- or a blos- 

 som, if the leaf is knocked off the bud is killed, for its life depends 

 upon the preservation of the leaf, and these leaves are more plenti- 

 ful on the fruit branches than any other part of the tree. Xo mat- 

 ter how carefully the fruit be poled off, damage is sure to be done. 

 Olives should be picked l)y hand from ladders. 



If the berries are to be immediately crushed they may be thrown 

 upon a canvas cover placed about the tree to receive them ; Init if 

 thev have to be carried anv distance or kept for anv length of time 

 it will be best to handle them more carefully, as the bruises received 

 on beino; thrown to the o'round cause an early decay of the berry to 

 the 2:reat detriment of the oil. 



Different kin^ls of olives ripen at different periods and in order to 

 make the best oil the berry should be gathered at the exact i)eiiod 

 of its maturity and at no other. So a very large olive orchard 

 should be made up of different varieties coming in at successive pe- 

 riods, but a small one should consist of only one variety. 



Soil and locality also affect thenualitv of the oil. The same olive 

 on different soils or on a hill and on a plain will give a very ditler- 

 ent oil; and these should not be mixed, but made separately, or the 

 quality of the whole may suffer. 



The olive takes on f )ur changes of color, although all the varie- 

 ties do not strictly follow this rule: Green is followed by yellow, 

 then a reddish i)urple which is succeeded by a wine red and lastly 

 a black red or glossy bla^'k. If the berry is left upon the tree the 



