( '9 ) 



own process. The stones which produce the 

 wild Olives are deposited by animals that 

 digest the pulp, or by birds that carry away 

 the fruit in their beaks, devour the pulp, and 

 leave the stones to take their chance with the 

 elements. The principles of vegetable physio- 

 logy, also, support the conclusions derived 

 from these observations : 1 the pulp not only 

 invites the depredations of animals such as 

 field-mice, pies, etc. ; but this oily envelope, 

 by preserving the shell from moisture, pre- 

 vents its decaying in season for the germina- 

 tion of the kernel , which , in the meantime, 

 becomes rancid and loses its fecundity. 



Ripe fruit of the finest varieties is selected, 

 (that of the Gros Ribies is the best;, and the 

 stones, after being separated from the pulp, 

 are cleansed in an alkaline solution. A shel- 

 tered situation is chosen, where the earth is 

 thoroughly loosened to the depth of three 

 feet, and enriched with the warmest ma- 

 nures. In the month of March the stones are 

 sown , at a small distance apart , in trenches 



1 See De Saussure's Chemical Researches on Vegeta- 

 tion. 



2. 



