S4 ENVIRONS OF SEVILLE. 



The mill for grinding, or crushing the olives, consisted 

 of a large circular stone, sloping inwards to the centre, 

 where a sufficient space was left level for a millstone of 

 seven feet in diameter, and 14 inches in thickness, to turn 

 upon its edge. An upright beam, fixed to the centre of 

 the millstone, and turning on a pivot, gave it motion. 

 After having been brought home, the olives lie in a heap, 

 on an average about 15 days before they are crushed. 

 After having been crushed they are put into the press, 

 and it is the common practice to pour hot water upon 

 them, in order to extract the oil. They are pressed 

 thrice, and each time with the addition of boiling water, 

 there being a large boiler built into a furnace to supply 

 the water. The fluid runs from the press to a cistern, 

 and, when it is filled, the oil flows over at the top, 

 leaving the water below, which is cleared away, as neces- 

 sary. The peasant said, that all the difference between 

 the fine and common oil was, that the former was the 

 virgin juice, drawn off with cold water, and not mixed 

 witli the second and third pressings. The press in this 

 cellar was of the same construction as those at the con- 

 vent : it was 20 paces in length, 14 of w^hich were on the 

 long arm of the beam, and 6 at the short or press end. 

 It must, from its thickness, contain many tons of timber. 

 The oil is kept in large jars, some of which were built 

 into a projecting part of the wall, and were sufficiently 

 capacious to contain 100 gallons each. The fine oil 

 produced by the Marquis is not relished by his country- 

 men ; they say it has no taste, and prefer the rancid oil 

 which they have been accustomed to use. 



The trees on this property are reckoned very young 

 for olives, although they are sixty years old. They are 

 pruned every year. A man will prune half an aranzada 



