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APPENDIX II. 



Brisbane, 17th May, 1872. 



Dear Sie, 



In reply to your letter of 27tli April, I am very nappy to describe 

 the method of cultivating the Olive tree in Italy, as I believe it would also 

 suit this climate. 



There are many varieties of the Olive, but all require the same cultiva- 

 tion. The soil should be dry and stony and on a slope, and, if possible, 

 should contain lime. The exposure should be favorable for receiving the sun 

 in winter, especially in severe climates ; but where there are no frosty winds, 

 the Olive can be planted in any aspect. 



There should be no other cultivation in a plantation of Olives ; except 

 occasionally, in order to remove the grass and loosen the soil, a green crop 

 such as lupins or beans is sown, for the purpose of being ploughed in as 

 manure. 



The Olive tree should be planted in holes five feet every way, and thirty 

 feet from tree to tree, which are planted quincunx fashion, thus : — 



so as to admit of the most perfect admission of sun and 



air. 



• • • • At least twice a-year, the land should be worked with 



• , . . . the hoe for three feet around the tree, which process 



should every second year be preceded by a manuring. 

 * ' * By thus applying the manure, it is covered from the sun, 



• . • • and the moisture can penetrate to the roots of the tree. 



Every third year, the Olive tree must be pruned by 

 an expert person, so that the plant may not be injured — only dry barren 

 branches should be cut away. The art of pruning the Olive tree is difficult ; 

 and therefore more easily taught by practice than theoretically. 



Cuttings from any part of the Olive tree will grow and become trees. 

 However, we first form a nursery of plants, either from fruit sown in well- 

 cultivated soil, or by taking off the iiovoli from the superficial roots of other 

 trees. These latter when replanted more rapidly become trees ; but to 

 extract the uovoli when we work the ground around the tree, requires the 

 practised hand of an intelligent person, in order that the tree, which should 

 be at least ten years old, may not be injured. 



The trees should be trained to one stem to the height of at least seven 

 to ten feet, before allowing it to make branches ; because the fruit must 

 not be exposed to the reverberated heat of the earth by the rays of the sun, 

 or to the miasmata of the soil. In the first case, the fruit would ripen too 

 rapidly ; and, in the second, would get spoiled before maturity. By this 

 system, the tree becomes stroug, and able to resist the wind, while it also 

 fruits with more vigor. On the other hand, by allowing suckers and low 

 branches to grow unrestrained, the plant becomes enervated, and the sap 

 produces only wood and leaves. 



Generally speaking, the Olive tree produces abundantly only in alternate 

 years ; and the fruit must be gathered (by hand) by ascending the tree, or 

 by beating the tree with rods without breaking any young branches which 

 would produce fruit the next year. A practised person should be present at 

 the harvesting of the fruit, in order to see that the trees are not damaged. 

 The fruit must be carried to a store, and kept for a few days before extracting 

 the oil, that it may be purified from aqueous moisture, and its maturity be 

 completed by natural fermentation ; but strong and prolonged chemical fer- 

 mentation must be avoided, because it imparts to the oil a bad flavor. The 

 Olives are afterwards ground, and pressed for the extraction of the oil, which 



