25 



" plants are covered with dry leaves, straw, or litter. As 

 " in this seed bed, the young Olive plants, when they have 

 " succeeded, will have grown close upon one another ; 

 " the feeblest plants are plucked up during the second 

 " spring, or if it is wished to preserve them, they are 

 " taken out of the ground during the month of March, 

 " (Queensland, September), and replanted elsewhere." 



The seeds used should be the finest fruit from the 

 healthiest trees ; and, being some months in germinating, 

 should be sown as soon as ripe. The object of raising 

 seedling plants is two-fold ; the primary one being to 

 obtain stocks on which to graft. A second one, and of 

 great importance in a climate like that of Queensland, 

 which is not so well assured for the cultivation of the 

 Olive as many other parts of the world, is the chance which 

 it affords of obtaining new varieties suited to the climate. 

 Por this purpose it will be desirable to use seed, the 

 produce of trees grown in the colony ; and a piece of 

 ground should be set apart for the purpose of testing the 

 seedlings, which (for similar reasons to those for which I 

 have recommended careful selection of seed), should be 

 the strongest and healthiest plants in the nursery beds. 



This experimental ground should be deeply worked, 

 well drained, and generously treated. 



Grafting* the Olive is much practised, and is among 

 the most certain methods of securing strong trees of 

 approved varieties. The " Shield," " Cleft," and 

 " Crown " grafts are all used and variously recom- 

 mended ; but I am disposed to think that it is imma- 

 terial which method is adopted if the scion and stock 

 suit each other in point of age and size. Underground 

 grafting in this climate is decidedly preferable, not more 

 than two eyes of the scion being left above ground ; 

 and the union will be better ensured by the point of 

 junction being carefully bound with a strip of calico 

 which has been steeped in a mixture of mutton fat and 

 beeswax, after which the earth should be heaped into a 

 mound above the graft. The operation should be per- 



* See also Appendices I„ II., m$ III? 



