24 



judicially affected by the process until the layers are 

 detached and the sap again allowed free and natural 

 circulation. 



Suckers, which often rise from the roots of old 

 trees, if strong, and carefully and neatly detached with 

 a heel, make good trees, as they afford a well-formed 

 stem to begin with. 



Seedlings can be raised by tens of thousands in a 

 light and well- drained soil; but, before being sown, 

 require to be subjected to some preparatory process, 

 which will decompose the oily pericarp, and allow the 

 moisture to get to the kernel. This is done in various 

 ways. The seed may be steeped for twelve hours in hot 

 water or yeast, or immersed in an alkali which, by com- 

 bining with the oil, converts it into soap which is readily 

 soluble in the moist earth. 



Mr. Duncan gives the following description of the 

 method of raising seedling plants, practised by M. de 

 Gasquet, on his estates at Lorgues : — 



cc Take, in the month of March {Queensland, 

 (i September), some very ripe Olives, produced by the 

 " finest and best varieties, deprive them of their 

 " pulp, and soak the stones for twenty-four hours 

 " in a strong lye, which will clean them perfectly. 

 " This being done, these stones are sown pretty closely 

 " in a sheltered place, in little furrows about half-a-foot 

 " apart, and about two or three inches deep. The ground 

 " should have been trenched beforehand to the depth 

 " of three feet, and strengthened with good manure. 

 " During the spring and summer it is necessary to 

 " water it carefully from time to time, and to pluck 

 " up all the weeds as soon as they make their appearance. 

 " The little Olive plants begin to shoot about the month 

 " of October ( Queensland, April). It will then be proper 

 " to drive into the ground, between the furrows, small 

 iS green branches, in order to shelter the young Olive 

 " plants, which continue to shoot during the rest of the 

 " autumn, and even during nearly the whole of the winter, 

 f * unless it be cold. If frosts are expected, the young 



