576 



THE ORANGE FAMILY. 



that grows more or less abundantly as far north as Virginia, will 

 undoubtedly prove a good stock on which to ingraft the European 

 olive. It is of a hardier habit, and, though worthless itself, may become 

 valuable in this way. 



The olive-tree commences bearing five or six years after being 

 planted. Its ordinary crop is fifteen or twenty pounds of oil per annum, 

 and the regularity of its crop, as well as the great age to which it lives, 

 renders an olive plantation one of the most valuable in the world. 

 With respect to its longevity we may remark, that there is a celebrated 

 plantation near Terni, in Italy, more than five miles in extent, which, 

 there is every reason for believing, has existed since the time of Pliny. 



The Olive is not a very tender tree. It will thrive farther north 

 than the orange. The very best sites for it are limestone ridges, and 

 dry, crumbling, limestone rocky regions always produce the finest oil. 

 The t»ee, however, thrives most luxuriantly in deep, rich, clayey loams, 

 which should be rendered more suitable by using air-slaked lime as 

 manure. It requires comparatively little pruning or care when a plan- 

 tation is once fairly established. 



Varieties. There are numberless varieties enumerated in the 

 French catalogues, but only a few of them are worth the attention of 

 any but the curious collector. The common European Olive is, on the 

 whole, much the best for general cultivation, yielding the most certain 

 and abundant crops. 



The sub-variety most cultivated in France is the Long-leaved Olive 

 ( Olea, e. longifolia), with larger and longer leaves ; the fruit nearly of 

 the same size as that of the common olive. 



The favorite sort in Spain is the Broad-leaved Olive ( Olea e. lati- 

 folia). Its fruit is nearly double the size of the common Olive, and 

 yields an abundance of oil, but the latter is so strong in flavor as to be 

 more relished by the Spaniards than by strangers. 



The Olivier a Fruit Arrondi ( Olea spherica, N. Duh.) is a hardy 

 French variety, which, in a moist, rich soil, yields most abundant crops 

 of fine oil. 



The Olivier Picholine {Olea 6blonga,T$. Duh.) yields the fruit 

 most esteemed for pickling. It grows quite readily in any tolerable soil, 

 and is one of the hardiest varieties. 



The Olivier Pleureur ( Olea eranimorpka, N. Duh.), or Weeping 

 Olive, is one of the largest and finest trees. Its branches are pendent, 

 its fruit excellent, and the oil pure and abundant. It is a very hardy 

 sort, and grows best in damp valleys. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



the orange family. 



Citrus, L. Aurantiacece, of botanists. 



The Orange family includes the common orange ( Citrus aurantiuin) ; 

 the Lemon ( C. limonum) ; the Lime ( C. limetta) ; the Shaddock ( C. 



