PLANTING OLIVE TREES. 



23 



TIME AND METHOD OP PLANTING. 



The trees are set out from November to February, but the best 

 months are November and December, the benefit of the winter rains 

 being thus secured. When heavy rains occur immediately after 

 planting, as many as 98 per cent of the trees sometimes live, but 

 ordinarily only 80 per cent survive. If the truncheons are set out in 

 November, the shoots appear the following spring. If planting is 

 deferred until February, the shoots do not ordinarily appear until 

 the following autumn 2 or even the second spring, and the percentage 

 of trees that fail to grow is often very large. 



The truncheons are always planted at the bottom of holes (see 

 fig. 4), these being generally 2 feet square and 2 — or sometimes 2i — 

 feet deep. The young shoots are thus partially shaded, and the soil 

 around them can be kept much more moist than if the truncheons were 

 planted near the surface of the ground. It is advisable to prepare the 

 holes several months be- 

 fore planting, in order 

 that the soil at the bottom 

 may become thoroughly 

 aerated and be moistened 

 by the first autumn rains. 

 For November planting it 

 is recommended that the 

 holes be made in June or 

 July, since at that time the 

 soil is still moist from the 

 spring rains and hence easy 

 to work. In a light soil a 

 native laborer can dig these PlG 4 ._ Diagram showing method of planting olive 



holes at the rate of fifty a truncheons at Sfax. (After Minangoin.) 



day. 



In planting, the hole is about half filled with loose soil. The 

 truncheon is laid on this, the side on which the bark remains and 

 which contains the buds being of course uppermost. It is then 

 pressed down and covered with about 2 inches of soil. Manure is 

 never put into the hole. As the shoots push up, the hole is filled 

 until, two or three years after planting, it is nearly level with the 

 surface ; but it is desirable to maintain a slight depression, in order to 

 hold as much water as possible around the young tree. 



Of the numerous shoots that spring up from the truncheons, all 

 are preserved the first year, but during the second year all but the 

 two most vigorous ones are removed, and during the third year only 

 the best and strongest shoot is allowed to grow. 



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