36 



superior to the other, and its percentage of first and second extraction go 

 as high as 16. 



It is, however, an esteemed tree only for its resistance to frosts. For this 

 reason it is the preferred one in the severe climate of France, where it was 

 introduced by an Italian named Picholine. 



The varieties most esteemed for their oil and abundance of berries are 

 the Morinello, Frantoiano, Taggiasco, Correggiolo, Gremignolo, Capraino, 

 Giuliano, Giugiolino. They are all beautiful trees, with the exception of 

 Capraino, which is an ugly but very virtuous tree. While the other olives 

 never ripen in Italy until the latter part of November or December, accord- 

 ing to localities, the Capraino ripens its beautiful fruit in September. It 

 is a tree lately introduced by the most improved methods of tree selection. 

 It is, therefore, very little propagated yet. It has a berry almost as large 

 as the Spanish Queen, and its oil of first and second extraction reaches 

 from 25 to 28 per cent. 



The Frantoiano is the smallest of olive trees. It is the most adapted for 

 shallow soil. Its berry weigh, on an average, thirty-two grains, or about 

 the same as the Picholine. The Morinello produces the smallest berry, with 

 an average weight of thirty-one grains. It is an olive of exceptional fine 

 qualities for oil. The Correggiolo, whose berry weighs thirty-nine grains, 

 is only a fine producer in rich soil, sheltered from winds. The Gremignolo 

 has a berry of thirty-four grains; Giugiolino, thirty-six; Taggiasco, thirty- 

 eight. All these varieties go as high as 28 per cent of oil of first and second 

 extraction, except the Taggiasco, whose percentage rarely is more than 

 twenty-two. Such results, however, are only obtained by the method of 

 cultivation which I will soon indicate. The Taggiasco is the largest of the 

 family. Near the sea it grows very fast and bears soon and abundantly. 

 From ten to twenty miles inland it will not bear till the twelfth or fifteenth 

 year, and never a very large crop. 



The Italian-Swiss Agricultural Colony several years ago imported a num- 

 ber of cuttings of the Taggiasco variety for its orchard at Cloverdale. They 

 all grew very well, but there is no sign of fruiting yet, while in the Santa 

 Cruz Island, where several of the same cuttings were planted by Mr. Rossi, 

 they all commenced to bear, I was told, on the fourth year, or sooner than 

 expected. 



The Gremignolo is the only fog-proof of the olive trees. It prospers and 

 produces most abundantly where no other olive tree will on account of 

 fogs. It also resists remarkably well nearly all diseases and insects gen- 

 erated in foggy regions. The Morinello resists also very well to fogs, dis- 

 eases, and insects, but not quite so successfully as his worthy brother. 



The Lucca and Giuliana are most precious trees for preserving purposes. 

 The first is equally as large as the celebrated Gordal Sevillano or Spanish 

 Queen, and more fleshy. The second is the matchless queen of olives. It 

 is grown only in the southern part of Italy, where the climate is never 

 more severe than in California. While the Luccah berry has an average 

 weight of eighty-one grains, the Giuliana rarely weighs less than one hun- 

 dred and forty. It is also a good oil producer, its percentage being from 

 twenty-four to twenty-six for the first and second extraction. For preserv- 

 ing purposes it is generally cut into slices on account of its size. The tree 

 bears heavily. 



All the varieties stated, the Taggiasco excepted, fruit as largely any- 

 where inland as near the seacoast. 



