46 



I have, however, brought here two samples of oil, first and second grade, 

 a sample of preserved and a sample of dry olives, taken from the sample 

 room of the Italian Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco. As a curi- 

 osity I also brought a sample of seed of the Gremignolo, known in Italy as 

 the fog-proof olive. 



The dry olives are the berries of the precious Frantoiano, the smallest of 

 olive trees. 



The preserved olives are the berries of the no less precious Capraino. 

 Like all the best Italian varieties, it is a very sweet olive. In size it ranks 

 only third, the Lucca being much larger, and the Giuliana at least three 

 times as much. 



The oil is from the Taggiasco variety. It is not considered the finest, but 

 it is a fine oil. 



If these samples, though not as choice as those I intended to present, 

 will be found, as I trust, superior in flavor, in fineness, sweeter in taste and 

 lighter in weight than the corresponding California product, and if it will 

 be so decided, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen of the convention, 

 nothing in the world will be gained by me, but it will be a further credit 

 to your intelligence and taste, and, as a compensation of all my trouble 

 and expenses, I shall deem to have rendered an act of justice to the pro- 

 ducts of the beautiful land of my fathers and a useful service to this the 

 beautiful land of my children. 



Mr. Johnston: I move that the thanks of this convention be tendered 

 to Mr. Dondero for his very able and exhaustive essay on the olive. 

 Carried. 



THE OLIVE IN CALIFORNIA. 



Essay by B. M. Lelong, Secretary. 



FOREIGN VARIETIES OF OLIVES, VARIETIES, BUDDING AND GRAFTING SYSTEMS, 

 NEW AND IMPROVED METHODS, AND GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AT HOME 

 AND ABROAD. 



The olive is now more prominently before the people of this State than any 

 other tree. The merits of the varieties most largely planted have been 

 widely discussed through the columns of the press; only two varieties 

 having received attention, this being due to the fact that very little has 

 been known of other introduced varieties that have recently came into 

 bearing. I have within the past year given this matter a great deal of 

 attention, and have spared no pains in investigating anything in the olive 

 line that has been made known to me; although this task has been some- 

 what difficult to fulfill, having so many duties to perform. 



The adulterated olive oil question remains the same. I hope you will 

 pass such resolutions as you may deem proper, giving the State Board of 

 Horticulture authority to ask the Legislature for the passage of a bill to 

 prevent the sale of adulterated olive oil, and further, that every label on 

 bottles of California olive oil, or on bottles of olive oil offered for sale as 

 such, to bear the name of the producer and the locality in which it is 

 made, as a guarantee as to its purity and California origin. This industry 



