54 



to better advantage and gives larger crops in deep, hilly lands; it is not to 

 be recommended for garrique soile (waste lands), or those of poor quality, 

 in which it gives inferior results. The production of the Lucques is rela- 

 tively small, but this cause of inferiority is partly compensated by the 

 beauty and excellent quality of the olives gathered green for pickling pur- 

 poses. It is the most highly prized and best table olive, and it always 

 commands the highest price in the market when gathered at the right 

 time. The oil furnished by the Lucques is of very good quality, but its 

 fruits are very seldom used for that purpose; except in cases of disease, the 

 olives are always gathered up green, as stated above. 



Pigale. 

 (Figure No. 7, Plate V.) 



Synonymes— Pigaou (Herault). Pigalle Amoreaux (Montpellier), Niraes, Beziers. Pig- 

 atado, Amoreaux (Narbonne). Pognue, Amoreaux (Grasse). Pigau, Marbree, Tiquetee, 

 Rozier, Olea minor rotunda, ex rubro et nigro variegata. Garidel Olea variegata &ouan. 

 Flor. Monsp. ( ?) Olea pignola, Risso. 



DESCRIPTION. 



This tree is tall, semi-erect, and hardy, canaliculate trunk; bark gray- 

 ish, knotty, coming off in large pieces about the trunk and primary ramifi- 

 cations. 



The main limbs are most always upright or semi-erect, seldom hori- 

 zontal. 



It is one of the tallest olive trees of Languedoc, when allowed to grow 

 without heavy amputations. 

 Shoots numerous and hardy. 



Branches numerous, hardy, big, smooth, of dirty gray color, much swollen 

 at their insertion, which is at an acute angle; wood slightly channeled on 

 young branches, with small freckles, not numerous and irregularly scat- 

 tered; knots little prominent. 



The branches are slightly drooping in general; leaf lanceolate, rather 

 short, large enough (mean length six to seven centim., width one and one 

 fourth to one and three fourths), a little drawn in towards the insertion; 

 upper face deep green, smooth, riddled with small white punctures, very 

 well marked (peculiar); under face greenish white; limbs thick and a 

 little coriaceous, with edges slightly drawn back, so that the leaf has pretty 

 much the appearance of a wide and shallow channel; nerves a little prom- 

 inent on the under face only; Petiole big, short, straight, growing out of the 

 branch at almost a right angle. The leaves are regularly distributed on 

 the young branches, and almost perpendicular to the latter; they are 

 numerous enough, but owing to the tree spreading out pretty much, as a 

 rule, the cover of the tree is not very thick. 



Fruits regularly distributed on the whole length of the branch, isolated 

 or grouped; Peduncle long enough, big, light yellow, inserted into a deep 

 depression; Stigrrm little apparent; Olive rather big (mean length two to 

 two and one half centim., width one and one quarter to one and one half 

 centim.); cylindrical, regular, oblong, rounded off at both ends; red at 

 first, the fruit finally becomes a deep black; hoary to a small degree and 

 but for a short while gets very shiny; upon this shiny background appear 

 numerous white dots, well defined, hence its name of Pigale. This olive 

 remains firm until ripe; skin thick, pulp fleshy, little juicy, colored white 

 or light vinous red; pit big, of regular shape as the olive itself; late variety. 



