56 



THE OLIVE 



dicial to the tree as well as being a centre for the propagation of 

 harmful insects. The suckers about the root are nourished to the 

 detriment of the tree. The roots of the olive lie remarkably near 

 the surface and these are the parts of the tree needing fertilization 

 which should never be attempted nearer than a yard from the 

 trunk. In cold regions, that is on the northern limit, sheep and 

 goat dung is found to be an excellent manure: in temperate parts, 

 stable ordure is good, and in hot regions cow dung is the best. It 

 has been calculated that two hundred and twenty pounds of manure 

 are equivalent to one gallon of oil. The foliage which falls natu- 

 rally and decays under the trees every year, is eleven pounds per 

 tree. The weight of these leaves is to the weight of the fruit as 71 

 is to 100. 



The leaves taken off with the branches in pruning, supposing that 

 operation is performed frugally and regularly, amount annually to 

 a little more than a pound per tree. This foliage which is not re- 

 stored to the soil, represents a. weight of 5.50 per 100 and this is the 

 18th part of that which clothed the whole plant. The wood lost to 

 the olive by meteorological accidents, and by pruning, may be esti- 

 mated at seven pounds to the tree. The wood and leaves obtained 

 by pruning are to each other as the number 78 and 22 are to 100. 

 That is to say, in one hundred pounds of primings there would be 

 22 pounds of leaves to 78 j^ounds of wood. With these data for a 

 basis, the actual annual loss of the olive may be estimated as follows : 



The olive consumes in fruit J3er tree, 15 lbs. 



" leaves " " li " 

 " wood " " 7 



Manure is the dressing most commonly used for the cultivation of 

 the olive, and is best administered when mixed with other fertil- 

 izers. Each year the amount of compost necessary to restore to the 

 soil the principles essential to fertility, would be thirty-six pounds 

 per tree, and that, a tree of medium size and one moderately pruned. 



