THE OLIVE 



33 



The berries are as large and fleshy as the Grossajo, but not so 

 rich in oil. It matures toward the end of November, turning 

 black in color. This is decidedly the olive to be cultivated where 

 frost is most frequent and dangerous. 



The Puntarolo. (See Plate VIII.) 



This olive has erect twigs, but shorter, less robust and more sub- 

 divided than the Leccino ; wherefore it forms its top less open, and 

 has a tendency to grow more upward. It is a middle-sized tree, 

 with leaves like those of the Leccino in form. It flowers rather 

 fully and holds on tenaciously to its fruit, carrying to ripeness a 

 goodly number of berries, which are in clusters of two, three and 

 four, on peduncles leaved as are the Leccino. The berries, how- 

 ever, do not cling to the stem as tightly as the Leccino. These 

 are ovate, and so pointed as to give the name of Puntarolo. They 

 have less flesh than the Leccino and contain less oil, mature as 

 late as the Gremignolo, and change as they do. 



The Trillo olive has twigs as rigid and robust as the Puntarolo, 

 rather long and little ramified, so as to appear like the Leccino 

 and also a little like the wild tree. It is a middle-sized tree, its 

 leaves broad, sharp and spinated in form, darker on the upper side 

 and lighter on the lower than the Puntarolo, fecund in flower 

 and fruit, which latter comes to maturity in bunches of three and 

 four at very nearly the same time as the preceding variety. The 

 berries hold on better than the Puntarolo, but not so well as the 

 Leccino, and are ovate and pointed like the latter. 



The Trillo and others called Morchiacci, and sometimes simply 

 seedlings, are quite like one another in rusticity. Sometimes they 

 endure cold as the Morchiacci, and sometimes the sea wind and 

 cold as the Puntarolo and Trillo. 



The Empeltre. 



The Empeltve is a tree of small size, with erect and thinly popu- 

 lated branches, smooth bark, and shows great vigor in closing 



