THE OLIVE 



29 



which this tree is much inclined. The principal branches are bent 

 over with the weight of the fruit which is generally plentiful. 



Contrary to the habit of most olives it does not thrive near the sea. 

 About Marseilles a temperature of sixteen degrees Fahrenheit has 

 been known to be fatal to it where in the interior it had successfully 

 resisted a cold spell of six degrees. This olive needs particular care 

 in pruning, so as not to leave the tree too bare of branches, in order 

 to take advantage of its tendency to give abundant crops, but on 

 the other hand the warts must not be allowed to multiply. 



This olive seems to be a favorite in France where three varieties 

 of it are known, but is entirely out of favor in Spain on account of 

 its extraordinary tendency to multiply wart excrescences not only 

 on the trunk but even up on the small branches and for which 

 there is no cure but to cut the tree down to the crotch and let it 

 start afresh. 



This difference in habit of the same tree in France and Spain 

 would seem to indicate the effect of soil and climate and so much 

 the more so as these warts (which will be noticed in the chapter on 

 diseases) cannot be traced to the attacks of any insect. Still the 

 writer has noticed an olive tree badly afflicted with this disease in 

 the vicinity of San Francisco, but it is doubtful whether it was the 

 Picholine. 



The late B. B. Bedding, Esq., is credited with the introduction of 

 the Picholine olive into California, after searching Europe for the 

 plant best adapted to our soil and climate. All honor to Mr. Bed- 

 ding for his good intentions. But his knowledge of the olive at that 

 early day must have been limited, and he appears to have fallen in- 

 to the natural error of supposing that the largest berry was the 

 most desirable; for on his return to this State he transferred a part 

 of his original invoice of " Picholine" olives to Messrs. W. B. Strong 

 & Co. of Sacramento as the Picholine or Queen olive, a large olive 

 for pickling. Thus proving that his intention was to import the 

 large Queen olive of Spain and also that he was imposed upon. 



