THE OLIVE 



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The olive is given four different shapes: 



The natural, or uncorrected form. 



The Pine or Cone shape. 



The Basket or Goblet shape. 



The Umbrella shape. 

 The objections to allowing it to grow at will are, that it grows too 

 high, its upper branches are mere " gluttons," or suckers of sap, 

 which rob the lower, or fruitful part of. the tree, of what might re- 

 sult in well developed fruit : that the sun and light are kept out, 

 the principal agents of fructification, resulting in the fruit being 

 found only on the outside of the tree, where the sun and light have 

 access to it. Xeglected in this way, the tree finally, tired of its ef- 

 forts, refuses to give a crop oftener than every alternate year. 



The Pine or Cone shape is better, but the best form, and almost 

 the only possible one for large trees, is the Basket or Goblet shape. 

 This exposes the largest surface to sun and air. The Umbrella 

 shape is the worst of all, as it can only be achieved by directly op- 

 posing the habits of the tree. The round well-opened crown will 

 be the most natural way to shape trees of small size. 



The character of the soil must be taken into account in fixing 

 the height and forming the crown of a young tree. In a poor and 

 arid soil, it will be best not to make the trunk higher than from 

 three to four feet, as in such a soil, the limited nutritous qualities 

 will, with difficulty reach its branches, if placed too high. On the 

 other hand, if the soil is rich, the crown may be placed from five to 

 six feet from the ground. 



