40 
OLIVE. 
tree may undoubtedly be placed in the first rank 
amongst those which are considered of the most use 
to mankind, and cannot be too highly valued for 
the delicate oil which is extracted from its fruit. 
The olive, considered merely as a botanical ob- 
ject, does not afford any thing striking in its ap- 
pearance. It is an evergreen, with oval, entire 
leaves, placed opposite to each other, the superior 
surface of which is a pale shining green, while the 
inferior side is whitish. The flowers are disposed 
in bunches, which spring from the axils of the 
leaves : the corolla is monopetalous, and divided at 
its edge into four parts : the colour of the flower is 
white, and it exhales an agreeable smell. The 
leaves indeed are always green, but the whole plant 
is of such a dull colour, that it would hardly be 
worth our attention, if it did not contribute, by its 
products, to enrich the inhabitants of the southern 
countries of Europe, and to benefit a large por- 
tion of mankind. Considered in this light, it truly 
deserves the title which it has obtained from Colu- 
mella, and other antient writers, who style it the first 
of trees. 
It is generally believed that the olive derives its 
origin from the south of Europe ; but it is also 
found on the northern coasts of Africa, in Asia 
Minor, and in the neighbouring countries. At 
present it is to be found in almost all the tem- 
perate climates. It was from the Phocians that 
the Gauls were indebted for the knowledge of this 
plant. These people left Ionia when Cyrus at- 
