CLASS IL DIANDRIA. 
* MONOGYNIA. 
1 8. The OLIVE (Olea Europea) is a low evergreen tree, 
which, in its general form and appearance, somewhat re- 
sembles a willow. It is cultivated in several parts of the 
continent, and has spear-shaped leaves, and clusters of smalt 
white floiverSj that arise at the junction of the leaves and 
branches (Fig. 1.) 
The fruit of this tree has the name of olives. These 
are usually about the size of a damson plum, and each 
contains a hard, rough stone. When first gathered they 
have an acrid, bitter, and unpleasant taste ; and it is not 
until they have been steeped, for several days, in a ley 
of wood ashes, and then pickled in salt and water, that 
they are in the state to be introduced at table after 
dinner, in desserts. Lucca olives, being smaller than any 
others, have the weakest taste. The larger ones are im- 
ported from Spain, and are the strongest ; but those 
most esteemed are the olives of Provence, which are of 
middle size. If olives be eaten by persons of delicate 
habits, especially after a solid or heavy dinner, they are 
considered injurious, on account of the great quantity 
of oil they contain. 
It is to this fruit that we are indebted for the salad 
or olive oil, which is so much in use throughout every 
part of Europe. The preparation of it is as follows: 
The olives, when sufficiently ripe, are carefully picked, 
by hand, off the trees, and those that are bad are taken 
out and thrown aside. After having been left a little 
while to wither, they are first bruised, and then more 
completely crushed, by an upright millstone rolling 
upon an horizontal plane. The paste thus formed is 
submitted to the operation of the press. The finest oil 
flows first : when no more is found to flow, the pulp is 
