1 Dec., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 575 
NOTES ON OLIVE CULTIVATION. - 
By ALBERT H. BENSON. 
Tue attention of this Department having been called to the article on “ Olive 
Cultivation” that appeared in the October number of this Jowrnal, and one of the 
methods of propagation decribed therein having been severely criticised, I have 
been requested to reply to the criticism. 
The writer of the article, quoting from Mr. Lewis A. Bernays, advises 
the planting of cuttings and truncheous in an upright position when the tree 
is to occupy the position permanently, and gives as his reason for so doing that 
a year is saved thereby, and that you commence with a good stem to form the 
trunk of the future tree. This method of propagation is taken exception to, 
and is stated to have proved unsuccessful when tried in Australia. I quite 
agree with the writer of the criticism that this method, as described, is not 
adapted to this colony, as cuttings or truncheons so planted would be apt to dry 
out, especially if any considerable portion of same were allowed to remain above 
ground. On the other hand, I may state that I have raised trees successfully, 
both in these colonies and in California, by this method of propagation, with this 
exception—that instead of planting the truncheon upright, it has been set at an 
angle of about30 degrees, and no portion has been allowed to remain above the 
ground, the top of the truncheon being from 2 to 3 inches below the surface of 
the ground. [I do not, however, recommend this method of propagation, 
except in cases where it is desirablé to plant the truncheon in the position 
the tree resulting from it is to occupy permanently, as it is more uncertain 
and more wasteful of material than planting the truncheons in a trench 
horizontally and covering them completely to a depth of. 4 or 5 inches. When 
so planted, several plants may be obtained from the same truncheon, whereas 
when planted upright, or at an angle of 80 degrees, only one shoot is allowed 
to develop to form the future trunk of the tree. If carefully transplanted 
there is only a slight check to the plants on their removal from the nursery to 
their permanent position, and as far as my experience goes, truncheons planted 
upright do not gain a year over those that are grown horizontally in nursery and 
then transplanted. This latter method has been adopted by me at the 
Westbrook Experiment Farm, and has answered well, the truncheons often 
producing four or more vigorous and well developed plants, such plants being 
trained to a single stem and headed at about 2 feet from the ground, so that 
they are well grown and evenly balanced trees when set out permanently. The 
growing of seedlings is not to be recommended except for the purpose of 
producing stocks on which to propagate selected varieties, and the scions (buds 
or grafts) used for this purpose should be obtained from bearing trees, not 
from young plants as advised. There is one method of propagation largely 
used in California that is not described—viz., the propagation by means of 
small cuttings of the season’s growth—viz., the tips of the branches. The 
wood requires to be well ripened, but not quite hard, and the cutting is 
prepared by making a square cut just below a pair of leaves about 3 inches 
from the end of the branch. The leaves are usually cut off, only leaving 
the top pair of leaves, and the cutting is planted in sand to a depth of 
2 inches in a similar manner to that employed in the propagation of 
many flowering plants. The young cuttings must be kept moist, but 
at the same time must have perfect drainagé and, if necessary, bottom _ 
heat, as they will not strike if the ground is at all wet or cold. ‘This 
method of propagation produces well-rooted plants, which, when large enough, 
are planted out in nursery rows and thence transferred to their permanent 
positions when required. The olive does remarkably well on the Darling Downs, 
and will thrive on the stony ridges which are unsuitable for cultivation; but it 
is amistake to think that the olive will thrive in any soil, no matter how dry or 
poor. lt will no doubt grow where other trees would starve, but in order to 
produce profitable crops of fruit the tree requires careful attention and a soil 
that is moderately rich in lime, phosphoric acid, and potash, as without a 
