OLIVES (CLASSIC REPRINT)

Excerpt from OlivesThe strongest, heaviest bearing, and longest lived trees are those grown from seed. Seedlings have a stronger and more deep -seated root system, and grow into more regular and more hardy trees than those grown from cuttings. The only objection to their use is that they require several years longer time before commencing to bear. With care and intelligent cultivation however this delay can be reduced to one or two years, and the larger crops and healthier trees resulting, will more than compensate ultimately for the loss of time.The flesh of the olive should be removed before planting the pits. This Is commonly done by piling the fruit in heaps and allowing it to decay, after which the pits can be easily removed by washing. Many of the seeds of most varieties will not germinate. These are separated by placing all the pits in water and rejecting those which float. The pits may be planted immediately, or if there is danger of frost, kept in dry sand until spring. The pits must be cracked before sowing, or they will remain two years in the ground before germina ting. This must be done very carefully, in order not to injure the kernel, special instruments have been made for this purpose which work very well. Instead of cracking the pits they may be placed for twenty-four hours in a lye solution containing half a pound of caustic soda to one gallon of water.. This softens the shell so that it soon decays in the soil and allows the young seedling to push through. The pits should then be sown in a sandy bed heavily fertilized with thoroughly rotted manure. They are placed every three inches in little drills which are made six inches apart. Enough well rotted manure should be placed in the drills to cover and surround the pits, and the whole covered with soil to the depth of one inch. The. Beds should be well watered until the seedlings start, after which less water should be used. When the seedlings have developed five or six leaves the