Page:A Practical Treatise on Olive Culture, Oil Making and Olive Pickling.djvu/28

 above is the result solely of the mode of propagation by cuttings, of our exceptional climate, or of our virgin soil, or the result of these three elements combined, matters but little. It is a fact, and the proofs are superabundant.

But if, on the contrary, the olive tree is raised from the seed it has to remain many years in the nursery until it develops sufficient strength to admit of successful grafting; and when transplanting it, the tap-root as well as part of the top having to be taken off, the roots also suffering from exposure to the air which it will be impossible then to avoid, all of this will combine to inflict a long and severe injury upon its whole system, which will delay considerably its bearing period.

There will certainly be a difference of fully five years in the time of its production according to the one of those two modes of reproduction that will have been adopted.