age; twice as much when from seven to eight years old, and increases from year to year its annual paying power to $300, $400, $500, per acre, and upwards, until, when about twelve to fifteen years old, the tree reaches its full bearing capacity, on what basis shall we calculate then the cash value of such an orchard? Were I to mention between $1,500 and $2,000 per acre many people not fully acquainted with this culture would consider it a gross exaggeration. If such orchards are worth over $1,000 per acre in Europe, where olive trees are liable to be frozen at frequent intervals, why should they not be worth more here on account of the absolute immunity of those trees against such danger? Do not also protective duties insure us better prices for our oil as they do for our wines? Should import duties ever be abolished on both products, which would suffer most; the oil that pays only 25 per cent, on its value in the European markets, or the wine that pays 50 cents per gallon, which is more than double the value of the ordinary wines in France? We will thus see those prices of $1,500 and $2,000 per acre in California when the young olive orchards planted within the last few years shall have given the full measure of their worth. They will confirm by their development the careful demonstrations I have endeavored to make in this work.
By adding to what precedes the incredible longevity of the olive tree and the immense consumption that is enjoyed by its product in all the
