of oil, while the oil itself has
a dark color, and loses its delicate flavor.

The olive tree in Tuscany generally blossoms in April. By November the
fruit has attained its full size, though not full maturity, and the
olive harvest generally commences then. The fruit, generally speaking,
is gathered as it falls to the ground, either from ripeness or in
windy weather. In some districts, however, and when the crop is short,
the practice is to strip the fruit from the trees early in the season.
When there is a full crop the harvest lasts many months, and may not
be finished till the end of May, as the fruit does not all ripen
simultaneously.

Oil made early in the season has a deeper color, and is distinguished
by a fruity flavor, with a certain degree of pungency; while as the
season advances it becomes lighter in color, thinner in body, and
milder and sweeter in taste. Oil made toward the close of the harvest
in April or May from extremely ripe fruit is of a very pale straw
color, mild and sweet to the taste, though sometimes, if the fruit has
remained too long on the trees, it may be slightly rancid. Oil very
light in color is much prized in certain countries, notably France,
and hence, if it also possesses good quality, commands a higher price
in the Tuscan markets.

The fruit of the olive tree varies just as much in quality as does the
grape, according to the species of the tree itself, the nature of the
soil, exposure, and climate of the locality where it grows. Some
varieties of the olive tree largely grown, because thought to be
better suited to the special conditions of some districts, yield a
fruit which imparts a bitter taste to the oil made from it; such oil,
even when otherwise perfect, ranks as a second rate quality.

The highest quality of oil can only be obtained when the fruit is
perfectly and uniformly sound, well ripened, gathered as soon as it
has dropped from the trees, and crushed immediately with great
attention. Should the fruit remain any time on the ground,
particularly during wet weather, it deteriorates fast and gets an
earthy taste; while if allowed to remain an undue length of time in
the garners it heats, begins to decompose, and will yield only bad
oil.

The process of making oil is as follows: The fruit is crushed in a
stone mill, generally moved by water power; the pulp is then put into
bags made of fiber, and a certain number of these bags, piled one upon
another, are placed in a