The Extraordinary Olive Essay -- Botany

The Extraordinary chromaticThe several uses of the chromatic tree, Olea europaea L., beget long been recognized and celebrated by serviceman civilization. Olive trees have been cultivated since prehistoric times in Asia Minor, and introduced with valet migration and trade throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, into Africa, and eventually into young Zealand and North America. doubting Thomas (1995) lists the beginning of chromatic cultivation as aproximately 3000 B.C. Olives appear in wiz of the first cookbooks ever discovered. As long ago as the seventeenth century B.C., the olive was considered sacred. In Greek mythology, Athena is said to have placed an olive tree on the Acropolis in order to learn over the denizens of Attica, a favor for which the city became her namesake, Athens (Anonymous 1997). The champion at the Olympic Games was crowned with its leaves. Offering an olive branch is synonymous with passive intentions. The oil was burned in the lamps of sacred templ es, as well as being the eternal flame of the Olympic games. There are umpteen references to the olive in the Bible. One of the most significant is in the humbug of Noah and the Flood. The dove, sent out to search for a sign of land and life, returned with none other than an olive branch. Moses proclaimed that all men who worked to cultivate olives were rationalise from military service (Grieve 1995). The olive is often referred to as a symbolisation of goodness, purity, and life. The miracle of Hanukkah was the olive oil which burned for eight nights when there was only enough to last for one day (Prero 1996). It is clear that the olive was an important role of life in the Mediterranean, as is the world over today. Description Olive trees are graceful in appearance, with elegant lanceolate silv... ... shallow. The mission olive of California derives its name from the Franciscan missionaries who originally planted them near San Diego somewhat 1759 (Anonymous 1997). Olive pro duction has also recently spread to New Zealand and Australia, merely these continue to be incidental yields in comparison to the Mediterranean region. References Anonymous. 1997. Olives. Grieve, M. 1995. Botanical.com A Modern Herbal. Olive. Electric Newt. Neff, R. and D. ResSeguie. 1995. inunct of Olives, An Ancient Wonder. Sundance Natural Foods. Prero, Y. 1996. Chanukah and Olive Oil Lessons in Devotion. YomTov, vol.II22. Thomas, J. Dec, 1995. Olive Fact Sheet. Tous, J. and L. Ferguson. 1996. Mediterranean Fruits. From J. Janick (ed.) Progress in New Crops. ASHS Press, Arlington, VA. p.416-430.U.S.D.A. 1995. An Economic Assessment of Olives. (Executive Summary).