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<pre>I have continued to enjoy the site and the regular exchanges - has been
particularly interesting of late. It is interesting to see how just when
an issue has been thrashed around for a while another (or a couple)
suddenly take their place. And then we get other stimulating pieces
(briefly forgotten your (her) name) thrown in from left field on issues
like GMOs, etc.

Anyway, we recently obtained a selection of 'odds' and 'left over' olive
trees from the South Australian Department of Primary Inustries - the
trees were about to be 'pulped'.

Some of the varieties are not common and are based on a collection from
cuttings made from several well-known agricultural colleges around
Australia that began researching 'olives' up to a hundred years ago. The
cultivars have now been planted at Roseworthy (along with many others).
Anyway,Michael Burr's Australian Olives (Second Edition) mentions
several of the varieties (eg, on page 121 and elsewhere), including
making some comments.

Most of the varieties appear not to be worth growing commercially, but
as exotic cultivars (with a long Australian history) they still have a
strong attraction for us - and there is still a very faint chance they
may have commercial potential. Anyway, we are planting them around the
house (not in our groves) and it will be enjoyable to live with such an
exotic collection (amongst other varieties we have).

I would be interested however in any direct experience you might have
with growing these varieties (and knowledge of their history/story)?
Some of the varieties collected (with comments summarised from
Burr)include:

Attica (good oil a bit like Verdale, but better?)
Buchine (Buccine - spelling may not quite be like this)(pickling)
Regaise de Languedoc (RDL)
Atro Rubens (good oil but not in commercial quantities?)
Atro Violacea Brun Rubier (good oil in small quantities?)
Gaeta (good oil)
Salome (oil)
Oblitza (good pickling?)
Praecox (good oil)
Lucca (dual, but oil not in large quantities)
Del Morocco (pickling)
Late Blanquette (oil)

I look forward to hearing your comments, particularly from our Eurpoean
friends who might know a little more about these varieties (and their
apparent fall from grace since being shipped out to Australia a couple
of generations ago).

Regards


Andrew
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