warm and wet autumn will subject the fruit to the ravages of a maggot
or worm, which eats its way into it. Fruit thus injured falls to the
ground prematurely, and the oil made from it is of very bad quality,
being nauseous in taste and somewhat thick and viscous. Frost
following immediately on a fall of snow or sleet, when the trees are
still wet, will irretrievably damage the fruit, causing it to shrivel
up and greatly diminishing the yield 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.