“The very same,” replied his governess; “only that we are speaking now of the tree on which the olives grow.  It is well said that the very name of ‘olive’ suggests the idea of Palestine and the sunny lands of the East.  The olive tree is one of the most prominent trees of the Bible.  It is mentioned in the very earliest part of the Scriptures, in the book of Genesis.  I wonder if some one can tell me about it?”

“I remember:  a dove found a leaf when it was raining and brought it to Noah in the ark,” said little Edith, quickly.

“The rain had stopped falling, dear, after the deluge, and the waters were receding, or falling, when Noah sent forth the dove a second time to see what it would find.  Here is the verse:  ’And the dove came in to him in the evening; and lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth[7].’  For this reason the olive-branch is a common emblem of peace.  The olive tree is often mentioned in other parts of the Bible, and was considered one of the most valuable trees of Palestine, which is described as ’a land of oil-olive and honey.’  It is not nearly so handsome as some other trees of the Holy Land, nor is it grand-looking or graceful.  The leaves, which are long for the width, and smooth, are dark green on the upper side and silvery beneath; they generally grow in pairs.  The fruit is shaped like a plum; it is green when first formed, then paler in color; and when quite ripe, it is black.”

[7] Gen. viii. 9.

“But those that papa eats are olive-color,” said Clara.

“Yes,” replied Miss Harson, smiling, “but all these hues I have mentioned are olive-color in some stage of the fruit; and it is in the green stage, before it is quite ripe, that it is gathered for preserving.”

“But that isn’t preserves, is it?” asked Malcolm, drawing up his mouth at the recollection of an olive he had once tried to eat.  “I thought preserves were always sweet.”

“That is the shape in which you are accustomed to them, Malcolm; but to preserve a thing means to keep it from decay, and salt and vinegar will do this as well as sugar.  Preserves of this kind are what you call ’puckery.’—­As to the color, Clara, ‘olive-green’ is a color by itself, because of its peculiar tint.  It is a gray green instead of a blue or yellow green, and it has a very dull effect.  The fruit is produced only once in two years, and in bearing-season the tree is loaded with white blossoms that drop to the ground like flakes of snow.  It is said that not one in a hundred of these numerous flowers becomes an olive.  Here,” continued Miss Harson, pointing to a page of a book in her hand, “is a representation of an olive-branch with some of the plum-shaped fruit.  The branch, you see, is hard and stiff-looking.”

[Illustration:  OLIVE-BRANCH WITH FRUIT.]

“I should think the tree would be prettier when all those white flowers are on it,” said little Edith.