This section is from the book "The Home Cyclopedia Of General Information", by Charles Morris. Also available from Amazon: Home Cyclopedia of Necessary Knowledge.
[L. oliva.] A tree or shrub with small oblong leaves, of which there are several species, the most important being the common olive, long cultivated in the south of Europe and Asia for its fruit. The olive has been much improved by cultivation. The oil is used in salads, in the arts, and in medicine, and the fruit for dessert purposes. Olive wood is very hard and is employed for cabinet-work.
 
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