240 



BOTANY OF CROP PLANTS 



The leaves are used as a seasoning in stews, soups and 

 salads. 



ALLIUM CEPA (Onion) ' 



Description. — The common onion is a biennial with large 

 bulbs, that are usually single. The scape is 2 to 3 feet tall, 

 smooth, and somewhat enlarged near the middle. The leaves 

 are long, broad, cyUndrical and hollow (Fig. 90). 



Fig. 95. — Top onions. 



History. — The common onion is at present not found in a 

 wild state. Its cultivation dates back to the earliest times 

 in the history of India, Egypt, and China. It was used by 

 Egyptians as a sacrificial offering. By 1390, the onion was 

 quite extensively used in Europe. The earliest colonists 

 brought the onion with them to America. 



