292 VEGKTABLE SUBSTANCES. 



must be admitted that a plant which bears an addi- 

 tional number of bulbs is more likely to be a native of 

 a dry and warm climate than a plant which is vivi- 

 parous. The time of the introduction of the potato- 

 onion has, however, been erroneously assigned, since 

 it was known and cultivated in the south and west of 

 England some years prior to the Egyptian expedition. 

 If it be a native of Egypt, or of any other warm 

 country, it is, indeed, a hardy one, since it bears the 

 alteration of the seasons, and resists the attacks of 

 insects much better, it is said, than the common 

 onion. 



The bulbs are planted in the middle of winter ; as 

 the tops appear they are usually earthed up like 

 potatoes, and by the middle of summer the new crop 

 is ready for removing. The size and number of the 

 new bulbs depend very much on the size of those 

 which hove been planted, but they always yield a pro- 

 portionately large produce. 



The CHIVE Jlllium Schoenoprasum is the smal- 

 lest, though one of the finest flavoured of the genus. 

 It is a hardy perennial plant, an inhabitant of Siberia, 

 and said to be a native of Britain, though rarely 

 found growing in an uncultivated state. The bulbs 

 are very small, connected in clusters of an elongated 

 farm, and the leaves are long, slender, and pointed. 

 The flowering stem, when it is allowed to rise, is 

 slightly curved and seldom attains to more than a few 

 inches in height ; the flowers are white, with a purple 

 , tinge ; they grow crowded together, and are, even in 

 the- most cold and moist situations, followed by capsules 

 and seeds. When cultivated, the plants are, however, 

 seldom allowed to run to seed, as they are not usually 

 drawn to be eaten entire, but have the leaves and 

 young tops cut off to be used as a potherb. Chives 

 are very hardy, and require no attention during their 

 growth except to keep them free from weeds ; they 



