ALLIACEOUS PLANTS. 297 



and other ingredients, the whole forming a ragout, 

 which is eaten cold. This plant is there considered as 

 almost a specific against the scurvy, no sooner lifting 

 its head above the snow than the dreadful disease 

 loses all its horrors ; as even in its worst stages a cure 

 is produced by the plentiful use of the wild garlic. 



Three species, the sand garlic, the crow garlic, 

 and the leek garlic, are found native in some parts 

 of Britain ; but they are of little or no value, and have 

 never been introduced into culture. 



The SHALLOT Jlllium ascaloniwn is a native 

 of warmer climates than that of England ; it is found 

 growing wild in many parts of Syria, especially near 

 Ascalon, whence it derives its name. The time of its 

 introduction into this country is not known ; some 

 writers assume that it was brought home by the Cru- 

 saders. It is mentioned as a well-known plant by 

 Turner, in his ' Signes of Herbes,' published in 

 1548. This plant resembles the true garlic in having 

 its roots divided into cloves or smaller roots, and en- 

 closed in a thin membrane. Each of these small 

 roots sends forth two or three fistular awl-shaped 

 leaves, issuing from a sheath ; they are nearly similar, 

 but not so large, as those of the onion. The shallot 

 does not in all situations produce perfect seeds, or 

 even flowers, and sometimes, indeed, does not send 

 up any foot-stalk. The want of seed is, however, 

 fully compensated by the multiplication of the roots. 

 It is sufficiently hardy to bear uninjured the severest 

 winters of England, but it is liable sometimes to be 

 attacked by insects. This evil is found to be surely 

 prevented when the bulbs are planted rather above 

 the surface, instead of being buried in the earth ; and 

 this improved mode of culture has a farther advantage 

 of bettering the quality and increasing the quantity 

 of the crop obtained. 



The flavour of the shallot is much more pungent 



