512 The Kitchen Garden. 



bell of white flowers, which turne into blacke feede : but then the head is fo heauie 

 that the ftalke cannot fuftaine it, but muft be vpheld from falling to the ground, left it 

 rot and perifh : the roote as all know is round, in fome greater, in others leffer, or flat, 

 in fome red on the outfide only, in others quite thorough out, in fome white, and very 

 fharpe and ftrong, in others milder, and more pleafant, and fome fo pleafant that they 

 may be eaten as an Apple : All thefe kinds of Onions, contrary to the nature of all 

 other bulbous rootes, haue no off-fet, or other roote growing to it, but are euery one 

 alone fingle by themfelues ; and therefore it feemeth, the Latines, as Columella re- 

 cordeth, haue giuen it the name Vnio, and the French it mould feeme following the 

 Latine, and the Englifh the French, do call it Oignon and Onion, as an vnite, or as if they 

 were but one and one, and dye euery yeare after feed bearing. 



The red flat kinde is moft vfually with vs the ftrongeft of them all, yet I haue had a 

 great red Onion brought mee from beyond Sea, that was as great almoft as two mens 

 fiftes, flat and red quite thoroughout, and very pleafant both to fmell vnto, and to eate, 

 but did quickly degenerate ; fo that we plainly fee, that the foyle and climate doth giue 

 great alteration to plants of all forts. 



The long kinde wee call St. Omers Onions, and corruptly among the vulgar, St. 

 Thomas Onions. 



The other red kinde we call Strasborough Onions, whofe outfide onely is red, and 

 are very fharpe and fierce. 



The white Onions both long and flat, are like vnto Chalke-ftones lying vpon the 

 ground, when they are ripe and fit to be gathered. 



And laftly, there is the Spanifh Onion, both long and flat, very fweete, and eaten by 

 many like an apple, but as lohn Tradefcante faith, who hath beene in Spaine, that the 

 Spaniards themfelues doe not eate them fo familiarly, as they doe thofe white Onions 

 that come out of our owne Countrey, which they haue there more plentifully then 

 their fweete Onions. 



The Vfe of Onions. 



Onions are vfed many wayes, as diced and put into pottage, or boyled 

 and peeled and layde in dimes for fallets at fupper, or diced and put into 

 water, for a fawce for mutton or oyfters, or into meate roafted being fluffed 

 with Parfly, and fo many waies that I cannot recount them, euery one plea- 

 fing themfelues, according to their order, manner or delight. 



The iuice of Onions is much vfed to be applyed to any burnings with fire, 

 or with Gun-pouder, or to any fcaldings with water or oyle, and is moft fa- 

 miliar for the Country, where vpon fuch fudden occafions they haue not a 

 more fit or fpeedy remedie at hand : The ftrong fmell of Onions, and fo 

 alfo of Garlicke and Leekes, is quite taken away from offending the head 

 or eyes, by the eating of Parfley leaues after them. 



CHAP. XLIIII. 

 Porrum. Leekes. 



THere be likewife fundry forts of Leekes, both great and fmall. Leekes are very 

 like vnto Onions, hauing long green hollow-like leaues, flattifh on the one fide, 

 and with a ridge or creft on the backe fide : if they bee fuffered to grow vncut, 

 then in the fecond or third yeare after the fowing, they will fend forth a round and 

 flender ftalke, euen quite thoroughout, and not fwollen or bigger in the middle like the 

 Onion, bearing at the toppe a head of purplifh flowers, and blacke feede after them, 

 very like vnto Onion feede, that it is hard to diftinguifh them : the root is long and 

 white, with a great bum of fibres hanging at it, which they call the beards. 



The vnfet Leeke hath longer and flenderer roots then the other, which being tranf- 

 planted, groweth thicker and greater. 



The 



