ONION 



469 



In order to obtain the enormous specimens of Tripoli Onions 



which may be sometimes seen exposed for sale by dealers in 



southern produce, the seed is sown in August, and the young 



plants are planted out in 



October and November. In 



the following year their growth 



is stimulated by continual 



supplies of water and manure, 



until July or August, when 



watering is discontinued, and 



in about a month afterwards 



the bulbs are gathered, some 



of them weighing two pounds 



each or even more. 



Blood-red Flat Italian Blood . red Plat Italian Omon ^ natural size) . 



Onion. Bulb fiat, rather thick, 



from 44 to 5} in. in transverse diameter and a little over 2 in. thick; 



outer coats rather thick and dull red ; inner ones of a brighter 



shade slightly tinged with violet ; flesh tender and not very close ; 



leaves numerous, stout, and dark green. This is a half-late variety, 



and rather difficult to keep. It does better when sown in autumn 



than when sown in spring, and is especially suitable for warm 



climates. When grown in northern countries, it quickly alters, 



losing much of its size, and at the 

 same time becoming closer in 

 texture and stronger in flavour. 



Giant Rocca Onion. A very 

 handsome and good variety, of 

 Italian origin. Bulb somewhat 

 smaller than that of the Tripoli 

 Onion, and still further distin- 

 guished from it by being chamois 

 colour rather than pink, and flat on 

 the top. The neck is fine for the 

 size of the bulb, and the outer coats 

 are firmer and tougher than those 

 of the Tripoli Onions. The leaves 

 are stout (but not excessively so), 

 stiff, and a light green. A well- 

 grown bulb will have a diameter 

 of nearly 5 in., with a thickness of 

 about 3^ in. This is a half-late 

 variety, very productive, keeps well, 



and, for a southern kind, does not do badly when sown in 



spring, although it succeeds far better when sown in autumn. 



A sub- variety is grown in Italy, under the name of Rose-coloured 



Giant Rocca Onion ($ natural size). 



