ALL 



ALL 



in which ihough their blades be. cut of}', the roots 

 remain sound, and shoot forth with great vigour 

 early in spring, furnishing seasonable supplies 

 till May, when they generally run to seed. They 

 may be cultivated more or less as a winter-stand 

 ing crop, with advantage for spring use. It is 

 perennial in root, and increases by offsets into 

 great clusters, but is not propagated in that way 

 for general use, but by seed in the same manner 

 as the former sorts of onion. The best season 

 for sowing the seed is in August, in the same 

 maimer as the autumn onion crops. 



The plants mostly appear in twelve or fifteen 

 days after being sown, and towards Michaelmas 

 should be carefully hand-weeded. It is a pecu- 

 liarity, in this species of onion, to lose its top in 

 November or December, and remain in that state 

 till towards Candlemas, when the roots shoot 

 forth again ; at which time it is proper to dig the 

 alleys, and spread about an inch depth of the earth 

 evenly over the surface of the beds ; by which vi- 

 gour is given to the roots, and the plants arc made 

 to rise strong, and at the same time the part 

 within the earth blanched white, and rendered 

 more tender and mild to eat, as well as more 

 agreeable. 



When the sowing of a Michaelmas crop has 

 been omitted, some seed may be sown towards the 

 end of January, in which ease the plants will ap- 

 pear in February or March ; and being hardy conti- 

 nue growing, and become fit to draw in the early 

 spring months. In order to save a supply of seed 

 of this species of onion, it is necessary to retain 

 some plants forstools. In theend of March, a par- 

 cel of strong young plants may be put out nine 

 inches distant, which will produccseed in August. 

 But if the roots be Lt remain, in the following 

 year, they produce treble the quantity : but as 

 they increase into great bunches, the stool - should 

 be removed and separated every second or third 

 year at the furthest. 



The third species, the Gives or Chives, is the 

 smallest of all the onion kind, rising hut a few- 

 inches high : it is perennial, and increases con- 

 siderably into clusters, from which large tufts 

 ol slender awl-shaped leaves issue, which are the 

 principal part used, the roots never forming any 

 bulbs, at least not bigger than small peas. It is a 

 hardy plant, which deserves a place in every kit- 

 chen garden ; as its clusters of leaves appear early 

 in the spring, and are useful in sallads, and for other 

 ordinary purposes, before the onion is ready. 



The chief method of gathering it is by cutting 

 the leaves oil" near the ground, by which a fresh 

 supply is soon produced from the bottom ; or 

 lly the plants may be slipped quite to 

 the root of the clusters, in separate little plants, 

 which resemble young i i ions, and may be used 

 as substitutes for them. It is easily increased by 



dividing the roots in spring, and planting eight 

 or ten of them together in holes, at six inches di- 

 stance, on the edges of beds or borders. In this 

 way, by the autumn they multiply into bunches 

 of a large size. 



The fourth species, the Eschalot or Shallot, is 

 a kind of onion, which is bulbous-rooted, and 

 which increases greatly by offsets, the largest of 

 which are the proper parts of the plant for use. The 

 bulbs are oblong, irregular, and seldom grow to 

 any great size; for, as they generally increase into 

 clusters, they do not swell like roots that grow sin- 

 gly. From the roots are produced many long nar- 

 row feeble leaves in the spring, which wither in 

 July or August, when the roots are full grown. 

 They should then be taken up, made dry, and 

 housed ; in which way they keep in good perfec- 

 tion till the following spring. 



The propagation of this plant is best performed 

 by the smaller roots or offsets, which ma) be 

 planted out in autumn or early in the spring. The 

 end of October, or beginning of November, 

 is the most proper season for the autumn plant- 

 ing, and February and March for that of the. 

 spring, but not later than the beginning of April. 

 The spring is the most general season of planting 

 them ; but when this is done in autumn, in a dry 

 light soil, they often grow larger, and sooner at- 

 tain their full growth the following summer. 

 They should be planted in beds of good light earth, 

 four feet wide, in rows lengthways of the bed, six 

 inches asunder ; each offset being inserted singly, 

 either by means of a dibble, or planted in drills, 

 not more than two or three inches deep, and the 

 same distance as above in each row. They mostly 

 shoot up in leaves in March or April, and the 

 roots increase in growth till July or August. The 

 only culture which they require afterwards, is 

 that of keeping them clean from weeds, by occa- 

 sional hand-weeding or hoeing. Towards the 

 end of July or beginning of August, the bulbs 

 will Lave attained their full growth, as is seen by 

 the withering of the leaves. They should then 

 be taken up in a dry day, and spread in the sun to 

 harden ; when the largest should be cleaned and 

 housed for use, and the smaller offsets reserved 

 for propagation in the spring. 



Shallots being sometimes wanted early in the 

 summer ; in such cases, as they will have formed 

 small bulbs towards the latter end of May or in 

 June, a few may occasionally be taken up for a 

 present supply, permitting a principal crop to 

 remain in order to effect their fullgnowth. 



The fifth species, the Canada or Tree Onion, is 

 cultivated both as a curiosity in producing the 

 onion at the top of the stalk, and for the use of 

 the onions for the purpose of pickling, in which 

 they arc excellent, being much superior in fl ivour 

 to the common cuion. 



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