124 GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES 



in mid-spring in shallow rows, lightly covered with fine 

 soil, or clumps are purchased, divided and planted out 

 six inches apart in rows ten inches asunder. Two or 

 three rows, a dozen feet long, will give sufficient produce 

 to supply an average household, for the stems, only, 

 should be gathered, and they will grow afresh when cut. 

 In autumn, the bulbs may be lifted and used as onions. 

 Conditions of soil, etc., are similar to those set out above. 



Shallots. There is an old saying that this member 

 of the onion family should be planted on the shortest day 

 and lifted on the longest. In practice, we find that both 

 dates are a trifle too early for producing the finest crops. 

 Planting is best done in February and lifting should take 

 place about the end of July. A fine dry soil is required 

 for shallots, therefore it is well to incorporate a certain 

 amount of small cinders with the bed, also liberal supplies 

 of soot and the refuse of bonfires. 



Insert the cloves or divisions in the soil to about half 

 their depth, leaving eight inches between each. Hoe 

 constantly and give water in dry weather. In June 

 scrape away a good deal of the earth from around the 

 clusters in order that they may commence to ripen. 

 Lift when the middle shoots have died down. Dry as 

 suggested for onions and store on shelves, not heaped up 

 but spread out thinly. Each clove, it may be useful to 

 add, produces about nine or ten shallots. 



As shallots, in their early stages of growth, throw out a 

 bunch of delicate green stems which possess a certain 

 artistic bearing, it is by no means a bad plan to grow the 

 divisions as borders for ornamental beds or scatter them 

 among the flowering plants. It is highly necessary, 



