210 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



when this is the case, they should be taken up ? 

 dried, and treated similarly to other winter keeping 

 onions. 



In the planting of this onion, the same thing is said 

 of it in the above-named county, that is often said of 

 shallots : " plant in the shortest day ; take up in the 

 longest." It has been remarked, and the author 

 can corroborate the fact, that the smallest onions 

 used for planting swell and become very fine and 

 large, and also yield offsets ; but the larger bulbs 

 produce the greatest clusters. For the well keep- 

 ing of this onion, a dry airy loft should be chosen, 

 where they ought frequently to be looked over, and 

 any bad or unsound ones taken away. 



40. OXALIS.- WOOD SORREL. 



Oxalis crenata, the botanic name of this plant, 

 is given from the supposed virtues of the foliage, 

 which has a strong acid taste, like that of our com- 

 mon sorrel ; the specific crenata, from the plant 

 being notched petaled. The botanic name is re- 

 tained in preference to the English, because, hav- 

 ing been first introduced by the former name, it is 

 likely to be most popular hereafter. 



We are indebted to that worthy and indefatigable 

 collector of plants and seeds, Mr. Douglass, for 

 this variety of the oxalis, and addition to our cu- 

 linary vegetables, which is stated to be highly nutri- 

 tious. 



From Mr. Douglass's account, we learn that this 

 species of oxalis is a native of South America, grow- 

 ing spontaneously in the neighbourhood of Lima,, 



