364 GENERAL REVIEW. 



umbellate clusters of blue flowers. Two distinct forms of A. 

 umbellatus bearing blue flowers, and the white and variegated 

 leaved forms, are grown at Kew. 



Allium {Onions). A genus of Liliaceous bulbs, with grass- 

 like fistulous or hollow leaves, and very pungent odour. The 

 best-known cultivated kinds are A. cepa (Common Onion), and 

 its variety, the Potato-Onion, which produces a cluster of off- 

 sets around the parent bulb, and not unfrequently bulbils on 

 the summit of the flower-stem. Other species grown largely 

 for culinary uses are A. sativum (Garlic), A. ascalonicum (Shal- 

 lot), A. porrum (Leek), and A.fistidosnm (Welsh Onion). Of 

 these, the Leek and Common Onion are most generally grown, 

 and are propagated from seeds which are produced the second 

 year, so that these are biennial in our climate. Garlic, Shal- 

 lots, Potato.-Onions, and Rocambole (A. scorodoprasuni), being 

 perennials, are readily increased by offsets or " chives," as they 

 are technically called. It is not usual to grow Shallots, Garlic, 

 and Rocambole from seed, but the practice is very successfully 

 followed by Mr Trigg of Hayling. His plan is to plant out 

 the offsets in the usual manner, and allow them to seed. The 

 seed is sown in good rich soil, at the same time as Onion seed, 

 and the crop is such that five fair average specimens weigh i Ib. 

 7 oz. They at first look like Onions, but when they begin to 

 divide into offsets the peculiar difference between the two is 

 readily distinguished. This method of growing Shallots is by 

 far the best for a large supply, and is the plan adopted in Jersey 

 and Guernsey for procuring the enormous quantities sent every 

 year to Covent Garden Market. All are plants of high antiquity, 

 having been used as food from time immemorial. The Com- 

 mon Onion is largely cultivated in the neighbourhood of Sandy, 

 in Bedfordshire, and large quantities of Onion seed are saved 

 there every season. Well-formed sound bulbs are selected and 

 planted in the spring in rows, which vary from two to five or 

 six feet apart, Lettuce or other small crops being often grown 

 between the rows. As the flower-stems become developed, 

 they are staked, and twine or cord is strained on either side the 

 rows, to prevent the stems being beaten down by hail, rain, or 

 wind. Onion seed is generally sown in March or April Tri- 

 poli Onions, hardy varieties, in July or August. 



The types of cultivated Onions are : White Spanish, Brown 

 Spanish, Blood Red, Bulbiferous or Potato Onion, Tripoli (red 

 and white varieties), Strasburg, and New German. The Onion 

 is one of the oldest of all cultivated vegetables ; but, as is the 

 case with Wheat, the Vine, and many other valuable plants, its 

 origin is lost in the obscurity of bygone ages. 



