LUTHER BURBANK 



has been fairly extensive, inasmuch as I have 

 experimented first and last with about fifty species 

 of wild and cultivated Alliums (that being the 

 technical name of the genus) from Europe, Asia, 

 and America, and with various forms from Chile 

 and from China. 



The onion is a very interesting plant with which 

 to work, from the fact that it shows a good meas- 

 ure of responsiveness. The wild onions are 

 exceedingly variable and the cultivated species no 

 less so. Indeed, this might be taken almost for 

 granted considering the long period during which 

 the onion has been under cultivation and the large 

 number of varieties that are in existence. 



In addition to the ordinary species with its 

 well-known qualities, there are numerous hand- 

 some-flowering varieties of onion. And in the 

 Sierras there is also a variety growing along the 

 mountain streams which has a delicious, sweet 

 flavor much superior to the cultivated onion. I 

 have cultivated also an onion from China which 

 is peculiarly sweet flavored. 



Some of the Chilean and Canadian leeks that I 

 have had under cultivation differ widely in form 

 from their Northern relatives. Some of the Chilean 

 wild garlics have been classified as leeks by the 

 botanists and gardeners in this vicinity; whereas 

 the same observers classify certain of the true 



[152] 



