BOOK XIX. xxxii. 104-107 



planted ; they only difFer froxn the Ascalon onions in 

 their sweet flavour. In our country we have two 

 principal varieties, one the kind of onion used for 

 seasoning, the Greek name for which is geiio}i-\ee\<. 

 and the Latin ' pallacana ', which is sown in March, 

 April or May, and the other the onion with a head, 

 which is sown after the autumn equinox or when the 

 west wind has begun to blow in the springtime. 

 The varieties of the latter, in order of their degrees 

 of pungency, are the African, the GalHc. and those 

 of Tusculum, Ascalon and Amiternae. Those of the 

 roundest shape are the best ; also a red onion is 

 more pungent than a white one, or a dry one 

 than one still fresh, and a raw one than one that 

 has been cooked, and also than one that has been 

 kept in store. The Amiternum kind is grown in cold 

 and damp places, and is the only one that grows with 

 a head only, Hke garHc, all other varieties being grown 

 from seed and next summer producing no seed but 

 only a head which goes on growing in size ; but in the 

 following year just the contrary, sced is produced 

 but the actual head goes rotten. Consequently 

 every year there are two separate processes, seed 

 being sown to produce onions and onions planted 

 for seed. Onions keep best stored in chaff. The stnmgeand 

 scaUion has hardly any head at all, only a long neck, miions!°^ 

 and consequently it all goes to leaf, and it is cut 

 back several times, Hke common leek ; consequently 

 it also is grown from seed, not by planting. In 

 addition, they recommend digging over the ground 

 three times and weeding out thc plant-roots before 

 sowing onions ; and using ten pounds of seed to the 

 acre, with savory mixed in, as the onions come up 

 better ; and moreover stubbing and hoeing the 



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