258 GAEDENING FOE THE SOUTH. 



impart an agreeable richness to soups, sauces, and stews. 

 They are also simply boiled in salt and water, and served 

 up with butter, pepper, &c. Okra can be preserved for 

 winter use, by putting down the pods in salt like cucum- 

 bers, or by cutting them into thin slices and drying like 

 peaches. When dry, put up in paper bags. The seed is 

 sometimes used as a substitute for coffee, which it is not 

 very likely to supersede. 



THE ONION. (Allium Cepa.) 



The genus Allium contains several of the most useful 

 plants of our gardens. In it, besides the proper onions, are 

 included the Garlic, Leek, Rocambole SKallots, and Chives, 

 which are treated of in their several places. 



YAEIETIES. There is a great number of varieties of 

 onions, among which are : 



Large Red, a hardy variety raised abundantly in the 

 Northern States for export. It is deep red, medium size, 

 rather flat, and keeps well, and is the strongest flavored. 



Yellow Strasburg. Large yellow, oval, often a little 

 flattened, very hardy ; keeps exceedingly well. Best for 

 winter use at the South. Flavor strong. 



Yellow Danvcrs. Middle size, roundish oblate; neck 

 slender ; skin yellowish-brown ; early and good ; keeps well. 



Silver-Skinned. Of smaller size but finer flavor, silvery 

 white, flat, and very much used for pickling on account 

 of its handsome appearance and mild flavor. 



Potato Onion* This derives its name from forming a 

 number of bulbs on the parent root beneath the surface of 

 the soil. It ripens early, but does not keep until spring. A 

 sub-variety with smaller bulbs is said to produce bulbs on 



