266 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



It is, therefore, probable that this plant was first 

 introduced into England from the central parts 

 of continental Europe ; although it may have 

 been originally the native of countries farther to 

 the south, and have been rendered hardier and 

 less prone to degenerate from its gradual change 

 of climate. 



The onions of Spain and Portugal, and even 

 those of the south of France, are very superior 

 to the common onion of our gardens, being of a 

 much larger size, and more mild and succulent. 

 These sorts, however, will not bear the colder cli- 

 mate of this country without degenerating, wliile 

 their seed seldom comes to maturity in Britain. 



Though the history of the onion can be but 

 imperfectly traced in Europe, there is no doubt 

 as to its great antiquity in Africa, since there is 

 evidence to show that this bulb was known and 

 much esteemed in Egypt 2000 years before Christ. 

 It still forms a favourite addition to the food of 

 theEgyptians. Hasselquist, in a panegyric on the 

 exquisite flavour of the Egyptian onion, remarks, 

 that it is no wonder the Israelites, after they had 

 quitted their place of bondage, should have re- 

 gretted the loss of this delicacy; for whoever has 

 tasted of the onions of Egypt, must acknowledge 

 that none can be better in any part of the universe. 

 "There," says he, •' they are mild and pleasant to 

 the palate ; in other countries they are strong and 

 nauseous. There they are soft and yielding ; but 

 in countries to the north they are hard, and their 

 coats so compact, as to render them less easy of 

 digestion." The Egyptians divide them into 

 four parts, and eat them roasted together with 

 pieces of meat ; which preparation they consider 

 80 delicious, that they devoutly wish it may form 

 one of the viands of Paradise. A soup made of 

 these onions was pronounced by tlie learned tra- 

 veller to be certainly one of the best dishes of 

 which he ever partook. 



This predilection for the savoury bulb extends 

 in Africa beyond the country of the Nile. Major 

 Denham, in his route south from Bomou, ob- 

 served numerous gardens ; but the only veget- 

 able produced in them appeared to be onions. 



The following varieties of the onion are those 

 commonly cultivated in our gardens : 



Dutch blood red. 



Deptford. 



Early silver skinned. 



Globe. 



James long keeping. 



Lisbon. 



Pale red. 



Potatoe onion. 



Silver skinned. 



Spanish. 



Strasbnrgh. 



Tripoli. 



True Portugal. 



Two-bladed 



Welsh. 



Yellow. 



A rich mellow ground, on a dry subsoil, is the 

 most favourable to the growth of this plant. It 

 is propagated by seed sown broad-cast in spring; 

 the quantity of seed being regulated according 

 to the destination of the onions, wliether they 

 are to be drawn young, or to remain for bulbing. 

 The plants begin to bulb in June, increasing in 

 growth till the middle of August, when the necks 

 shrink and the leaves decay ; they are then in a 

 fit state to be drawn, and preserved for the win- 

 ter store. 



A method of improving the size of onions, by 

 transplanting them, was recommended by Wor- 

 lidge, so early as the beginning of the seventeenth 

 century, in his " Systema Horticulturse ;" and 

 this practice has lately been revived witli great 

 success by some eminent horticulturists. 



The theory on which it is founded is extremely 

 ingenious. Every plant which lives longer than 

 one year, generates the sap or vegetable blood 

 which will elaborate the leaves and roots of the 

 succeeding spring. In bulbous roots this re- 

 served sap is deposited in the bulb, which, in a 

 great measure, it composes. Now the store which 

 is thus formed varies considerably in the same 

 species of plant, according to the particular cir- 

 cumstances under which it is raised. Thus the 

 onion in the south of Em-ope accumulates a much 

 greater quantity in a single season, under a 

 greater degree and longer duration of heat, than 

 is afforded by our colder climates, and therefore 

 it acquires, in a given time, a much larger size. 

 Mr Knight was induced by these observations to 

 suppose tliat two short and variable summers in 

 England might, perhaps, be equal in effect to 

 one long and bright season in Portugal ; and, ac- 

 cordingly, he attempted a method of culture 

 which lias proved his inference to be correct. In 

 pursuance of this plan, seeds of the Portugal 

 onion were sown in spring very thickly, on a 

 poor soil, and in a shady situation. Under these 

 circumstances, the bulb in the autumn had at- 

 tained scarcely beyond the size of a large pea. The 

 bulbs were then taken from tha ground and pre- 

 served during the winter ; in the ensuing spring 

 they were again planted at equal distances. 

 From this treatment the plants afforded bulbs 

 very superior to those raised immediately from 

 seed, some exceeding five inches in diameter; 

 and being more matured, they may be preserved 

 sound throughout the winter with greater cer- 

 tainty than those which are raised from seed in 

 a single season. Many other cultivators pursue, 

 with some slight alterations, the same method, 

 and find it perfectly successful. 



It is found that in those countries in which 

 the onion comes to the greatest perfection, the 

 practice of transplanting it prevails. 



In Portugal it is sown in November and De- 

 cember on a moderate hot-bed, and protected 

 from the frost ; in which situation the plants re- 



