642 PRACTICE OF GARDENING. Part III. 



thinly with a main crop of onions, and when the latter are drawn off, the leeks will have room for full 

 growth. 



3835. Times of sowing. A small first crop, or the subordinate crop in the onion-bed, may be sown at 

 the end of February, if the weather be mild, and the ground in a dry state ; but it is better not to sow the 

 main supply till the course of March ; or first week of April. It is eligible to sow a secondary crop at the 

 end of April or beginning of May, for a late succession in winter and the following spring. 



3836. Course of culture. When the plants are three or four inches high, in May or June, weed them 

 clean, and thin where too crowded. Water well in dry hot weather, to bring the plants forward. The 

 leek is much improved in size by transplanting; those designed for which will be fit to remove when from 

 six to ten inches high, from June till August. For this purpose, thin out a quantity regularly from the 

 seed-bed, either in showery weather, or after watering the ground : trim the long weak tops of the leaves 

 and the root-fibres ; and plant them, by dibble, in rows from nine to tweJve inches asunder, by six or eight 

 inches in the row ; inserting them neaily down to the leaves, or with the neck-part mostly into the ground, 

 to whiten it a proportionate length. Press the earth to the fibres with the dibber, but leave the stem as 

 loose as possible, and as it were standing in the centre of a hollow cylinder. Give water, if the weather 

 be dry. Those remaining in the seed-bed, thin to six or eight inches' distance. Keep the whole clear 

 from weeds. In hoeing, loosen the ground about the plants, to promote their free vigorous growth. Some 

 plant In hollow drills, and earth up as in celery-culture, which produces very large stems. The main 

 crops will attain a mature useful size in September, October, and November ; and continue in perfection 

 all winter and the following spring. When frost is expected, a part may be taken up, and laid in sand. 

 The late-sown crop will continue till May, without running to stalk. 



3837. To save seed. Transplant some best full plants, in February or the beginning 

 of march, into a sunny situation, or in a row near a south fence. They will shoot in 

 summer, in single tall seed-stalks. Support them, as necessary, with stakes ; and they 

 will produce ripe seed in September. Cut the ripe heads with part of the stalk to each ; 

 tie two or three together, and hang up under cover, to dry and harden the seed thoroughly, 

 when it may be rubbed out, cleaned, and put by for future service. (Abercrombie.) 



Subsect. 3. Chive. Allium Schcenoprasum, L. (Eng. Bot. 2438. ) Hex. Monog. L. 

 and Asphodelece, B. P. Civette, Fr. ; Binsenlauch, Ger. ; and Cipoletta, Ital. 



3838. The chive, or cive, is a hardy perennial plant, a native of Britain, and found in 

 meadows and pastures, though but rarely. The leaves rise from many small bulbous 

 roots connected in bunches ; are awl-shaped, thread-like, and produced in tufts. The 

 flowers are white, tinged with reddish-purple, and appear on round stalks in June. 



3839. Use. Chives, when gathered, are cut or shorn by the surface, and on this ac- 

 count are generally named in the plural. The foliage is employed as a salad ingredient 

 in spring, being esteemed milder than onions or scallions. Occasionally the leaves and 

 roots are taken together, slipped to the bottom singly in small separate cibols, in lieu of 

 young onions in the spring for salads. They are also used as a seasoning to omelets, 

 soups, &c. 



3840. Culture. Chives may be planted in any common soil and situation. The plant is propagated by 

 slips ; or by dividing the roots in the spring or autumn. Plant them in any bed or border, from eight to 

 twelve inches apart ; they will soon increase into large bunches. In gathering the leaves for use, cut 

 them close, and others will shoot up in succession. A bed lasts three or four years ; after which period 

 it must be renewed, by dividing the roots. 



Subsect. 4. Garlic. Allium sativum, L. (Moris, s. 4. t. 15. f. 9.) Hexandria Monogy- 

 nia, L. and Asphodelece, B. P. AH, Fr. ; Knoblauch, Ger. ; and Aglio, Ital. 



3841. The garlic is a hardy perennial bulbous-rooted plant, growing naturally in 

 Sicily and the south of France. The leaves are linear, long, and narrow. The bulb is 

 composed of a dozen or fifteen subordinate bulbs, called cloves. It flowers in June and 

 July, and has been cultivated in this country since 1548. 



3842. Use. It is cultivated for the sake of the bulb, which is used in various kinds 

 of dishes, being in general introduced only for a short period into the dish while cooking, 

 and withdrawn when a sufficient degree of flavor has been communicated. It is. much 

 more used in foreign, and especially in Italian, cookery than in ours. It is occasionally 

 also prescribed in medicine. 



3843. Culture. Garlic is propagated by planting the cloves on subdivisions of the bulb, and prefers 

 " a light dry soil, rich, but not recently dunged. In February, March, or beginning of April, having 

 some large full bulbs, divide them into separate cloves, and plant them singly in beds, in rows lengthwise. 

 Set them from six to nine inches asunder, two or three inches deep, either in drills or in holes made with 

 a blunt-ended dibble. In placing the cloves in drills, thrust the bottom a little into the ground, and earth 

 them over the proper depth. The plants will soon come up: keep them clear from weeds. The bulbs 

 will be full-grow n in July or beginning of August." 



3844. Taking the crop. " The maturity of the bulbs is discoverable by the leaves changing yellowish, 

 in a decaying state ; when they may be taken wholly up. Continue the stalky part of the leavos to each 

 root : spread them in the sun to dry and harden, and then tie them in bunches by the stalks, and house 

 them to keep for use, as wanted ; they will remain good till next spring and summer. If, in their ad- 

 vancing growth, some are required for present use, before attaining maturity, a few of the early planting 

 may be drawn in May or June ; but permitting the general supply to attain full growth as above." (Aber- 

 crombie.) 



Subsect. 5. Shallot. Allium ascalonicum, L. (Mor. His. s. 4. t. 14. f. 3.) Hexan- 

 dria Monogynia. L. and Asphodelece, B. P. Echalote, Fr. ; Schalotte, Ger. ; and 

 Scalogni, Ital. 

 3845. The shallot is a bulbous-rooted perennial, a native of Palestine, found, as the 



trivial name imports, near Ascalon. Some old authors denominate it the barren onion, 



