Crops Grown for Their Leaves 229 
food to the underground parts. The plants will be more 
vigorous if the flower stalks, which appear in the early 
summer, are cut (not broken) as fast as they form. 
Chives. Chives are hardy perennials having small, 
onion-like bulbs and narrow, hollow, erect leaves 6 or 8 
inches in length. Left alone, the plants multiply rapidly 
and soon form dense mats. They are readily propagated 
by dividing and replanting the clumps in spring. A 
bunch of living plants for the first planting may be 
obtained from a seed frm. The plant will thrive in any 
garden soil. The leaves, which are used in seasoning 
salads, stews, and soups, may be cut repeatedly, as they 
come again quickly. 
In the northern states the plants will furnish green 
leaves during the winter if clumps of them are dug in 
late autumn, placed in flats, and given the protection 
of a cold frame or a spent hotbed. 
Shallots. The mature or resting plant of the shallot 
consists of a number of elongated and gray-colored 
bulblets (usually called ‘ cloves ’’) attached at the base 
to a common stem. These cloves are separated and 
planted with the stem-end down. In the North, planting 
is done inthe spring; in the South, it is usually done in 
the autumn. Each clove quickly makes a leafy growth 
and is soon ready for table use. 
If left undisturbed the basal bulb splits up into a 
number of new cloves. ‘These clusters may be cured like 
bulb onions and stored for winter use or for planting the 
following spring. Shallots are milder in flavor than most 
onions and are easily grown. They are deserving of 
more general culture in home gardens. 
