CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 383 



The Egyptian (Perennial Tree Onion) is a perfectly 

 hardy variety of medium quality, valued for fall plant- 

 ing in the North to produce early spring bunching 

 onions. (544.) 



FOREIGN TYPES 



The bulbs of Bermuda, Spanish and Italian onions are 

 much larger than those of the American class. They 

 also require a longer season to mature and are not so 

 hardy. The flesh is more tender, and milder, but the 

 bulbs do not keep as well as those of American onions. 

 They are nearly always started under glass in this 

 country, even in southern districts. 



Prizetaker seed was first grown in California from a 

 shipment of Spanish bulbs. The variety has become very 

 popular in the United States, especially for the trans- 

 planting system of culture. The bulbs are very large, 

 often weighing more than a pound; bright yellow, thin 

 skin; flesh white, fine-grained, mild, with a delicate 

 flavor. They possess only fair keeping qualities. 



White Italian Tripoli produces very large, white, 

 flattened bulbs. 



Gigantic Gibraltar and Denia produce bulbs similar 

 to those of the Prizetaker, but require more time to 

 mature. They are also milder in flavor. 



Red Bermuda, White Bermuda and Crystal Wax are 

 the leading varieties of Bermuda onions. 



530. Climatic requirements. — Fortunately, it is possi- 

 ble to select varieties suitable to a wide range of climatic 

 conditions. The most tender sorts of the foreign types, 

 as the Bermuda onions, thrive in some parts of Texas, 

 Florida and Southern California, and do well at the 

 North when started under glass. They often, too, pro- 

 duce excellent crops when sown in the open, under the 

 most favorable conditions. All the American varieties 



