20 
* Gethyum, 
| — The nineteenth Booke'of 
Astouching theleaves of hearbs;fomieare aptto fall from their heads ortéps;as in Oziganand 
Elecampane,yea,and otherwhilesan Rue, if jomeinjurie bee doneuntoit. OF all other hearbs, 
the blades of Onionsand *Chibbols be moft hollow. Where by the way [cannot overpafle the 
foolith fuperftition of the Agyptians who ufe to {weare by Garlicke and Onions; calling them 
to witneffe in taking their othes,asif they were noleflethan fome gods,Of Onions,the Greekes 
have'devifed{undriekinds,to wit,the Sardian,Samothracian, Alfiden, Setanian, Schifta, {7.the 
cloven Onion Jand Afcalonia{#.the little Onions or Scalions raking that name of Afcalon,aci- 
tein Lurie. They have'all of themthis.propertie befides,to make ammans eies water, and to.fetch 
outteares, if onefinellto them, efpecially they of Cypros : but the Gnidian Onions leaftof all 
others caufé offe to weepe. In all kinds of themthebodie of the root confifteth of acertain fare 
tie pulpe or cartilage, Por quantitie the Setanian be Jeaft, except the Tulculane: howbeit, fiich 
are {weet. The cloven Onions and the Scalions aforefaid ,are proper for to make fauce of As tous 
ebing thatkind of them called Schifta,Gardiners leave them all winter in the ground with their 
6. 
H 
Teaves or head ftanding :in the Spring they pluck off the faidleaves,and then fhallyoufeefpring — 
forth others underneath, ‘according to the fame clifts and divifions, whereupon they tooke the 
name Schifta. After which example, the like pra@tifein all otherkinds is prefcribed, namely, 
to pull their leaves off,that they fhould grow rather big in root,than run up to feed. The Afcalo- 
nian Onions have: a proper nature and qualitie by themfelves : for they bee barren (as it were) 
fromthe root,and therefore the Greeks would have them to be fowed of {cedand nor otherwife 
to bee {ér of heads. Befides, that they fhould bee tranflated and replanted againe late about the 
Spring at what time as they put forth blade : for by this ufage (fay they) you thall have them bur- 
nifhand grow thicke, yea, and then make haft, foramends of the former time foreflipt. Thefe 
mutt be gathered betimes: for after they be once ripe quickly will they rot in the ground, if you 
make nocthe better haftto pluckethem up. If you fer or plant their heads, a ftalke they will put 
forth and feed upon it,but the Onion it felfe will confume and come to nothing. Moreover,there 
is a difference obferved in the colour of Onions: forthey that grow in Samos and Satdis, bee 
moft white. Thofe alfo of Candie be much efteemed: & fome there be, who make doubt whether 
they beerhe fame thatthe Afcalonian, orno? for that if they bee fowed of {eed , their heads or 
roots wil] grow big: ferthem,they will be all ftem and feed,and no head atall . Asfor the rellifh 
ortaftthac Onions have, there is no greatdiverfitie, butthat fome are {weeter than other. Our 
Onions here in Irali¢ beeall of two forts principally : the one which ferve for fauce to feafon our 
meats,which the Greckes call Gethyon Chibbols; but our countreymen the Latines, Pallaca- 
na ;thefe are fowne commonly in March, Aprill,and May : the other is the great headed Onion; 
and thefe be putinto the ground, either after the Aquinox in Autumne,or elfe after mid Febru- 
arie,when the Weft wind Favonius is aloft. Moreover, Onions are devided into fundrie forts, ac- 
cording to the degrees of their pleafant or unpleafant and harfhtaft;to wit the Affticane, french 
Tufculane, and Amiternium. Butevermore the beft arethe roundeft . Jtem, The red Onion is 
more keene and angrie than the white : the drie,and that which hath lien, is more eager & fharp 
than the greene,newly drawne: the raw alfo more than the fodden: and finally,the dreby irfelfe 
more than that which is condite and preferved in fome liquor forfauce. The Amiternium Oni- 
onis planted in cold and moift grounds: and this alone would bee fet of a head inmannerof 
Garlick cloves,whereas the reft will come of feed. Onions,the next Summer following after they 
be fowne,put forth no feed but head only, which groweth, and the leafe or {tem drieth and dieth, 
Burthe nextyeare after by way of interchange,it bringeth forth feedjand then the head rotteths _ 
And therfore every yeare they ufe to fow Onion-feed apart in one bed by irfelfe, forto have Oni- 
ons:& fet Onions for feed in other, by chemfelves. The beft way to keep Onions, is incorn,chaffe, 
and {uch like pugs.As for the Chibboll, it hath in manner no diftin¢t head atall,but only along 
necke, and therefore it runsin manner all to a greene blade: the order is to cut and fheare it of- 
ten in manner of porret or leekes.; which isthe caufe that they fowit alfo of feed, and do not fee 
it. Over and befides,before we fow Onion feed,the plor,by mens faying ought to have three dig« 
gingssforto killandrid cutof the ground the roots of hurtfull weeds:andten pound of feed or- 
dinarily will fow an acre.Here and there among, there wouldbe Saverey fowne for the better will 
the Onions like and profper with the companie of that hearbe.Alfo,aftcr the ground is fowne,it 
requireth weeding, farcling or raking foure times at leaft, if not oftener.Our neighbours in Ita- 
lie tow the Afcalonian Onion in the month of Febrnarie :whofe manner isalfo to gather a, 
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