VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION AND CULTURE. 301 



tables are scarce, and affords a very wholesome and agree- 

 able table luxury. The young shoots and leaf stalks, 

 before unfolding, are boiled and dressed like asparagus, 

 are employed in soups, and also make an agreeable salad. 



SHALLOT, OR ESCHALLOT.— {Allium Asoolonicum.) 



This is a plant of the onion tribe, which derives its 

 botanical name from growing wild at Ascalon, in Syria. 

 It has a strong taste, but as the strong flavor is not 

 offensive, like the garlic, and does not remain so long upon 

 the palate as the onion, it is often preferred. The root is 

 bulbous, similar to that of garlic in being divided into 

 cloves, included in a membrane. It rarely sends up a 

 flower-stock, and hence is often called the barren onion. 



The best sorts are the Common and the Long-Keeping, 

 of which last the bulbs have been kept two years. The 

 " Big Shallot" of our gardens is Rocambole. 



Culture. — It is propagated from the offsets of the roots* 

 Prepare the beds as for the rest of the onion tribe, but it 

 will do with not quite as rich a soil. Let the soil be made 

 perfectly light and friable. The last of September is the 

 best time for planting the early crop, but they may be 

 planted any time during the autumn and winter. The 

 early planted ones come into use early in May. Make the 

 beds four feet wide, and mark them off in drills an inch 

 deep, ten or twelve inches distant, and put the offsets out 

 six inches apart in the drills. Do not cover deeply ; leave 

 the point of the clove just even with the surface of the 

 earth, and press the soil around. Keep the ground free 

 from weeds, but be particular, in hoeing, not to earth up 

 the bulbs. The leek is the only member of the onion 

 tribe that is not injured by gathering the earth about its 



