132 VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



All the seed that is full and plump will sink in water, and as 



the chaff and light- 

 er seeds float they 

 are readily separated 

 from the good seed 

 Some of the seed 

 that floats will 

 grow, but it is not 

 very desirable for 

 planting. The same 

 land that grows a 

 crop of onion seed is 

 sometimes used for 

 growing a crop of cu- 

 cumbers or melons at 

 the same time, since 

 the onions do not 

 shade the land or 

 take much nourish- 

 ment from it except 

 early in the spring. 



Pig"ure 55 — Onion plants in flower. 



COMMON GARLIC. (Allium sativum.) 



Native of southern Europe. — Perennial. — All parts of the 

 plant have the well-known strong burning taste. The bulbs 

 or beads are composed of about ten cloves enveloped Dy a very 

 thin, white or rose-colored membranous skin. The plant 

 hardly ever flowers and is grown by . means of the cloves, 

 for which purpose those on the outside of the cluster should 

 be used. These should be planted in good rich soil in about 

 the same way as onion sets. They should be gathered after the 

 bulb clusters are well formed. This vegetable is scarcely used 

 at the north, while in southern European countries it is quite 

 common. It is said that it has a much stronger burning taste 



