376 Account of the different Varieties of the Onion. 



before any can be obtained from either autumnal or spring 

 sowings of other kinds ; on this account the two-bladed Onion 

 is particularly valuable. 



14th. The Lisbon Onion. This has been called the Early 

 Lisbon, and the White Lisbon Onion. It varies in shape, but 

 is for the most part, globular ; it attains to a large size, and 

 is of a bright white colour, its skin being smooth and thin. It 

 grows about two-thirds below the surface of the ground, and 

 has very strong fibres, with a coarse thick neck, and large 

 leaves which preserve their verdure late. It is slow in 

 coming to maturity, so that if sown in the spring, at the 

 same time with other Onions, it will not ripen well ; but 

 though tardy in ripening, it is hardy, and is therfore much 

 used for autumnal sowing, for which purpose it is preferable 

 to the Welsh Onion, because it is milder as a green Onion 

 in spring salads. The plants of the autumnal sowing, which 

 are not destined for spring use, do well if pricked out from 

 the seed-bed in April ; they then form fine large bulbs, which 

 ripen well in the autumn. The seed of this Onion is always 

 imported, principally from the South of France. 



I apprehend that the fourteen kinds of Onions above 

 described, are all that can be considered as distinct varieties ; 

 for though I am aware of several Onions, the names of which 

 are to be found in printed catalogues of garden seeds, as well 

 as in the shops of seedsmen ; yet I have little doubt that when 

 such are grown, they will be found referable to some one of 

 the preceding kinds. In the Bon Jardinier for 1818, two 

 sorts are mentioned, which I did not receive from France, 

 the Ognon Pyriforme, and the Ognon Blanc de Florence ; 



