856 



'v^EEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



the middle, much longer than the leaves; leaves subterete, fistular, 

 somewhat ventricose ; umbel g-lobose, usually capsule- bearing ; spathe 

 1- or finally 2-valved, v/ith a short acumination. 

 Onion. Garden Onion. 



Fr. Oignon. Gei'm. Die Zwiebel. Span. Cebolla. 



jBmZ6 depressed or turnip-shaped, large (2-3 inches in horizontal diameter). Scape 2-3 

 feet high, terete, often an inch or more in diameter in the most ventricose portion, smooth, 

 glaucous. Leaves 6 inches to a foot or more in length. Urtibel 2-3 inches in diameter — tha 

 •pedicels filiform. Spaihe greenish-white. Sepals lance-oblong, white with a green keel. 

 Outer stamens about as long as the calyx,, spreading — ^the inner ones nearly twice as long, 

 erect ; filaments white, the 3 inner ones m-uch dilated at base, obscurely toothed. 



Gardens and fi.elds : cultivated. Native country unknown. Fl. July. Fr. September. 



Obs. This species — universally known and cultivated, as a culinary 

 vegetable — is by far the most valuable of the genus. The culture is car- 

 ried to a great extent in some favorable localities, — as at Wethersfield, 

 Connecticut. There is a variety with bulb-bearing umbels, or heads, 

 sometimes to be seen in gardens. The expressed juice of the Onion is a 

 popular reir.edy for the croup, in children. Its stimulating quality is 

 thus playfully alluded to, by Shakspeare, in the Taming of the Shrew : 



"-And if the boy have not a woman's gift, 

 To rain a shower of commanded tears. 

 An Onion v*:ill do well for such a shift ; 

 Which in a napkin being close conveyed, 

 Shall in despite enforce a watery cj-e." 



Umhel bearing only Jlowers and^ ccipsules. 

 f Leaves fiat. 



4. A. Por'rum, L. Scape rising from the centre of a simple bulb, terete, 

 leafy to the middle ; leaves broad, somewhat channelled or folded, and 

 keeled, acute ; umbel globose ; sepals with a rough keel ; stamens a lit- 

 tle exserted. 



Leek Allium. Leek. Garden Leek. 



Fr. Porreau. Genn. Gemeiner Lauch. Span. Puerro. 



Bulh middle-sized. Scape 2-3 feet high, stout and solid. Leaves distichously arranged 

 on the lower half of the scape, 6-12 inches long, and about an inch wide at base, with the 

 margin sometimes ciliat?. ^paf/ie with a long acumination. ITmtieZ globose, dense, rather 

 large (2 inches or more in diameter) ; pedicels of the flowers clavato. Calyx pale violet- 

 purple. Filaments white. 



Gardens : cultivated. Native of Europe. Fl. July. Fr. September. 



Obs. This species— which is regarded as a sort of national cmbleiE 

 by the Welsh, is thus noticed by the poet, Gay : 



" Leek to the Welsh, to Dutchmen butter 's dear, 

 Of Irir.h swains potato is the cheer ; 

 Oats /or their feasts the Scottish shepherds grind." 



Cultivated for use in soups. 



I f Leaves terete, hollow. 



