THE ON'ION". 



209 



THE ONION. 

 By Mr. A. Dean, F.R.H.S. 

 [Bead October 24, 1893.] 



Unquestionably the Onion is entitled to rank amongst the 

 oldest of cultivated garden vegetables. Except that the ordinary 

 garden forms are derived from Allium Cepa, it is not absolutely 

 certain as to its native habitat ; but M. Kegel, junr., having 

 discovered in Turkestan a bulb which had every appearance of 

 the wild Onion, that incident has led to the belief that Allium 

 Cepa is a native of that portion of Asia. Bf. Yilmorin, in his 

 admirable book " The Vegetable Garden," tells us that it has 

 also been found in the Himalayas. How very interesting, there- 

 fore, would it be now could we have before us for comparison bulbs 

 of the species and the giant Onions of to-day ! The same autho- 

 rity tells us that the culture and use of the Onion dates back to 

 remote antiquity, its strong flavour being in man's somewhat 

 barbaric period evidently much appreciated, and it seems to have 

 been carried for cultivation into every part of the world. But of 

 cultivated forms of the Allium, the common Onion does not stand 

 alone. Perhaps to-day the next most popular is the Leek, the 

 national emblem of 'Wales, and so much appreciated in Scotland ; 

 also here now becoming very popular, not only because its culture 

 is perhaps better understood, but also because in the fine varieties 

 of to-day we have such as present most acceptable food when 

 properly cooked. Whilst the Onion has been encouraged to 

 make bulb or base, the Leek has equally been encouraged to 

 eliminate base or bulb, and to develop stem, so that now we 

 often see these latter perfectly blanched, of snowy whiteness, 

 and from twelve to fourteen inches in length. The Leek is 

 Allium Porrum, and declared to be a native of Switzerland. 

 However, that one form affords of itself ample material for a 

 paper of this character. The Shallot, the product of Allium 

 ascalonicum, a native of Palestine, next commands attention, 

 as being widely grown. This still has wide popularity for its 

 pleasant nutty flavour, is very easily grown from year to year 

 from small cloves or bulbs, and is found in nearly all good 

 gardens. A very old Onion is that known as the "Potato" or 

 " Underground," derived from Allium aggregation. It very much 



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