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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



resembles the Shallot in habit, growth, and increase, the bulbs 

 or offsets planted in November throwing off several others in 

 the ensuing year, and ripening off early. This form is seldom 

 grown in gardens now. The common Garlic (Allium sativum) 

 was once widely grown, but now is seldom found. It is of such 

 very strong, rank flavour that more cultivated tastes on the part 

 of humanity would seem to have rendered Garlic unacceptable 

 as a flavouring ingredient. This is grown from cloves or offsets 

 planted both in the autumn and spring. The Rocambole {Allium 

 Scorodoprasum), a native of Denmark, is now much less cultivated 

 than is the Garlic. The stems will produce clusters of bulblets 

 at the top, and these may be saved and planted in due season. 

 Ordinarily, however, the cloves of the underground bulbs are 

 best for planting. There is one more section of the cultivated 

 Onion that needs reference. This is the tree form, one that is 

 very curious and interesting, and where grown now it is gene- 

 rally more as a curiosity than otherwise. This is from Allium 

 2)roliferum, and there would seem to be two forms — the Egyptian 

 and the Catawissa. Both throw up from the planted bulbs stout 

 stems as do the common Onion ; but whilst the latter produces 

 clusters or head of flowers and seed, the former produces clusters 

 of bulblets of a brownish-red colour ; and sometimes from strong 

 ones of these other stems will break out and produce much 

 smaller clusters of bulbs. All these will keep for planting to 

 form new stock. Whilst the Egyptian form produces a new tier 

 of bulbs rarely, the Catawissa, which is a somewhat stronger 

 grower, will do so commonly. Neither variety has special useful- 

 ness to recommend it. The Welsh or pipe-leaved Onion {Allium 

 fistulosum) is perhaps less known than any other, and is only 

 mentioned to show that it sometimes ranks amongst cultivated 

 forms. 



Now the object of this paper is not the furnishing of a mere 

 rdstcmc of forms or species. We propose to limit what further 

 is said exclusively to the Onion proper of our gardens and com- 

 merce, and of which so many wonderfully fine examples are 

 shown to-day. Amongst the various subjects which from time 

 to time undergo the somewhat severe ordeal of a trial at Chiswick, 

 Onions have this year been included, and, in spite of a season that 

 lias proved to be of exceptional difficulty to all 0 nion growers, 

 the trial of numerous varieties proved to be a very successful and 



