ONION. The species from which the varieties of the common onion have been derived is tho sf ilium Ccpe. Its uses are almost uni. vernally known, and its cultivation is practised in most countries). It was used and liked in Egypt; and the Israelites, under Moses, murmured that they could no more procure it. (Numb., xi. 5.) In Great Britain it has been naturalised from an early date, but is not supposed to be indigenous. The range of latitude within which it may be grown extends from the tropics almost to the coldest verge of the, temperate zone. Its leaves and roots are of an annual nature, inasmuch as they die in the course of a single summer, after perfecting a bulb ; the latter however is biennial, and capable of putting forth fresh roots and leaves in the following season, and of acquiring an increase in its size.
Onions will succeed in any good rich soil, provided it be neither too wet and adhesive, nor, on the other hand, too dry and light. They may even be growu successively on the same spot for a number of years, contrary to what happens with the majority of crops. Abund ance of well-prepared manure should be thoroughly incorporated in digging the soil. The dung of pigeons and poultry is used with advantage ; and some, particularly the French gardeners, prefer sheep-dting.
The time of sowing the general crop is from the middle of February to the middle of April, according to the state of the ground and of the weather; but early sowing is best. The seeds may be sown broad east or in very shallow drills : the latter mode admits of the ground being more easily stirred ou the surface and kept clean.' In either case the seeds should be covered as lightly as possible.
When the leaves indicate, by the general yellowness of their points, that their office has been performed, the necks should be bent, and the bulbs pulled up soon after, and spread no that their fibres and stems may dry and wither in the sun. They may then be stored up in any dry airy situation.
Very large onions may be obtained by Rowing thickly in April on poor soil, so that the produce in the first summer may be of small size. The crop is then taken up as above directed, and the smallest and firmest are selected for planting in rich and well-prepared soil in the following spring.
For a supply of young onions in spring, the sowing should be made in August. Onions are sometimes attacked by a grub at the root. Trenching the soil to a good depth, soot, charcoal-dust, and lime-water, have severally been successfully applied as remedies.
The following are the principal varieties : Early Si1rcr-skinned—valuable only on account of its earliness. Silrer-skinned—moderately large, fiat, shining, white, mild.
Portugal—large, oblate, imported largely from the country of which it bears the name, but only adapted for a supply during the early part of winter ; quality rather mild.
Tripoli—the largest of all the varieties : oval, or somewhat flattened, light red, mild, but does not keep long.
Spanish, or Reading—large, flat, white, mild; resembles the but is better adapted for cultivation in this climate.
Strasburg—large, flat or globular, light red, tinged with green, strong flavoured, and keeps well.
Deptford and Globc—are sub-varieties of the preceding, of milder quality, and yield generally good crops.
James's Keeping—large, pyriferm, brownish-red; keeps remarkably well • flavour strong.
Ill ood-red— mhblle-sized, flat, deep red ; keeps well, but of the strongest flavour, on which account it is medicinally preferred to the other varieties.
Yellow or Straw-coloured (e/non paillc ou jaune of the French)— small, globular, firm, valuable for pickling.
Two-Gladed—small, rounslish, green, with little foliage.
There are at host twenty varieties of the onion, of which the silver skinned, two-bladed, and yellow are chiefly grown for pickling. The Portugal and Spanish can only be produced in England by means of transplanting, and growing for two summers. In Portugal it is sawn in November and transplanted in April or May. The Potato or Under ground Onion forms numerous bulbs below the surface, which attain maturity early in the sammer. The Tree or lkdb-bearing Onion bears instead of flowers, small bulbs, which, being planted in spring, produce ground onions of good size, and very high flavoured.