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ONION (Fr. oignon, Lat. unio, liberal...

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Originally appearing in Volume V20, Page 112 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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ONION (Fr. oignon, See also:Lat. unio, liberally unity, oneness, applied to a large See also:pearl and to a See also:species of onion)  , See also:Allium Cepa (nat. ord . See also:Liliaceae), a See also:hardy bulbous biennial, which has been cultivated in See also:Britain from See also:time immemorial, and is one of the earliest of cultivated See also:species; it is represented on See also:Egyptian monuments, and one variety cultivated in See also:Egypt was accorded divine honours . It is commonly cultivated in See also:India, See also:China and See also:Japan . A. de See also:Candolle, arguing from its See also:ancient cultivation and the antiquity of the See also:Sanskrit and See also:Hebrew names, regards it as a native of western See also:Asia . The See also:onion should be grown in an open situation, and on a See also:light, See also:rich, well-worked See also:soil, which has not been recently manured . In See also:England the See also:principal See also:crop may be sown at any time from the See also:middle of See also:February to the middle of See also:March, if the See also:weather is See also:fine and the ground sufficiently dry . The See also:seed should be sown in shallow drills, so in. apart, the ground being made as level and See also:firm as possible, and the See also:plants should be regularly thinned, hoed and kept See also:free from weeds . At the final thinning they should be set from 3 to 6 in. apart, the latter distance in very rich soil . About the beginning of See also:September the crop is ripe, which is known by the withering of the leaves; the bulbs are then to be pulled, and exposed on the ground till well dried, and they are then to be put away in a See also:store-See also:room, or See also:loft, where they may be perfectly secured from See also:frost and See also:damp . About the end of See also:August a crop is sown to afford a See also:supply of See also:young onions in the See also:spring months . Those which are not required for the See also:kitchen, if allowed to stand, and if the See also:flower-bud is picked out on its first See also:appearance, and the See also:earth stirred about them, frequently produce bulbs equal in See also:size and quality to the large ones that are imported from the See also:Continent . A crop of very large bulbs may also be secured by See also:sowing about the beginning of September, and transplanting See also:early in spring to very rich soil .

Another See also:

plan is to sow in May on dry poor soil, when a crop of small bulbs will be produced; these are to be stored in the usual way, and planted in rich soil about February, on ground made firm by treading, in rows about 1 ft. apart, the bulbs being set near the See also:surface, and about 6 in. asunder . The See also:White See also:Spanish and See also:Tripoli are See also:good sorts for this purpose . To obtain a crop of bulbs for pickling, seed should be sown thickly in March, in rather poor soil, the seeds being very thinly covered, and the surface well rolled; these arq not to be thinned, but should be pulled and harvested when ripe . The best sorts for this crop are the See also:Silver-skinned, Early Silver-skinned, Nocera and See also:Queen . Onions may be forced like See also:mustard and See also:cress if required for See also:winter salads, the seeds being sown thickly in boxes which are to be placed in a warm See also:house or See also:frame . The young onions are of course pulled while quite small . The See also:Potato Onion, Allium Cepa See also:var. aggregatum, is propagated by the lateral bulbs, which it throws out, under ground, in considerable See also:numbers . This variety is very prolific, and is useful when other sorts do not keep well . It is sometimes planted about midwinter, and then ripens in summer, but for use during the spring and early summer it is best planted in spring . It is also known as the under-ground onion, from its See also:habit of producing its bulbs beneath the surface . The See also:Tree Onion or Egyptian Onion, Allium Cepa var. proliferum, produces small bulbs instead of See also:flowers, and a few offsets also underground . These small See also:stem bulbs are excellent for pickling .

The Welsh Onion or Ciboule, Allium fistulosum, is a hardy perennial, native of See also:

Siberia . It was unknown to the ancients, and must have come into See also:Europe through See also:Russia in the middle ages or later . It forms no bulbs, but, on See also:account of its extreme hardiness, is sown in See also:July or early in August, to furnish a reliable supply of young onions for use in salads during the early spring . These bulbless onions are sometimes called Scallions, a name which is also applied to old onions which have stem and leaves but no bulbs . The following are among the best varieties of onions for various purposes : For Summer and Autumn.—Queen; Early White See also:Naples: these two sorts also excellent for sowing in autumn for spring salading . Silver-skinned; Tripoli, including See also:Giant Rocca . For Winter.—See also:Brown Globe, including Magnum Bonum; White Globe; Yellow See also:Danvers; White Spanish, in its several forms; Trebons, the finest variety for autumn sowing, attaining a large size early, ripening well, and keeping good till after See also:Christmas; Ailsa See also:Craig; Ronsham See also:Park See also:Hero; See also:James's Keeping; See also:Cranston's Excelsior; See also:Blood Red, strong-flavoured . For Pickling.—Queen, Early Silver-skinned, White Nocera, Egyptian .

End of Article: ONION (Fr. oignon, Lat. unio, liberally unity, oneness, applied to a large pearl and to a species of onion)
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