ROCAMBOLE  ,

Allium Scorodoprasum, a hardy bulbous perennial occurring in a wild state in sandy pastures and waste places throughout Europe, but not common in the south; in Britain it is rare, and found in the north of England and the south of Scotland . Its cultivation does not appear to be of ancient date; it is not mentioned by Greek and Roman authors, and there are only a small number of original common names among ancient peoples (A. de Candolle, Origin of Cultivated Plants, p . 72) . The plant is grown for its bulbs, which are smaller and milder than those of garlic, and consist of several cloves chiefly produced at the roots . The cloves are planted about the end of February or in March, and treated like garlic or shallot . When mature, the bulbs are taken up, dried and stored for use .