Allium aggregatum. This species of Allium has received the above appellations, on account of its producing a cluster of bulbs or offsets, in number from two to twelve, and even more, uniformly beneath the surface of the soil. From being first introduced to public notice in Scotland by Captain Burns of Edinburgh, it is there also known as the Burn Onion.

Varieties

There evidently appear to be two varieties of this vegetable, one of which bears bulbs on the summit of its steins, like the tree onion, and the other never throwing up flower stems at all. One variety is much larger than the other, and this vegetates again as soon as ripe.

Both varieties are best propagated by offsets of the root of moderate size, for if those are employed which the one variety produces on the summit of its stems, they seldom do more than increase in size the first year, but are prolific the next; this also occurs if very small offsets of the root are employed.

Planting

They may be planted during October or November, or as early in the spring as the season will allow, but not later than April. They are either to be inserted in drills, or by a blunt dibble, eight inches apart each way, not buried entirely, but the top of the offset just level with the surface. Mr. Maher, gardener at Arundle Castle, merely places the sets on the surface, covering them with leaf-mould, rotten dung, or other light compost. The beds they are grown in are better not more than four feet wide, for the convenience of cultivation.

Cultivation

The only cultivation required is to keep them clear of weeds. The practice of earthing the mould over them when the stems have grown up is unnatural, and by so doing the bulbs are blanched and prevented ripening perfectly, on which so much depends their keeping. So far from following this plan, Mr. Wedgewood, of Betley, recommends the earth always to be cleared away down to the ring from whence the fibres spring, as soon as the leaves have attained their full size and begin to be brown at the top, so that a kind of basin is formed round the bulb. As soon as they vegetate, they intimate the number of offsetts that will be produced, by showing a shoot for each.

They attain their full growth towards the end of July; for immediate use they may be taken up as they ripen, but for keeping, a little before they attain perfect maturity, which is demonstrated by the same symptoms as were mentioned in speaking of the onion.