466. Importance

This perennial, which is native to southern Europe, is a member of the onion family, but is much stronger than the onion in flavor. It is used mainly for flavoring, especially by the foreign population. The sales, however, are very limited in American cities.

467. Culture

The bulbs are compound, inclosing with a thin, white, membranous covering about 10 bulb-lets, called cloves. Propagation is effected by planting the cloves early in spring or in the fall in mild climates. The soil should be fertile and well drained. Sandy loams are preferred. The cloves are covered with 1 or 2 inches of soil, 4 to 6 inches apart with about 1 foot between rows. The plants die down in the early fall, when the bulbs may be harvested, cured and stored under the same conditions that are favorable for onions.