Changes

In 1587, Dalechamp <ref>Dalechamp, J. ''Hist. Gen. Pl.'' (Lugd.) 532. 1587.</ref> records with great surprise an onion plant which bore small bulbs in the place of seed.

Western New York to Wisconsin and southward. This and ''A. canadense'' formed almost the entire source of food for Marquette <ref>Case ''Bot. Index'' 34. 1880.</ref> and his party on their journey from Green Bay to the present site of Chicago in the fall of 1674.

Siberia, introduced into England in 1629<ref>Booth, W. B. ''Treas. Bot.'' 1:40. 1870.</ref>. The Welsh onion acquired its name from the German walsch (foreign)<ref>Pickering, C. ''Chron. Hist. Pls.'' 582. 1879.</ref>. It never forms a bulb like the common onion but has long, tapering roots and strong fibers<ref>Booth, W. B. ''Treas. Bot.'' 1:40. 1870.</ref>. It is grown for its leaves which are used in salads. McIntosh <ref>McIntosh, C. ''Book Gard.'' 2:41. 1855.</ref> says it has a small, flat, brownish-green bulb which ripens early and keeps well and is useful for pickling. It is very hardy and, as Targioni-Tozzetti <ref>Targioni-Tozzetti ''Journ. Hort. Soc. Lond.'' 9:147. 1855.</ref> thinks, is probably the parent species of the onion. It is mentioned by McMahon <ref>McMahon, B. ''Amer. Gard. Col.'' 582. 1806.</ref> in 1806 as one of the American garden esculents; by Randolph in Virginia before 1818; and was cataloged for sale by Thorburn in 1828, as at the present time.

Europe and the Orient. According to Heldreich<ref>Mueller, F. ''Sel. Pls.'' 19. 1880.</ref>, it yields roots which are edible.

''Allium obliquum'' Linn. Siberia. From early times the plant has been cultivated on the Tobol as a substitute for garlic<ref>Pickering, C ''Chron. Hist. Pls.'' 813. 1879.</ref>.