10, are
those which have been allowed to grow to maturity and have then been
cured, or dried, to a certain extent. Such onions are in demand at all
seasons. _Green onions_, also shown in Fig. 10, are those which are
pulled, or taken out of the ground, before they have matured and are
eaten while fresh. They are especially popular in the spring, although
they have a rather long season. Each of these classes has many
varieties, which vary in flavor and in color, some of the dried ones
being yellow, some red, and others white. All dried onions have
excellent keeping qualities, so, after purchasing, no special care need
be given to them except to store them in a comparatively cool, dry
place. Deterioration is due chiefly to sprouting, for as soon as the new
plant begins to grow from the center of the onion, the remainder becomes
soft and loses much of its flavor. The green, immature onions, however,
will not keep for any length of time, and in order to keep them fresh
until they are used, they must be stored in a cool, damp place.
[Illustration: FIG. 11]
43. GARLIC.--The variety of onion known as garlic is very much desired
by the people of southern Europe, where it originated. As Fig. 10 shows,
it resembles the onion in appearance, but it consists of several parts,
or small bulbs, called _cloves_, which are encased in a covering of thin
white skin. Garlic has a very strong penetrating odor and a biting taste
that resemble the odor and taste of onion, but that are much ranker.
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