Planting and Cultivation.—Garlic thrives best in a light, well-enriched soil; and the bulbs should be planted in April or May, an inch deep, in rows or on ridges, fourteen inches apart, and five or six inches apart in the rows. "All the culture necessary is confined to keeping the ground free from weeds. When the leaves turn yellow, the plants may be taken up; and, having been dried in the sun, they should be tied up in bunches by the stalks, and suspended in a dry, airy room, for use."—Thomp.
Use.—It is cultivated for its bulbs, or cloves, which possess more of the flavor of the onion than any other alliaceous plant. These are sometimes employed in soups, stews, and other dishes; and, in some parts of Europe, are eaten in a crude state with bread. "It is not cultivated to any considerable extent in this country; its strong flavor, and the offensive odor it communicates to the breath, causing it to be sparingly used in our cookery.
"Where attention is paid to culture, the Common Garlic will attain a size of seven and a half inches in circumference, each bulb; whereas, when grown negligently and unskilfully, it does not attain half that size. Twenty ordinary bulbs weigh one pound."—M'Int.
Early Rose Garlic.
Early Pink.
This is a sub-variety of the Common Garlic. The pellicle in which the small bulbs are enclosed is rose-colored; and this is its principal distinguishing characteristic. It is, however, nearly a fortnight earlier.
For culinary purposes, it is not considered superior to the Common Garlic. Propagation and cultivation the same; though, in warm climates, the bulbs are sometimes planted in autumn.
Great-Headed Garlic. Vil.
Allium ampeloprasum.
This species is a hardy perennial, and is remarkable for the size of its bulbs; which, as in the foregoing species and variety, separate into smaller bulbs, or cloves. The leaves and stem somewhat resemble those of the leek; the flowers are rose-colored, and are produced at the extremity of the stalk, in large, regular, globular heads, or umbels; the seeds are similar to those of the Common Garlic, but are seldom used for reproduction; the cloves, or small bulbs, being generally employed for this purpose. It is used and cultivated as the Common Garlic.