A little searching and my wife convince me that "sallet" means salad made of whatever greens that were available. Hence "Sallet Onions" as your grandfather said.
Is it possible that these short Sallets would still be growing where they used to grow?
You might also ask any oldsters that still have gardens.
Good luck.

Thanks coho. As for the meaning of "sallet" (I've seen it spelled sallet, sallit, sallat, as well as those ways but ending in "tt") it is a term that has been widely used here in the south for Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Kale, Collard Greens and most any other type of "greens" that would be boiled (usually with fatback, hog jowel, or ham hocks) and usually served with corbread and/or other vegetables. The onions were commonly eaten with the greens to compliment the taste of the greens. Hence, the name "Sallet" onions. Or, at least I believe that's the reason.

As for the onions growing where they used to, they probably would if not for the fact that they would have to have survived a bulldozer, grown up through a gravel bed, and then through about 5 or 6 inches of asphalt!! About 12 or 13 years ago, they changed the road through there and widened it. Great for motorists, but ruined my grandfather's old home place.

Most of the folks that gardened and were about the age of my grandfather are dead and gone. All of my grandfather's family (brothers, sisters, and the like) are dead. I've posed the question to several seniors in the area that say that they remember the onions but only knew them as "Sallet" onions and had no idea where I would find any. And so far, I've not run across any younger folks that have any idea what I'm talking about. So... I posted my question here!

But just the same, I thank you for your time.

The one thing that throws everything out of whack is that they set seed if left alone. That eliminates some of the multipliers. I think that all of the native wild onions will multiply from the bulbs but also spread by seeds. I would have thought that the nodding onion may have been the one involved here except that the bulb is red. The small size also eliminates virtually all currently available commercial types. It does remind me of a small wild one that we had around this area in small pockets. That was a good one and had white bulbs. Haven't found one in 40+ years!

Martin

Here is a link that might be useful: Heirloom Forum Thread

Just a thought.......

I wonder if you could get the mailing address from your father and write the current owner. Tell them your story and ask if they are still growing. Maybe they would be willing to sell or share some seeds. If they are gardeners, they might appreciate the history lesson of their "Sallet" onions.

Paquebot, you are now beginning to usnderstand a small part of what I have been going through in my search for these "Sallet" onions!! Every time I think I may have a good lead, the bulb color is wrong... the bulb size is wrong... the onions grow too tall... they don't produce seed... and so on. Some times I'd swear that I am looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack!! As for the 40 yr. span, that doesn't suprise me. My dad says that it has been between 45 and 50 years since he has eaten any of the onions.

New2GardenFL, I obtained the new owner information through the property tax office. The guy lives somewhere in one of the Dakotas. I've sent him a couple of letters explaining my plight. In one of them, I simply asked permission to walk over the property in the hopes of finding some reminents of these onions. The only response that I got back was one that informed me that no trespassing was allowed on his property and that violators would be prosecuted. Okay, for liability reasons, I understand, but... Despite the letter and a stern warning from my dad, I went out to the place one afternoon and quickly walked it over. The place where my dad said that the onions grew is now under a bed of gravel and inches of asphalt. The balance of the area has been bulldosed to raise, level, and grade the property. So, I feel that my efforts in that area are for naught.

Honestly, I am beginning to feel as though I am searching for water on Mars!! :>( I am afraid that the onions of my father's memory (like so many other things from the past) are forever lost to time and progress.

I have found a seed setting, white bunching onion called He-Shi-Ko. After showing a picture of them to my dad, he said that they reminded him of the onions of his youth, but said they looked a lot taller than he remembered. Have any of you had any experience with the He-Shi-Ko? If so, maybe you can tell me if they would even come close to the onions that I seek.

As always, thank you for your input and information.

Robert

Just a suggestion.

You are probably looking for a native allium so checking various native plant references may yield you some information. I have heard about types of "wild garlic" and ramps discussed on the forums. There are probably others and you may be looking for a local variety of native onion or garlic. Because they are notoriously tasty, I believe they may be locally rare or the locations highly guarded.

Good luck!

What about welsh onions or japanese bunching onions. I have them in the back yard, and I just leave them alone. The do bear seed heads and I use the greens in salads...They do die down a bit in winter. Are these the guys you are after

Hey mercury12,

I don't know if they are welsh or japanese bunching onions or not. About all I know about them is what I said originally and that they were onions that my grandfather grew from a start that he got from his father.

Thanks for the info just the same.

beebiz masquerading as beebiz43

Hi beebiz

I just got a catalog and found this is in onion section. It sounds a lot like what you described

Here is a link that might be useful: white bunching onions

Hey mercury12,

Thanks a bunch for the link. I don't know if those are the ones that I am looking for or not. In the description it says, "divides to produce new shoots throughout the season." And, my dad says that he thinks that the ones that his dad grew were only propagated by seeds. But, the description also says, "Easy from seed." So, I don't know. But, I think that I'm going to order a couple of packages from them and try them. Again, thanks for your help.

Robert (beebiz)

White Bunching onions (He-Shi-Ko is a variety) flower in spring and set seed. They also multiply by the shoots splitting at the base. Left to their own devices, they form a clump. You can pull up the clump and use the whole thing or reset one of the shoots to keep going. They are the first greens to come up in spring but aren't much good when flowering and can become pretty strong during a hot summer. Left to their own devices in poor soil, they don't grow very big but they sure persevere. However, they don't have bulbs - just a white section the width of the shoot. I like them for early spring scallions in salad or sallet or however you say it. (Sallet was the original English form of the word)

Hey oldroser,

Thank you for the information... it helps. My father said that he didn't think that the onions multiplied by any means other than seed. But, he also said, "I couldn't stick my head in the ground and watch them, so I don't know for sure!" The Allium family is a family that I know very little about. In the past I have just bought sets in the spring and set them in a row for green onions and for bulb onions. Daddy very seldom says that he "wants" anything. So when he said that he sure would love to find some of the sallet onions like his father used to grow, I thought I'd try to locate them for him.

Thank you again for your help and information.

Robert (beebiz)

I have an onion that produces flowers, multilplys from one to twenty in a year, survives total neglect, and if it is unweeded, grows to about 9" at the most. If in good soil and weeded it will get closer to 28". In any case it has a great taste. I am not positive on my I.D. But I think that this may be beltsville bunching. I would love to obtain a positive ID beltsville bunching but that is another matter. If you want to try this one out let me know, I think I could spare one or two.

Were they "Egyptian" or "walking " onions? We used to grow those in the mts. Sometimes they're called multiplying onions. People grow them along a fence row and they take care of themselves pretty much. The sets develop on the top of the plant. Probably not want you're looking for but just thought I'd mention them.

These sound a lot like chives to me.

As I read all the posts, chives was what came to mind to me also.

s

I know this is geting to be an old form but i was woundering if you figured out what you dad was talking about. I to have what the call Egyptian or walking onions my family calls the winter onions. The ones ive got growing out back came from my grandma so i bet they can go back some ways. Anyway as what one of the other posters said they take care of themself Since i just the onion last year and its been a while since ive been aound and i dont know if they drop there bulbs to the ground or not.

Someone at the Cooperative Extension office for the County where they grew might have the answer.

I search the internet for a defintion of sallot and salot and none turned up-except a few green recipies a helmet.. I doubt the onion is called sallot. We used to have wild onions growing on our property that sound very similar to what you describe. If the onions come back this year, I'll contact you.