206 ENGLISH BOTANY. 
in a ball ultimately about the size of a small nutmeg, the largest 
bulbules attaining the size of peas. 
Var. y is usually a smaller plant than vars @ and §, at least when 
cultivated side by side of them, but differs only in the flowers being far 
fewer, much more tinged with rose-colour, and the peduncles of some 
of them often much longer than the others, and bearing a bulbule 
as well as several flowers at the apex (these branched peduncles, 
however, are often not present), and at the base of the peduncles 
there are a large number of bulbules, which at length are compacted 
into a ball from the size of a greengage plum to that of an apricot, 
the largest bulbules attaining nearly the size of a hazel-nut. The 
spathe sometimes splits round the base and falls off as in vars. « and , 
but it is often ruptured longitudinally by the head-bulbules increas- 
ing in size before the spathe is ready to drop. 
I have for some years cultivated the three forms above mentioned, 
and cannot believe them to be distinct, even as subspecies. The 
presence or absence of head-bulbules, and their number, is liable to 
great variation in many species of the genus Allium ; and I am inclined 
to believe that bulbiferous plants are produced by head-bulbules, and 
capsuliferous examples from seeds; but in the present species I have 
never been able to obtain ripe seeds of A. Babingtonii with which to 
experiment. 
My living plants of var. « were originally obtained from Mr. Borrer 
from Steep Holmes; those of var. 6 were raised from the head-bulbules 
of a dried specimen, gathered by Mr. F. A. Hanbury from the 
Artillery Barracks, Guernsey, in 1862; those of var. Babingtonii, 
from roots and head-bulbules of recent specimens kindly sent from 
Great Arran Island by Dr. Perceval Wright, and from head-bulbules 
from Besington, Dorset, from a dried specimen collected by Mr. I. C. 
Mansel; and also from Poltesco, Lizard, Cornwall, from a dried speci- 
men sent by Mr. T. B. Flower. 
Wild Leek. 
French, Ail poireau. German, Runder Lauch. 
The Leek is eaten as a potherb in Great Britain, as well as the garlic and onion. 
The Welsh and the Scotch are alike fond of these herbs. No reader of Walter Scott 
will forget the ‘partiality of King Jamie for “ cock-a-leekie.”” In the “ Royal Apo- 
phthegms ”’ of James L., it is asserted that the ‘‘ Welsh men, in commemoration of the 
great fight by the Black Prince of Wales, do wear Leeks as their chosen ensign ;” 
and some lines from the Harleian MSS., quoted in Hone’s “ Eyery-Day Book,” 
have been adduced in support of this view :— 
*T like the Leeke above all herbes and flowres, 
When first we wore the same the field was ours. 
The Leeke is white and grene, whereby is ment 
That Britaines are both stout and eminent. 
Next to the lion and the unicorn, 
The Lecke’s the fairest emblym that is worn,” 
