40 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



as some kinds, but they are most valuable for spring 

 use, and as they bulb early in the summer they are 

 more valuable. The Giant Rocca types are notable for 

 their size, colour, and good flavour. These are milder 

 than others, and are excellent for cooking whole as 

 a vegetable. There are several varieties, and all are 

 good, in the- Rocca section, but I must not omit 

 the small Silver Skinned varieties and White Queen. 

 These are much liked for their delicate flavour. Much 

 the same advice holds good as to distance and soil, but 

 the latter need not be so highly manured, as the seed- 

 lings remain in the seed bed till February or March, 

 when they are planted out in rows twelve to fifteen 

 inches apart, and nine inches apart in the row. The 

 autumn sown onions are not keepers, but, on the other 

 hand, the spring sown should get cool storage j for 

 cold does no harm if the bulbs are not damp. I have 

 suspended them when roped to the roof of an open 

 shed. If in rooms, they should be laid thinly on racks, 

 so that the air can circulate freely round them, and 

 they should be often turned to keep the bulbs dry. 



LEEKS 



The Leek, like the Onion, has of late years found 

 more favour among growers, and is now a favourite 

 exhibition vegetable, but, whilst valuing the improve- 

 ment made, I am not sure that when the leek is grown 

 nearly a yard long it is as useful as a thick, short plant 

 such as the Lyon, with from six to nine inches of 

 blanched stem. To get the leek of a large size it is often 

 sown in heat or under glass, as advised in order to obtain 

 large onions, but excellent produce may be obtained 

 by sowing in February on a warm border, planting out 

 in trenches with ample manure as soon as large enough 

 to handle. On the other hand, in heavy soils or cold 



