190 GARDENING. 



cellar. A few of the largest of these are set out in 

 the spring for seed ; and, when this is perfectly ripe, 

 the stems are cut and the seed left in the capsules 

 for use; as experience shows that, preserved in 

 this way, it retains its germinating power much 

 longer than if threshed immediately after ripening. 



The leek is the Allium Porrum of the botanists, 

 and a native of the southern parts of Europe. In 

 Spain it has become one of the scourges of agricul- 

 ture, as the fields are literally infested with it. In 

 no country is this plant eaten alone, excepting per- 

 haps in Spain, and the more southern provinces of 

 France ; but in many countries it is employed in 

 the composition of soups. The culture of it resem- 

 bles entirely that of the onion, excepting only that 

 it requires more water. Of its many varieties we 

 have seen only the long and the short. The former 

 is the milder of the two ; the latter the more bul- 

 bous, acrid, and hardy. 



The eschalot (Allium Ascalonicum) is said to be a 

 native of Palestine. Of this there are three sub- 

 varieties, two of which are generally found in gar- 

 dens, the large and the small. The bottoms of 

 these, when the plant is ripe, is composed of sev- 

 eral bulbs of different sizes, under a common cov- 

 ering, the larger of which are taken for culinary 

 uses, and the smaller kept for planting. The cul- 

 ture of these bulbs does not differ from that of the 

 common, or of the Canadense varieties of the onion. 



The cive (Cepula) is a small plant much used in 

 soups and salads. Of this there are three sub- 

 varieties, the Cepula Minor, Cepula Britannica, and 

 Cepula Major. The bulbs of all grow in clusters, 

 and the plant is usually propagated by separating 

 these into small tufts (half a dozen of the roots to- 

 gether) every third or fourth year, and setting them 

 out in borders or in beds eight or ten inches apart. 

 The leaves only are used, and, to have these tender, 

 they must be cut often. In the fall and on the ap- 



