294 TEGETABT.r. STBSTANCES. 



arisen at the time of the battle of Cressy. In the play 

 of Henry V, Fluellin, addressing the King, observes, 



' Yonr grandfather of famous memory, an't please your Ma- 

 jesty, and your great uncle Edward the Flack f'rince of Wale?, 

 as I have read in the chronicles, fought a most prave pattle 

 here in France. 



' King Henry. They did, Fluellin. 



' Fluellin. Your Majesty says very true : if your Majesties 

 is remembered of it, the Welshmen did goot service in a gnr- 

 den where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth 

 caps, which your Majesty knows to this hour is an honourable 

 badge of the service ; and I do believe your Majesty takes no 

 scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy'a day.' Act 4, 

 Scene 7. 



Worlidge gives a good idea of the love of the Welsh 

 for these kinds of odoriferous vegetables. He says, ' I 

 have seen the greater part of a garden there stored with 

 leeks, and part of the remainder with onions and garlic.' 

 The hardiness and pungency of the leek both tend 

 to recommend it in those countries where few pot- 

 herbs are grown, and it seems to have great facility in 

 adapting itself to climate. The leek which is cultivated 

 in the colder parts of Scotland, and thence is called 

 tbe Scotch leek, is more hardy and also more pungent 

 than the broad-leaved variety, chiefly cultivated in 

 England. It was formerly a very favourite ingredient 

 in the ' cock-a-leekie ' of the Scotch, which is so 

 graphically described in ' The Fortunes of Nigel ;' 

 and of which James the First is reported to have been 

 so fond that he retained his preference for it notwith- 

 standing all the dainties of London cookery. 



This species requires more boiling than others of 

 the same genus, and, unless it be reduced nearly to a 

 pulp, it taints the breath in a very offensive manner. 

 The offensive odour of a vegetable is, however, no 

 evidence of unwholesomeness, provided the odour is 

 natural to it, and not the result of putrefaction.* 



* See the account of the Durion ; Library of Entertaining 

 Knowledge, volume on Timber Trees and Fruits, p. 404. 



