STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 37 



A. odorum Linn, fragrant-flowered garlic. 



Siberia. This onion is eaten as a vegetable in Japan.* 



A. oleraceum Linn, field garlic. 



Evirope. The young leaves are used in Sweden to flavor stews and soups or fried 

 with other herbs and are sometimes so employed in Britain but are inferior to those of 

 the cultivated garlic.^ 



A. porrum Linn. leek. 



Found growing wild in Algiers but the Bon Jardinier ' says it is a native of Switzer- 

 land. It has been cultivated from the earliest times. This vegetable was the prason 

 of the ancient Greeks, the porrum of the Romans, who distinguished two kinds, the capi- 

 tatum, or leek, and the sectile, or chives, although Colimiella,* Pliny,' and Palladius,' 

 indicate these as forms of the same plant brought about through difference of culture, the 

 chive-like form being produced by thick planting. In Europe, the leek was generally 

 known throughout the Middle Ages, and in the earlier botanies some of the figtires of the 

 leek represent the two kinds of planting alluded to by the Roman writers. In England, 

 1726, Townsend ' says that " leeks are mightily used in the kitchen for broths and sauces." 

 The Israelites complained to Moses of the deprivation from the leeks of Egypt during 

 their wanderings in the wilderness. Pliny * states, that in his time the best leeks were 

 brought from Egypt, and names Aricia in Italy as celebrated for them. Leeks were brought 

 into great notice by the fondness for them of the Emperor Nero who used to eat them for 

 several days in every month to clear his voice, which practice led the people to nickname 

 him Porrophagus. The date of its introduction into England is given as 1562, but it cer- 

 tainly was cultivated there earlier, for it has been considered from time immemorial as 

 the badge of Welshmen, who won a victory in the sixth century over the Saxons which 

 they attributed to the leeks they wore by the order of St. David to distinguish them in the 

 battle. It is referred to by Tusser and Gerarde" as if in common use in their day. 



The leek may vary considerably by culture and often attain a large size; one with the 

 blanched portion a foot long and nine inches in circumference and the leaf fifteen inches 

 in breadth and three feet in length has been recorded."* Vilmorin " described eight varieties 

 in 1883 but some of these are scarcely distinct. In 1806, McMahon" named three 

 varieties among American garden esculents. Leeks are mentioned by Romans '^ as grow- 



' Card. Chron. 25:458. 1886. 



' Johnson, C. P. Useful Pis. of Gt. Brit. 270. 1862. 



'Bon. Jard. 550. 1882. 



.* Columella lib. 2, c. 8. 



' Pliny lib. 19, c. 34. 



Palladius lib. 3, c. 24. 



' Townsend Seedsman 37. 1726. 



Mcintosh, C. Book Card. 2:44. 1855. 

 Gerarde, J. Herb. 139. 1597. 

 '"Card. Chron. 26:599. 1886. 



" Vilmorin Les Pis. Potag. 416. 1883. 



" McMahon, B. Anter. Card. Cat. 581. 1806. 



" Romans Nat. Hist. Fla. 1:115. 1 775- 



