LEEK 



355 



Broad, or London, Flag Leek. This kind should rather be 

 called the Long Flag Leek, as it has a very long as well as broad 

 stem. It is often, in fact, 10 in. long, with a diameter of nearly 

 2 in. The leaves are large, pliant, often drooping backwards, 

 rather variable in colour, but commonly of a rather dark green. 

 It is a very fine, good, rather early, and very productive variety, 

 but not very hardy. In the climate of Paris it can only be used 



',5* 



Broad, or London, Flag Leek. 



for an autumn crop, as it is unable to bear any winter that is 

 not exceptionally mild. 



Large Yellow Poitou Leek. This variety, as its name indi- 

 cates, originated in the west of France, and the climate of its 

 birthplace seems to have influenced its constitution to the extent 

 of rendering it rather too delicate to endure a Paris winter always 

 without injury. It is, probably, a local variety of the Broad 

 Southern Leek, but it differs from it very plainly in several 

 characteristics. The stem is shorter, but quite as thick, at least, 

 being often 2 in. or more in diameter, and from 8 to 10 in. long. 

 The leaves are larger and more fan-like in their arrangement ; they 

 are also longer and softer, and often have nearly one-half pendent 



