KITCHEN-GARDEN PLANTS. CHAP. 



Corner of some field, or of some worthless meadow, and 

 throw some roots into it. 



155. LAVENDER. A beautiful little well-known 

 shrub of uses equally well-known, whether used in the 

 flower or in the water which is distilled from it. Like all 

 other plants and trees, it may be propagated from seed ; 

 but it is easiest propagated from slips, taken off early in 

 the spring, and planted in good moist 'ground in the 

 shade. When planted out, the plants should stand three 

 feet apart. The flower-stalks should be cut off, whether 

 for preserving in flowers, or for distillation, before any of 

 the blossoms begin to fall off. Just, indeed, as those 

 blossoms begin to open wide. The lavender plant grows 

 large, and it should therefore be in the outer garden. 



156. LEEK. This is a plant, which, for certain pur- 

 poses, is preferred to onions. The time for sowing is as 

 early in the spring as the weather and the ground will 

 permit ; the latter end of February, or very early in 

 March. Sow in little drills made across a bed of fine 

 earth, put the rows eight inches asunder, and thin the 

 plants to three inches apart in the row. Keep the ground 

 clean by nice hoeing until the middle of July or there- 

 abouts j then take the plants up, cut the roots off to an 

 inch long, and cut off the tops of the leaves, but not too 

 low down; make deep drills with a hoe at two feet 

 apart. Plant the leeks in these drills with a setting- 

 stick, fastening them well in the ground, and leaving the 

 drill open. As the plants grow, put to their sides the 

 earth that came out of the drill, after that, draw more up 

 to them on each side from the interval ; and, if your 



