20G ENGLISH EOTAXY. 



in a ball nltimntely about the size of a small nutmeg, the largest 

 bulbules attaining the size of peas. 



Var. 7 is usually a smaller plant than vars a and 0, at least when 

 oultivated side by side of them, but differs only in the flowers being tar 

 fewer, much more tmged with rose-colour, and the peduncles of some 

 of them often much longer than the others, and bearing a bulbule 

 as well as several flowers at the apes (these branched peduncles, 

 however, are often not present), and at the base of the peduncles 

 there are a large number of bulbules, which at length are compacted 

 into a ball from the size of a greengage plum to that of an apricot, 

 the largest bulbules attaining nearly the size of a hazel-nut. The 

 spathe sometimes splits round the base and falls off as in vars. a and 0, 

 but it is often rujrturcd longitudinally by the head-bulbules increas- 

 ing in size before the spathe is ready to droj). 



I have for some years cultivated the three forms above mentioned, 

 and cannot believe them to be distinct, even as subspecies. The 

 presence or absence of head-bulbules, and their number, is liable to 

 great variation in many species of the genus Allium ; and I am inclined 

 to believe that bulbiferous plants are produced by head-bulbules, and 

 capsuliferous examples from seeds; but in the present species I have 

 never been al)le to obtam ripe seeds of A. Babingtonii with which to 

 experiment. 



My living plants of var. a were originally obtained from !Mr. Borrer 

 fi'om Steep Holmes; those of var. 3 were raised from tlie head-bulbules 

 of a dried specimen, gathered by ]\Ir. F. A. Hanbury from the 

 Artiller}' Barracks, Guernsey, in 18G2; those of var. Babingtonii, 

 from roots and head-bulbules of recent specimens kindly sent from 

 Great Arran Island by Dr. Perceval Wright, and from head-l)ulbules 

 from Besington, Dorset, from a dried specimen collected by Mr. 1. C. 

 ]Mansel; and also from Poltesco, Lizard, Cornwall, from a dried speci- 

 men sent by Mr. T. B. Flower. 



Wild Leek. 

 Frencli, Ail imireau. German, Jtimder LaucJi. 



Tlie Leek is eaten as a potherb in Great Britain, as well as tlie garlic and onion. 

 The Welsh and the Scotch are alike fond of these herbs. No reader of Walter Scott 

 will forget the partiality of King Jamie for " cock-a-leekie." In the " Royal Apo- 

 phthegms " of James I., it is asserted that the " Welsh men, in commemoration of the 

 great fight by the Black Prince of Wales, do wear Leeks as their chosen ensign ;" 

 and some lines from the Harleian MSS., quoted in Hone's " Every-Day Book," 

 have been adduced in support of this view : — 



" I Hke the Leeke above all herbes and flowres, 

 When first we wore the same the field was ours. 

 The Leeke is white and grene, whereby is ment 

 That Britaines are both stout and eminent. 

 Next to the Hon and the unicorn, 

 The Lecke's the fairest emblym that is wonu" 



