ii8 



MV GARDEN. 



Books tell us how to grow large leeks, but what is to be done 

 with them when we have obtained them ? Leeks for the table 

 should be about an inch in diameter, and about six inches long : 

 they are valuable in January, February, March, April, and beginning 

 of May, when other fresh vegetals are scarce. We sow the seed 

 broadcast in March, so as to have plenty of small leeks, rather 

 than a few which are larger. The sorts which we employ are the 

 London and Musselburgh, and they require no further trouble in their 

 cultivation than hoeing and weeding after having been sown. 



Fio. 167.— Chives, 

 i diam. 



Fig. i63.— Shallots, 

 i diam. 



Fig. 166. — Leek. 



We have Chives {Allium Schanoprasum, fig. 167) in the garden, 

 to be used when onions fail; but as they never do fail, and as by 

 the system we adopt young onions are obtainable all the spring, 

 chives may be fairly dispensed with. 



Shallots {Allium ascalonicum. fig. 168) are always carefully cultivated. 

 They are planted in drills six inches from each other, and the rows 

 a foot apart, at the same time in February as the potato onions are 

 planted ; they are ripe in July. Some are then taken up and stored 

 for winter use. Some are pickled, and the rest are retained to be 

 planted the next spring. 



We grow a very limited amount of Garlic {Allium sativum, fig. 169). 



