896 



LEDUM 



LEEK 



in N. America. AUieil to Rhododendron, but corolla 

 polypetalous. Fls. rather small, %-}'2 in. across, long- 

 pedicelled, in terminal, umbel-like racemes; calyx lobes 

 and petals 5, spreading; stameusS-lO: capsule nodding, 

 5-celled, separating from the base into 5 valves, with 

 many minute seeds. The Ivs. contain a volatile oil, with 

 narcotic properties; the Ivs. of L. hitifollum are said 

 to have been used during the war of independence as 

 a substitute for tea, heuce the name "Labrador Tea." 



palustre, Linn. Wild Rosemary. One to 2 ft. high : 

 Ivs. linear or linear-oblong, revolute at the margin, dark 

 green and somewhat rugose above, densely ferrugineous- 

 tomentose beneath like the young branches, yi-lH in. 

 long: stamens 10: capsule ovate. May, June. N. hemi- 

 sphere, in N. America from Newfoundland to Alaska. 

 L.B.C. 0;5G0. Var. dilatatam, Gray. Lvs. broader: cap- 

 sule more oblong. N.W. coast of N. Amer., Japan. Var. 

 deciimbens, Ait. With procumbent stems and shorter 

 usually oval lvs. 



Iatif61ium, Ait. (L. Groe))Uhi(Iicu)n, Oeder). One to 

 .3 ft., similar to the former, but lvs. broader, oblong or 

 linear-oblong, \-l in. long, tomentum beneath often 

 whitish at first: stamens 5-7: capsule oblong. May, 

 June. Canada to Brit. Col., south to Pa. and Wis. 

 L. B. C. 0:534 and 11:1049 (as L. canadtnse). J. H. 111. 

 31:20 (as L. palustre). Gn.34,p.:il. 



L. huxifoUum. Berg.=Leiophylhim buxifolium.— i. o^aridu- 

 Ihsinn, Nutt. Shnib, to G ft,: Ivs. oblons or oval, glabrons. 

 ebuioous and eluTiduhir beneath: stamens 10. Jub', Aug. B.C. 

 to Calif. LJ.M.TiilO. Alfred Rehder. 



LE£A (James Lee, Scotch nurseryman, 1715-1795). 

 Lf.ciicec^. About 20 species of tropical, oriental small 

 trees or shrubs, some of which are cult, as young plants 

 in warm conservatories for their colored foliage and 

 stately habit. Lvs. alternate, 1-3 times pinnate; Ifts. 

 entire or serrate; tendrils none: tls. small or large, red, 

 yellow or green, in cymes; calyx 5-toothed; petals 5, 

 connate at the base and with the tube of stamens : ovary 

 3-13-eelled; cells 1-ovuled: fr. a berry. ByBenthamand 

 Hooker this genus was placed in the order Ampelidere, 

 which others call Vitacese. Vitis differs in having the 

 climbing habit, ovary 2-celled; cells 2-ovuIed. The first 

 species mentioned seems to be valued particularly for 

 its fls.: the others are foliage plants wdiicli are presum- 

 ably distinct horticulturally, but 2 of them may not be 

 good botanical species, and cannot be distiuguiKhed M'ith- 

 out a knowledge of the fiowers. 



Leeas are tropical house plants. L. amahilis has 

 beautiful, silvery, vine-like foliage. It makes a hand- 

 some plant for piliar-post.s, and does exceedingly well 

 planted out; but it should be given a season of rest dur- 

 ing wmter time by a partial drying out, when it will 

 Ioo.se most, if not all, its foliage. This practice should 

 be followed in any case. It may also be grown as a 

 trained specimen in pots. Peaty soil is often recom- 

 mended, but good light loam, with i)lenty of drainage, 

 does equally well. 



A. Foliage green. 



coccinea, Planch. Lvs. 3-pinnate; Ifts. 5 on each main 



division of the leaf, oblong-lanceolate, dentate, margin 

 recurved: fis. IK) or more in a trichotoraous, flat-topped 

 cluster about 3 in. ar-ross, scarlet in bud, the 5 spread- 

 ing lobes of the corolla pink above; stamens yellow, ex- 

 serted, each fl. about % in. across. Burma. B.M. 5299. 

 — It begins to flower when only a foot high, but the main 

 stalk of the clusters is only an inch or so long. Adv. by 

 John Saul, 1893. 



AA. Foliage colored or variegated, 

 B. Lvs. marked hriglit red ; veins white. 



Micholitzii, Hort. Introduced by Sander & Co., 1899, 

 from Guinea, but not distinguished in their description 

 from Jj. amabilis, var. spiendens, which is probably 

 still cult, in Eu. 



amdbiliB, TTort. Veitch, Lvs. pinnate; Ifts. 5or7, lan- 

 ceolate, acuminate, serrate, upper surface velvety, deep 

 bronzy green, with a broad wliite stripe; veins white at 

 the bases : young lvs. pale pinkish brown. G.C. II. 

 17:493. Gn. 21, p. 352. Var. spl6ndens, Lind., is marked 

 with bright red and lia.s a red stem. 1 H. 31:518. 



BB. Lvs. flushed bronze ; veins rosy. 

 sambucina, Willd. {L. lio'hrsid.na, Hort. Sander), 

 Lvs. pinnate; Ifts. GK in. long, 2% in. wide, oblong, 

 cordate at the base, acuminate, coarsely crenate. India, 

 Malaya, Philippines, trop. Australia. A very variable 

 species. The above synonymy is the judgment of M. T. 

 Masters iuG.C. m.23:245. P. E. 10:554. A. P. 13:1284. 

 Gng. 0:278. T. D. Hatfield and W. M. 



LEEK {Allium Porrxnn), a flat-leaved, bulbous, hardy 

 biennial, is probably a native of the Mediterranean re- 

 gion, where, particularly in Egypt, it has been used for 

 <.-ulinary and medicinal purposes since prehistoric time. 

 All parts of the plant possess an oft'ensive, pungent 

 odor and acrid taste due to an essential oil characteris- 

 tic of its close relative, the onion. In medicine, the 

 bulb, like the onion, is used as a renal stimulant. The 

 blanched steins and leaves are much employed in conti- 

 nental cookery as a flavoring for soups, stews, etc., 

 boiled and served like asparagus, and in the raw state. 

 Except in the larger cities and among our' foreign popu- 

 lation, the Leek is little used in America. The seed 

 should be sown in a well-prepared, liglit, deep, rich, 

 moist loam in a nursery bed or coldframe. The site 

 should be open, the subsoil dry. When six or eight 

 weeks old, or about 5 inches tall, the young plants 

 should be set 9 inches asunder, in drills 3 to (i inches 

 deep and 18 inche.^ apart. Shortening both roots and 

 ytems is often advised. As the plants grow, the soil 

 sliould be drawn loosely round the stems and lower 

 leaves to insure blanching. When blanched Leeks are 

 not desired, the plants mny be cultivated like onions; 



1254. A papLUonaceous flower— Sweet Pea. 



Showing the itanner, standard or vexillum at Si 

 the wings at iv\ the keel at k. 



indeed, exceptfor earthing up, the cultural methods em- 

 ployed for these two crops are identical. Leeks are m:ir- 

 keted in bunches like young onions and, for winter use, 

 are stored like celery. As a second crop to follow early 

 cabbage, spinach, etc., they are in general favor with 

 market-gardeners. In soups and stews the rank odor 

 disappears, leaving a mild and agreeable flavor. 



M. G. Kains. 



Leek, though of the onion fiiraily, and also a biennial, 

 is differently treated and used. The object in its cul- 

 tivation is to develop the leaves in such a manner that 

 they become numerous; the flower-stem does not appear 

 before the second year, hence the necessity of growing 

 it to full size the first year. 



Sow the seed in March in a seed-bed (with slight bot- 

 tom heat), in drills 2 or 3 inches apart; when large 

 enough, thin out to stand 1 inch apart in the row, as 

 they may attain the thickness of a fair- sized straw. In 

 May or early June the seedlings are transplanted in the 

 open ground; they are then cut half-way down and 

 should also be set deep, so they will begin blanching 

 when they attain a fair size. The soil best suited is a 

 rich, moist, light loam ; prior to the transplanting it 

 should be well prepared with well-rotted stable manure, 

 if possible. The plants are generally set in drills 12 to 

 15 inches apart, and to 9 inches apart in the drills. 

 They should be well cultivated, and when crowing 

 freely should be earthed up slightly \\\i\\ the hand cul- 

 tivator or hand-hoe. Some of the successful gardeners 

 still cultivate them on the celery-trenching system; by 

 this means they can be watered more thoroughly and 



