VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION AND CULTUKE. 239 



LEEK. — {Allium Porrum.) 



The leek is a hardy biennial of the onion tribe, found 

 wild in Switzerland, but has been cultivated in gardens 

 from the earliest times. It is mentioned in the Scriptures 

 with the onion as one of the vegetables of the Egyptians ; 

 and at the present day is often associated with the name 

 of St. David, the patron saint of the Welsh. This plant 

 endures the extremes of heat and cold without injury. 



Ashes, bones, gypsum, and common salt, will supply the 

 requisite inorganic materials for this or almost any other 

 garden crop. A compost of guano, gypsum and charcoal 

 would be very beneficial. 



Varieties. — There are two in common use ; the Scotch, 

 which is the larger and hardier, and the London, which 

 by many is considered the better of the two, both tall, 

 with thick stems, and broad leaves. The Large Rouen 

 Leek, with dark green leaves and a short stem, sometimes 

 grown to the thickness of a man's arm, is now most liked 

 in France. Its stem is said to grow large enough for use- 

 sooner than any other, and it is now much esteemed. 



Culture. — The leek is raised solely from seed, which may 

 be sown at any time during autumn, winter, and spring, 

 until the middle of April. February is the best month 

 for the purpose, if but one crop is raised. 



The soil for leeks, as for the others of the onion tribe, 

 should be light and rich, — the blackest and most fertile soil 

 of the garden — but the manure applied must not be rank. 

 The same guano compost may be applied as for onions. 

 They are generally sown broadcast, but it is a much 

 neater method to sow in drills. Make the drills in the 

 seed-bed eight inches apart, and about an inch deep, and 

 scatter the seed rather thinly. Press fine earth upon the 

 seed, as directed for onions. Some gardeners thin them 

 out, and allow them to remain in the seed-bed, but the 

 leek is so much improved by transplanting that this plan 



