LEEK 



351 



simple cluster on the top of the stem, and are succeeded by three- 

 valved, roundish three-angled seed-vessels, which are filled with 

 black, flat, wrinkled seeds, very like Onion seeds. Their germi- 

 nating power usually lasts for three years. 



Culture. — The Leek is a true biennial ; that is, it requires 

 nearly a whole year to grow before it prepares to flower and ripen 

 its seeds, which it does in the course of the following year. The 

 seed is usually sown in March in a seed-bed. In May or early in 

 June, when the plants (which should have been previously thinned 

 if sown too thick, and watered when necessary) are about as thick 

 as a good-sized goose-quill, they are planted out in good, moist, 

 rich soil, which should have been prepared beforehand by being 

 manured with well-rotted stable manure, if possible. It is best to 

 plant in moist, cloudy weather, or else to moisten the soil well a 

 few days before. The plants are generally set in drills or rows, 

 16 to 20 in. apart, and with a distance of 10 to 12 in. from plant to 

 plant in the drills. They should not be planted deeper than they 

 were growing in the seed-bed, but soil should be laid on to cover 

 the stalks, so as to blanch them for as great a portion of their 

 length as possible. Another mode of planting is to make small 

 circular holes in the rows, about 4 in. wide and the same in depth, 

 in each of which a young plant is set, the holes being afterwards 

 gradually filled up by rain and watering washing into them the 

 soil which was taken out in making them and left beside them. 

 Leeks planted out in May will commence to be fit for use about 

 September, or they may be had earlier by sowing in February and 

 planting out in the latter end of April. Some market-gardeners 

 about Paris are able to send them to market in July, by sowing in 

 a hot-bed in December. If the supply is required to be continued 

 through the winter or until spring, when full-grown plants are 

 preparing to run to seed, late sowings should be made in the latter 

 end of April or May, and the plants should not be planted out 

 before August. 



Large quantities of Leeks are 

 grown in the valley of the Thames, 

 where the soil is moist. The first 

 sowing is made towards the end of 

 January in a frame set on a gentle 

 hot-bed, on which has been placed a 

 few inches of light, rich soil. The 

 seed is sown rather thickly and 

 afterwards shghtly covered with fine 

 soil. The sashes are then kept close 

 until the young plants appear, when 

 abundance of air is admitted both 

 night and day on all favourable 



opportunities. If severe weather 

 sets in, the sashes are covered with 

 Htter or mats. On fine days plenty 

 of water is supplied to the plants, 

 and the soil is kept frequently 

 stirred. If the seedlings are too 

 thick, they are thinned out to i in. 

 or so apart, and those that remain 

 are gradually hardened off until to- 

 wards the end of March, when they 

 are carefully lifted and planted out- 

 of-doors in rows about i ft. apart, 

 the plants in the row being about 



