LEEK 



355 



Broad, or London, Flag Leek.-— This kind should rather be 

 called the Long Flag Leek, as it has a very long as well as broad 

 stem. It is often, in fact, lO in. long, with a diameter of nearly 

 2 in. The leaves are large, pliant, often drooping backwards, 

 rather variable in colour, but commonly of a rather dark green. 

 It is a very fine, good, rather early, and very productive variety, 

 but not very hardy. In the climate of Paris it can only be used 



Broad, or London, Flag Leek, 



for an autumn crop, as it is unable to bear any winter that is 

 not exceptionally mild. 



Large Yellow Poitou Leek. — This variety, as its name indi- 

 cates, originated in the west of France, and the climate of its 

 birthplace seems to have influenced its constitution to the extent 

 of rendering it rather too delicate to endure a Paris winter always 

 without injury. It is, probably, a local variety of the Broad 

 Southern Leek, but it differs from it very plainly in several 

 i characteristics. The stem is shorter, but quite as thick, at least, 

 being often 2 in. or more in diameter, and from 8 to 10 in. long, 

 j The leaves are larger and more fan-like in their arrangement ; they 

 I are also longer and softer, and often have nearly one-half pendent 



