216 
[ Maroh 17,1887. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
LEEKS. 
At this time of year we U3e a good number of Leeks, especially 
when the Onion supply runs short, for which the Leek makes a very 
fair substitute. In England the qualities which have commended the 
Leek to the favourable notice of all classes in Scotland do not appear 
to have been as yet appreciated, though signs are not wanting that 
some ink rest is being taken in this vegetable. The varieties are 
increasing, and at least one of the large English seed firms have their 
name affixed to one of these novelties. Like many others, I have 
tried and found that all the varieties which find their way into com¬ 
merce are not to be depended on as acquisitions. Only last season I 
saw the Musselburgh in a keen compeiition awarded the first place. 
This, if obtained true, is a good sort of dwarf habit, if such a term 
may be applied in this case, while it has the advantage of continuing 
to increase in size through the winter months in favourable weather. 
The Lyon, raised and grown for many years by one of the amateur 
growers of the classic village of Yetholm, and brought into notice by 
an enterprising firm of Scotch seedsmen, is an exceedingly distinct 
sort, blanching rapidly, and with a naturally long stem. For early 
shows on account of this feature it is of great value. 
Growers for competition sow under glass, so that as long a season 
of growth as possible may be obtained. '1'he habit of growth of the 
Leek makes this of importance, as the great-r number of leaves the 
plant produces the thicker and longer will be the portion blanched. 
Of course, treated as above the plants are rendered more liable to 
throw up flower stems, a probability which has the effect of causing 
careful judges to run a knife from top to bottom of at least one speci¬ 
men in each lot when awarding prizes. Inexperienced hands occa¬ 
sionally mistake a hardness at the top of the blanched portion of the 
Leek for an embryo flower head, and at once decide the case against 
such. But it does not always follow that such Leeks “run” at all, 
hence the advisability of dissection as a means of arriving at a fair 
decision. 
The treatment best fitted for Leeks raised early consists above all 
in not allowing the plants to suffer a check. Open rich soil should be 
used for potting. Firm potting is not advisable, and too early plant, 
ing out is not good for the plants. The soil in which the Leeks are 
finally planted can hardly be too much enriched. Watering has to 
be carefully undertaken, as it is very easy to over-saturate soil which 
is heavily manured. At the same time an occasional watering is very 
necessary to keep the plants growing without check from over-dry¬ 
ness. Growers in this district place a framework of rough boards 
round their Leek trench. The boards serve the double purpose of 
keeping the soil up round the blanched stems, and water when 
required is easily applied to the roots from underneath the planks. 
Leeks for ordinary purposes are raised in beds, the seeds being sown 
in February or Maroh, light open soil with a little decayed manure 
about 6 inches below the surface making a bed in which the plants 
make good progress. 
In June they are ready to be planted out. The ground on which they 
are to be grown having been previou-ly prepared by digging a thick 
coating of manure in at a depth of 10 to 12 inches, so that the roots 
of the young plants may have food ready just when wanted, drills 
are drawn deeply at a foot apart, and deep holes are made with a 
long dibber at every 6 to 9 inches in the drills. Into each hole a 
plant is dropped, a little soil following the roots, and thereafter a 
small quantity of water is given to each Leek, and the planting is 
finished. Dull weather is much the best for this work. The after 
work consists in hoeing between the rows occasionally, this operation 
increasing the depth of the stem to be blanched. Another method of 
planting is to draw drills so as to form furrows with ridges between 
each. The plants are dibbled into the furrows, and by-and-by are 
earthed up, first by levelling the soil, and later by drawing more soil 
up to the stems of the Leeks so that the furrows are between the rows 
of plants, and the Leeks are growing in what appear to be ridges. 
This has no advantage over the first method, and has the drawback of 
entailing more labour, while in dry weather the roots of the plants 
are much nearer the surface than are those which are let deeply 
fnto the soil.—B. 
THOUGHTS ON CUB,BENT TOPICS. 
After a tolerably long rest I am impelled to make another venture 
for publicity, for I have lived long enough to know that writing for the 
press is a venture, and that everything is not printed that is sent to the 
Editors of papers witli that object. For some of my thoughts there has 
been “ no room, ’ at least I will take that as the reason they have not 
seen the light; they are now out of date, and I will try again.' 
I had almost begun to think hard thoughts of the florists when no 
response was made to my gentle invitation for a few shillings to increase 
the funds of the National Carnation Society, but it is not wise to judge 
hastily in moments of disappointment. Every effect has its cause, is an 
old axiom, but in this case I had “ no effects yet what I assume to 
be the cause of that came by waiting a month. I find on page 153 the 
active officials of the Floral Societies had been appealing, and as a con¬ 
sequence were able to state that as an expression of loyalty during the 
Jubilee Year “ in several instances subscribers have intimated their 
intentions of doubling the amount of their subscriptions.” That, no 
doubt, is the reason why no one forwarded me a cent, and I shall also 
conclude that the 5s. I thought of giving is not needed, and on “ second 
thoughts ” shall apply it to another purpose. 
I ONCE heard a gardener tell some brother blue aprons he liked to 
see that “ Thinker” in the Journal pushed into a corner, as it was “such 
a ‘ treat ’ to see him wriggle out of it.” He went on to say “ they pin 
him closer and closer, get him down and bind him till he ought to be 
fast; then he just, by a twist of the pen, turns all the arguments that 
have been used against him to his own account, and there he is on his 
feet again thanking them for helping him out of his difficulty.” I felt 
rather flattered, and I wonder what the narrator of the little story will 
think when he finds he had the object of his admiration in his audience. 
One thing,;however, is clear, he will not alter his opinion of my method 
of retirement from a position from which I feel “ officially ” relieved. 
Great subjects have been brought under notice during my short 
vacation. The most prominent appears to be a somewhat general fishing 
for money with the Jubilee bait. The year is worthy of commemora¬ 
tion, and no doubt ail the objects advanced as an embodiment of public 
expression are good, but I have a lurking fear that with so many in 
the market dividing attention, very few of them will be adequately 
supported. 
The Royal Horticultural Society is brought to the front as a 
claimant for support and reformation. But that is nothing new. If 
half were true that has been written about the Society for years past it 
would have been dead lung ago. It is like the British Parliament, a 
very useful institution—for critics. It would, perhaps, be as well to let 
it rest for awhile. If it has not such a “ home ” as could be wished it 
has a very good present habitation, which, I believe, is rent free, and 
surely that is cheap enough. So many schemes, and plans, and advisers 
are a little bewildering. With a firm representative Council and a 
settled policy strength will be gradually acquired. The Society is 
located for this season at least, and I shall not think much of the 
“ loyalty ” of horticulturists, trade and otherwise, if they let the year 
pass without a concerted effort to do something worthy of the nation, 
of the Society, and of themselves at South Kensington. 
All other Jubilee projects in connection with horticulture may be 
passed, except Mr. Penny’s Gardeners’ Orphanage proposition. None 
other has gained a hearing, and this will collapse if it does not soon get 
beyond the field of fitful discussion. Like many another project it can 
easily be “ discussed ” till there is nothing left. 
Something much more definite than a floating idea is requisite 
before any considerable number of persons will part with their money. 
Granted that the object in view is the purchase of land and the erection 
of a building thereon, with garden attached, as a home and a school for 
the orphans of gardeners, what the public want to know who approve 
of such a laudable scheme, is this : Supposing that not half or a quarter 
of the requisite sum should be collected, what is to be done with the 
money ? Until that point is settled even a satisfactory commencement 
cannot be made in acquiring funds. A few guineas and five-pound notes 
may come dribbling in, but they will only show with greater clearness 
the weakness of the position. 
If sympathy and good wishes could provide a “ home ” for friendless 
and helpless children it would quickly be an accomplished fact. But I 
suspect the best friends of this project will not be the sanguine optimists 
, who think that all the gardeners in the kingdom and their employers 
will rush money into a common fund in response to a few letters in the 
papers, after the manner of applicants in a great beer “ boom.” They 
will do nothing of the kind, and I fear the poor orphans will not benefit 
much unless there is a distinct change from the present method of pro¬ 
cedure. As a £5 gardener suggested on page 166, there must be a 
“ definite scheme,” and in formulating this, regard must not be had to 
what is desirable oidy, but to what is practicable. 
Are not the most practical suggestions conveyed in the letters of 
Messrs. Goodacre and Thomson ? Would it not be advisable for the 
promoters of the Orphanage scheme to seek the co-operation of the 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution in carrying out their project ? 
An orphans’ or children’s fund in connection with that valuable insti¬ 
tution would be appropriate and workable; that is to say, a substantial 
fund raised for the benefit of gardeners’ orphans would be more econo¬ 
mically distributed, and immediately applied to its direct object, than if 
invested in bricks and mortar. In a great “separate home” scheme, 
even if the money were forthcoming, some rich or lucky builder might 
easily “ net ” as much of the fund as would support half a dozen 
children. 
It is in the earnest hope that something may be done that shall be 
of substantial benefit to the helpless, whom all persons desire to assist, 
that I have turned these matters over in my mind and record my 
