1884 .] 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 
143 
LEEK. 
■ For an early crop I sow tlio soocl ii, boxes 
in the greenhouse, and whon the plants have 
three or four leaves, sot them in the open 
gi'oimd about the time of sowing the seed 
for the main crop. Before planting, I out olT 
half the top and half the roots, which makes 
them much easier to transplant and pre¬ 
vents wilting so badly. 
Most people who use them prefer the 
London Leok. The transplanting of Looks 
is a benefit to the plants, by giving them a 
deeper hold in the soil, and so increasing the 
bleached portion; for, although the whole 
plant is edible, tliore is an advantage in hav¬ 
ing a strong, largo body as well. For the 
fall crop I transplant in July, in rich soil, 
three inches apart, iu rows one foot wide. 
The summer treatment 
consists in only to keep 
the weeds down and the 
ground mellow. I begin 
to market the early plants 
the last of July, when the 
stalk is as thick as the lit¬ 
tle finger. Bunches of five 
each sell for fifty cents 
per dozen, and retail at 
five cents a bunch from 
this time on. 
. The fall crop is gathered 
by plowing close to the 
rows with a light plow, 
and throwing them out 
with a six-tined fork or 
spade. They cannot be 
pulled, as the roots are 
strong in the soil. Before 
lifting, I go through the 
rows and pull or cut oil 
the leaves of the tops. 
This is an important pre¬ 
caution, as that part would 
wilt and decay in winter, 
and is cut off when they 
are fitted for market; it 
also lessens the bulk and 
prevents their heating and 
rotting so readily. They 
are dug on dry and sunny 
days, brought at once into 
the winter house or cellar, 
set closely together — not 
packed—on the surface of 
the ground, in an upright 
position, without putting 
soil about them. The 
moisture of the earth and 
air, and the limited light 
they receive in a temper¬ 
ature of 40°, keep them 
“ gi-een as a Leek ” all winter long. Before 
spring the roots will have taken hold of the 
soil, and the supply can be kept good till 
April, and sometimes later. There are but 
two months iu the year when I do ^^ot ave 
Leeks to sell. 
For the land occupied, and the time given 
to the crop, with no insects or worms to ea 
them, and only the dry summer weathei to 
contend with, I consider Leeks a very pro 
able crop. One ounce of seed will pio uce 
two thousand good, strong plants. If oes 
not pay to set out tlie little ones; f oy ° 
not grow big by fall, and the big ones wi 
Lrihg, as I said, fifty cents for sixty 
The smaller roots, bunched to equal weig 
with the larger ones, bring as much po'’ 
but it costs more to prepare themfoi mar e , 
and tho big 01,08 crowd them out of market 
as most customers prefer largo Leeks. There 
a maikot ,s secured, they pay well for the 
tune given to their cultivation, provided one 
can keep up a steady supply. 
The principal variety grown, and tho one 
pro erred in our markets, is the London LVo./ 
Lccfc; It has a larger body and greener top 
than any other. 
Ar/w Jfirr/c darvutan is a newer kind, of 
extraordinary size and largo leaf growth, but 
not as heavy in body. 
L«,y/c American Flao and Lmy/o Itonon are 
also well-known varieties grown by market 
gardeners, as well as in private gardens. 
W. H. Bui.n. 
LARGE CARENTAIM LEEK. 
HAEVEgTIir& AND STOEINa POTATOES. 
I dig Potatoes as soon as the tubers have 
matured, which is indicated by the dying of 
tho vinos. I have dug Potatoes when the 
vines wore green, but this was undei ex¬ 
ceptional circumstances; and generally the 
tubers should not be disturbed till the vines 
are altogether dead; then they should be 
taken from the ground 'at once. There is no 
longer any increase in tho size of the tuber, 
and the best quality is secured by a speedy 
harvesting. Those who leave the tubers in 
the gi'ound longer, generally do so through 
fear of the Potatoes rotting if stored. But 
proper storing will never cause a matured 
tuber to rot. 
I have found no better Potato-digger than 
an 8-ineh diamond plow attached to a gentle 
horse. The plow must bo sharp, and set to 
run so deep that it will pass under all of the 
Potatoes. I plant my Potatoes in drills— 
tho way Potatoes should be planted.' I plow 
a furrow along each side of the drill, just up 
to tho Potatoes. Then two more furrows 
will turn tho drill up.sidc down and expose 
the Potatoes. I find that fewer are cut with 
the plow than when a hoe, spade, or fork is 
used. If you think the gatherers have missed 
any, harrow tho patch, and the missing Po¬ 
tatoes will be brought to the surface. But 
the plow turns up tho Potatoes so effectu¬ 
ally that harrowing the ground is rarely 
necessary. 
The less soil adhering to the Potatoes the 
better. The amount of earth adhering de¬ 
pends upon tlio character of the soil and the 
amount of moisture in it. 
Some soils are sticky. The 
more moisture in the earth, 
the more it will adhere. 
Therefore, Potatoes should 
not be dug when the ground 
is wet. 
As fast as dug, the tubers 
should be placed in a heap 
in one corner of the field. 
If it is hot weather, they 
ralist be protected from the 
rays of the sun by a cover¬ 
ing of boards or boughs. 
I leave the tubers in a pile 
until they are thoroughly 
dried on the surface. Then, 
it in the summer or early 
fall, I remove them to a 
shed, the bam, or per¬ 
haps the smoke-house — 
any building where they 
will have plenty of air and 
be shaded from the sun- 
When moving them this 
time, I pick them up by 
hand, pull off the roots, 
and rub off all earth. To 
do this may seem unim¬ 
portant, but I can testify 
that it adds greatli' to the 
keeping qualities. I leave 
the Potatoes in the shed or 
bam until there is danger 
of their being frozen, when 
I store them in the cellar. 
Potatoes should be han¬ 
dled with care, and none 
but a wooden shovel should 
be used. 
I believe that Potatoes, 
and Apples, are finer flav¬ 
ored when buried m the 
ground than when kept over winter in a cel¬ 
lar ; but I put mine iu a cellar because I have 
a most excellent one, and to do so is most 
convenient. The floor of my cellar is per¬ 
fectly di'y, yet I elevate the potato-bins 
above it. The corner posts of the bins I make 
three feet and one-half long. The floors of 
the bins are placed two feet from the ground, 
leaving the bins one and one-half feet deep 
— as deep as they should be. I use no straw 
in the bins, as it draws damp and favors 
mice. If barrels are used for storing Pota¬ 
toes in, they should be set upon blocks. 
Potatoes keep best in the dark. By observing 
the directions here given, I never have any 
difficulty in keeping Potatoes in good condi¬ 
tion. 
John M. Stahl. 
