168 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



BEET (Beta, which sec). The present varieties of 

 Beetroot are the offspring of Beta vulr/aris, a plant of 

 biennial duration, and a native of the sea coasts of 

 Southern Europe. It was cultivated in this country about 

 1656, but was probalily long previously introduced by the 

 ancient Romans. Beetroot is largely used as salad, more 

 extensively on the Continent than with ns, also pickled; 

 medium siz.ed, deeply coloured roots being the chief de- 

 sideratum. Some varieties are largely grown for their 

 highly-coloured foliage, being planted in be<Iding-out de- 

 signs, and generally proving extremely effective. 



Cultivation : For obtaining the best results, an open 

 situation should be chosen, free from the shade of trees. 

 The ground should be light and sandy, and, if possible, that 

 which has been previously manured for some other crop, 



Fig. 222. Long Yellow Beetroot. 



French beans, for instance. Trench the soil to a depth of 

 2ft. in the autumn, and ridge it up for the winter. As soon 

 as dry enough to allow of working in spring, dig over the 

 whole bed with a steel digging fork, and break the soil 

 tolerably fine. Sow any time from the last week in April 

 to the end of May. Prepare the drills about a foot or 15in. 

 apart, and from lin. to 2in. deep. The seeds grow quicker 

 if steeped in water previous to sowing, afterwards allow- 

 ing them to get dry enough to separate from each 

 other. Sow thinly, and fill in the drills with a rake. As 

 soon as the plants are up, hoe between the rows, and keep 

 free from weeds. In a fortnight or three weeks after this 

 hoeing, if the weather has been favourable, the plants will 

 be large enough for thinning. Thin out to about 9in. apart, 



Beet — continuett. 

 and carefully fill up, in d\ill weather, any blanks that may 

 occur. Transplanting is, however, not generally a very 

 satisfactory method. Carefully lift the roots in autumn, 

 before frost comes, and wring off the leaves about an inch 

 from the crowns. Place the roots in a cool shed or house, 

 and allow the soil on them to get quite tlry, when they may 

 he stored for winter use in dry sand, or soil, in a shed free 

 from frost. It is preferable to keep the crowns free from 

 soil, to prevent decay from the ends of the leaves left on 

 them. If this bo carefully done, the roots will keep till the 

 next season's early crop is ready. In all processes con- 

 nected witli the growing, storing, or cooking of this vege- 

 table, the greatest care must be taken to avoid bruising or 

 otherwise injuring the roots, as deficiency of colour would 

 be the result, especially in the case of the red-fleshed kinds, 

 in some cases rendering them valueless for table use. 

 Seed Saving : When lifting the crop in autumn, select 

 as many of the best formed and coloured roots as required, 

 and store them separately from the rest. In April, plant 

 them in a spot by themselves, where there is no danger of 

 impregnation from other varieties, and in due time good 

 seed will ripen. If good foliaged varieties are required, 

 the best should be selected when growing in the summer, 

 and either be marked by some means, or have the inferior 

 ones removed from them. 



Sorts. These are somewhat numerous — almost every 

 seedsman having a so-called " improved strain." Nutting's 

 Dwarf Eed, Chelsea, Pine Apple, DeU's Crimson and Red 

 Castelnaudary, are the best of the crimson or red-fleshed 

 kinds. The Egyptian Turnip-rooted is a distinct variety, 

 with flesh of a good colour, and fine flavour ; excellent for 

 summer salads. Betterave de Bretagne is a Continental 

 variety ; the roots grow to a good size, with a distinct outer 

 skin of a dark colour ; flesh rich purple. The best of the 

 yellow-fleshed kinds are Small Yellow and Long Yellow 

 (see Fig. 222) ; but these are not grown nearly so 

 much as the deep-coloured section ; in fact, they are 

 almost useless for garden purposes. 



Fig. 223. White Leaf Beetroot. 



Beetroot for Betiding Purposes: In this case, where the 

 foliage is the main object, the seed may be sown in a re- 

 serve bed, and the plants transferred to their positions in 

 the flower garden. If, however, a line is required in a 

 ribbon or other border, the best plan is to sow there, and 

 thin out the plants to equal distances. DeU's Crimson is 

 one of the best varieties for this purpose, being very com- 

 pact and of a good dark colour. 



Varieties of the Leaf Beet (Beta Cicla), and Sea or 

 Perennial Beet (Beta maritima), are sometimes, but very 

 seldom, cultivated for the use of the leafstalks and 

 leaves, the roots being hard and unfit for cooking pur- 

 poses. They are at the best but substitutes for other 

 vegetables — namely, the midrib for Sea-kale and the leaves 



