234 AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 



512. THE BEET belongs to the botanical order of Chenopo- 

 diacece, the Goose-foot family. 



Spinach. (Spinacia olcracea,) and Lainb s-quartcn?, (Chcrwpodiwn 

 album,) belong to the same family. 



The original type of the garden and field-beet, is the Beta 

 maritime^ or sea-beet, a plant indigenous to the sea shore of 

 many pails of Great Britain, especially where an argillaceous 

 formation borders the sea-line ; the root is somewhat fleshy, and 

 the leaves are gathered and eaten. The cultivated varieties are 

 the Beta hortensis or cycla, the Chard Beet, which is cultivated 

 for its leaves alone ; and the Beta vulgaris, which comprises all 

 the red, white, and variegated beets, the root^of which is of chief 

 value, whether used for garden or field culture. Of both these, 

 there are very many varieties in size, color, shape of the root, and 

 mode of growth. The field-beet is generally known by the 

 name Mangel- Wurzel, (German for &quot; Root of Scarcity;&quot;) or 

 Mangold- Wurzel, (which literally means, the &quot;Root of the 

 White Beet;&quot;) or it is simply, and more usually termed Man 

 gold. Field-beets may be again subdivided into those which 

 are cultivated for the feeding of cattle, and those from which 

 sugar is made, which latter contain more saccharine matter, and 

 are generally white. 



Such sugar is now manufactured on the Continent of Europe, includ 

 ing Russia, to a very great extent; and the quantity is annually in 

 creasing, as Chemistry simplifies and renders cheaper the process. This 

 manufacturing is said to have been lately introduced into Utah. The 

 best varieties of sugar-beets are (a,) the Dlsette, with a white root, skin 

 and leaves, each root weighing from 25 to 34 lbs.;(A,) the Silcsian beet, 

 the sweelest, but smaller; (c,) the Yellow beet, (&amp;lt;/,) the Siberian beet. 

 (For a very minute and accurate account of the Beet-sugar manufacto 

 ries of Europe, see Knap p* 8 Chemical Technology. London Ed., 1851, 

 vol. iii., pp. 339416.) 



In 1841, the production of Beet-sugar in Europe was estimated at 

 55,000 tons ; in 1847 at 100,000 tons; in 1850 at 190,000 tons. In 1842 

 Franco produced 40 millions of kilogrammes, (--45,000 tons;) in 1853, 

 80 millions kilogrammes, (=99,000 Ions.) TLis progress has been ow 



