-90 sturtevant's notes on edible plants 



by Barbaras, having several branches and small fibres. In 1558, Matthiolus' says the 

 white and black chards are common in Italian gardens but that in Germany they have 

 a red beet with a swollen, turnip-like root which is eaten. In 1570, Pena and LobeP 

 speak of the same plant but apparently as then rare, and, in 1576, Lobel ' figures this 

 beet, and this figiu^e shows the first indication of an improved form, the root portion being 

 swollen in excess over the portion by the collar. This beet may be considered the proto- 

 type of the long, red varieties. In 1586, Camerarius* figures a shorter and thicker form, 

 the prototype of our half-long blood beets. This same type is figtu-ed by Daleschamp,' 

 1587, and also a new tj^DC, the Beta Romana, which is said in Lyte's Dodoens, 1586,' to be 

 a recent acquisition. It may be considered as the prototype of our turnip or globular 

 beets. . ^ 



Another form is the flat-bottomed red, of which the Egyptian and the Bassano of 

 Vilmorin, as figured, may be taken as the type. The Bassano was to be found in all the 

 markets of Italy in 1841,' and the Egyptian was a new sort about Boston in 1869.* Noth- 

 ing is known concerning the history of this type. 



The first appearance of the improved beet is recorded in Germany about 1558 and 

 in England about 1576, but the name used, Roman beet, implies introduction from Italy, 

 where the half -long type was known in 1584. We may believe Ruellius's reference in 

 1536 to be for France. In 1631, this beet was in French gardens tmder the name. Beta 

 rubra pastinaca,^ and the cultvire of " betteraves " was described in Le Jardinier Solitaire, 

 1612. Gerarde '" mentions the " Romaine beete " but gives no figure. In 1665, in Eng- 

 land, only the Red Roman was listed by Lovell," and the Red beet was the only kind 

 noticed by Townsend,'^ a seedsman, in 1726, and a second sort, the common Long Red, 

 is mentioned in addition by Mawe," 1778, and by Bryant," 1783. In the United States, 

 one kind only was in McMahon's '* catalog of 1806 the Red beet, but in 1828 four kinds 

 are offered for sale by Thorbum.'* At present, Vilmorin '^ describes seventeen varieties 

 and names and partly describes many others. 



' Matthiolus Comment. 249. 1558. 

 ' Pena and Lobel Advers. 93. 1570. 

 ' Lobel Obs. 124. 1576. 



Camerarius Epil. 255. 1586. 



Dalechamp Hist. Gen. PI. (Lugd.) 532. 1587. 



Dodoens Herb. 54. 1586. Lyte Ed. 

 ^ Card. Chron. 183. 1841. 



Trans. Mass. Hort. Soc. 70. 1869. 



Laurembergius Hor<. 191. 1632. 

 '"Gerarde, J. Herb. 251. 1597. 

 " Lovell Herb. 40. 1665. 

 " Townsend Seedsman 22. 1726. 

 " Mawe and Abercrombie Univ. Card. Bot. 1778. 

 " Bryant Ft. Diet. 26. 1783. 

 " McMahon, B. Amer. Card. Col. 580. 1806. 

 w Thorbum Cat. 1828. 



I' Vilmorin Les Pis. Potag. 35. 1883. 



