BET 



BET 



rietv lately cultivated under the title of Racine kind often attains considerable length and thick- 

 tie Din He, Root of Scarcity or Manuel Wurzel. ins.-:, and in sotne of the -other varieties a still 

 Culture. — All the different species and va- greater thickness, but less length. They be- 

 rieties of these plants are raised by sowing the. come in a state of perfection and fit for culinary 

 seeds in the early spring months, as from the uses about September, or the following month ; 

 latter end of February to the middle of April, for at which time some of them should be taken up, 

 summer crops, but the earlier the better, if the and after having the tops trimmed off, without 

 season will admit; and for suceessional crops, injuring the crowns of the roots, be packed up 

 especially in the white kind, some seed may be under cover in dry sand or earth, to preserve them 

 put in occasionally in the summer months, till for the winter and early spring seasons. When 

 the beginning of August. the soil is dry, they are however frequently let 



The most proper soils for plants of the red remain in the ground to be drawn up as wanted, 

 ■beet kind, are those of the more light deep rich The largest and deepest red sorts are held in 

 sort, which incline a little to a sandy nature, the most estimation, as being the most adapted 

 inch as are adapted to the growth of the carrot. In to the purposes for which they are employed, 

 preparing the land, it should always be well dug whether for boiling and slicing, to be eaten 

 over to the depth of twelve or sixteen inches, a alone or scraped, sliced in sallads, as a pickle, 

 little well- rotted stable dung being intimately or for garnishing different sorts of dishes, 

 blended with the mould at the time, if manure The common sort is chiefly cultivated as a 

 has not been applied for the preceding crop, principal crop, the varieties being mostly sown 

 which is by much the best practice. The ground only in small portions. 



should then be divided into beds of four or six The latter species and varieties are in a great 

 feet in breadth, and the surface raked even measure cultivated for the use of their large suc- 

 for the reception of the seed, which may be put culent leaves, which are employed in soups, and 

 in cither by sowing it thinly over the surface, boiled as spinach. Tn the large variety the 

 and covering it by the rake, or in small shallow stems and ribs of the large leaves are often made 

 drills, made at 'the distance of six or eight use of, after being stripped of the leafy part and 

 niches from each other; but for the large-leaved the external skin, in soups and for stewing, to 

 white sorts, considerably more, as from twelve be eaten as asparagus. 



to eighteen inches or two feet, according to cir- They usually become in perfection for these 

 cumstances. But for some of these latter kinds purposes about the latter end of June, or in the 

 the ground need not be trenched over to so great following month, and may be continued nearly 

 a depth as for the former, though it should al- the year round by always carefully gathering the 

 ways be stirred when the root is the principal large outward leaves, the others thereby coming 

 object, as is the case in the red sort, and occa- forward in succession, as well as further sup- 

 sionally in some others. Deep digging is ab- plies produced from the roots, 

 solutely necessary, as without it the tap root is The large Chard or Swiss variety is mostly 

 apt to become short, and send off lateral fibres. cultivated in the field as a cattle-food; but may 

 It is sometimes the practice with market be grown in the garden, either for its leaves or 

 gardeners, in order to save room, to sow these the large roots : but with the latter view the 

 crops with those of onions and other kinds that leaves should not be pulled off while the plants 

 are to be drawn out at an early period ; but this are growing. 



should always, if possible, be'avoided, as plants In all the varieties of these species, crops 

 of different sorts seldom succeed well together, must be raised annually in the spring ; as, though 

 •or answer the purpose of the cultivator. they may be continued two years by cutting 



In whichever method the sowing is performed, down the seed-stems of the year-old plants as 

 great care should be taken when the plants rise, they rise in the second spring, the leaves are far 

 which is mostly in the course of a month or six inferior in size and fleshy substance, 

 weeks, and have formed leaves an inch or two in For the purpose of procuring seed of the se- 

 breadth, to keep them perfectly clean, and thin- vcral species and varieties, some of the best and 

 ncd out to sufficient distances by repeated hoe- most perfect plants of each sort should be 

 ing according to the kinds. By thus stirring the marked, and left in the second spring to stand 

 earth about the roots of the plants, and keeping and run up for seed; being supported with 

 them free from weeds, their growth is greatly sticks during the summer, and gathered when 

 promoted as well in their roots as the leaves. perfectly ripe and dry, in the beginning of the 



The first- sort is cultivated for the use of its autumn, as in September, 

 large red esculent root, which in the common BETULA, a genus comprehending different 



