BEET, WHITE. 



BEET, WHITE. 



fond of the leaves of this beet, which add much 

 to the milk of cows, without giving it that bad 

 taste which is unavoidable when they are fed 

 with turnips or cabbages, and which is chiefly 

 owing to the greater rapidity with which the 

 latter undergoes the putrefactive fermentation. 

 If sown in May, in drills two feet wide, and 

 thinned out to the distance of a foot from plant 

 to plant in the rows, they will produce an 

 abundance of leaves, which may be gathered 

 in August and September, and will grow again 

 rapidly, provided a bunch of the centre leaves 

 be left on each plant. They do not sensibly 

 xhaust the soil. These leaves when boiled 

 :>r steamed with bran, cut with chaff or refuse 

 grain, are an excellent food for pigs or bullocks 

 put up to fatten. (Penny Cyclv. vol. iv. p. 158.) 



The white beet is an excellent root, and is 

 preferred by many to the larger and more com- 

 mon intermediate varieties. It has lately been 

 in great repute in France and Belgium, and 

 indeed all over the continent of Europe, for 

 the manufacture of sugar. The process is 

 given in detail by Mr. Samuel Taylor in the 

 sixth vol. of the Gardeners Magazine; and 

 there are some able articles, entering exten- 

 sively into detail on the subject, in the Quart. 

 Journ. Agr. vol. i. p. 624, and vol. ii. pp. 892 

 and 907. (For an account of the common 

 field beet for cattle, see MANGEL WUIIZEL.) 



BEET, WHITE (Betaciclu). This is also 

 known as the chard, or carde. We have two 

 species in common cultivation, the green and 

 the white. They receive their names from the 

 colour of their footstalks ; but the variation is 

 considered by some as fugitive, and that both 

 arc produced from seed obtained of the same 

 plant : but this the experience of Mr. Sinclair 

 denies. The French have three varieties of 

 the white the white, the red, and the yellow 

 which only differ from ours in having a larger 

 foliage, and thicker, fleshier stalks, but they 

 are less capable of enduring frost. They are 

 cultivated for their stalks, which are cooked as 

 asparagus. Mangel wurzel is sometimes 

 grown for the same purposes ; but as it is 

 much inferior, the notice that it may be thus 

 employed, is sufficient. Beets require a rich, 

 mouldy, deep soil ; it should, however, be re- 

 tentive of moisture, rather than light, without 

 being tenacious, or having its alluminous con- 

 stituent too much predominating. Its richness 

 should preferably arise from previous applica- 

 tion than from the addition of manure at the 

 time of sowing ; and to effect this, the compart- 

 ment intended for the growth of these vegeta- 

 bles is advantageously prepared as directed for 

 celery. On the soil depends the sweetness and 

 tenderness of the red and yellow beets, for 

 which they are estimated ; and it may be re- 

 marked, that on poor, light soils, or heavy ones, 

 the best sorts will taste earthy. Again, on some 

 soils the better varieties will not attain any 

 useful size, or even a tolerable flavour, whilst 

 in the same compartment inferior ones will at- 

 tain a very good taste. The situation should 

 be open, and as free from the influence of trees 

 as possible ; but it is of advantage to have 

 the bed shaded from the meridian sun in sum- 

 mer. I have always found it beneficial to dig 

 Ihe ground two spades deep for these deep- 

 170 



| rooting vegetables, and to turn in the whole or 

 part of the manure intended to be applied, ac- 

 cording to the richness of the soil near the sur- 

 face, with the bottom split, so as to bury it ten 

 or twelve inches within the ground. Salt is a 

 beneficial application to this crop, one reason 

 for which undoubtedly is, their being natives 

 of the sea shore. Both species are propagat- 

 ed by seed, and may be sown from the close 

 of February until the beginning of April : it 

 being borne in mind that they must not be in- 

 serted until the severe frosts are over, which 

 inevitably destroys them when in a young sta^e 

 of growth. The best time for inserting the 

 main crop of the beet root for winter supply is 

 early in March ; at the beginning of July or 

 August, a successional crop of the white beet 

 may be sown for supply in the winter and fol- 

 lowing spring. 



It is best sown in drills a foot asunder, and 

 an inch deep, or by dibble, at the same dis- 

 tance each way, and at a similar depth, two 

 or three seeds being put in each hole : it 

 may, however, be sown broadcast and well 

 raked in. 



During the early stages of its growth, the 

 beds, which, for the convenience of cultivation, 

 should not be more than four feet wide, must 

 be looked over occasionally, and the largest 

 of the weeds cleared away by hand. In the 

 course of May, according to the advanced state 

 of their growth, the beds must be cleared 

 thoroughly of weeds, both by hand and small 

 hoeing ; the beet roots thinned to ten or twelve 

 inches apart, and the white beet to eight or ten. 

 The plants of this last species which are re- 

 moved may be transplanted into rows at a 

 similar distance, and will then often produce a 

 finer and more succulent foliage than those re- 

 maining in the seed bed. Moist weather is t 

 be preferred for performing this operation : 

 otherwise, the plants must be watered occa- 

 sionally until they take root: they must be fre- 

 quently hoed and kept clear of weeds through- 

 out the summer. 



It is a great improvement to earth up the 

 stalks of the white beet in the same manner as 

 celery, when they are intended to be peeled, 

 and eaten as asparagus. 



In October, the beet-root may be taken up 

 for use as wanted, but not entirely for preser- 

 vation during the winter until November or 

 the beginning of December, then to be buried 

 in sand in alternate rows, under shelter ; or, 

 as some gardeners recommend, only part at 

 this season, and the remainder in February ; 

 by this means they may be kept in a perfect 

 state for use until May or June. If prevented 

 running to seed, they will produce leaves 

 during the succeeding year ; but as this second 

 year's production is never so fine or tender, an 

 i annual sowing is usually made. For the pro- 

 duction of seed some roots must be left where 

 grown, giving them the protection of litter in 

 very severe weather, if unaccompanied with 

 snow; or if this is neglected, some of the finest 

 roots that have been stored in sand, and have 

 not had the leaves cut away close, may be 

 planted in February or March. Each species 

 and variety must be kept as far away from the 

 others as possible, and the plants set at least 



