BEET. 261 



arc cultivated in the field, and frequently prove a 

 profitable crop. For field-cultuie, the white China 

 Dwarf is generally preferred, being a prolific bearer, 

 and commanding a good price in the markets. The 

 great enemy the bean has to encounter is the cut- 

 worm, whose ravages may be checked or prevented 

 by a frequent examination ff the hills or rows, and 

 killing the depredators, which are usually found con- 

 cealed in the earth around the plant. 



BEET. Beta Vulgaris. 



There are many varieties of this plant, of which the 

 most important are the early Blood Turnip-rooted, 

 Long Blood, early Scarcity, Mangold-wurzel, and Si- 

 berian or Sugar-Beet. The last two are used princi- 

 pally for field-culture, the others for the garden. Beets 

 may be sown from the early part of May until June, 

 in drills about three inches apart, and they should 

 be thinned to ten or twelve inches in the row. For 

 'early use, a small bed of the early turnip-rooted may 

 be sown as soon in the spring as the ground can be 

 fitted for the seed, and these will give good roots in 

 June or July. Beets intended for fall or winter use, 

 or for general crops, should not be sown too early ; 

 for such, if suffered to stand, become stringy and 

 fibrous, and not unfrequently shoot up to seed, which 

 renders them useless : indeed, it may be said that, 

 for late beets, sowing in June is better than in 

 April. 



A rich, deep soil is best for the beet, and for all 

 tap-rooted plants, and they should, after thinning, be 

 kept free from weeds by frequent hoeings, or by 

 otherwise moving the earth about them. Beeta 

 sliould be gathered before severe frosts occur, and 

 n)ay be pitted or put in cellars for winter use. The 

 thinning of beets must be performed while they are 

 young, and the young plants are excellent for greens, 

 or as a substitute for spinage. 



Within a few vears the culture of the sugar-beet 



