site the limb segments, and the depressed 

 one-celled ovary becomes a one-seeded 

 utricle. 



The Common Beet, Beta vulgaris, is a 

 native- of the South of Europe, and 

 although cultivated by the ancient Ro- 

 mans, and much esteemed by epicures, it 

 was not introduced into this country until 

 1656. It is a hardy biennial, with large 

 erect succulent leaves, generally of a deep 

 reddish purple colour ; but that for which 

 it is most valued is its fleshy roots, which 

 vary in form from that of a carrot to a flat 

 round turnip. The long-rooted sorts are 

 preferred ; they are usually about a foot or 

 more in length, and from two to four 

 inches in diameter at the top, from which 

 they taper to a long point, and are prized 

 in proportion to their being wholly of a 

 deep blood-red colour when cut. In France 

 and Germany, beet root is far more exten- 

 sively used than in England ; and, when 

 properly dressed, it is generally considered 

 to be a wholesome and nutritious veget- 

 able. Boiled and sliced, it is eaten cold, 

 either by itself or mixed in salads. It is 

 also excellent with vinegar as a pickle, and 

 is capable of being made into a conserve. 

 There are many varieties in cultivation, 

 which do not differ materially from one 

 another, except in the colour of their roots 

 and leaves. 



A variety of Beet is grown on the conti- 

 nent, under the name Betterave a Sucre, 

 from which sugar nearly equal to that 

 from the cane is extracted, as well as a 

 powerful spirit. 



The White, or Sicilian Beet, Beta Cicla, 

 as its name imports, is a native of Sicily, 

 near the sea coast, as well as the shores of 

 Spain and Portugal, from whence it was 

 introduced in 1570. It is a biennial, and is 

 grown solely for its leaves, which are 

 either put into soups, or dressed like 

 spinach. In France they are often mixed 

 with sorrel, to lessen its acidity. The 

 ancient Greeks used to eat the leaves of 

 beet in preference to lettuce, and blanched 

 them by laying a tile over the plant, as 

 some gardeners do at the present day to 

 blanch endive. 



The large white, or Swiss Chard Beet, 

 Beta Cicla var., is a very distinct variety, 

 remarkable for the thick midribs and 

 stalks of its large upright leaves. It is the 

 Poiree a Carole of the French, with whom 

 it is a favourite vegetable, when stewed 

 and served up in the same manner as sea 

 kale, or asparagus ; but unless it is pro- 

 perly dressed, it has a peculiar earthy 

 taste, and on this account it is not gene- 

 rally relished in this country. 



The Sea Beet, Beta maritima, a peren- 

 nial, which grows wild on the sea coast in 

 various parts of Britain, is occasionally 

 used as spinach or greens in situations 

 where it is plentiful. [W. B. B.] 



The Sea Beet is chiefly remarkable for 

 the changes which it undergoes in cultiva- 

 tion, as from it have been produced the 

 different varieties of Garden Beet, and 

 Jlamiold "Wurzel. If we examine the 

 wild plant, we find some specimens in 



r which the roots and foliage are highly 

 tinctured with a purple colour, whilst 

 others incline to a yellowish-green hue. 

 ! These two varieties are the initiatives of 

 ! the red, and the white beet, and also of 

 j the red, orange, and white mangold 

 | wurzel. With respect to those forms 

 which are cultivated for their roots, the 

 size to which they have been brought 

 is remarkable ; but it shoidd be observed, 

 with regard to the white beet, which is 

 cultivated for the midrib of the leaves, 

 that the roots are usually much forked, 

 and, indeed, are not greatly better in 

 form than those of the woody wild 

 examples, which, however, by being culti- 

 vated with a view to the root alone, attain 

 a compact shape and large size. [J. B.] , 



BETEL. The fruit of Areca Catechu. 



BE'TOINE. (Fr.) Stachys Betonica. 

 — , AQUATIQTJE. Scrophularia aquatica. 



BETONICA. An old Linnsean name for 

 various plants, now referred to Stachys. 

 B. officinalis, or Stachys Betonica, is the 

 Wood Betony of the herbals. [T. M.] 



BETONY. The English name for the 

 species sometimes separated from Stachys 

 under the name Betonica ; also Teucrium 

 betonicum. — , WATER. Scrophularia 

 aquatica. — , WOOD. Stachys Betonica. 



BETTE. (Fr.) Beta maritima. 



BETTE-RAVE. (Fr.) Beta vulgaris. 



BETULACE^l. (Birchworts.) A natural 

 order of Exogenous plants, belonging 

 to the monochlamydeous sub -class of De 

 Candolle, and to the amental or catkin- 

 bearing alliance of Lindley. They are 

 trees or shrubs, having alternate, simple, 

 stipuled leaves, often with the primary 

 veins running straight from the midrib 

 to the margin. The flowers are in catkins, 

 some having stamens only, others pistil 

 only ; and they have scales in place of a 

 perianth or floral envelope. In the alder, 

 however, there is a four-leaved perianth. 

 The stamens are opposite the scales. The 

 ovary is two-celled,with a single pendulous 

 ovule in each cell ; stigmas two. The fruit 

 is dry, does not open, is one-celled and one- 

 seeded. The plants are found in the woods 

 of Europe, Northern Asia, the Himalayas, 

 and North America ; they also inhabit the 

 mountains of Peru and Columbia, and the 

 Antarctic regions. They are usually timber 

 trees, with deciduous leaves. Their bark 

 is used as an astringent for gargles, and 

 for dyeing and tanning; it also possesses 

 tonic qualities, and is occasionaUy em- 

 ployed as a substitute for paper, and for 

 making boats. Betula alba is the common 



| birch. Its sap contains sugar, and, by fer- 

 mentation, yields a kind of wine. The em- 

 pyreumatic oil of the birch has been 

 recommended in various affections ; it is 



! used in the preparation of Russian leather, 

 and gives to it a peculiar odour. The 

 alder, Alnus glutinosa, grows in moist 

 places ; the wood resists well the action of 



I water, and has been used for the piles of 



