236 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



be the plant spoken of in the book of Job* as Mal- 

 lows." A. portulacoides is a shrubby species similar to 

 the last, and abundant on the southern coasts of this 

 country. 



Strawberry Elite {Blitum capitatum and B. virgatum). 

 Prostrate annual plants, natives of the South of Europe. 

 They are cultivated for their leaves, which are sometimes 

 used as spinach, and like the former, become weeds in gardens, 

 but are interesting on account of their strawberry-like fruit, 

 which is composed of a union of fleshy calyxes. 



Beet [Beta vulgaris). The red beet is said to be a native 

 of France ; it was introduced to this country about two 

 hundred years ago. Its large succulent roots are a w^ell 

 known culinary vegetable, either cooked or as a pickle. 



Mangel Wurzel. This is understood to be the cultivated 

 state of Beta maritima, a wild plant growing on the sea- 

 shores of this country, and now extensively cultivated for 

 feeding cattle. During the war between Great Britain and 

 France, sugar became scarce in the latter country, and it 

 being found that beet contained a quantity oi' saccharine 

 matter, the Emperor Napoleon encouraged its cultivation in 

 order to obtain sugar from it, and which has been carried 

 on more or less in France, as well as in Germany, ever since 

 that period. It has also become an article of manufacture 

 in this country, where it is largely grown for that purpose. 



When refined, it has the appearance of cane sugar, but is 

 distinguished by the fracture not being so bright and the 

 crystals less sparkling than in cane sugar. By fermentation 

 and distillation of the juice, a large quantity of proof spirit 

 is obtained, which is said to be used in the manufacture of a 

 sherry wine, the refuse yielding potash. In Italy, both the 

 red and white beet are sold in the street hot from the oven, 

 and are eaten with bread, butter, and salt, affording a satis- 

 factory meal to many people. 



Glasswort (Salicornia herbacea). A succulent jointed- 



* Chap. XXX. ver. 4. 



