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LIII. Account of the Species and Varieties of the Beets, culti- 

 vated for Use. By Mr. William Morgan, F. H. S. 

 Gardener to Henry Browne, Esq. at North Mimms Place, 

 Hertfordshire. 



Read December 15, 1818. 



Th e different sorts of Beet cultivated in gardens, for the 

 table, or in fields for the use of cattle, originate from two 

 distinct species of the Genus Beta. The Beta Vulgaris has 

 produced those varieties of which the root only is used ; and 

 from the Beta Cicla have sprung those whose leaves are 

 gathered for culinary purposes. Both species are biennials, 

 and are natives of the south of Europe ; with us they have 

 gone under the general denomination of Beet, but the 

 French have distinguished the first kinds by the name of 

 Bette-rave, and the others are called by them Poiree. 



More attention has apparently been paid to these plants 

 in foreign countries than in England ; this I discovered by 

 observations on the plants raised from a collection of seeds 

 which were imported by the Horticultural Society, in the 

 spring of 1817, and distributed to its Members ; some of 

 each of these were grown by me at North Mimms Place, 

 last year ; I prepared notes on them, for the use of the So- 

 ciety, but deferred presenting them in consequence of infor- 

 mation which Mr. Sabine obtained, relative to the plants, 

 from M. Vilmorin of Paris, which made me desirous of 

 seeing the varieties again under cultivation ; this I have been 



