Chap. 60. Higlijl) Herbs. 
85 
almoft of the opinion that the black Beet of the 
Ancients was that we now call Our Red Beets : but 
Modern Authors have found out feveral other Kinds. 
As, 1. Bela viridis Communis, The Common Green 
Beet. 2. Beta alba , called alfo Candida & Pallef- 
cens , The White Beet. 3. Beta rubra nojlra , cal- 
led alfo nigra , Cf rubra vulgatior , The Red Beet. 
4. Beta rubra , called alfo, Beta Romana , Beta rubra 
Rapa rndice , Rapum Rubrum , Rapum fativum R u- 
brum , Beta nigra Romana , Ac; a erythrorrhizos , by 
Lugdunenfis , The Roman Red Beet. 5. BetaCreti- 
ca Jpinofa , Prickly Beets of Candia. 6 . Beta Syl- 
vejtris maritime , Sea Beets. 7. iir/a L/tc/a Syriaca, 
Yellow Beets. 8. Beta platicaulos, Beta Cojta lata, 
alba Lutea , aurea, ruberrima , Italiea , Jicttla, The 
yellow or Hat Stalk’d Beet. Of all which Kinds we 
fhall only Treat of the firft Four in this Book, as 
being only proper for this purpofe. And of them, we 
fhall Difcourfe of the two firft Kinds in this Chap- 
ter. 
III. The Defcription. 0 «r Common Green Beet 
is alntofl like unto the White Beet, having a great 
long hard Roof, cf no uje after Seed time , from 
whence fprings up many large Leaves lying upon the 
Ground of a green Colour , atnidjl which rifes up a 
large green Stalk crejled,, with fame Branches and 
many Leaves thereon , almoft up to the Top. The 
flowers grow in long Tufts or Spikes, fnialL at the 
ends and turning down their Heads, and yielding 
cornered Seed. 
IV. Our Common White Beet has a long thick, 
great Root, and hard after bearing Seed, which en- 
dures all the Winter, and with its Leaves upon it, 
but perijhing commonly the fecond Winter, from 
whence comes forth great broad Leaves, fmooth and 
flaw, lying next the Ground ; thefe fays Parkinfon, 
grow in hot Countries to be three foot long and very 
broad, and in our Country they are very large but 
nothing near that Proportion , and they are of a 
whitijh green Colour. From this Root rifes up a Stalk 
great, flrong, and Ribbed or Crejled, bearing great 
Jlorc of Leaves upon it, ahnojl up to the very top : 
the Flowers grow along the Stalks in long tufted 
Spikes Jnall at their extremities, and bending down 
their Heads, and they clufier together in Jhape like 
little Starrs ; which being pajf, there are fmall pale 
greenifh yellow Burrs, yielding cornered, and uneven 
prickly Seed. 
V. The Places. The Green Beet Parkinfon fays 
has been found near the Salt Marfhes by Rochefter, 
in the Foot way going from the then Lady Levefons 
Houfe thither. The White Beet is faid to grow 
Wild upon the Sea Coaft of Tenet , and divers othef 
places by the Sea. They delight to grow in fat and 
moift Ground, but are chiefly nourimed up with us 
in Gardens. 
VI. The Times. They ought to be fown in the 
spring : they flourifh and are green all the Summer 
long, as alfo in Winter-, and they Flower in the 
beginning of July , and the Seed is ripe in Au~ 
g“ft- 
VII. The Qualities. They are Temperate in re- 
fpetb to heat and moifture -, and of a Nitrous Quali- 
ty, Abfterfive, a little Diuretick, Opening, Cepha- 
lick, and Hepatick, Ptarmick, Alterative, and Alexi- 
pharmick. 
VIII. The Specification. They are found to be 
Specifick againll Difeafes of the Head and Brain. 
IX. The Preparations. The Shops keep nothing 
thereof, but you may prepare therefrom, 1. A 
Liquid Juice . 2. An InfpiJJate Juice. 3. An Ef- 
fence. 4. ADeeoSion. ;. An Errhine. 6 . A Ca- 
taplqfm. 
The Virtues. 
X. The Liquid Juice. It is Nitrous and deanfing: 
being taken vj. or viij. Spoonfuls at a time, at going 
to Bed for fome Nights, it opens the ObftruSaons 
of the Liver and Spleen, and is good againft the Head 
Ach. 
XI. The Infpijfate Juice, made with Vinegar in- 
to the thicknefs of a Balfam, and apply’d to the 
Temples, prevails againft the Inflammations of the 
Eyes, and mixed with Oil Olive, is good againll 
Burnings and Scaldings. 
XII. The EJJence. It is good againft the Yellow 
Jaundice, opens Obftru&ions both of Liver and 
Spleen, is good againft the Vertigo, and the Bitings 
of any Venomous Creature. It is good againft the 
Itch, the parts affefted being bathed there with, and 
cleanfes the Head of Dandriff, dry Scurff, Scabs 
and heals fretting and running Sores, Ulcers and Her- 
pes in the Head, Legs, or other Parts: it is alfo 
faid to cure Baldnefs, and hinder the falling of the 
Hair. Dofe 3. or 4. Spoonfuls or more. 
XIII. The DecoOion. If it is made with Equal 
parts of Water and Vinegar, it has all the Virtues 
of the EJfence ; befides it prevails againft St. An- 
thonies f ire , and all other Inflammations in any 
Part. ’ 
XIV. The Errhine. It is made of the Liquid 
Juice iv. ounces. Niter half an ounce mixed and 
dijfo/ved. Being fnuft up the Noftrils it power- 
fully empties and cleanfes the Head and Brain of 
fuperfluous Humors which caufe the Apoplexy, 
Epilepfy, Vertigo, Megrim, Cephalalgia, Cephalia’ 
Lethargy, Carus, and other like Diftempers of thofe 
Parts ; it alfo eafes the Tooth Ach, and pains in the 
Ears, and being outwardly apply’d, has all the 
Virtues of the Eflence and Decoction. 
XV. The Cataplafm. Made of the boiled Herbs 
with or without the Addition of a little Niter and 
Alum, and apply’d, it is good againft all forts of 
Wheals, Puthes, Boils, Blains, and other eruptions 
of the Skin, as alfo for Chilblains or Kibes whether 
on Hands or Feet, fpeeedily Curing them. 
CHAP. 
