HABITS AND LATIN NAMES OF BRITISH PLANTS. 
245 
Serviceable in fevers, is made by bruising the berries, and steeping them in water. 
A variety with berries destitute of seed is cultivated in gardens ; the berries of 
this variety are preferable for making jelly. They are frequently preserved for 
garnishing dishes in Winter. Many agriculturists charge the Barberry-bush with 
causing the barrenness, blight, or mildew, in Wheat growing in its neighbourhood? 
but others deny it. For an interesting account of the minute Fungi parasitical 
on this plant, and which are supposed to cause the mildew, &c., in Corn, see 
Baxter’s Flowering Plants, Vol. II. 
Beta. —B yit<x ; so called from the river Bsetis, in Spain, where it grows naturally; 
or, according to Blanchard, from the Greek letter (3 , which it is said to resem¬ 
ble when turgid with seed. 
Beta maritima , Sea Beet.—This is a common plant on some of our sea-coasts. 
The leaves are very good boiled, as are also the roots. 
Betonica. — Betov/kv, corrupted from vetonica ; and so called because the Vetones, 
a people of Lusitania, first used it; or, perhaps, from betwn , Welch. According 
to Hooker, from bentonic , in Celtic: ben , meaning head; and ton, good. Its 
properties are cephalic. 
Betonica officinalis , Wood Betony.—This plant was formerly much used in 
Medicine, and considered an universal remedy, but it is discarded from modern 
practice; perhaps merely from the disappointment of unreasonable expectation. 
Antonius Musa, physician to the Emperor Augustus, introduced it into such 
general repute in Italy, that “ Vende la tonica, et compra la Betonica, v sell your 
coat and buy Betony, became a prevalent proverb. Fernelius and Pliny like¬ 
wise extol its virtues; and in Spain, of the superlatively excellent it is said, 
“ She has as many virtues as Betony.” It is not altogether destitute of virtues, 
for ’when fresh it intoxicates, and the dried leaves excite sneezing. It is also 
smoked as tobacco. The root promotes vomiting, and is violently purgative. It 
has been suspected that the sternutatory effect is merely mechanical, occasioned 
by the hairs of the leaves. It enters into the composition of Rowley’s British 
herb tobacco and snuff. 
Betula. —Corrupted from the Welch bedwen: or from batuo , to beat, the 
Roman lictors having their fasces made of the branches; and also in reference to 
its more vulgar use. Hooker states its derivation to be from betu, the Celtic 
name for the Birch. 
Betula alba, Birch-tree.—The most elegant varieties of this tree may be 
observed to the utmost advantage in the romantic vale of the Llugwy, near 
Bettws, North Wales. Wilson well depicts such a spot— 
-“ On the garden slope 
Of a romantic glade we sat us down, 
Amid the fragrance of the yellow Broom, 
While o’er our heads the weeping Birch-tree streamed 
Its branches, arching like a fountain shower.” 
