BETA, in botany, a genus of the Peti tandria Digynia class and order. Natural order of Holoracew ; Atriplices, Jussieu. Essential character : calyx five-leaved ; corolla none ; seed kidney-form, within the substance of the base of the calyx. There are four species, of which B. vid. garis, red garden beet, has large thick succulent leaves, which are for the most part of a dark red or purple colour. The roots are large and deep red, and on these circumstances their goodness depends ; for the longer they grow, the more tender they will be ; and the deeper their colour, the more they are esteemed. Native of the seacoast of the southern parts of Europe. B. cicla, white garden beet, seldom grows larger than a man's thumb ; the stalks grow erect, and have oblong, spear-shaped leaves, grow ing close to the stalk ; the spikes of the flowers are axillary, long, and have nar row `leaves placed between the flowers. The lower leaves are thick and succulent, and their foot-stalks are broad. For these it is cultivated ; the leaves being boiled as spinach, or put into soups, and the stalks and midrib of the leaf being stewed and eaten as asparagus.
A large variety of this has lately been introduced from abroad, under the title of root of scarcity. It is much cultiva_ ted in many parts of the continent, not only in gardens, but in the fields ; being much more in esteem, and perhaps really better than with us, where it seems to de generate. The leaf and root are said to be excellent food for man and beast : it is affirmed not to be liable to destruction by insects ; nor to be affected by drought.
The leaves are recommended as equal is quality to spinach, and, being from thirty to forty inches long, and from twenty-two to Twenty-five broad, exceed it greatly in quantity. They may also be gathered every twelve or fifteen days during the season. We are told, in the Gentleman's Magazine, that three varieties appeared from seeds procured from Dr. Lettsom. 1. With leaves and stem dark green, which was the most common. 2. With stem and leaves of a lighter colour, which he takes to be the white beet. 3. With stem and veins of the leaves red, which he says is the red beet. All of them have flowers in clusters, from two to three ; pistils from two to five ; a leaf growing from the base of the flowers ; the seg ments of the calyx equal, hunched, and membranaceous at the edge ; few plants flowering the first year. he concludes it to be biennial, as indeed all the garden sorts are, if not the wild sea beet also, altlsough Linnxus sets it down as annual, and Ray as perennial. Dr. Lettsom, who took much pains to introduce the mangel woe zel, informs us, that on his own land, which was not favourable to its growth, the roots, upon an average, weighed full ten pounds, and if the leaves were calcu lated at half that weight, the whole pro duct would be fifteen pounds of nutritious aliment upon every square of eighteen inches.