Beet,  White,  Syn.  Be'ta  al'ba,  B,  vtTL-
oa"bi8  a.,  B.  ci'cla,  L.  ;  Bettb  blanche,
1'oiu£e,  &c.,  Pr.  A  sub-variety  of  the  red
beet.  Root  white,  and  hence  preferred  for
making  sugar ;  that  with  a  purple  crown  being
the  most  esteemed,

Obt.  The  preceding  varieties  of  beet  re-
semble each  other  in  their  general  properties.
They  are  all  antiscorbutic,  detergent,  emol-
lient, and  nutritious ;  and  their  roots  contain
about  8j  of  sugar,  which,  by  proper  treatment,
may  be  obtained  from  them  of  excellent
quality.  The  grated  root  ia  sometimes  used  to
Uresa  blisters  and  foul  ulcers.  When  sliced,
and  dried  in  a  malt-kiln,  a  very  palatable  beer
may  be  brewed  -  ith  it.  The  leaves  of  each
variety  are  dressed  and  eaten  like  spinach.
The  roots,  for  the  table,  after  being  carefully
washed,  are  dressed  whole — neither  scraped
nor  cut — and,  according  to  their  size  and  age,
require  from  1  to  4  hours'  simmering  or  baking.
They  are  mostly  served  in  slices,  cold,  inter-
mingled with  other  winter  salad  vegetables.
See  BsEwiNa,  Cattle,  Saladb,  Sitqab,  &.c.
(also  ante).
BEET  ROOT.    See  Beet.
BEE'TLE  (be'tl).  Sffn.  ScAB'ABf*,  Scae'-
ABEEt*  (-be) ;  Scaeab^'us,  L.  ;  EsCAEBOT,
ScAUABEiS,,  Fr. ;  Kafeb,  Gcr. ;  Betel,  Siix.
In  zoology,  the  common  name  of  an  extensive
gi-nus  of  insects  (scarabai'us,  Linn.),  of  nu-
merous species.  It  is  also  popularly  applied
to  all  coleopterous  insects,  or  such    as    have


hard  or  shelly  wing-cases,  especially  to  those
of  a  dark  or  obscure  colour.  The  common
pests  of  our  kitchens  and  basement  floors
which  pass  familiarly  under  the  name  of
beetles,  black  beetles,  or  cockroaches,  belong
to  the  order  orthoptera,  and  not  to  the  coleop-
tera  or  beetle  tribe,  as  the  name  implies.  See
Insects,  &c.
Black  Beetle;  Domes'tic beetle.  See  Blatta,
COOKHOACH,  &c.
