BEE (bē). Syn. Hive-bee, Hon′ey-b. (hŭn′-), Domes′tic b.; A′pis, L.; Abeille, A. mellifique, &c., Fr.; Biene, Honigbiene, &c. Ger. The a′-pis mellif′ica (Linn.; Ph. L., E., & D.), one of the hymenop′tera best known and most useful to man. [Those desirous of studying the habits and economy of bees are referred to the works of Huber and Latreille; and for their management to Mr Cobbett’s little book on the subject.] See Apis, Hive, Honey, Wax, &c.
BEE′-BREAD. The pollen of flowers collected by bees as food for their young.
BEE′-GLUE, Syn. Prop′olis, L., Fr. The resinous matter with which bees cement the combs to the hives, and close up and repair the cells.
BEECH (bēche). Syn. Beech′-tree; Fa′gus, L; Hétre, H. commun, Fr.; Buche, Gemeine b., Ger. The fa′gus sylvat′ica (Linn.), a magnificent English forest-tree, of the nat. ord. Amentaceæ (DC.). Fruit (BEECH′-MAST, B.-NUTS), used to feed swine, and, sometimes, in obstinate headaches, and in gravel complaints; yields oil by expression; inner bark occasionally used in hectic fevers. Wood (BEECH, B.-WOOD), handsome and very hard, but brittle and perishable, and particularly liable to become worm-eaten; its durability is increased by steeping it, when fresh-hewn, for some time in water; chiefly used by cabinet-makers, coach-builders, millwrights, and turners; and, sometimes, by coopers; also burnt for charcoal.
BEEF (bēfe). Syn. Chaire de bœuf, Du bœuf, Fr.; Rindfleisch, &c., Ger.; Bu′bula, Ca′′ro bo′vis, &c., L. The flesh of bovine animals, generally; but ordinarily only that of the domestic ox, cow, or bull.
Qual. Good beef is highly wholesome and nutritious; and is well adapted to persons of good appetite, or that labour or take much exercise. For the delicate, especially those suffering from debility, partial anæmia, amenorrhœa, and similar ailments, it is, perhaps,
superior to every other kind of animal food. If cooked so as to be left full of gravy, it sits lightly on the stomach, and its fat proves even more digestible than that of either veal or mutton.
It has been proved that under-done beef is one of the causes of tapeworm.
Choice. Ox-beef is known by having a fine smooth, open grain, a lively and agreeable red colour, and a tender texture, with the fat of a pleasing pale whitish-yellow or but slightly yellow, and the suet white and hard. When fine and well fed, the flesh is inter-grained or marbled with fat.—Cow-beef has a closer grain than ox-beef, and the lean is of a deeper red.—Bull-beef is closer still, the fat dark, hard, and skinny, the lean of a deep coarse red, and it has a strong smell and flavour.—Heifer beef resembles ox-beef, except in being smaller, often an advantage; but it lacks the rich flavour of the flesh of full-grown oxen.
Joints, Managem., &c. Beef is CURED, SALTED, and DRESSED, in all the ways common to the other meats; the only care necessary being in the selection of the appropriate joint or part. The ribs, sirloin, rump, and veiny piece are the proper joints for ROASTING or BAKING. The buttock or round, edge-bone, second round or mouse-buttock, brisket, flank, shoulder or leg-of-mutton piece, and the clod, those generally BOILED, STEWED, or SALTED. The choicest STEAKS are cut from the middle of the rump; the next best from the veiny piece, or from the chuck-rib. In summer, excellent ones may also be cut from the shoulder. In France, steaks cut from the sirloin (without bone) are preferred to all others, and are exceedingly delicate and tender. The neck may be either stewed or boiled, and is much used to make soup and gravy. In the country, the round, when fine, and well hung, is also often roasted or baked.