garden burnet; a genus of the polyandria order, belonging to the monocotyledon class of plants. The species are,

1. The fanguiroba, or common garden burnet, hath fibrous perennial roots, crowned by a large tuft of pinnate leaves, or six or seven pair of sawed lobes, terminated by an odd one; upright angular stalks, dividing, and branching a foot and a half high, terminated by oblong spikes of purplish red flowers. This species grows wild in England, in chalky soils; but has been long cultivated as a choice salad-herb for winter and spring use, it being of a warm nature; the young leaves are the useful parts. It is perennial in root, and retains its radical leaves all the year, but the stalks are annual.

2. The hybridum, hybrid agrimony-leaved Montpelier burnet, rises with upright, taper, closely gathered stalks two feet high; pinnated odoriferous leaves of three or four pair of sawed lobes, terminated by an odd one; and the stalks terminated by long footstalks dividing into smaller, each supporting a small roundish spike of flowers. This species often proves biennial; but by cutting down some of the stalks before they flower, it will cause it to multiply at bottom, and become abiding.

3. Poterium spinosum, shrubby spinous burnet of Crete, hath a shrubby stem and branches, rising a yard high, armed with spines; small pinnated evergreen leaves, of six or seven pair of lobes, terminated by an odd one; and the branches terminated by small heads of greenish flowers.

All these three species flower in June and July, succeeded by ripe seeds in Autumn. They are all naturally perennial; but the two herbaceous ones are abiding in root only; the other in root, stem, and branches; the two former are hardy, and the third requires shelter in winter. The first sort merits culture in every kitchen-garden for winter and spring salads. Some plants, both of the first and second sorts, may be introduced in the herbaceous collection in the pleasure-garden for variety. The third sort must be kept always in pots to have shelter in winter. They are all easily propagated, the first sort by seed, and by parting the roots. The second sort may also be increased by seeds and slips off the root, as for the for- former fort. And the propagation of the third is by slips or cuttings of the branches in spring and summer, planted in pots, and placed under glasses, giving shade and water; or might be forwarded more by plunging them in a hot-bed.

Burnet is of a heating drying nature, cordial, and alexipharmic; in summer, the leaves are used for cool tankards, to give the wine an agreeable flavour. The powder of the root of the first species is commended against spitting of blood, bleeding at the nose, dyfenteries, and diseases attended with violent secretions. In winter and spring, the young tender leaves are used in salads. For its uses as food for cattle, see Agriculture, p. 47-49.