WATER PARSNIP, in botany: A genus of plants belonging to the clas of pentandra, and order of digynia, and in the natural system ranging under the 45th order, Umbellata. The fruit is a little ovated, and freaked. The involucrum is polyphyllous, and the pe- tals are heart-shaped. There are 12 species; the lati- folium, angustifolium, nodiflorum, sifarium, ninfi, rigi- dius, japonicum, falearica, graecum, ficulum, repens, and decumbens. The three first are natives of Britain. 1. The latifolium, or great water-parnip, which grows spontaneously in many places both of England and Scot- land on the sides of lakes, ponds, and rivulets. The stalk is erect and furrowed, a yard high or more. The leaves are pinnated with three or four pair of large el- liptic pinnae, with an odd one at the end, all serrated on the edges. The stalk and branches are terminated with erect umbels, which is the chief characteristic of the species. Cattle are said to have run mad by feeding upon this plant. 2. The angustifolium, or narrow- leaved water-parnip, has pinnated leaves; the axillary umbels are pedunculated, and the general involucrum is pinnatifid. It grows in ditches and rivulets, but is not common. 3. The nodiflorum, reclining water-parnip, has pinnated leaves, but the axillary umbels are sessile: It grows on the sides of rivulets.

The sium sifarium, or skirret, is a native of China, but has been for a long time cultivated in Europe, and particu- larly in Germany. The root is a bunch of fleshy fibres, each of which is about as thick as a finger, but very un- even, covered with a whitish rough bark, and has a hard core or pith running thro' the centre. From the crown of this bunch come several winged leaves, consisting of two or three pair of oblong dentated lobes each, and termina- ted by an odd one. The stalk rises to about two feet, is set with leaves at the joints, and breaks into branches towards the top, each terminating with an umbel of small white flowers, which are succeeded by striated seed. Six clerks feeds like those of parsley. Skirrets come nearest to parsnips of any of the esculent roots, both for flavour and nutritive qualities. They are rather sweeter than the parsnip, and therefore to some few palates are not altogether so agreeable.

Mr Margraaf extracted from 3 lb. of skirret root 1½ ounces of pure sugar.

SIX-CLERKS, officers in chancery of great account, next in degree below the twelve masters, whose business is to enrol commissions, pardons, patents, warrants, &c., which pass the great seal, and to transact and file all proceedings by bill, answer, &c. They were anciently clerics, and forfeited their places, if they married; but when the constitution of the court began to alter, a law was made to permit them to marry. Stat. 14. and 15. Hen. VIII. cap. 8. They are also solicitors for parties in suits depending in the court of chancery. Under them are 6 deputies and 60 clerks, who, with the under clerks, do the business of the office.