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                                    ³Burnet³
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    (Pimpinella saxifraga) also called Italian burnet, burnet saxifrage,
    italian pimpernel. Burnet was one of the favorite herbs of the Tudors,
    who used to plant it in narrow pathways with thyme and chamomile*
    so that when trodden on its fragrance would give additional enjoyment.
    But it has been used by herbalists since even earlier days : long before
    Culpepper prescribed it as an antidote to melancholy, Pliny mentions it
    as a useful herb.

       Originally a native of Europe, it was introduced to the United States
    by the first settlers, possibly the Pilgrims themselves. The burnet is
    a perennial herb. Its rounded, toothed leaves grow in pairs upon their
    own stem, and its upright white or reddish flowers produce tiny, berrylike
    fruit. It will grow between 1 and 2 feet in height, and prefers a dryish
    well-drained soil with plenty of sun. It will seed itself if it is allowed
    to, and you can produce extra plants by dividing its roots during the
    spring or fall.

       Seventeenth-century herbalists like Nicholas Culpepper considered
    burnet to be an excellent cure for the blues. He advocated steeping three
    sprigs of the herb in a cup of wine, preferably claret, as a cordial to
    "quicken spirits, refresh and clear the heart, and drive away melancholy."
    Most present-day herbalists however consider burnet more useful first as
    a diaphoretics, that is, an herb which induces perspiration to eliminate
    toxins, and secondly as an astringent for bathing small sores and
    abrasions.

       As a Tea: infuse 1 teaspoon dried herb in 1 cup covered boiling water.
    strain and flavor if desired, and drink up to 1 cup per day.

       As an Astringent* Lotion : Decoct in a covered vessel 1 handful
    dried herb in 1 pint boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain and allow to
    cool before using.