1861.] BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 349 



Society to aid in eveiy possible way in canying out his wishes, and espe- 

 cially in fonvarding the important object of a Canadian Flora. 



3. On the Fibre of Asclepias incarnata. By Judge Logie, of Hamilton. 

 An interesting series of specimens, showing the fibre in various stages of 

 preparation, etc., were shown. 



3. On the Flora of Hamilton and its vicinity. By Judge Logie. On 

 the motion of Di'. Dickson, a cordial vote of thanks was accorded to Judge 

 Logie. 



4. On the Histoiy, Properties, and Cultivation of Cotton. By F. E. 

 Stanton. Communicated by Dr. H. Yates. Mr. Briggs moved a vote of 

 thanks, which was warmly accorded. 



5. List of Plants observed in the Neighbourhood of Prescott, C. W., 

 chiefly in 1860. By B. Billings, Jun., F.B.S. Thanks were voted and the 

 paper ordered to be printed in the Society's Annals. 



6. On the Sugar Maple, and the Preparation of Sugar, and Saccharine 

 Solutions from Maple Sap. By John May, B.A. Dr. Lavell moved a 

 vote of thanks, which was seconded by Mr. Baton, and given with applause. 



7. Notices of the Eftects of Frost on Vegetation in Britain during the 

 present winter, in letters from Professor Balfour and Dr. John Lowe, to 

 the Secretary. 



The above communications will show that this new Society does not 

 neglect the one thing needful in these oiir days, viz. utility. 



Shamrock. — Clover {Tnfolium repeni). 



" To live ill Clove)-." — 1 think it is now generally agreed that the true 

 Shamrock which St. Patrick gathered to illustrate the doctrine of the Tri- 

 nity was the Trifulium repens (white Clover), although some of the con- 

 tributors to the ' Phytologist ' have supposed the Oxalis Acetosella to have 

 been the saint's plant. It is nevertheless true that the Irishman gives his 

 patron saint the credit of having selected the Clover, as he wears a piece 

 of this plant in his hat, or in the button-hole of his coat, on the saint's day 

 (17th March). There is an expression often used by us, " To live in clo- 

 ver," or " To be in clover," and Webster, in his dictionary, says, " To live 

 in clover is to live luxuriantly or in abundance, a phrase borrowed from 

 the luxuriant growth of clover, and the feeding of cattle in clover." But 

 I think this definition is not quite satisfactory. I find in reading ' Euphues 

 and his England,' where he speaks of fidelity, the following: — "For as 

 safe being it is in the companie of a tnistie mate, as sleeping in the grass 

 Trifole, where there is no serpent so venemous as dare ventm'e." From 

 this 1 should be inclined to conclude that "to live in clover," or "to be 

 in clover," originally meant a state of security or safety, rather than a state 

 of luxuriance. But it is worth remarking that the word clover is derived 

 from the Dutch clover, and this word signifies a club, — hence claver or 

 clnbgrass. Most of the clovers when in bloom are club-shaped ; but is 

 there any analogy between the club and the idea of safety? — if so, we might 

 in support of this refer to the accounts which history relates of the exploits 

 of Hercules with his club, and the general use of the club in early times of 

 warfare. The club was also the origin of the sceptre as a badge of royalty. 



S. B. ' 



