SHAMBOCK CLOVEBS. 85 



story of how the Shamrock became identified with Ireland. 

 It was in the distant period when St. Patrick was preaching 

 the Christian religion, and instructing the ignorant but intel- 

 ligent people in the nature of the true God. When he asserted 

 the doctrine of the Trinity, they would hear him no longer ; 

 hitherto they had listened with eager curiosity, but this 

 mystery was too great for them to endure. "Three Gods 

 and yet but one God, impossible !" they said. He stooped, 

 and gathering a Shamrock leaf held it aloft. " Here is but 

 one leaf," he said, " and yet, lo ! it is three ! If in one of 

 the humblest works of creation this mystery is manifested, 

 how much more should it exist in the Creator himself !" 



" Full well he read, that mighty man of old, 

 A mighty mystery of the humble sod ; 

 With wondering awe they saw the saint unfold 

 The triple leaf, and teach a triune God ! 

 Then unbelief and prejudice took flight, 

 With such 'weak things ' did God the wise confound ; 

 And darkness fled before the flood of light, 

 And heathen ears received the Gospel sound." 



The next neighbour of the White Clover, the Bird's-foot 

 Clover (T. ornithopodoides), has a small pale red flower, about 

 three in a cluster. It is said to grow at Musselburgh, but I 

 have never seen it. // ^ /- ^ fa<4<l4kjL& / f V 



/ The Pink Clover (T. pratensej; Vlfich, as children we used to\ 

 Icall " Sweet Kitty Clover," is common in meadows everywhere^ 



The Zigzag Clover (T. medium), is a taller plant, with longer 

 leaflets, and a less dense head of flowers. I gathered it near 

 Goostrey, in Cheshire, by the side of a sandy lane, and I see 

 Edward has a specimen from Kent. 



The Sulphur Clover (T. ochroleucum), with its erect downy 

 stems and dense head, favours dry pastures in the eastern 

 counties, but I have not had the good fortune to procure it. 



The Hare's-foot Trefoil (T. arvense), I found in a lane leading 

 west by the side of the Ure, near Bipon. The calyx-leaves are 

 long and densely hairy ; and the small flowers are almost lost 

 among them. It blooms also in the autumn among corn. 



