150 



seed falls to the ground. Stem long and creeping. Leaflets 

 roundish, toothed, on long stalks, generally darker-colored 

 towards the stalk, and streaked with white across the middle. 



Some consider this plant as the celebrated Shamrock of the 

 Irish, and as such its leaf is blended with the Rose of England 

 and the Thistle of Scotland, to show the union of the three 

 Kingdoms. Other persons suppose the common Bird's-foot 

 Trefoil, (Lotus corniculatus,) to be the Shamrock ; it is most 

 probably neither of them, but rather the Nonsuch, (Medicago 

 lupulina.) This last plant is the one now sold as such in 

 Covent Garden and other places, for the use of the Irish on St. 

 Patrick's Day. Moore, in his beautiful Irish Melodies, has 

 not forgotten his country's emblem. He says : 



" Where'er they pass, a triple grass 



Shoots up with dew drops streaming. 

 As softly green as emeralds seen 



Through purest crystal gleaming. 

 Oh, the Shamrock ! the green immortal Shamrock ! 

 Chosen leaf of bard and chief. 

 Old Erin's native Shamrock!" 



COMMON PURPLE TREFOIL. Trifolium pratense. 



Plate 11, fig. 16. 



Flowers purple. Stem creeping. Pods with one or two seeds- 

 This is the Red Clover, so often cultivated for hay, and so 

 much esteemed as a rich food for cattle. It is a beautiful 

 plant, growing a foot or more high, with upright stems and 

 with large, pale-colored stipules at their base. Leaflets ovate, 

 pointed, all hairy, and often with a white spot upon them. 

 The lower tooth of the calyx is much larger than the rest. 



HARE'S-FOOT TREFOIL. Trifolium arvense. 



Plate 11, fig. 17. 

 Flowers white, minute. Stem upright. Calyx longer than 



the corolla. 



The soft, silky, oblong heads of flowers of this species serve 

 to distinguish it, as well as the upright and branched manner 

 of growth. The flowers are white, and so small as to be 

 scarcely visible. The calyx is reddish, very long, and with 

 points so hairy that the heads of flowers, (one of which is at 

 the end of every stem and branch,) appear like thick, oblong 



