THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 7 
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland at one time traveled as 
missionary over Ireland. One day while preaching he was anx- 
ious to explain the doctrine of the Trinity. The people failed to 
understand and refused to believe that there could be three Gods 
and yet but one. The holy man seeing a shamrock peeping from 
the green turf on which he stood, gathered it and showing it to 
then exclaimed : ''Doyou not all see in this simple little wild flower 
how three leaves are united in one stalk, and will you not then 
believe that there are indeed three persons and yet one God ?" His 
audience easily understood the simple illustration. From that 
period the shamrock became the national emblem of Ireland and 
dearly is it loved by all the warm hearted, affectionate people. 
Clovis, founder of the French Monarchy, married Clotilda ot 
Bergundy, who was a Christian. She was very anxious that her" 
husband should embrace her religion. Her persuasions were of 
no avail, however, until there came trouble between the Germans 
and the French. During a severe battle the French were nearly 
beaten wdien Clovis exclaimed : God of Clotilda, if thou wilt 
grant me this victory I will henceforth worship no God but thee!" 
His prayer was heard and the Germans were routed with great 
slaughter. 
Clovis remembering his vow was soon baptised, and an old 
legend tells us that immediately after the ceremony an angel ap- 
peared to him and presented to him a Fleur de lis, to testify the ap- 
probation of heaven and his right to- the French crown. Since 
that time France has been called the ''Empire of Lilies" and the 
Fleur-de-lis or the old fashioned flower of our garden the Flower 
de luce, the national flower of France. 
The longest and mo-st bloody war that ever desolated England 
was named after the lovliest flower of our garden. The rose was 
used as the badge of the two parties, the red by one side and white 
by the other. The cause of the war was a dispute as to the right- 
ful heir to the throne. It was carried on for many years until at 
the marriage of Henry VIT. with Elizabeth of York the two rival 
houses were united. The roses then blended together became the 
national flower of England and were emblazoned on her arms and 
on her coin. 
