West-Jersey pioneer., 1865-06-17
For the West Jersey Pioneer.
VINELAND FLORAL SOCIETY.
vINELAND, June 1st, 1871

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vINELAND, June 1st, 1915.
The vineland Floral Society held its first
exhibition at Union Hall, on Tuesday evening,
Nav 30th, 1865. The Hall was tastefuily
decorated for the occasion. The Vineland
Brass Band was in attendance also, choir
of singers.
The door. was opened at eight o'clock, and
the Hall was Immediately SO densely thronged
with spectators. that it was impossible for
many to approach the flowers onexhibition
The exercises were commenced by music
from the band. Immediately after, Mr.. G. X.
Lands was introduced to the audience, who
addressed them as follows:-
LADIES or THE FLORAL SOCIETY at this,
your meeting. an expression OF your hearts
presents itself 1t is the sentiment VIII ieh has
given life TO your society. typifed by this pro-
fusion of beautiful flowers. In these tasteful
garlands, wreathed by the hand of beauty; in
these lovely bcquets with their wealth of fra
GRANGE, we have not merely an adornment as
connected with inanimate objects, but rea,iza
t;on of that fascinating feeling in the fair daugh
ters of Vineland which will festoon every ar
Dor with the lovelness of its expression, adorn
the window of every cotters home. more richly
than with grandest architecture, and cover our
beautiful Vincland with the enchantment ofits
genius In this your mission, so worthy OF the
graces. you are engaged in pursuit which not
only refines the heart of man, but adds to the
material prosperity of our place. The utili-
tartan can find as much to approve of as the
poet Men plan by the cold, and abstract cal
culations of thought, but they are moved by
the impulses of the heart. That which appeals
to the understanding will be respected, but
that which appeals to the heart will triumph.
1t fixes itself upon the Imagination, and with
every thought grows into attractiveness. The
inquirng stranger as he searches for place
of permanent repose, after tempest tossed
life, in traversing our numerous highways,
may admire the prosperity of our place, the
btans but in the course
of time when his eyes can rest upon the climb
ing honeysuckle and rose, clasping every lattice
work, door way and window, in the tenderness
of their embrace--as his eye rests upon some
familiar flower which perehance was the favor
ite of sister, perhaps long dead, or one fondly
associated with an early love, he instinctively
says this is home, this is home. His heart as
serts ITSELF and he also feels kindly to the peo-
pie who excite such endearing sympathies.- -
This recalls to my memory one Of the strongest
When about eight years of age was travelling
through the State of Georgia in a stage coach.
| was wearied with the tedious sight Of wilder
ness, log cabins, and interminable pine forests,
until we approached the town of Madison -
Here the light of Northern education and re-
fnement had broken through.
Everything was changed The air was
fragrant with flowers, the houses we're set back
from the roadsides and the gardens were lied
with shrubbery; roses appeared to predomi
nate. 1t did not consist of few separate in
stances of fowery gardens, it was universal
never saw anything SO lovely, and with feel
ings natural to child thought that when l
came to be man l would surely live in Madi-
son. l have since thought that l would
try and live in some place like it. have been
pleased to see that the correspondents in Sher-
mans army. as they passed through Madison,
have all remarked the same of the great beauty
of the place. They all feel equally in love
with it. 1t was this early Impression which
led me to adopt one of the most distinctive
features of Vineland-that of requiring every
building to be set back from the road side a
sufficient distance to afford room for flowers
and shrubbery. is effects combined with
your praiseworthy efforts are already visible.
In ten years time we will present the appear
ance of another Madison, with tho additional
Thnra 10 pleasure arising from tho cultiva-
ton of flowers different from anything else.-
We do not look forward to any selfish reward.
1t is a labor of love. They appear to be ten
der link between the animate and inanimate
worlds. They say to man cannot think but
love you. Man replies you possess no wealth
but press you 10 my heart. For this the lit
tie flower makes a grateful return. One will
speak the soft sentiment of love, another in
the hour of affiiction will grieve with us. They
sympathize with US in all the joys and mis-
fortunes of our lives. They decorate the mer-
dian glory of our existence, and they shed their
beauty i'll silent mourning over our graves
Queen Victoria delicately expressed her pre-
ference for Prince Albert by presenting him
with a rose. What an augury of happiness
Could the Prince ever afterwards look upon
this flower without the tenderest emotions? I
remember TO have once seen poor old negro
woman, slave, engaged over mound in a
deserted cornfield. Hard work and hard treat
ment had transformed her in appearance to
something different from human. She was a
field hand. Her body was covered with moth
ing but torn sack tied around the waist with
cord. Her arms and feet were naked. An
old cloth was wound around her head. She
was aged and gaunt and broken down. ] was
anxious to know what she was doing. / ap
proacheu anu She was watering movers upon o
grave 1t was the grave of her husband
Husband by no rites of church or law, but by
fidelity of devotion that might attract the ad-
miration of God if it could not the respect of
the Shareholder. AS 1 saw her doing this
could not but think that even here the Angel
part asserts itself, in this poor heart broken
old woman they could abuse and crush her
body, but that poetry of the soul that finds Ian
guage in flowers, even in her they could not
extinguish. l know that our Ladies are all
fond of flowers. 1t is evinced in this beaui-
full exhibition We can read it in every emo
ton. am pleased to think that above all
things it viii be attended with one especially
good result. 1t will entice them into the gar
den, and to taking open air exercise. To
the health and beauty of women this is indis-
pensible. There is no color 80 fresh and lovely
as that which is caught by being kissed by the
morning sun. In Vineland where we are work.
ing so many changes for the better, we can
even make it fashionable. 1t ought to be di
rect understanding that every lady should cul
tlvate the seeds distributed to her by the So
ciety with her own hands The flowers then
would not only be dear by reason of their own
beauty, but also the associations attached to
their culture. For your success you have my |
ardent wishes. In fact l regard every lady
who is member of this society as one who
directly cooperatcs with me in the work have |
on hand. | hope that every lady will become
member. Yours is noble undertaking,
without any mercenary object, it only looks