Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-03-23
HOW THE CLOVER WAS
CHOSEN STATE FLOWER
Ideal Flower Typical of State
Deep in C0lOring, Emblem
of Industry

From the Burlington Free Press is
reprinted the following article on YER
mont's state flower, the clover:
1t is a pleasure and privilege for
me to reply to an inquiring@ letter,
written in Rome, by DIR. D. L. Cady,
and published in the Free Press under
date of March 4. The subject in
question is "The Clover as the Yer
mont State Flower"
During the closing month of the
Worlds fair, held in Chicago in 1898,
several talented women connected
with the women's department con-
ceived the idea of forming National
Floral Emblem society it's object be-
ing to have each State choose and
legalize flower which would be espe-
cially of that State. When each
of the 48 States had made a choice,
the flowers were to be woven into
garland above the motto "E Pluribus
Unum." 1t can readily be seen that
| the selection of one flower to represent
SO many States would be impossible,
| as in the case of Scotland, which is
represented by the thistle, England
| by the rose, France by the feur-de-
| lis, etc.
AS it was my privilege to be a
guest on the fair grounds at that
time, the honor of being appointed
chairman for Vermont fell to me-
Knowing our Legislature was the
| first to convene the following year /
naturally had pride in wishing our
State to be the first to legalize a
flower. My first work was to appoint
a chairman from each congressional
district; under them were sub-com-
mittees covering all parts of the State.
The first plan was to have the voting
confined entirely to the women, but
as the idea gained circulation, request
came from farmers, statemen, poets,
and artists asking that they, too
might vote for the selection of the
emblem. After nearly year of hard
work the votes were collected and
when the Legislature convened in
1894 bill pertaining to the adoption
Of State flower was framed. When
the votes were counted it was found
there were about $4,000 more in favor
Of the clover, rather than others in
the list, which included the daisy
buttercup, arbutus and violets, and
others. Upon the day appointed fol-
the passing of the bill, which occurred
during ladies' week, the House and
Senate met in joint assembly and
the privilege was given the writer to
explain the subject from the speak.
er's desk and unanimous vote was
given for the adoption of the clover
as Vermont's flower. Then the bill
was sent to Governor U. A. Woodbury.
signed, and made a law in less thar
Is minutes.
To one living in Vermont whose
privilege it is to ride beside her beau.
tiful fields and see thousands of love.
" clover blossoms, fourishing in al
soils, in all parts of the State, on the
mountain and in the valley in the
meadows and on the rocky cliffs, car
there be a doubt that the clover is
the ideal flower to typify our State:
In the language of the flowers, clover
stands for industry; from it the bee
sips the sweetness which is converted
into delicious honey, and the clover
fed cow furnishes the cream which
: has made our Vermont butter famous
DR.. Cady questions the possibility
Of the use of the clover in art. Has
he never seen a cluster of the rec
clover with it's beautiful leaves done
in water colors, or engraved on silver
souvenir spoons, or the exquisite color
ing of both flower and leaf embroider
ed on linen? Those who have seer
) the beautiful silver service presented
: Ito the hattleship Vermont for which
) the Legislature appropriated $4,000
say that the clusters and sprays Of
silver clovers which are used to de-
: corate the different pieces are indeed
considered works of art.
The knowledge that Vermont is not
selfish in the possession Of this ex
quisite flower has come to me as {
surprise and pleasure during the past
two years when / received clover
BLOSSOM first, from the garden Of
! Marie Antoinette at Versailles, whers
the peace conference was in session
then from the lawn at Monte Carlo
then from the grave Of the famous
John Brown in the Adirondacks, ant
lastly, from the Plains of Abraham
at Quebec.
1t seems fitting to end this pieasan
controversy with a poem by Jame
inspiration to DR.. Cady upon his re
turn to his native State to add to hi
collection of Vermont verses an "Od'
to the Vermont Clover"
: MRS. CORNELIA v. D. RUSSELL
t March 6, 1921.
| THE CLOVER
2 Some sing Of the lily and daisy ant
rose
And the pansies and pinks that tn
summertime throws
In the green grassy lap of the medde1
that lays
Blinking up at the skies through tn
sunshiny days;
j But what is the lily, and all of tn
s rest
y Of the flowers, to man with a hear
in his breast
. That was dipped trimming full o
e honey and dew
: Of the sweet clover blossoms his baby
a hood knew?
$ Or fool round stable, or climb in
= NOW,