West Jersey Pioneer

The Vineland Floral Society held its first exhibition at Union Hall, on Tuesday evening, May 30th, 1865. The Hall was tastefully decorated for the occasion. The Vineland Brass Band was in attendance; also, a 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 on exhibition.

The exercises were commenced by music from the band. Immediately after, Mr. C. K. Landis was introduced to the audience, who addressed them as follows:—

Ladies of the Floral Society: At this, your meeting, an expression of your hearts presents itself. It is the sentiment which has given life to your society, typified by this profusion of beautiful flowers. In these tasteful garlands, wreathed by the hand of beauty; in these lovely bouquets, with their wealth of fragrance, we have not merely an adornment as connected with inanimate objects, but a realization of that fascinating feeling in the fair daughters of Vineland which will festoon every arbor with the loveliness of its expression, adorn the window of every cotter's home, more richly than with grandest architecture, and cover our beautiful Vineland with the enchantment of its genius. In this your mission, so worthy of the graces, you are engaged in a pursuit which not only refines the heart of man, but adds to the material prosperity of our place. The utilitarian can find as much to approve of as the poet. Men plan by the cold, and abstract calculations 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. It fixes itself upon the imagination, and with every thought grows into attractiveness. The inquiring stranger as he searches for a place of permanent repose, after a tempest-tossed life, in traversing our numerous highways, may admire the prosperity of our place, the intelligence of our inhabitants, but in the course of time when his eyes can rest upon the climbing 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 perchance was the favorite of a sister, perhaps long dead, or one fondly associated with an early love, he instinctively says this is home, this is home. His heart asserts itself, and he also feels kindly to the people who excite such endearing sympathies.—

This recalls to my memory one of the strongest impressions ever made upon my feelings—

When about eight years of age I was travelling through the State of Georgia in a stage coach. I was wearied with the tedious sight of wilderness, log cabins, and interminable pine forests, until we approached the town of Madison—

Here the light of Northern education and refinement had broken through.

Everything was changed. The air was fragrant with flowers, the houses were set back from the roadsides and the gardens were filled with shrubbery; roses appeared to predominate. It did not consist of a few separate instances of flowery gardens, it was universal.—

I never saw anything so lovely, and with feelings natural to a child I thought that when I came to be a man I would surely live in Madison.

I have since thought that I would try and live in some place like it. I have been pleased to see that the correspondents in Sherman's 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. It 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. Its effects combined with your praiseworthy efforts are already visible.

In ten years time we will present the appearance of another Madison, with the additional happiness that we will owe it all to the Ladies.

There is a pleasure arising from the cultivation of flowers different from anything else.—

We do not look forward to any selfish reward. It is a labor of love. They appear to be a tender link between the animate and inanimate worlds. They say to man I cannot think but I love you. Man replies you possess no wealth but I press you to my heart. For this the little flower makes a grateful return. One will speak the soft sentiment of love, another in the hour of affliction will grieve with us. They sympathize with us in all the joys and misfortunes of our lives. They decorate the meridian glory of our existence, and they shed their beauty in silent mourning over our graves.—

Queen Victoria delicately expressed her preference 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 a poor old negro woman, a slave, engaged over a mound in a deserted cornfield. Hard work and hard treatment had transformed her in appearance to something different from human. She was a field hand. Her body was covered with nothing but a torn sack tied around the waist with a cord. Her arms and feet were naked. An old cloth was wound around her head. She was aged and gaunt and broken down. I was anxious to know what she was doing. I approached and she was watering flowers upon a grave. It was the grave of her husband.—

Husband by no rites of church or law, but by a fidelity of devotion that might attract the admiration of God if it could not the respect of the slaveholder. As I saw her doing this I 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 language in flowers, even in her they could not extinguish. I know that our Ladies are all fond of flowers. It is evinced in this beautiful exhibition. We can read it in every emotion. I am pleased to think that above all things it will be attended with one especially good result. It will entice them into the garden, and to taking open air exercise. To the health and beauty of women this is indispensable. There is no color so fresh and lovely as that which is caught by being kissed by the morning sun. In Vineland where we are working so many changes for the better, we can even make it fashionable. It ought to be a direct understanding that every lady should cultivate the seeds distributed to her by the Society 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 I regard every lady who is a member of this society as one who directly cooperates with me in the work I have on hand. I hope that every lady will become a member. Yours is a noble undertaking, without any mercenary object, it only looks forward to making home more attractive and lovely. It bespeaks unselfishness, and so long as such a spirit exists, the enchantableness of man will be atoned for by the Madonna-like goodness of women.
At the close of these remarks, the choir sang some verses written for the occasion, to the tune of "Rally round the Flag, Boys," which was immediately followed by music by the band. The Constitution and By Laws of the Society were then read by the Rec. Sec. after which a trio was sung. It was thought best to sell the flowers on exhibition at auction to the highest bidders, and this was the next exercise of the evening. A beautiful cross of flowers, contributed by Miss Lucy Smith, was sold for $6.50, and a pavilion of flowers decorated with small flags made by Mrs. A. J. Parker, $8.00. One elegant bouquet was sold for $3.75, made by Miss Helen Lamson, and numerous other bouquets brought handsome prices, making quite an addition to the funds of the Society. During the auction a short intermission was given, while the audience listened to a selection of vocal music. Some of the bouquets containing the least rare flowers were then distributed gratuitously among those present.

The Floral Society thus far has been most successful in its operations.

Anna T. Harvey, Recording Secretary.