Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1856-03-29
A LETTER FROM JOHN PHGSIx.-The following

Is from the Sacramento Union:
/ PHGNIxIANA-The immortal "John Phoenix"
as Hbernian might with propriety say, still
lives While in Oregon last summer he was writ
! ten to by the Executive Committee of the State
| Agricultural Society to deliver the poem at their
anniversary festival This letter failed to reach its
destination. On his return, the other day, the
editor of the Farmer handed him copy Of the
former letter, to which the prince of hunorsts re-
turned the following response:
SAN FRAScEGo, Feb. {, 1856.
Col J. L. L. F. Warren, Secy State Agricultur society
| Ny Dear Sir: l have the honor to acknowl-
edge the receipt this day. of your very polite and
dattering invitation, dated August 5, 1855, to de-
/ liver a poem of my composition before the
annual meeting of the State Agricultural Society,
in September last. Though somewhat dtfident re-
garding nv powers in the poctica line, feeling, in
fact, very much like the Irshman immortalzed by
Miller, who, when asked if he could play upon the
fiddle replied that he - presumed he could though
he had never tried, shall accept the invitation,
and endeavor to discharge the duty devolving upon
me to the best of my ability. You do ME more
than justice in supposing that take strong inter-
est in the newly developed resources of our glo-
rous State in an agricultural point of view; and l
have, in fact you be aware, devoted soue little
time to the pleasing scie nee OF horticulture in my
] endeavors to show up the greens of California
invitation; it gives me sufficient time to prepare,
and doubt not, that, by the return of last Sep
TENDER, shall be able to present to the Society
| poem that will be among poems, what Niagara is
among cataracts or Oregon among civilized nations
| already begin to feel grand agricultural hor-
| ticultural floral, and pomolog ical poetic frvor
stealing over me, under the influence of which,
have, without much effort, composed the following
admirable lines as a beginning:
| Here's to the land of potatoes and carrots,
| Whose banks grow wild rich bacon and parrots;
Where each apple and peara dollar piece is,
And man may devour just many as he pleases;
| (Spokea-If he's the money to pay for them)
Where the soil is teeming with vegetable treasures,
And pumpkin ten feet in circumference measures;
| Where to root up turnip, an employedis is;
By each laborer very large salary enjoyed is;
| Play the 'cord clergA)
| And kind Colonel Warren with interest watches
The growth Of his parsy and marrowphat squashes,
And strs up the farmers, and gives them rules Of
| action, and incentives to exertou, and constantly
teaches,
How they ought not to let Oregon get ahead of them,
| bus establish nurseries at once, where they could
raise at very triaing expense all kinds of grated
| fruit, pears, and apples, and cherries, and the
| most delicious peaches,
&c &c. &c.
That the last line seems little exuberant; prob
ably it results from the rich nature of the SOIL but
there is plenty of time to apply the pruning knife
Thanking you heartily for your Kindness and pre-
senting my compliments to the Society, to whom
beg you will communicate my acceptance of their
polite invitation, l remain,
| With great respect and esteem,
Your friend and obi servant,
| GEO. II DERBY.