Our family lived in Stone Mountain, Georgia (an Atlanta suburb) for three years in the 1980s. I was sole proprietor of a craft etc. company and wrote a booklet about a prolific southern plant, KUDZU, to accompany the craft line. Below are excerpts. ---NEWS BULLETIN!--- The southeastern section of the United States must prepare for sudden irregular population spurts in future years. These spurts will coincide with unpredictably timed energy blackouts. Women are being forewarned to prepare for these blackouts so as to prevent mini-population booms, which would occur predictably nine months following each blackout. Although the causes of the projected blackouts might be increased energy demands, electrical storms, power plant break-downs, etc., the major culprit is expected to bey Puerraria Lobata, AKA the “green menace,” or KUDZU. Kudzu , known as the “mile-a-minute” or “foot-a-night” plant, reaches its elongated stems up to several hundred feet or more, entangling itself in electrical lines and transformers. Kudzu has become the worst known menace the power companies must deal with.
Women, be prepared! NOTE: Kudzu is a plant native to Japan and southeast Asia to the Himalayas and some Pacific Islands. It was introduced to the U. S. by Japan in 1876 at the Japanese pavilion of the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Its use was encouraged for ground cover and animal food until it was discovered the vines took over wherever it was planted and the animals disliked it. The question remains: Is the story Jack and the Beanstalk actually about a boy who became careless with KUDZU? E-mail me ---beaneryblog@yahoo.com--- for information on purchasing this booklet. Put "Kudzu Booklet" in the subject line. |
