By BENNY WADE
Within a couple of hours after the feature article, IT WAS A WONDERFUL YEAR, was dispatched to readers I received a delightful reply from Sue Musselwhite Gorski of Virginia.
Sue grew up in Cordele where I remember her as an exceedingly attractive young lady much younger than I was.
Sue’s Father, Jimmy Musselwhite, owned a business at 415 6th Avenue at a point where the original US. Highway 41 going south through Cordele turned and went east to Seventh Street.
The building/location is now occupied by Culpepper-Wade Oil Co. My cousin A.C. Wade, the eldest surviving grandchild of Dock and Texie Wade, told me that particular spot has housed businesses continuously longer than any other location in Cordele except one.
This bit of information is just one of many value added revelations I sometimes throw in free of charge. In case readers have been sitting around wondering about the location of the second oldest continuous business site in Cordele now you know.
Not only did Sue prove to be an alacritous reader of the aforementioned article she demonstrated proficiency as a researcher of subjects botanical. She identified the best-known names of the three plants I cited growing profusely on the backside. She expressed personal knowledge of all three varieties.
In addition Sue identified the country of origin of one of the plants while revealing that Virginia as Georgia is blessed with an abundance of at least two of the plant species.
Less than 15 minutes later I received an email from a student I taught eighth grade science in Turner County. She is now Dr. Anna Elizabeth Marley, professor of botany at Puget Sound University in Washington State. An hour later a third email arrived from my runner friend, Buston Pelfrey, of Whelen Springs, AR.
I had no idea so many readers were familiar with the varieties of plant life on the backside as all three initial responders were knowledgeable regarding the plants I specified.
It was not my intention to make identification of the plants a contest but in light of the responses I decided to give three prizes. First, second, and third places will be awarded on how quickly the responses were mailed.
Third place will consist of three tickets to hear Kray Z. Azell lecture at Fardcracker Universal Colossal University. Second place will be two tickets to hear Kray Z. and first place will be one ticket.
Shortly after this decision I realized the scope of the bountiful abundance of plant life with which we have been blessed on the backside. Therefore I decided to share my natural nursery products with those not so fortunate.
Seven varieties of plants will be made available to readers on a first come first served basis. Recipients will be able to gather the plants in their own manner. We will provide the shovels and hoes to harvest the treasures and customers will be responsible for providing their own containers.
Since we have had a plentiful supply of rain the ground is tractable thus this is an excellent time to dig the plants although there are places in which the wearing of rubber boots is advisable.
Consumers will be able to gather any of the following seven plants:
1. When the Cenchrus is most productive it creates an acute tactile awareness in anyone who contacts it.
2. The Rhus quercilolia is a beautiful triple variety green plant which turns a brilliant, red, yellow, and burgundy in fall. Its leaves appearing in clusters of three may serve to remind observers of three levels of Dante’s Inferno.
Like the Cenchrus this plant also creates an awareness on the part of those who touch it although the awareness is not as sudden but is of significantly longer duration. Those selecting this shrub will receive directions on where to purchase Caladryl Clear Lotion.
3. In a world with growing emphasis on “green” it is hard to imagine a greener plant than the Pueraria lobata at least in the spring and summer. This rapid expander can be the ideal place to hide Easter eggs or other similar sized objects.
Since it originated in China and Japan it can serve as a reminder to help us remember the debts we owe our Asian neighbors. Some suggested we demonstrate our appreciation by returning extensive quantities of the plant to Asia.
4. We can also give thanks to our friends in China for the Melia azedarach which once thrived so abundantly near privies in rural South Georgia. Though the privies are relegated to the past this evergreen plant with its attractive lightly scented blossoms is very much a part of the present landscape particularly while lining both sides of dirt roads.
5. And then we have the fragrant yellow and white tubular flowers of the caprifoliaceous shrub of the genus Lonicera. The wondrous fragrances of this plant’s blossoms is exceeded only by the green shrub’s ability to rapidly expand anywhere and everywhere.
6. Those who long for the nectar of home made wine might opt for the Vitis rotundifolia. This plant’s ability to reproduce in almost any environment is exceeded by no other and although the fruit produced by 1,000 vines admittedly may be limited in number if the plants are allowed to grow long enough and far enough some fruit will appear.
7. The Paspalum notatum came to us from a coastal state in Brazil. This botanical specimen provides comprehensive ground cover and thrives in areas limited in rainfall or with an abundance of rainfall.
If you don’t want to put out fertilizer, don’t worry, you won’t need it. It can accurately be described as a hardy perennial which in its unharvested state may cover more cubic space than any other grass.
If you would like some of these plants come on out to the backside and we’ll help you obtain them. If you have not been blessed with the proverbial “green thumb” and find it difficult to get plants to grow don’t worry about any of these. I guarantee they will grow, but if by chance they don’t I’ll give you some more.
