Melbournites

[Andrew A. Apold]

>On  7 Jun 96 Andrew A. Apold wrote about Melbournites:
>
>> Captain Cloud, about two hours north of where I am, lives
>> in Palm Bay, FL, which is effectively a suburb of
>> Melbourne, Florida....
>
>But Melbourne, FL doesn't have Gum Trees!

Like most of Florida, it is probably smothered in Australian Pines.
A huge percent of Florida's foilage is not native but introduced by
people.  Australian Pines are amongst the most common, and
worst, despite the fact that they look nice.  They dry up
wetlands, and damage the Everglades immensely.  The gov't
spends millions trying to eradicate them from the 'glades in an
effort curb their spread, but it isn't easy.  .  Back in the 50's, the
 gov't spent money airdropping Australian Pine seeds throughou
t south florida in an effort to get rid of the swamps....

+-------------------------------------------------------+
Andrew A. Apold, aka                        "I was corrupt before I had power!"
Roger Shrubstaff                                 - Random, upon being accused
Guildmaster of Reeves                          of being corrupted since
Barony of Silverwater                             becoming King....
Kingdom of the Burning Lands                (Roger Zelazny, d. 1995)