News

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Small communities' long-standing reputation as safe is being tarnished as big city crime makes its way to the rural South, a trend that is dropping but not as fast as crime in other areas.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

It was a fight worthy of a National Geographic special, but I was the only witness. Hummingbirds swept down from adjacent oaks to the deep-blue flowers of the anise sage only to be met with fierce resistance and a screeching warning from the protecting hummer.

I have always been a fan of the Blue Anise Sage (salvia guaranitica), but until I saw this fight for its nectar, I never fully appreciated all the attributes the plant offered.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Heat and drought are claiming another Mississippi casualty as hay production is way down in most areas of the state.

While some parts of the state have received ample rain, most are parched and facing severe hay shortages this fall.

John Wilson, Itawamba County agricultural program assistant with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the commercial hay producers in his county are going to be at least one-third short on filling hay orders.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Officials working to advance the well-being of Southern states have named five areas of central importance to the region and are studying these issues to learn how to address them.

Land prices, national forests, welfare reform, workforce changes and telecommunications were the topics identified as key to the rural South.

Karen DeRosier, executive director of the Florida State Rural Development Council, said each state rural development council submitted areas of concern to their state.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Our long growing season lends itself to enjoying exotic flowers from tropical regions of the world. A coffee relative, Ixora, is a jungle-type plant that is ideal for porches or patios.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Most parents second-guess themselves enough without society planting doubts or creating more confusion as each family struggles with their individual choices.

"Employment opportunities and child-care decisions are the first major choices parents face as their family grows," said Dr. Louise Davis, family and child development specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service.

By Molly Kinnan

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- As most of the nation focuses on the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern states' drought, Mississippi farmers are struggling through a late-season drought of their own.

The first summer months looked promising to many Mississippi growers, but some crops have weakened due to a sudden lack of moisture in the area.

Dr. Alan Blaine, soybean specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said soybean production seems to be hardest hit by the changing weather.

By Denise Cosper
Southern Rural Development Center

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter told educators and job training program coordinators that continuing to move the rural South from "shadows into sunshine" requires building human relationships where people work together.

By Rebekah Ray

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- "Would you like soybeans with that order?"

Asians have long appreciated the taste and benefits of soybean protein in their diets, but most Americans have not rushed to purchase soy products. One Mississippi State University researcher has increased Western acceptance of this healthful food by blending soybean protein with yogurt.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Very few people know anything about abelia, but it has some outstanding qualities worthy of consideration in Mississippi landscapes.

Consider this, they bloom for months with clusters of flowers, the foliage is attractive and they have no pests. This should put this delightful shrub at the top of the list for those desiring a low maintenance garden.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Living in the water doesn't spare Mississippi's catfish from the effects of summer heat as recent daytime pond temperatures have reached the high 90s.

Jim Steeby, area Extension aquaculture agent with Mississippi State University's National Warmwater Aquaculture Center, said water temperatures in the Delta where he is located have stayed at 95 degrees in the afternoon since the last week of July. While catfish thrive in warm weather, this level is too hot.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

If there was a poster child for underused plants, the bottlebrush buckeye would be the spectacular winner.

The word bottlebrush should make you want to grow it, but when you consider the flowers are 4-inches wide and 12-inches long and produced in huge quantities, it really is time to go shopping.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Backyard chefs firing up the grill for another charbroiled feast should never overlook small details that can mean the difference between a delicious, outdoor meal and a safety disaster.

Each year, outdoor cookers cause many injuries to careless cooks or people too near the equipment. People who regularly use barbecue grills or smokers often become so familiar with the equipment and the cooking routine that they forget safety checks.

By Molly Kinnan

MISSISSIPPI STATE --The freedom and independence that college life provides can lead some freshman to overlook financial responsibilities.

Jan Lukens, consumer management specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the most common budgeting mistake made by students is not keeping track of their money.

"Students need to take the time to sit and put things down on paper," Lukens said. "Sitting down and looking at the whole situation can make students aware of the danger of overdrawing."

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Growers are hoping Mississippi children are experiencing the last chances to see boll weevils in their natural habitat as eradication efforts begin in the North Delta.

Growers across the nation's Southeast have been chipping away at boll weevil strongholds since the early '80s. Eradication efforts that began in Virginia and the Carolinas have continued successfully across Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and into Tennessee and Mississippi. Separate efforts are underway in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Treated wood products used for making picnic tables, decks or lining gardens are safe and durable options for sprucing up Mississippi yards.

Dr. Terry Amburgey, a Mississippi State University professor in the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, said oil-borne preservatives and water-borne solutions both offer excellent durability. However, wood freshly treated with oil-borne preservatives, such a pentachlorophenol or creosote, should not be used on decks or lawn furniture.

By Chuck Dunlap

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Passing a calculus test may be easier for some students than trying to pass their first alcohol breath test.

A 1997 Harvard School of Public Health study found that 43 percent of college students admitted to binge drinking in the preceding two weeks. A binge is defined as drinking to the point where health and well being are at risk.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

This really has been a year for the black-eyed Susan called Indian Summer. They are showing off brilliantly in my garden and were one of the Mississippi Medallion winners for 1999.

Goldsturm (Rudbeckia fulgida), which is the most reliable perennial black-eyed Susan, was the 1999 Perennial Plant of the Year, and the award is deserving. Next year, Goldsturm will be the Louisiana Select award winner.

By Rebekah Ray

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A new Mississippi State University research center should help Mississippi farmers use satellite technology to produce better crops.

The Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, MSU's agricultural research arm; the university's Engineering Research Center; and MSU's Forestry and Wildlife Research Center have joined resources to establish the Remote Sensing Technologies Center.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- News of government payments for some hog farmers and improved cattle prices will bring some relief to Mississippi livestock producers after years of depressed markets.

The second phase of Small Hog Operation Payment program moneys will soon be available to hog producers who have struggled to break even for the last couple years. The program will pay up to $10 per slaughter-weight hog marketed during the last six months of 1998. With a limit of 500 market hogs, or an equal number of feeder pigs, the maximum payment for any one operation is $5,000.