News From 2008

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Scientists have known for decades that animals are good stand-ins for humans in research, and one Mississippi State University veterinarian was on the front lines of the fight to protect the welfare of laboratory animals.

Dr. John Harkness retired in 2005 from his position as laboratory animal veterinarian at MSU. He began his career in the early 1970s, just seven years after federal legislation mandated the kind of care laboratory animals must receive.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- An upcoming workshop will offer hope and guidance to entrepreneurs with a variety of business interests that they want to base in their homes.

The home-based business workshop will be linked with video conferencing technology and will take place April 16 in Biloxi, Cleveland, Raymond, Verona and on the Mississippi State University campus. The registration deadline is April 7. The fee is $20 per person.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Climbing plants really add a vertical dimension to the landscape. Adding this new element to a garden causes a transformation that almost no other type of plant can accomplish.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Bats in the backyard are a good way to keep mosquito numbers down, but bats in the attic are a problem.

Ben West, wildlife specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said Mississippi is home to eight of the 40 kinds of bats native to the United States.

“Bats are great mammals to have around your property because they really help control mosquitoes,” West said. “Bats are so effective at mosquito control that many people place bat houses on their property to encourage bats to live nearby.”

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service has launched a one-stop information shop on the MSUcares.com Web site focusing on imported fire ants.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Few events focus the need for saving money like a sudden job loss or a personal catastrophe. Unfortunately, by then it is too late.

“Most people know they need to save money for retirement or for their child's college education, but any number of crises that require emergency funds can occur before those anticipated needs arrive,” said Bobbie Shaffett, family resource management specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Understanding colors can really help in creating awesome gardens.

There was something magical about how we got color at the newspaper my family owned when I was growing up. As the pressman made his adjustments -- a little more color here, a little less there -- he achieved what was known as process color.

Every conceivable color came from three primary colors.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A donation of old-but-functional computers from the Mississippi State University Extension Service will soon give local law enforcement, intelligence and public safety agencies connectivity for sharing information.

MSU Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Vice President Vance Watson said many emergency management agencies in small towns lack adequate computers. Extension’s donation will give these agencies additional communication tools to respond to criminal activities, natural disasters and emergencies.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Lionel “Bo” Beaulieu, director of the Southern Rural Development Center at Mississippi State University, is the first recipient of a special award presented at an annual conference hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s  Economic Research Service.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- For more than two decades, Mississippi State University’s veterinary college has welcomed thousands of school children to its annual open house, and people of all ages will enjoy the 2008 event.

MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine will open its doors from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on April 4 and 5 for the 24th annual open house at the Wise Center, located on the south side of campus off Spring Street.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

A new series called Cora is about to put the joy back into growing periwinkles.

For the past few years, I have had the opportunity to see research on new flower varieties by Goldsmith Seed Co. in California. One of the most exciting things was watching the evolution of the Cora vinca, or periwinkle.

VERONA -- On Feb. 20, the nation’s oldest group of its type met for the 55th time at the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Verona.

The North Mississippi Producer Advisory Committee has met every year since 1953 and its purpose has remained the same -- to tell Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station personnel the research and education needs of agricultural producers in 27 north Mississippi counties.

By Robert H. Wells
Delta Research and Extension Center

STONEVILLE -- With soybean seed in short supply in 2008, Mississippi soybean growers are facing increased production risks including unproven varieties and poor-quality seed.

Mississippi State University Extension Service specialists recommend producers research available varieties to minimize these risks.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Senior citizens are more likely than people in other age groups to report fraud, but they remain attractive targets because of life situations that scam artists can exploit.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

One of the hottest plants at last year's garden and patio shows in Mississippi was the Senetti Blue pericallis. The blue is truly electrifying.

The Senetti Blue has a wonderful fragrance, but it is the rare shade of blue that has everyone mesmerized.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi State University’s Extension Service has named Trey Koger as the state specialist to assist Mississippi’s soybean growers.

Koger most recently served at MSU’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, where he operated cotton research program focusing on weed control, herbicide resistance, agronomic systems, and growth regulator and defoliation practices for Mississippi cotton production systems. His new job responsibilities will include coordinating educational programs for soybeans and other oilseed crops.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Who does not want “quick cash?”

The offers sound enticing, but financial counselors encourage people to do their research before taking out a payday loan, also known as a cash advance.

Bobbie Shaffett, family resource management specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said finance charges for these short-term cash loans may result in interest rates from 390 percent to 780 percent.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- For two Mississippi women, 140 years of combined service to the state 4-H program is not enough.

Lucille Williams, 89, of Canton and Thelma Wood Harris, 90, of Natchez, are among the 7,500 adult volunteer leaders serving 101,000 youth enrolled in Mississippi 4-H. Even at their age, these women have no intention of slowing down.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Container gardening has exploded in popularity with about 47 percent of American households admitting to using some form of it.

There are a lot of great reasons to garden in containers, in addition to the fun. Compared to fighting tight, heavy clay in the landscape, it's also easier to provide a good environment when it comes to soil or planting mixes for your plants.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Chocolates and roses are good gifts for Valentine's Day, and as long as the chocolate is not eaten all at once, it can be good for the heart, too.

Brent Fountain, human nutrition specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said chocolate contains compounds known as flavenoids that are basically phytonutrients, or nutrients produced by plants.