News

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- August can feel like December to family budgets strained by back-to-school purchases, but planning and careful shopping can ease the crunch.

Jan Lukens, Extension consumer management specialist at Mississippi State University's Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, said how much a parent spends on supplies varies by teacher, grade and school. It is also affected by whether or not the school has uniforms.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Paying for college is expensive, but parents can make the task easier on themselves and their child if they start saving when the child is young.

The cost of a college education at a public university for children born this year is expected to be $100,000. For those wishing to attend a private university, the cost rises to $235,000 for the four-year experience.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Bringing home a report card regardless of the grades can be a traumatic experience for youth, but parents can help lessen the trauma by listening and communicating.

"If parents expect straight A's from their children and they only bring home average grades, youth feel they are disappointing their parents," said Louise Davis, family and child development specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service.

"Parents must know their child's capabilities," Davis said. "A C-average person shouldn't be pressured to do A-average work."

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

When you look at a tropical hibiscus blooming on your deck or patio, it is easy to conjure up visions of the Caribbean and the sounds of a steel band. It's funny how plants can mentally take us where neither our budget nor time will allow. Can a perennial hibiscus do the same? You bet your bottom dollar!

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi's 1.7 million acres of cotton got off to a good start and are developing well as the crop heads into mid-season.

Farmers planted 400,000 more cotton acres than in 2000, bringing the state's acreage to the highest level it's been since 1974. Soybean acreage is way down, and this year is the first in nearly 40 that cotton acreage has exceeded soybean acreage.

Will McCarty, cotton specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said planting started in early April and was finished in mid- to late-May.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A Mississippi State University veterinarian was one of several Americans who spent time in the United Kingdom this summer helping contain the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

Dr. Wayne Groce, professor and coordinator of the Office of Special Programs in MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, was in Great Britain from May 2 through June 1working in that country's foot and mouth disease eradication program. Two other Mississippi veterinarians also served on similar teams at different times.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Local fairs are finding new life as communities resurrect the excitement of county and regional events across the state this summer and fall.

"Fairs are growing in popularity. They bring us back to the basics of life," said Billy Orr, retired director of the Mississippi State Fair. Orr is directing the organization of the Mississippi Fair Association to help communities plan event dates, and share vendors and ideas.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

One of the most striking vines for the southern landscape is about to get a new infusion of promotion thanks to the debut of two new varieties. Sunny Orange Wonder and Sunny Lemon Star are two new black-eyed Susan vines (Thunbergia alata) being introduced by BallFlora Plant that will hopefully be making their way to garden centers next spring.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- About the only way Mississippi farm-raised catfish resemble other fish found in the state is that they all live in water.

Catfish are grown commercially under controlled conditions. Every aspect of their production is carefully managed to ensure a consistently high harvest and to protect the quality of the product.

Mississippi leads the world in catfish production. In 2000, the state had 110,000 acres of catfish ponds while the nation had a total of 190,000 acres.

By Charmain Tan Courcelle

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A new project at the Coastal Aquaculture Unit of the Mississippi State University's Coastal Research and Extension Center may keep Mississippi saltwater anglers in fish year-round.

Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station researchers Ben Posadas and Mark LaSalle have initiated a study to develop an economically viable baitfish production system that will provide a year-round supply of live bait to the state's saltwater recreational fishing industry.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Long-time state program leader and administrative support coordinator Joe McGilberry was named director of the Mississippi State University Extension Service effective July 1 after serving one year as its interim director.

MISSISSIPPI STATE - Mississippi's turf growers may have survived the last three dry summers only to face a drought of another kind: economic.

Building booms in DeSoto and Tunica counties and along the Gulf Coast in the last decade have attracted a number of new sod growers into the business, but a leveling off in new construction could signal lean days ahead.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- If the area is dark, damp and warm with pets nearby, chances are good there will be fleas, too.

Dr. John Tyler, small animal internal medicine veterinarian at Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, said fleas like these environments. Flea habitats include under porches, and in woodpiles, dog houses, piles of debris and similar areas.

"Mississippi is an ideal place for fleas. Up north, fleas are mainly a problem in the summer, but here they can be a problem year-round," Tyler said. "It never gets too hot for fleas."

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Catfish farmers have economic evidence that battling the most common cause of off-flavor with copper sulfate brings higher profits.

Research shows that adding copper sulfate to catfish ponds to kill blue-green algae greatly reduces problems with off-flavor. By treating to keep the fish on-flavor, producers can expect higher profits.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The future is looking bright for the cleome, one of the old time favorites in the Southern cottage garden. Unbelievably, there are new varieties of cleome poised to make their debut.

Cleome, sometimes called spider flower or spider plant, is native to several South American countries. Botanically speaking, it is known as Cleome hassleriana and is in the caper family. The capers we eat are known as Capparis.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Despite weather putting a damper on the shrimp season this year, shrimpers managed to land twice as many pounds of shrimp in the early part of the season than they did last year.

Dave Burrage is a marine resources specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. He said despite the early high landings, the season looks to be an average year.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The efficiency and sustainability of Mississippi's timber industry has helped grow it to the $1.2 billion value it has today.

The state has about 18.5 million acres of timberland. Of these, 70 percent are held by private, non-industrial owners. Mississippi's forest types are about 30 percent pine, 25 percent oak/pine mix and 45 percent hardwood.

Bob Daniels, forestry specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said forests are quite resilient and the state is using more of its pine than its hardwoods.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Crape myrtles are starting to bloom all over the South, and it's not hard to see why they are the most popular summer flowering tree. Many gardeners mistakenly think they are native to this area, but Europeans discovered the Southeast Asia natives around 1750 and early settlers brought them to this country.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Food that is good for one person can be dangerous to another because of food allergies that affect about 7 million Americans.

Common foods that people are allergic to include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. More children than adults have food allergies, although many outgrow their allergies as they mature.

Rebecca Kelly, human nutrition specialist at Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said food intolerances are often confused with true food allergies.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Watermelon harvests have begun in some Mississippi counties, but homegrown supplies are slower for other parts of the state.

George County extension agent Mike Steede said some harvesting started the first week of June for the county's 600 to 700 acres of watermelons, and the biggest challenge this year has been the recent rains.

"Up until the tropical storm (Allison), we were having a dry growing season," Steede said. "About 70 percent of the county's crop is irrigated, so the rains mainly helped the smaller, non-irrigated fields."