News

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Whether to have joint or individual accounts is one of the biggest questions newly married couples face when they decide how to handle family finances.

Each couple must decide whether to pool all money and pay the bills together or divide the bills and keep incomes separate. They also must decide what to do about credit cards and debt brought into the marriage.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Although the number of people getting married increased shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, prospective couples should make sure their reasons for marrying are the kind that can last a lifetime.

Some communities nationwide located near military bases reported some sharp increases in weddings in the days and weeks following the attacks. Many military personnel married in anticipation of being deployed, but Mississippi appears not to have been affected by that national trend.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Many books are written to build readers' self esteem, and I want to do the same for bold gardeners considering doing something radical by saying it is cool to have spider lilies.

Since the first of the year is kind of a down time in the garden, I want to give you something to ponder for spring. Consider planting one of the native spider lilies. The first spider lily you think of may be the red, fall-blooming Lycoris. Although they grow well here, these are from Japan.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Video conferences for distance education and for business meetings are providing options for meeting the travel challenges faced during these days of tighter budgets and increased concerns about flying.

Dan Brook, head of Mississippi State University's Computer Applications, said time has become a precious as money in today's society. Most people consider the time for travel as a part of the price for attending classes or meetings away from their immediate area. Video conferences provide face-to-face discussion immediately without extra hours of travel.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Much of the safety of the U.S. meat supply depends on veterinarians, a specialty area two Mississippi State University students are soon to pursue.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- An online marketing site and a mischievous comic strip cat are teaming up to benefit Mississippi's 4-H youth organization.

In honor of the national organization's centennial year in 2002, eBay will auction limited-edition prints of a Garfield comic strip, hand signed by creator Jim Davis. Sales will benefit the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Islands and the Pacific Islands. Proceeds from the Feb. 10 through 16 auction will go to Mississippi's 4-H Foundation to promote youth programs across the state.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Wave petunias keep pouring in -- much to the delight of gardeners everywhere. It was just a couple of years ago the Waves as a group (purple, pink, lilac and rose) were declared Mississippi Medallion winners and now there is Lavender Wave.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

As the New Year arrives, it is fun to see what new plants are being touted for spring. Rose lovers for sure are interested in the new All-America Rose Selections.

Two roses captured All-America Selection honors for 2002, Love & Peace and Starry Night.

Love & Peace will mesmerize the rose grower or garden enthusiast with both its fruity scent and appearance.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Cnter

Kalanchoe, one of the most beautiful holiday plants in the world, is showing up at garden centers everywhere. A native to Madagascar and Africa, kalanchoe will certainly display its outstanding features in many Mississippi homes this holiday season.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Bolstered by increases in poultry and row crops, agricultural economists are predicting Mississippi's 2001 farm production value to remain near $4.8 billion, a 2.6-percent increase over the previous year.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi cotton growers may not have battled drought-stress conditions at the levels of recent years, but the 2001 growing season was not without major challenges.

Timely rains throughout the growing season had cotton ginners searching for warehouse space in mid-August to accommodate the bumper crop. Unseasonable rains in late August and early September began impacting early-planted and early-maturing varieties. Seeds began sprouting in the bolls and regrowth was rampant.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Forestry easily maintained its hold as Mississippi's second largest agricultural commodity, despite a 10-percent decline in value.

The 2001 farm value of forestry is estimated at $1.1 billion -- second to poultry's $1.5 billion level. Bob Daniels, forestry specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said 2001 was harder on the forest industry than it was on landowners.

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Increases in exports, acceptance and profitability enabled the poultry and egg industry to hold the top spot in Mississippi's 2001 agricultural commodities.

For 2001, the estimated value of farm production for poultry and eggs was $1.54 billion, a 12-percent increase from 2000's total. The industry's value surpassed forestry's $1.12 billion and cotton's $527 million.

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Give Christmas trees a second chance to be useful after the lights and tinsel are gone.

Finding uses for discarded Christmas trees is a tradition with its roots in 16th century Europe, said Steve Dicke, forestry specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service.

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Many Mississippians turn to gasoline-powered generators to provide power and warmth during winter's electrical outages, but improperly maintaining or using generators can make a difficult situation even worse.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Trends toward richer colors during the holiday season may be one reason Plum Pudding, a new maroon poinsettia, will be in demand this year. Excelling in consumer and grower trials, this beauty also is sure to delight lots of Mississippi State University fans who still want to show their school colors during the holidays.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi has earned a first-place rank that no state would envy: highway deaths.

The National Safety Council Accident Facts 2001 ranked Mississippi first in three categories for motor vehicle deaths. The state had the greatest number of traffic deaths per million miles driven, per 10,000 vehicles registered and per 100,000 population.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A new 4-H horticulture curriculum is taking root in classrooms across Mississippi, and students are gaining a new appreciation for gardening.

Lelia Kelly, area Extension horticulturist in Verona, said test results from the first Junior Master Gardeners have some educators and youth workers enthused about the program's potential. Administered by the Mississippi State University Extension Service, 11 schools and six after-school clubs took part in a pilot program in the spring of 2001.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Yosemite National Park is famous for its majestic waterfalls, but it was a babbling brook that my family appreciated there last summer during a hike through a forest. We sat down to watch, listen and appreciate for 30 minutes or so. That mood and pleasure created by this active water can be duplicated in any landscape.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Farmers' markets are finding their niche in community economies across the state as producers and customers develop mutually beneficial relationships.

"Farmers' markets have a place in communities who have an appreciation for fresh produce," said David Nagel, horticulture specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service. "Prices are similar to grocery stores, but the produce is fresher. Most of the produce is grown within a 25-mile radius of the market. Grocery produce may be from as far as 2,000 miles away."