THE C © N KL (Li (La GOLF COURSE - SUPERINTENDENTS! DECEMBER 1971 CAGCS ELECTIONS The Conn. Association of Golf Course Superintendents held its annual meeting at the Hop Meadow Country Club on November 9. Karnig Ovian was the host superintendent at the meeting. The high­ light of the meeting was the election of officers and directors for the coming year. The following slate of officers was elected: President: Robert Viera i Vice President: Frank Lamphier Secretary: David Stimson Treasurer: James MacDonald Directors: William Dest John Lynch Robert Tosh Chairman of Education: Gary Bryant Public Relations: Harry Meusel Golf: Roger Barrett Past President: Charles Baskin Following the meeting, President Viera announced the following committee assignments for 1972: 1. Membership Committee 2. Educational Committee John Lynch Gary Bryant 3. Public Relations Committee Harry Meusel 4. Welfare Committee Charles Baskin 5. Golf Committee Roger Barrett 6. Social Committee James MacDonald 7. Editorial Committee William Dest 8. By-Laws Committee Frank Lamphier 9. Employment Committee David Stimson THE CONN. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION In 1971 The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station celebrates two anni­ versaries; the 50th anniversary of the establishment of its laboratory in Tobacco Valley and the centennial of the first scientific research in America on tobacco fertilizers by S. W. Johnson in 1871. Thus, Johnson’s work antedated the establish­ ment of the Station by 4 years. In 1892 E. H. Jenkins conducted the first field and curing experiments made by the Station, in Poquonock. Jenkins first experiment in curing tobacco by artificial heat ended inconclu­ sively. The barn and his crop burned a few minutes after he left for a vacation. In 1900 Jenkins first grew Valley tobac­ co under shade. Without this technique, Connecticut Cigar wrapper tobacco might have lost out to competition long ago. Shortly after the Station began re­ search in genetics in 1905, scientists be­ gan selecting and crossing for improved leaf shape, and later for other qualities. In 1920 the bacterial disease wildfire was found in the Valley. Growers per­ suaded the legislature to allocate funds, matched by the growers, to establish a new laboratory. A wood frame building and curing barn were completed in 1923 with funds from the Connecticut Valley Tobacco improvement Association. The present laboratory was completed in 1941. In 1925 Dr. Paul J. Anderson was appointed director of research at the laboratory, a post he held for 28 years. VOL. 4 NO. 5 THE GRASS CATCHER by Charles G. Baskin Our association Christmas Party will be held at Oak Lane Country Club on Friday, December 10. Reservations are coming in at a fast pace and all indications point to a gathering of over 100 persons for this gala affair. Failure to yell "fore” cost a Danbury golfer $2,000. He was made liable for damages in that amount under a judgment handed down in Common Pleas Court in Waterbury. The plaintiff claimed that a golf ball hit by the defendant cut his eyebrow and caused eye injuries. The plaintiff also claimed that the ball which struck him was hit by the defendant from another fairway and that the latter "did not observe the custom or usage of golfers to give an adequate and suitable warning.” You may or may not have heard about the guy who was such a consistent cheat in keeping his golf score that when he scored a hole-in-one, he couldn’t keep from writ­ ing a "zero” on his score card. The 1972 Annual Golf Tournament of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America will be held at the beautiful and prestigious Killearn Golf and Country Club, Tallahasse, Florida, February 9-11, 1972. The par 72 cham­ pionship golf course measures 7,029 from the blue tees, featuring challenging holes built into rolling and well wooded terrain. The course is the site of the annual Tal- lahasse Open Golf Tournament. All Conn, golfers that will be participating in the tournament should contact Frank Lamphier in order that we can place our four best golfers in the tournament on our chapter team (four-man team) to (continued on page 4) (continued on page 2) (continued on page 2) CONNECTICUT ASSOCIATION OF GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS President.................. Vice President........ Secretary .................. Treasurer................. .......... Robert Viera .....Frank Lamphier ....... David Stimson ...James MacDonald Board of Directors Roger Barrett Gary Bryant William Dest Charles John Lynch Harry Meusel Robert Tosh Baskin The object of this association is to pro­ mote research, education and an exchange of practical experiences in the field of turf grass culture so that the increased knowledge will lead to more economic and efficient management of golf courses and related turf areas. The CONN CLIPPINGS is an official publication of the Connecticut Association of Golf Course Superintendents. Charles G. Baskin, editor 22 Lee Street Waterbury, Connecticut 06708 THE CONN. AGRICULTURAL . . . (continued from page 1) In 1942, Anderson showed that the fungicide ferbam controlled blue mold without injury to seedlings, and in 1952 that zineb gave control of the disease in the field. The effectiveness of activated charcoal in "blotting up” unwanted residues in soils was discovered at the Laboratory in 1948. The Valley Laboratory has had various names during its lifetime of a half cen­ tury.. These names reflect the changes in agriculture and the need for plant science research in the Valley. It was first called the Tobacco Substation. With the rise of cigarette consumption and decline in cigars, vegetables and potatoes entered more into the Valley economy and the laboratory became the Tobacco-Vegetable Substation. As its reputation and scientific stature grew, it was renamed the Valley Laboratory. „ The proliferation of housing and in­ dustry in the Valley increased the pressure for research on shrubs, lawns, and flowers for the new residences, golf courses, and parks. The need for research on vegetables, potatoes, and tobacco continued. 2 — During the last 10 years the laboratory has become known for research on chemi­ cal control of weeds in many crops. Other studies have shown better ways to produce container-grown nursery stock. Air pol­ lution investigations have brought new knowledge of pollutants as they affect plants. The laboratory serves the area as an information center on plants, soils, and insects. More than 5,000 soil tests are made annually, and non-farmers as well as growers receive advice on plant prob­ lems. HOLLY FOR CHRISTMAS AND LANDSCAPING Few plants used in home decoration at Christmas equal the holly in showy beauty. Its stiff, shiny, dark-green leaves and brilliant red berries make its boughs outstandingly attractive when fashioned into wreaths and sprays. Use of holly during the Yule season dates back many centuries and, like some other Christmas customs, is associated with ancient legends and beliefs. To the Druids, a religious order of about 200 B. C., holly was a sacred plant; they believed that its evergreen leaves were proof that it was never deserted by the sun. To the ancient Greeks, holly was a symbol of foresight, and to the Romans it meant defense. In his writings Pliny the Elder advocated planting a holly tree near the home to ward off evil spirits, and it has been said that North American Indians planted holly for the same reason. It was an old Teutonic practice to hang boughs of holly in the house to serve as a refuge for friendly sylvan spirits during cold winter weather. According to tradi­ tion if the holly brought into the house at Christmas is smooth, the wife will rule the home through the following year; if it is rough, the husband will rule. In addition to furnishing Christmas greenery, holly is an excellent ornamental and, in recent years especially, has been used extensively in landscape plantings. It is said there are some 300 or more species of holly in the world, of which about 25 are natives in North America. Some are shrubs, and some are trees that grow to a height of 40 to 50 feet. Some are evergreen, and some are deciduous. Varying with the species, the berries are black, red, or sometimes yellow. The American Holly {Ilex ofiaca) is the species which supplies most of the Christ­ mas decorations. While most of the hollies are found in warm climate regions, some species and recently developed varieties are hardy as far north as the Great Lakes States and southern Canada. Generally preferred in landscape plantings are the evergreen species that produce red or yellow berries These include English Holly (L aquijol- ium'), American Holly (I. afiaca), Chi­ nese or Horned Holly (I. cornuta), Long- stalk Holly (I. fiedunculosa), Perni Holly (I. ftemyi'), Japanese Holly (I. cugosa ), and others. In purchasing holly plants it is advisable to buy from a local nursery; this is the best assurance of obtaining a variety that is climatically hardy. Hollies, in general, are dioecious; stami- tiate or pollen-bearing flowers, and pistil­ late or fruit-producing blossoms are borne □n separate plants. To assure the produc­ tion of terries, both sexes must be planted in a group; it is generally recommended that at least one staminate holly be planted for every ten pistillate plants. Most of the hollies are relatively free of disease and insect pests, and stand pruning well. While not exacting in soil requirements, holly grows best in well-drained, fertile loam. THE GRASS CATCHER (continued from page 1) | participate for the Chapter Team Cham­ pionship. One of our present troubles seems to be that many adults and not enough children believe in Santa Claus. The Golf Course Superintendents Asso­ ciation of America will hold its 43rd International Turfgrass Conference and Show from February 13-18, 1972 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The program will in­ clude 5 days of educational programs and idea sharing opportunities with top golf course superintendents and educators, plus exhibits of the latest and best in turf maintenance equipment and supplies. This conference is a "must” for the progressive superintendent. In closing, we all should remember that the most precious gift that is given during the Christmas season, or any time of year, has no price tag — it costs nothing and its value is inestimable. It is a simple act of thoughtfulness, of kind­ ness. Saint Francis expressed the fol­ lowing: Where there is hatred, let me sow love: Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy. PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER'S PART IN WATER POLLUTION Agricultural is being blamed for more than its share of water pollution, Terry J. Logan of the Ohio State University De­ partment of Agronomy reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Agronomy. Logan just completed a two-year project investigating fertilizer contributions to phosphate pollution of water. Prompted by Ohio’s contribution to the eutrophication of Lake Erie, this research determined the effects of rainfall, varying soil types, leaching, and erosion on phosphate movement from the soil to water. Eutrophication is a natural process whereby algae in a lake grow, die, and are decomposed by oxygen-using bacteria. However, increased amounts of phos­ phates and nitrates in water provide enough nutrients to speed up this process; then algae reproduce so fast that the bac­ teria decomposing them take too much oxygen from the water, causing the death of fish and other life forms in the lake. According to Logan, phosphates may enter the water in two ways - they can reach underground water tables by leach- :ng through soils or they can be carried . hy eroded soil particles. The main con­ clusion of .his research was that the amount of phosphate chat leaches through soil is very minimal. Most soils, especially mineral soils, have a high capacity for holding phosphates, so they reach water tables only in negligible amounts. Thus, the major contributor to agri­ cultural pollution is erosion. Moreover, soil particles that contain phosphates may wash into streams and lakes but do not necessarily release phosphates into solu­ tion. Sometimes the phosphates remain part of the sediment in the water and are unavailable as nutrients for algae. Furthermore, Logan said, if the concentra­ tion of phosphate is already higher in the water than it is in the soil particles, the soil may actually absorb phosphates from the water, rather than release them into the water. These results were obtained using a highly soluble phosphate fertilizer called monocalcium phosphate, or more com­ monly, super phosphate. Soil samples were representative of Ohio soils in gen­ eral, and covered a range of textures. A jilt loam from southern Ohio had the tnost phosphate-holding capacity. A fine, sandy-loam from the Fremount area showed the least phosphate-holding ability while a clay loam from near Castalia had a holding capacity in between. — 3 — Rainfall did increase the amount of phosphate leaching through the soil, but Logan emphasizes that it was not the amount of rainfall, but the intensity of the rainfall that made the difference. Since the research for this project was done in the laboratory, Logan said, the quantitative results are not exactly the same as actual field performance. But he ; adds that qualitiatively the lab perfor­ mance can be expected to be accurately repeated in the field. And although his is the first research set up to study this specific problem, other researchers’ pro­ jects have yielded evidence that supports Logan’s results. In regard to agriculture’s contribution to phosphate pollution, Logan said, "There is no doubt that fertilizing practices cause some pollution. But a common error often results in agriculture being blamed for more than its share. Statistics on agricultural pollution are all too often the result of an estimated amount of industrial and urban sewage pollution being sub­ tracted from a total phosphate figure. This does not take into account the phosphate pollution from woodlands, construction sites, and more sparsely populated areas that are all part of total pollution, but instead are lumped into the figure given for agricultural pollution. UCONN TO GET NEW HOOP FLOOR A new wooden portable basketball floor will be installed in the University of Connecticut Field House by time of the Huskies’ fourth home game, Dec. 21, against Columbia. The University Board of Trustees ac­ cepted at its meeting Wednesday night the surface to be donated by the Alumni Association. The portable floor will cost approximately $20,000. The Uni-Turf surface currently cover­ ing the entire Field House floor has pre­ sented a problem because of air bubbles which have appeared on the surface. The Uni-Turf floor was installed four years ago at a cost of $90,000. American Bilt- rite, manufacturer of Uni-Turf, had to replace the surface two years ago because of bubbling. The problem recurred recently, prompting the Alumni Associa­ tion to make its generous offer. Ed. Note: American Biltrite is the same company that manufactured the Poly-Turf surface that is on the Orange Bowl, causing it to be dubbed "Funny Field.” The Orange Bowl surface is now pale blue and very slippery. In the first two home games this year for the Miami Dolphins, no fewer than 114 slips were recorded by the Dolphins and their opponents. Reports state that the polyester fibers had melted under the brilliant Florida sun, causing the field to become as slick as ice. WINTER WORK WITH TREES In work pertaining to shade trees there are at least two kinds of jobs that can be done to advantage during the winter months — removal of dead wood, and transplanting large trees. REMOVAL OF DEAD WOOD. This includes entire trees that have been killed by disease, drought or other adversities, individual dead branches on living trees, and stubs left from branches broken dur­ ing storms. Dead trees and dead branches detract from the beauty of home land­ scaping, may fall and cause bodily injury or damage to property, and often provide snug winter quarters for insects that are harmful to living plants. In living trees, dead branches and branch stubs are in­ vaded by wood-rotting fungi which may pass downward and cause cavities in the trunk. Removal of dead wood in the winter is advantageous in several respects: (1) Service by competent arborists is more readily available then than at any other time of year since winter weather con-, ditions usually inhibit many phases of arboricultural work. (2) Harmful insects and, in some cases, fungus diseases that, overwinter in or on dead wood are des-. troyed. (3 ) Potential "entrance gates” for woodrotting fungi are eliminated. (4) Usually the soil surface: is firm during the winter; therefore the felling of dead trees and removal of large dead branches can be accomplished with a minimum of damage to the lawn. (5) Unsightly and hazardous wood is -removed before the spring and summer seasons when the beauty of the landscaping is at its peak, and the lawn area is most used. TRANSPLANTING LARGE SHADE TREES. In transplanting large trees they are dug and moved with a ball of earth tightly bound and kept intact around the roots. This procedure is followed to keep disturbance of the root system to a mini­ mum, an extremely important factor in the establishment of the tree in its new location. While large trees, in general, can be moved successfully at any time of year if given proper care during and following the transplanting operations, winter is the (continued on page 4) WINTER WORK WITH TREES (continued from page 3) preferred season for this work. When trees in full leaf are moved, materials must be used to retard transpiration; this expense is eliminated in winter trans­ planting, for at that time the trees are dormant and little moisture is given off into the atmosphere from the stems. A large tree moved with a ball of earth is heavy; earth weighs more than a ton per cubic yard, and to the weight of the ball must be added the weight of the tree. Necessarily, heavy equipment is used in moving large trees. Obviously, the firmer the soil surface, the less damage there is to the turf when a tree is planted in a lawn area. There is much to recommend the plant­ ing of large trees. Specimens well along in their growth pattern may be selected. The season after transplanting they will provide the shade and beauty associated with mature trees. ORIGIN OF SOME CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS During the Christmas season the lovely strains of "Silent Night, Holy Night” echo in every city, village and home throughout the land. This popular Christ­ mas carol is said to have been written in December, 1818, by Joseph Mohr, a priest of the church of Saint Nicola, in the village of Oberndorf, near Salsburg, Aus­ tria, and set to music composed by the church’s assistant organist, Franz Gruber. The first Christmas greeting card was CONN CLIPPINGS Charles G. Baskin, editor 22 Lee Street Waterbury, Conn. 06708 — 4 — i designed in England, but there is some uncertainty as to the artist and the date. Some say the first card was designed in 1842 by W. M. Engley, Jr., while others credit a card drawn by John Calcott Hor- sely in 1843 as being the first. It is said that the first lithographed, hand-colored Christmas cards were sold in 1846 in London. Greeting cards were introduced to America when in 1874 Louis Prang, a Boston lithographer, placed his cards on the market. CAGCS ELECTIONS (continued from page 1) 10. Auditing Committee Robert Tosh 11. National Affairs Frank Lamphier 12. Scholarship & Research Committee Harry Meusel THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUPPORT OF THE CONN. CLIPPINGS: Alfco Rokeby Co., Inc. Marietta, Ohio Frank Downey, CAGCS member (413) 596-3009 William Dest, CAGCS member Stolens - C-l, Arlington C-19, Congressional 246-6279 The Chas. C. Hart Company Wethersfield, Conn. Robert Kennedy, CAGCS member 529-2537 Irrigation and Equipment Supply Co. Milford, Conn. Richard Hosking, CAGCS member Richard Smith, CAGCS member 874-1096 Tom Irwin Co. Rowley, Mass. John P. Callahan, CAGCS member 677-7054 C. M. Jenkins Co. South Glastonbury, Conn. Chet Jenkins, CAGCS member 633-1256 The Magovern Company Windsor Locks, Conn. John Colt, CAGCS member Lloyd Russell, CAGCS member Curtis Stimson, CAGCS member 623-2508 Old Fox Chemical Company Hazardville, Conn. John Grant, CAGCS member 749-8339 O M Scott & Sons Marysville, Ohio A1 Arison, CAGCS member 336-9890 Somers Turf Supplies Orange, Conn. Bill Somers, CAGCS member 795-4320 Turf Products Corp. East Windsor, Conn. Ed Swanson, CAGCS member Alfred Purdy, CAGCS member 800 - 842-7333 J FIRST CLASS li V \ Mr': 1, R. Somers 208 Nan Drive Orange, Conn. 0647?