UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION EASTERN REGION 814 RARITAN AVENUE + HIGHLAND PARK, NEW JERSEY Telephone CHarter 9-0225 Alexander^M.RADKO E A S T E RN T U R F L E T T ER AGRONOMISTS C H A R L ES E. C R O L EY R A Y M O ND E. H A R M AN L EE R E C O RD N o. 2 April 1962 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * A N N O U N C E M E NT * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** We are pleased to welcome Mr- Lee Record, Graduate of the Colorado State University, to the Eastern Region's Green Section Staff. Lee will work out of the Highland Park District Office which serves Green Section Visiting Service clubs in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern Districts. He is a native of New York State; he was born in Cooperstown, N. Y ., and so is no stranger to Eastern turf and turfgrass problems. * * * * * * * * * * * * Green Section Award to Prof* Dickinson The second annual Green Section Award, given for distinguished service to golf through work with turfgrass, was presented to Professor Emeritus Lawrence S. Dickinson of the University of Massachusetts. Professor Dickinson is no stranger to the golf and turf management world for a number of superin- tendents graduated from his Stockbridge School for Turf Managers, and many others attended the Winter School (the Short Course) at the University of Massachusetts. Over the years more than 500 were graduated from the Stockbridge School, most of whom have grown into prominent positions in the Golf Course Superintendents Field. As an example, M r. Sherwood Moore, Superintendent of Winged Foot Golf Club and newly elected President of the Golf Course Superin- tendents Association of America is an alumnus of the Stockbridge School. There have been other Stockbridge graduates who have also headed or have held other important positions in the National Organization, or in the State and Local Superintendent or other turfgrass organizations. On hand to witness the award presentation "by M r. William C. Chapin, 1 Chairman of the USGA Green Section Committee were many of Prof. Dickinson "boys" ... among them was M r. Arthur Anderson, now veteran Superintendent of the Brae Burn Country Club of West Newton, Massachusetts, the very first graduate to receive a diploma for completion of the Short Course in 1927• s At the 1962 conference in March, Prof. Joseph Troll, successor to Prof. Dickinson, announced that enrollment would be increased to 50 students in the Stockbridge School beginning in 19^3• This doubles the normal regis- tration ... in the past only 25 students have been accommodated yearly. Coated Fertilizers In the January 1962 publication of the California Turfgrass Culture there appeared an article reprinted from California Agriculture, Dec. 1962, on Coated Fertilizers. The article was by 0. R. Lunt, A. M. Kofranek, and J. J. Oertli of the University of California, Los Angeles. These men described coated fertilizers as individual granules of inorganic fertilizers coated with resinous, polymeric membranes. When such granules are placed in contact with water or moist soil, water passes through the membranes and dissolves some of the fertilizer. The result is that the coated granules swell into a spherical shape, accompanied by an apparent dif- fusion of some of the fertilizer to the outside. The rate of diffusion is regulated by the thickness of the membrane and is relatively steady until about two thirds of the fertilizer has been released. Such diffusion rate does not seem to be altered by either steam sterilization of soils or other conditions occuring in soils except dryness. After all the minerals have passed out of the capsule, the liquid solution is then drawn out apparently by soil-moisture suction. The membrane then shrinks and becomes brittle to a point that it can be easily crushed between the fingers. The article stated that nitrogen (including urea), phosphorus, potassium and mixed fertilizers can be coated in this fashion. It was also reported that in some coatings the fertilizer was released over a period of six months. It was pointed out that possible uses for such materials are excit- ing, but that practical applications will be influenced by the cost of the coating process. Probably coated fertilizers will find application first for high-value plantings such as ornamentals and turfgrass. Points of special interest brought out in the article were that coupled with sprinkler irrigation, coated fertilizers may increase the utility of very sandy soils; and at the proper rate and coating thickness, fertilizer can safely be placed directly with or beneath seeds to give a rapid plant response, which may be of particular importance where the growing season is short. Why is Penncross seed so expensive? This question is often asked ... -why should Penncross creeping bent- grass seed cost from 8 to 10 dollars a pound while other bentgrass seed for putting greens is usually in the neighborhood of $1.00 per pound? Part of the answer was supplied by Dr. Joseph Duich of Perm State University in his dis- cussion of Penncross at the University of Massachusetts conference recently... very limited production for one thing. He cited International Crop Improvement Association figures of acreage planted to bentgrass this year ... which are as follows: Penncross * Highland Seaside Astoria * Colonial " 193 acres 286 1,065 1,800 10,7^2 " " (Highland and Colonial are used primarily in tee and fairway mixtures ... not used for seeding greens.) Secondly, in order to grow Penncross, rigid certification standards must be met ... three separate creeping bentgrass strains of foundation or approved planting stock must be planted vegetatively (by stolons) in a manner designated in the certification regulations ... and the first generation seed only produced by random crossing of these 3 strains is Penncross seed. Limited years of harvest too are realized ... three years is the life of any one field producing Penncross seed. Compare this to unlimited restriction on other bentgrass production fields and some of the answers concerning price per pound evolve. Yet, is it expensive when you consider that the seeding rate for Penncross is reduced by one-half normal seeding rates for Seaside or Astoria ... that improved turf is realized sooner ... and that the spreading qualities of Penncross far exceeds that of other seeded bentgrass strains. Should price per pound therefore be the prime consideration? We think not I Oops - we goofedI In the last Eastern Turfletter, (February 19o2) it was pointed out that the new book, "Weed Control: As a Science" - by Glenn C. Klingman, was published by John Wiley 8c Sons, Inc. The publisher's mailing address failed to appear. It is as follows: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Wf-0 Park Ave. South, New York 16, N. Y. * * * * ** "Problems are the price of progress. Don't bring me anything but trouble. Good news weakens me." Charles F. Kettering BULK RATE U. S. POSTAGE P A ID PERMIT No. 366 NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J. Eastern Turfletter USGA GREEN SECTION Mr. 0. J. Noer Milwaukee Sewerage Coataission Box 2079 Milwaukee 1, f i . 9