THE BULLETIN of the UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION Vol. 13 Washington, D. C., January, 1933 No. 1 Contents Page Annual Report of the Green Section for 1932. By Ganson Depew...................... 2 Obtaining Accuracy in the Application of Materials to Turf. By Fred V. Grau 7 Questions and Answers....................................................................................................... 17 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Ganson Depew, Chairman, Marine Trust Bldg., H. Kendall Read, Vice-Chairman, Philadel­ Buffalo, N. Y. phia, Pa. Eberhard Anheuser, St. Louis, Mo. Robert F. Arnott, Upper Montclair, N. J. Frederick Snari H. Chandler Eagan, Medford, Oreg. Walter S. Harban, Washington, D. C. K. F. Kellerman, Washington, D. C. Norman Macbeth, Los Angeles, Calif. John Monteith, Jr., Washington, D. C. Guy M. Peters, Chicago, Ill. Havana, Cuba. RESEARCH COMMITTEE United States Department of Agriculture K. F. Kellerman, Chairman; Associate Chief, Bureau of Plant Industry. F. H. Hillman, Botanist, Seed Investigations. A. J. PnriERS, Principal Agronomist in Charge, Forage Crops and Diseases. Oswald Schreinek, Principal Biochemist in Charge, Soil Fertility. W. R. Walton, Senior Entomologist, Cereal and Forage Insects. Harvey L. Westover, Senior Agronomist, Forage Crops and Diseases. United States Golf Association Green Section John Monteith, Jr. Kenneth Welton ADVISORY COMMITTEE William H. Aston, Detroit, Mich. Douglas Call, Richmond, Va. Paul N. Coates, St. Paul, Minn. W. C. Fownes, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. A. J. Goetz, Webster Groves, Mo. William Harig, Cincinnati, Ohio. William R. Hochster, Mamaroneck, N. Y. Jas. E. MacCloskey, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. John Morley, Youngstown, Ohio. Alex Pirib, Fort Sheridan, III. Frank H. Wii George Sargent, Atlanta, Ga. C. A. Sawyer, Jr., Boston, Mass. John Shanahan, West Newton, Mass. Stanley B. Sherman, Cleveland, Ohio. Harrison Smith, Oklahoma City, Okla. Henry P. Smith, Waco, Tex. Raymond Tower, Tampa, Fla. C. A. Tregillus, Everett, Ill. Joseph Valentine, Haverford, Pa. Alan D. Wilson, Philadelphia, Pa. ', Newton Centre, Mass. The Bulletin is published in January, February, May, August, October, and December by the United States Golf Association Green Section, at Room 7207, Building F, Constitution Ave. and 7th St., Washington, D. C. Address all MAIL to P. O. Box 313, Benjamin Franklin Station, Washington, D. C. Send TELEGRAMS to Room 7207, Building F, Constitution Ave. and 7th St., Washington, D. C. Subscription Price: In United States of America, $4.00 a year ; in all other countries, $5.00 a year. Entered as second-class matter, April 21, 1926, at the post office at Washington, D. C., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Copyrighted, 1933, by the United States Golf Association Green Section. 2 Vol. 13, No. 1 Annual Report of the Green Section for 1932 By Ganson Depew Chairman, Executive Committee The Green Section for the year 1932 is glad to report that it has been able to continue its various activities in an efficient manner. In April it was necessary for the United States Golf Association in the interest of economy to reduce its Green Section Budget for 1932. This was done without very serious interference this year in the continuance of our activities which the Green Section in a larger way has been conducting for several years past. The reduction will, however, unfortunately, affect to a greater extent our activities in 1933. General Activities of the Green Section During the Year Unlike the season of 1931, when extreme weather conditions produced unusual turf troubles, the season of 1932 was about normal, and hence the demand for advice from the Green Section staff on disease problems was somewhat less. There was, however, an in­ creased demand for all types of information on economy in course maintenance. During the year even a larger proportion of the mem­ ber clubs than usual availed themselves of the opportunity to have the Green Section examine and report on seed and soil samples and to give advice on numerous maintenance and construction problems. The advisory service has been carried on through correspondence and, as much as possible, by personal interviews on golf courses, Green Section gardens, in offices, and in laboratories. The most important role of the Green Section is to carry on experimental work in an effort to solve the many and ever-changing turf problems of the numerous golf clubs of the country. Without accurately tested knowledge on all phases of golf course construction and maintenance, its two other roles, extension and service work, would become almost valueless. There are many maintenance prob­ lems yet to be satisfactorily solved, and a much larger technical staff could well be kept employed in efforts to obtain the valuable informa­ tion needed by golf clubs on more economical and effective mainte­ nance. The principal research of the Green Section has been con­ ducted at Washington and at Chicago. A number of experiments were also conducted on golf courses in chosen locations on turf main­ tained under heavy playing conditions. These tests were conducted through arrangements made with the golf club committees. Also many valuable data are being accumulated through 21 demonstration gardens established at various selected parts of the country. The extension or educational work has been carried on through various Green Section meetings and exhibits. Thirteen summer meetings were held, attended by large numbers of greenkeepers. Exhibits were shown at the United States Golf Association annual meeting at New York in January and at the Sportsmen’s Golf Show at Boston in February. Educational work is also carried on through the Bulletin and by selected articles in certain other publications. The Green Section staff has also helped in the educational work of the national and the various sectional greenkeepers’ organizations and of greenkeepers’ short courses held at various state colleges. Experimental work was continued as usual at Arlington supple­ mented with tests on local golf courses under playing conditions. Arlington Turf Garden January, 1933 3 Interesting observations were made on different species and strains of grass for putting green purposes and different mixtures for fair­ way purposes. Some of the new strains under trial, particularly velvet bent, continue to show promise. Some opportunity was af­ forded for studies in the control of cutworms and sod webworms, and it is now felt that these pests may be satisfactorily controlled, on fine turf by any of several poisons. Earthworms were particularly troublesome, as they were elsewhere in the country also, and re­ mained so in spite of repeated trials of remedies hitherto effective. More work should be done on this problem. Particularly good oppor­ tunity was afforded for advanced studies of brownpatch on the Green Section meeting at the Mid-West Turf Garden, Everett, Ill. Summer of 1932 shaded, more humid garden recently planted in a low area beside the Potomac River. This garden continuedi to prove its value, since, due to its location, disease studies may be continued there at times when diseases are inactive on the main garden with its open exposure. The systematic study of fertilizers, which has been under way for some years, was also continued. An experiment on the effect on turf diseases of morning, night, heavy, and light watering was conducted on putting greens under actual play on a local course and informa­ tion regarding certain theories of watering was obtained. Weed control studies were continued and some promising results were obtained in the control of crabgrass on fairways. If the results of this particular work continue to be satisfactory after further experi­ ments they should prove extremely valuable to the many golf clubs having difficulty with this weed. 4 Vol. 13, No. 1 Mid-West Turf Garden Since its construction four years ago, the work on the Mid-West turf garden has been carried on in much the same manner as the work at Arlington. This garden, however, contains different sets of tests, supplementary to the Arlington work. Many of these tests were planned to procure a more complete understanding of the specific problems of the Middle West. Part of the work was discon­ tinued this spring in order to curtail the expense as much as possible. By summer, however, it was found that funds were not available to support further experimental work at this garden. Labor assistance supplied through the kindness of A. D. Lasker enabled the reduced Green Section staff to keep the garden in a presentable condition until the meeting which had been scheduled for September was held there. Park executives gather at the Arlington turf garden in 1932 to study the results of golf turf experiments. Many of the public links are located in the public parks Supplementing the experimental work at the Mid-West turf gar­ den some preliminary research work has been carried on, in coopera­ tion with the Botany Department of the University of Chicago, on the effect of different heights of cut upon maintenance of turf and also on the effect of nitrogen in different forms upon grass growth. It is regretted that for purposes of economy this research work had to be brought to a hasty conclusion. Reports of these preliminary tests have been prepared for publication in the Bulletin. Demonstration Gardens The series of demonstration turf gardens continued to provide much information for those interested in turf maintenance on courses in the vicinity of the gardens. There are now 20 gardens in various sections of the United States, and one in Canada. The Canadian garden is maintained through cooperation with the Royal Canadian Golf Association, and members of the Green Section staff attended the summer meeting held there as guests of that association. The Green Section has had splendid cooperation from those in charge of the courses where these demonstration gardens are located. Exten­ sive reports have been received regularly this year and assembled for publication. Well-attended gatherings of golf club officials and greenkeepers have been held at the gardens, and the behavior of the different grasses, fertilizers, and other treatments has been discussed January, 1933 5 on the grounds. At many of these meetings members of the Green Section staff have been present to explain the work. It has been found that discussions of turf problems are much more valuable where such demonstrations are at hand than are discussions of similar problems indoors, where direct examples of results can not be exhibited. Green Section Summer Meetings The allowances for summer meetings and other travel were prac­ tically stricken from the budget. The summer meetings and travel, however, were not entirely neglected, as a number of various organi­ zations and clubs affected by these economies considered this per­ sonal contact sufficiently valuable to justify their paying the expenses necessary to continue this extension work. A series of outdoor meet­ ings was held as follows: August 1. Philadelphia Country Club, West Conshohocken, Pa. August 1. Pine Valley Golf Club, Clementon, N. J. August 8. Allegheny Country Club, Sewickley, Pa. August 9. Municipal Golf Course, Niagara Falls, N. Y. August 12. Royal York Golf Club, Toronto, Ontario. August 15. Century Country Club, White Plains, N. Y. August 17. Charles River Country Club, Newton Centre, Mass. August 22. Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, Va. September 8. Mid-West Turf Garden, Mill Road Farm Golf Course, Everett, Ill. September 9. September 11. September 12. Ohio. Westwood Country Club, Clayton, Mo. Tulsa Country Club, Tulsa, Okla. Hyde Park Golf and Country Club, Cincinnati, September 13. Arlington Turf Garden, Arlington, Va. Nearly 1,000 persons interested in turf maintenance attended these meetings. In spite of the limitations of the Green Section budget only three less meetings were held this summer than during the previous year and the attendance was up to the high average established that year. Members of the Green Section staff were present at various other local gatherings of chairmen of green com­ mittees and greenkeepers in addition to the above meetings sponsored by the Green Section. In September the American Institute of Park Executives held its annual meeting in Washington. As a part of the regular program of this organization there was a meeting at Arlington turf garden in order that those present who are charged with the maintenance of golf courses in the public parks might become acquainted with the fine turf research work of the Green Section. Greenkeepers’ Short Courses Last winter the Green Section staff took part in the programs of the greenkeepers’ short courses given by the Pennsylvania State College, State College, Pa.; Michigan State College of Agriculture, East Lansing, Mich.; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.; University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.; New Jersey State Agricul­ tural Experiment Station, New Brunswick, N. J.; and Massachu­ setts State College, Amherst, Mass. The Green Section has welcomed the opportunities to cooperate with the institutions giving these courses. 6 Vol. 13, No. 1 Correspondence and Service to Member Clubs The Green Section staff was able to keep up with the usual large amount of seasonal correspondence with member clubs regarding the various problems encountered last season. There was an increase in the number of soil samples sent in to be examined. Many inquiries regarding the use of organic materials for soil improvement were received and an increased interest in information regarding fairway watering was noticeable. The Green Section was able to supply helpful information in these instances. The Green Section staff visited a large number of courses on request and gave advice on numerous turf problems. Due to the demands, at certain times, on the time of the Green Section staff, it was not always possible to visit golf courses immediately upon being requested. With few exceptions, however, it was eventually possible to visit the golf clubs which desired such service, and in some in­ stances clubs were saved travel expense money by grouping the requests so that two or three clubs in one vicinity could be visited while the Green Section representative was in that neighborhood. During 1932, members of our staff visited courses located in 21 states, and in Ontario, Canada. Green Section Bulletin It was decided to publish the Bulletin six times a year during 1932 instead of monthly, as in previous years. There is a financial saving in the publication of fewer numbers in a year even though the number of pages of reading material in the yearly volume is maintained. The publication of only six numbers permits of more effective distribution of the time of the Green Section staff. The Green Section has continued its policy of grouping related material in a single number of the Bulletin. It has been necessary in two cases to make these numbers three or more times as large as the old, monthly numbers. Some subjects can not be effectively handled in Bulletins of smaller size, and under the old system of twelve num­ bers to the volume it was necessary to break up this material into two or three separate numbers. Fertilizing is better than reseeding.—In a pasture survey made in West Virginia a few years ago 98 per cent of the farmers inter­ viewed suggested reseeding pastures as a means for improving them. Less than 10 per cent of them suggested applying fertilizers. Later when the State Agricultural Experiment Station workers made a study of various means for improving pastures it was found that the judicious use of fertilizers and lime gave the best return for the money invested in pasture improvement. The tests showed that scat­ tering seed over a poor pasture without any other treatment was use­ less. Thus it is apparent that the combined judgment of practical men can not be regarded as the most accurate guide when new methods are being considered. Experiments and practical experience on golf courses long ago proved that fertilizing was of greater im­ portance than seeding to improve turf. The degree of excellence of a golf course depends on three things: (1) its architecture; (2) its standard of maintenance; (3) its land­ scape beauty. January, 1933 7 Obtaining Accuracy in the Application of Materials to Turf By Fred V. Grau The application to turf of materials for various purposes has be­ come an increasingly important phase of golf course maintenance more particularly since the recent development of highly concentrated fertilizers, insecticides, and fungicides. This development has come as a result of the golfers’ demands for better playing conditions, with the accompanying need for finer turf, which must be kept free of pests and diseases. The research which has been responsible for de­ termining the value, the practicability, and the limitations of the many materials which are used so widely on golf courses has, in the aggregate, effected enormous savings for the clubs of the country. In particular, freight charges and handling costs have been reduced by the use of more concentrated materials. In spite of these accrued benefits it must be acknowledged that, even though more of the greenkeeper’s problems have been solved for him, his position has not been simplified. He has had to face an en­ tirely new problem—that of properly applying these concentrated materials so that he will not injure the fine turf entrusted to his care. Unfamiliarity with the nature of many of the materials often has been reflected in their careless use, which has too often ended in disastrous results both to the turf and to the greenkeeper’s position. Before any material is definitely recommended by the Green Section for golf course purposes many tests are made. In these tests a defi­ nite amount of material is applied to an exact area, and the bene­ ficial results of some treatments depend largely upon the accuracy with which the materials are applied. It is the purpose of this dis­ cussion to point out that the application of materials on golf courses should, for the best results, be made at approximately the same rates as employed in these tests, and to suggest some simple aids which may be of benefit in organizing and employing a definite program from which guesswork has been eliminated. The harmful and often disastrous effects resulting from careless­ ness and misuse of highly concentrated materials are well known. The Bulletin has often called attention to them and has suggested ways and means of simplifying the attendant problems. Methods of applying chemicals to putting green turf are discussed in the Bulle­ tin for November, 1931. It is not an uncommon sight to visit a course and to view the disastrous results of guesswork in the appli­ cation of powerful materials. The uniform application of such a small amount of corrosive sublimate as V/j ounces to 1,000 square feet, for example, involves dilution with a suitable inert carrier. It is applied as a spray in water or applied dry with soil. The results from either method, when the chemical is properly applied, have been generally satisfactory. When applied in excess, through carelessness or insufficient knowledge, the results have usually been highly un­ satisfactory. Deep, brown scars or burns appear, which heal but slowly, and, in many cases, the failure of the application causes the chemical to be branded as unsafe and too dangerous to be used freely. Similar instances may be recalled in connection with the use of certain fertilizers. A given amount of fertilizer may be applied to each putting green on the course without regard to differences in the size of the respective greens. By this method a green of 4,000 square 8 Vol. 13, No. 1 feet would receive twice the amount of fertilizer that would be applied to a green of 8,000 square feet. By considering this, the differences arising from such indiscriminate practices are easily explained even though the reasons may be obscure to the uninformed. Due to certain variations in the soil and in the environmental con­ ditions surrounding individual putting greens two greens of exactly the same size may require quite different treatments. Nevertheless, the area of each should be known, so that the proper amounts of mate­ rials may be applied, whatever the rate. Many greenkeepers have guarded against the disastrous results of guesswork in applying con­ centrated materials by employing a simple method. The exact amount of a given material is measured accurately for a given area, placed in a suitable container, and labeled accordingly to correspond with the area for which it is intended. Then, with simple instructions for mixing and applying it, any laborer can, even in the absence of the greenkeeper, apply the material with the assurance that the re­ sults will be as satisfactory as those obtained by a more experienced operator. The Bulletin and other publications have repeatedly pointed out that the extremely unnatural conditions existing on putting greens increase the difficulties of maintaining putting-turf grasses. Fine turf often suffers needlessly as the result of inaccuracy in the prac­ tices of ministering to its requirements, much as a sick person might suffer should the physician administer an overdose of a poison which, in the proper amount, would act as a stimulant and an aid to rapid recovery. The factors involved in obtaining accuracy in the application of materials seem to fall into three main heads, which will be presented in this article in the following order: (1) accurate determination of the size of the area to be treated; (2) accurate determination of the amount of material to be applied to the area; (3) even distribution of the material. Measuring the Area A recommended rate of application means that a certain amount of the material should be applied to a definite area for certain results; any divergence from this rate can not be expected, except under unusual circumstances, to give the desired results. Modern appli­ ances permit of the accurate measurement of materials of all kinds. Clearly then, the misuse of certain materials often is occasioned neither by their particular effects nor by the lack of accurate measur­ ing devices, but by lack of knowledge of the exact size of the area to which they are to be applied. Irregular outlines appear to present almost insurmountable dif­ ficulties when the exact extent of the area is to be determined. This is especially true of putting greens, which often are irregular in out­ line. That little difficulty need be experienced in calculating with reasonable exactness the areas of irregularly shaped putting greens has been demonstrated by comparing the results obtained by the use of the simple guide shown in the accompanying drawings with a number of mathematical calculations. The method illustrated in the drawings for determining the areas of putting greens is simple and requires no equipment. The squaring of the outline is done entirely by approximation and by judgment, January, 1933 9 after which the length and width may be measured with a tape or by pacing. The multiplication of the length by the width, in square and rectangular figures, gives the area in square feet or square yards as the case may be. Some clubs take the measurement of the putting greens from the architect’s plans which they may have in their possession. The original plans or blue prints, however, are not always strictly followed in building the course, and the actual putting areas may vary as much as 1,000 feet or more from the area shown on the plans. The greenkeeper should, therefore, measure the putting greens regardless of plans. The two putting greens here outlined appear at first sight to present considerable difficulty in determining their exact areas. The dotted lines show how, by taking the average length and width in feet, a reasonably accurate determination can be made. The same amount of putting green area should be left outside of the squared lines as there is blank area inside of them Table 1 is presented to aid in determining the areas of circular putting greens. The area of a circle may be found by multiplying the square of the radius or of half of the diameter by 3.1416. In order to use the table it is necessary to know only the diameter of the green in feet. The diameter of a circular putting green is measured from edge to edge of the putting turf, the line passing through the center. The center of the green can be judged closely enough to measure the diameter. This table gives areas of greens down to 25 feet in diameter since temporary putting areas of this size are some­ times found. Table 1.—Areas of Circular Putting Greens of Various Diameters Diameter in feet............. Area in square feet. ... Diameter in feet............. Area in square feet.... 25 490 65 30 706 70 3,318 3,848 35 962 75 4,417 40 45 1,256 1,590 85 5,026 5,674 80 55 50 60 1,963 2,375 2,827 100 6,361 7,088 7,854 90 95 Teeing areas are usually regular in outline and rectangular in shape. In determining their size they ordinarily present no difficul­ ties. It is important, however, that they too be measured, since they constitute an important part of the playing area of the golf course and require applications of fertilizers or other materials. 10 Vol. 13, No. 1 The areas of fairways perhaps are determined more by guess­ work than are areas of any other part of the course. It is essential that they too be measured with reasonable accuracy. By having the correct size it becomes a much simpler matter to figure how much material will be needed during the course of a season. It is often the lack of accurate measurements or inability to make the simple cal­ culations necessary to determine the area to be fertilized, that ac­ counts for differences in fairway turf between one part of the course and another. A greenkeeper may try to apply so many pounds of fertilizer to an acre, and when about half of the course has been cov­ ered he finds he has only about one-quarter of his fertilizer left. As there has been a 50 per cent mistake either in his calculations of fair­ way area or in the amount of fertilizer applied to an acre, it is nec­ essary to cut the rate of application in half for the remainder of the course in order to make the fertilizer last to the finish of the job. This big difference in the amount of plant food applied to these different areas can easily account for differences in turf. There are some greenkeepers who do not know how to calculate the number of pounds their fertilizer spreader is distributing to the acre; conse­ quently if the acreage of various fairways is not definitely known a great proportion of the course has to be fertilized before these men are able to make a guess with any degree of accuracy as to how the fertilizer is lasting. It is for this reason that they frequently play safe and apply not nearly enough. The committee may, on the green­ keeper’s request, buy enough fertilizer to cover say 50 acres of fair­ ways at 800 pounds to the acre. The greenkeeper is afraid he may run short, and guesses the rate of distribution a little low, and only 600 pounds to the acre goes on the course. This miscalculation some­ times accounts for the fact that a greenkeeper has 5 or 6 tons of fer­ tilizer still in his shed after he has covered the entire course. Fairway and rough areas are measured in acres, on which basis rates of application for these areas are given. Since fairways are usually measured in yards, and since a full stride measures approxi­ mately a yard, the figures in tables 2, 3, and 4 are given on that basis. The width of a fairway is the average of its widths at several places. The length of pace of men varies, but usually the variation is so little that the paces of most men may be considered as a yard in length for the purpose of measuring such comparatively short dis­ tances as fairway widths. Pacing the length of fairways, however, will hardly give sufficiently accurate results on long holes, unless the one doing the pacing makes some preliminary tests. When measur­ ing the length of fairways 100 or more yards long the greenkeeper should check the length of his pace before pacing off these longer distances. The length of his stride may be sufficiently greater or less than an exact yard to make a considerable error in a long fair­ way. In accurate pacing, the pacer first steps out a measured dis­ tance, say 100 yards, on level ground, to learn how many paces he takes to the hundred yards. As a man takes longer strides going downgrade than climbing, distances on grades should be paced both down and upgrade and the average of the two counts taken. Some greenkeepers will no doubt find it more convenient to use a tape, “ather than to pace the length of their fairways. January, 1933 11 If the yardage of holes given on the score card has been accu­ rately determined, these distances may be used to determine fairway areas provided the average widths of the various fairways are known. In using the score card it must be remembered that the yardage shown is from center of tee to center of green. The relatively short distance from the front of the green to the center seldom amounts to more than 15 yards, and may be deducted when calculating fairways that end at the front of the putting green. On most golf holes, how­ ever, the fairway should extend around the sides and rear of the putting green; and if such is the case no allowance need be made, since this narrow strip of fairway around the green makes up for the area taken up by the putting green. The area extending from 100 to 150 yards from the tee is usually maintained as rough and is not therefore calculated as fairway area, and this distance, whatever it may be, should be subtracted from the yardage shown on the score card. Table 2.—Areas, in Acres, of Fairways of Various Widths and Lengths Fairway width 25 50 Fairway length (yards) 75 300 200 100 400 500 Yards 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 Acres Acres Acres Acres Acres Acres Acres Acres .14 2.58 .15 3.09 3.61 .18 .21 4.13 .23 4.64 .27 5.16 5.67 .29 6.19 .31 6.71 .35 7.22 .36 .40 7.74 8.25 .42 8.67 .45 .47 9.18 9.70 .51 .52 10.21 1.03 1.24 1.44 1.65 1.86 2.07 2.27 2.48 2.68 2.90 3.10 3.31 3.51 3.72 3.92 4.13 2.07 2.48 2.89 3.30 3.72 4.13 4.54 4.95 5.37 5.78 6.19 6.60 7.02 7.43 7.85 8.26 .39 .46 .54 .62 .69 .77 .85 .93 1.01 1.08 1.16 1.24 1.31 1.40 1.48 1.54 1.55 1.86 2.17 2.48 2.79 3.10 3.41 3.72 4.00 4.34 4.65 4.96 5.27 5.58 5.90 6.21 .51 .62 .72 .82 .93 1.03 1.13 1.23 1.33 1.44 1.54 1.64 1.75 1.85 1.95 2.06 .26 .31 .36 .41 .47 .51 .57 .62 .67 .73 .78 .84 .88 .95 1.01 1.06 Very often only approaches to putting greens and certain areas called landing areas, upon which a great majority of the shots are played, are fertilized. This procedure is often followed in cases where the club has to economize. Instead of applying fertilizers over all the fairways at such low rates that any improvement in turf would be so slight as to pass unnoticed, the fairway area to be fertilized could be reduced by one-half or even two-thirds. Only poor areas needing improvement or areas of fairway receiving most play and hence needing most plant food to force the grass to fill in the divot holes and form a heavy turf need be fertilized by this plan. In such cases the greenkeeper will have to mark these selected areas and then measure their extent. By determining the size of these approaches and landing areas the greenkeeper will know how to best make use of the comparatively small amount of fertilizer at his command. There are 4,840 square yards in an acre. Therefore, if a fairway is 60 yards wide there is an acre for about every 80 yards of its length. 12 Vol. 13, No. 1 Table 2 permits of rapid determination of fairway areas. For ex­ ample, consider a fairway 325 yards long, not counting the rough in front of the tee. The width of the fairway is paced at different intervals and is found to average 60 yards. From the table, the acre­ age would be the sum of the figures in the columns headed 300 and 25, and opposite the 60-yard fairway width, or 4.03 acres. If it were figured without the use of the table, 325 would be multiplied by 60 and the product divided by 4,840. Determining the Amount to Apply Table 3 is included for calculation of amounts of materials needed for different-sized areas. For example, if it is desired to apply a material at the rate of 4 ounces to 1,000 square feet, to an area of 5,500 square feet, the amount needed for the area is found in the Table 3.—Units of Materials Needed for Areas of Various Sizes in Applica­ tions at Given Rates for 1,000 Square Feet Size of area in square feet 500 1.000 1.500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3^500 4,000 4,500 5,000 5,500 6,000 6,500 7,000 7,500 8,000 8,500 9,000 9,500 10,000 Rate of application in given units (ounces, pounds, gallons, cubic yards) to 1,000 square feet 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 Vz Units Units Units Units Units Units Units Units needed needed needed needed needed needed needed needed 7.50 15.00 22.50 30.00 37.50 45.00 52.50 60.00 67.50 75.00 82.50 90.00 97.50 105.00 112.50 120.00 127.50 135.00 142.50 150.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00 45.00 50.00 55.00 60.00 65.00 70.00 75.00 80.00 85.00 90.00 95.00 100.00 2.50 5.00 7.50 10.00 12.50 15.00 17.50 20.00 22.50 25.00 27.50 30.00 32.50 35.00 37.50 40.00 42.50 45.00 47.50 50.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 22.00 24.00 26.00 28.00 30.00 32.00 34.00 36.00 38.00 40.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 8.50 9.00 9.50 10.00 1.50 3.00 4.50 6.00 7.50 9.00 10.50 12.00 13.50 15.00 16.50 18.00 19.50 21.00 22.50 24.00 25.50 27.00 28.50 30.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 14.00 15.00 16.00 17.00 18.00 19.00 20.00 .25 .50 .75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00 3.25 3.50 . 3.75 4.00 4.25 4.50 4.75 5.00 5,500 line under the column headed 4; namely, 22 ounces. If on the same area one wishes to apply a material at the rate of 12 ounces he can readily determine the amount to apply by adding the numbers opposite 5,500 under the columns headed 10 and 2, which is found to be 55 plus 11, or 66 ounces. By thus combining the figures in the columns one can get by simple addition the quantity needed at any of the ordinary rates of applications. The amounts needed for other areas not shown can be readily obtained by taking the proportionate amount between the two nearest figures in the table; for example, 5,250 is half way between 5,000 and 5,500, and thus for a rate of 4 ounces it would require between 20 and 22 ounces, as shown in the table, or 21 ounces. The rates shown in the table may represent ounces, pounds, gallons, cubic yards, or any other unit of measure­ ment. January, 1933 13 The use of a ready-reference chart such as outlined below is sug­ gested as an aid in organizing the treatments of putting greens with a view to obtaining accuracy in applying materials to the turf. The numbers of the holes are arranged vertically in the column at the left. In the next column are to be entered the areas of the respective putting greens. Above the word “amount” at the head of the sev­ eral columns, in the space marked “rates,” are to be entered the rates of application in common use. For example, the first column may be used for the rate “l1/^,” representative of a rate of application of corrosive sublimate; the second column may be headed “3,” and so on; or the series of rates shown in table 3 may be entered, if applic­ able to the needs of the course. In the blank spaces for the respec­ tive greens in the columns headed “amount,” are to be entered the amounts of materials needed for the areas involved as determined by the figures in table 3. The value of such a ready-reference chart as this will be proportional to the care with which it is prepared and the extent to which it is used. Ready-Reference Chart Showing Amounts of Materials Needed for Various Rates of Application for Putting Greens Number Area Am’t Am’t Am’t Am’t Am’t Am’t Am’t Putting Greens Rates to 1,000 square feet 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Practice Total — — — It is suggested that a copy of this chart be made on large, heavy paper and that similar copies be made for tees and fairways. For the fairways chart the rates can be put down in acres instead of the unit of 1,000 square feet used in the charts for the putting greens and 14 Vol. 13, No. 1 tees. The areas may be determined by using tables 1 and 2 for in­ sertions in the chart. Tables 3 and 4 can then be used as guides for filling in the rest of the columns. More columns for amounts than are shown in the blank chart will no doubt be found useful in the large copies. On courses where mixing equipment is used and where corrosive­ sublimate treatments, for example, are applied dry mixed with top- soil, the following procedure suggests itself. It is desired, for ex­ ample, to apply l’/o ounces of corrosive sublimate to 1,000 square feet of putting surface. The amount for each putting green at that rate has been properly marked on the chart. The total amount re­ quired is the total of the column headed “IV2 ounces,” which is, for example, 8V2 pounds. The total area of putting surface is found at the bottom of the column headed “area,” under “putting greens,” which, we will say, is 90,000 square feet. In the Bulletin for Novem­ ber, 1931, it was suggested that fungicides may be mixed with top- soil and broadcast at the rate of an 8-quart bucketful of topsoil to 1,000 square feet. It is thus apparent that when 90 buckets of topsoil are thoroughly mixed with 814 pounds of corrosive sublimate and broadcast at the suggested rate, the proper amount of fungicide will be applied. Seeding rates may likewise be entered on the chart. Many other uses for it will suggest themselves with continued use. Its principal benefit will be to eliminate the necessity for memorizing or calculat­ ing the amounts required each time an application of material is needed. Applying the Material for Even Distribution There are two commonly-used methods of adjusting a distributor to throw the desired amount of material. One is to run it over a measured area and determine by difference how much material was used, after which an adjustment is made and the procedure repeated until the proper set is obtained. The other makes use of the knowl­ edge of the area covered by a machine of certain width in traveling a given distance. By putting a certain amount of fertilizer in the hop­ per and by pacing the progress of the machine the greenkeeper can stop the machine at a predetermined distance, quickly ascertain the rate at which the material is being applied, and make the necessary readjustments. The proper adjustments can usually be made at the start of the job before an acre has been covered. Of the two methods, the latter is perhaps the simpler and more satisfactory since, with the assistance of tables here presented, only the width of the spread need be known. The spreader should have on it some arrangement whereby the flow of the material may be stopped at once when the machine is stopped. Many instances have been observed where piles of the fer­ tilizer have run out where the machine was stopped. This is not only wasteful of material but the resulting uneveness of the turf is un­ sightly. An additional precaution to avoid uneveness is to draw the fertilizer distributor in a circular motion around the fairway, as in mowing. This avoids any necessity for stopping the motion of the machine except for loading, and aids in obtaining uniformity of dis­ tribution. Most greenkeepers have a man ride the distributor or follow it over the entire job as an extra precaution. By so doing January, 1933 15 any irregularity in flow, stoppage of the feed, or breaks in the mechanism may be immediately detected and corrected. This pro­ cedure allows the operator of the tractor to focus his attention upon properly guiding the outfit so that no part of the course is missed or doubled. The material should be applied on a calm day. Therefore with machines such as lime spreaders only the width of the spreader hop­ per need be measured. In other distributors, such as the type that throws the fertilizer out by means of fans, the extent of the spread or coverage of the bulk of the fertilizer must be measured. If a machine spreads fertilizer at a width of 10 feet, it must move 1,452 yards to cover an acre. If it is to spread 800 pounds an acre, it must use this much in that distance. Therefore if it uses 1/10 of that much fertilizer, or 80 pounds in 1/10 of the distance (145 yards), the distributor is set correctly. However, 80 pounds is probably too small a quantity to put in the hopper for most machines to work perfectly. Table 4.—Yardage to be Traveled by Distributing Machines of Various Hopper Widths to Discharge 200 Pounds of Material at Various Rates to the Acre Width of hopper 109 in feet 200 300 Rates in pounds to the aci'e 400 500 600 700 800 900 1,000 Yards Yards Yards Yards Yards Yards Yards Yards Yards Yards 580 5,808 4,840 484 4,148 414 363 3,630 322 3,226 2,904 290 2,640 264 242 2,420 2,234 223 207 2,074 193 1,936 1,812 181 2,904 2,420 2,074 1,815 1,613 1,452 1,320 1,210 1,117 1,037 968 906 1,161 968 829 726 645 580 528 484 446 414 387 362 1,916 1,597 1,368 1,197 1,064 958 871 800 737 684 638 597 1,452 1,210 1,037 907 806 726 660 605 558 518 484 453 830 692 593 519 461 415 377 346 320 296 276 260 726 605 518 453 403 363 330 302 280 259 242 226 644 537 460 403 358 322 293 268 248 230 214 201 950 798 684 600 532 479 435 400 368 342 320 299 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Table 4 has been prepared so that the rate at which the spreader is applying the material may be judged by using 200 pounds in the hopper for calibration. In the case just cited, of the 10-foot spreader to be set to apply 800 pounds to an acre, the machine should cover 1,452 yards to spread this amount, and if only 200 pounds is in the hopper it should cover 1/4 of the distance that 800 pounds would; therefore, the 200 pounds should be used only when the machine has gone forward 363 yards, as indicated in the table. Table 4 thus gives the number of yards that spreaders of different widths with 200 pounds of fertilizer in the hopper must run forward to spread various amounts to an acre. This table should simplify matters for many greenkeepers. In adjusting his spreader, the greenkeeper need only weigh 200 pounds of the fertilizer to be used. Then by consulting the table he determines how far the machine should run to use the 200 pounds if it is to be applied at the desired rate. The greenkeeper need only pace along beside the machine and stop it when it has progressed the required number of yards. If the 16 Vol. 13, No. 1 200 pounds is used before the machine travels the required distance, the fertilizer is going on more heavily than desired, and vice versa. The necessary readjustment should be made, and the machine again loaded with 200 pounds and the trials continued until adjustment is satisfactory. If a machine is set for one fertilizer, the adjustment should be checked when another is used, because some fertilizers differ in their flowing qualities; hence adjustments should be made for each fertilizer used. Some greenkeepers will find it convenient to make more or less per­ manent notes of certain figures taken from table 4, so that from year to year there need be no errors made or time lost in searching for the information needed for that particular machine. For example, if a machine distributes to a width of 10 feet, that part of the table applying to this particular width may be painted upon the distribut­ ing box, as follows: 200 Pounds in Hopper Rate per acre............... Yards to go..................... 2,904 1,452 958 726 580 479 415 363 322 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1,000 290 100 200 Missing Numbers of the Bulletin The Green Section is frequently asked to supply a complete set of volumes of the Bulletin to libraries or individuals who have recently become interested in turf work. Unfortunately the supply of certain numbers in the early volumes has long been exhausted and it is there­ fore impossible to supply full sets of the Bulletin. No doubt many of the missing numbers are still in existence and serving no useful purpose. Many of our readers no doubt have kept old volumes of the Bulletin in which they may be no longer interested. We would greatly appreciate receiving any of the numbers listed below, since they can be placed where they will serve some useful purpose for reference. If any of our readers have complete volumes which they no longer need we would be glad to receive the entire volumes. If only a single number of those listed below is found we request our readers to send it to us if it is no longer needed, as it may happen to be just the number missing from some other returned set. These missing copies are needed largely for libraries of State experiment stations or other institutions where they will be useful for reference, and no doubt will be of greater service in that capacity than they would be in private files. The numbers of which the supply is ex­ hausted are as follows: Vol. II, 1922. All numbers. Vol. Ill, 1923. January, February, March, April, May, June, November, December. Vol. IV, 1924. January, February, March, May, June. Vol. V, 1925. June, July, August, December. Vol. VI, 1926. January and March. Vol. VII, 1927. February, April, May, June, November. Never entertain the thought that it is impossible to do anything. Patience and devotion will move a mountain, if anything will. A theory in greenkeeping, as in science, is a valuable servant but a poor master. Conquer your theories; don’t let them conquer you. January, 1933 17 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS All questions sent to the Green Section will be answered in a letter to the writer as promptly as possible. The more interesting of these questions, with concise answers, will appear in this column. If your experience leads you to disagree with any answer here given it is your privilege and duty to write to the Green Section. While most of the answers are of general application, it must be borne in mind that each recommendation is intended specifically for the locality designated at the end of the question. Gauging strength of fertilizer or fungicide solution in barrel cart and power sprayer.—In using a power sprayer, should the amount of fertilizer or fungicide be the same in 50 gallons of water, as in 50 gallons of water in a barrel cart? I would like to cover a whole green, by means of the sprayer, with 100 gallons of water. Our greens aver­ age 7,500 square feet in area. The sprayer can cover the ground more quickly than the barrel cart. How can I determine the amount of sulphate of ammonia, nitrate of soda, or corrosive sublimate to use in the power sprayer and in the barrel cart? (Illinois) Answer.—It does not matter how strong a solution of any of these chemicals you apply provided you are able to get the proper amount of the chemical on a certain area of turf. If you could make the solution weak enough by putting sufficient water with it, it would not be necessary to water the turf after the application is made, but usually the chemical is mixed with only sufficient water to permit its being evenly distributed and a man is left on the green to water it after the sprayer wagon or barrel cart has gone on to treat another green. More area can not be covered by the sprayer than by the barrel cart when a solution of the same strength is used, but with the sprayer less water is required to mix with the chemical in order to obtain an even distribution. Thus if you had a green of 5,000 square feet and wished to apply corrosive sublimate at the rate of 2 ounces to 1,000 square feet, it would take 10 ounces of corrosive sublimate to treat the green for disease regardless of whether the chemical was applied mixed with a yard of topsoil, mixed with 50 gallons of water and applied with a power sprayer, or mixed with 150 gallons of water and applied with a barrel cart. Probably this amount could be applied most quickly with a power sprayer. If you found that 50 gallons of water with a power sprayer was sufficient to cover thoroughly 5,000 square feet, and your sprayer was of 250-gallons capacity, you could put 50 ounces of corrosive sublimate in the tank and fill it. Then by watching the gauge you could apply 50 gallons of solution to a 5,000-square-foot green and know that you had applied 10 ounces of corrosive sublimate. You would then have sufficient solution left in the tank to go onto other greens and do four more 5,000-square-foot greens or an equivalent area. Activated sludge as a substitute for stable manure on fairways.— We wish to fertilize our fairways. They have an even stand of grass but are cuppy. We have demonstrated on our approaches the value of fertilization. We have previously applied a thin covering of stable 18 Vol. 13, No. 1 manure, thin because scarce and fairly expensive. Can you recom­ mend the use of activated sludge? Such commercial manures as poultry, sheep, and ground bone are very difficult for us to handle on account of our windy location. We understand activated sludge is more granular. Can we afford to use rotted stable manure on our fairways at a cost of $3 a yard measured after loading? It is com­ posted with seaweed as used in stables, and breaks up very fine in a manure spreader, but a yard of it does not cover much ground. (Massachusetts) Answer.—We do not recommend the use of stable manure for topdressing putting greens and fairways, since it often contains a great quantity of weed and clover seeds and moreover can be used to better advantage in preparing compost. Activated sludge (Milor- ganite) is usually as much as 5 times as effective as well-rotted stable manure. We have had very good results from its use and do not hesitate to recommend it for use on fairways. It should be applied to fairways at the rate of at least 600 pounds an acre for best results. It is granular and spreads more easily in the wind than finer mate­ rial. The cost of 600 pounds of activated sludge would be from $8 to $9 while it would require about 2 yards of manure to supply the same amount of plant food. The cost of handling the manure would probably be a little greater, but at the price for which you are able to purchase manure it would appear that it is somewhat cheaper, if one does not consider the possible injury to the fairways by the intro­ duction of the large quantities of clover and weed seeds which manure contains. Although 2 tons of manure would supply the same amount of plant food as 600 pounds of activated sludge, we doubt that 2 tons of manure could be spread on an acre of land in a sufficiently thin and uniform layer unless it were mixed with some soil or other inert material, and that of course would bring the cost close to the price of activated sludge. We would recommend that you use your manure in the soil or compost pile for making topdressing material, as manure is an excellent source of organic matter. Effect of frequent watering and close cutting on prevalence of crabgrass and clover in fairway turf.—The bluegrass in our fairways has thinned out considerably this fall and there is an abundance of clover and foreign grasses in the turf. The growth of crabgrass has been very heavy during the past two summers. In some spots the bluegrass is returning, but where the crabgrass was thickest the blue­ grass seems to have been killed. We have watered our fairways twice a week for the past three years during periods of drought, and also have cut them twice a week. Has the constant cutting of the bluegrass contributed to its thinning out? It thrives in the rough, wffiich is not cut. (Indiana) Answer.—During the summer bluegrass will not withstand close cutting; it is therefore advisable to raise the fairway mowers when cutting in the summer, as the longer the blades of bluegrass are per­ mitted to grow the better will the plants withstand summer condi­ tions and the more lateral growth will they make. This will neces­ sarily call for more frequent cutting of the fairways, though not close cutting. The results of fairway watering in so far as the growth of crabgrass and clover is concerned are at present debatable. It is January, 1933 19 claimed by some that if a good bluegrass sod can be obtained and is kept well fertilized it will not be injured by crabgrass and clover though watered frequently throughout the summer. Others are find­ ing that in spite of heavy fertilizing the bluegrass will lose out in districts where such vigorous summer plants as crabgrass thrive. Our recommendations at present are that superficial watering of fairways be avoided and that the aim in watering be simply to pro­ tect the turf from injury during periods of drought. In districts such as yours it should be possible to maintain good bluegrass turf and not use the fairway watering system more than once a week. When fairways are watered they should be watered sufficiently to create a reserve supply of moisture in the soil. Frequent light sur­ face watering increases the growth of crabgrass rapidly. What is the correct grade for the surface of a tee? (New York) Answer.—As far as the game is concerned no particular grade has been designated for the surface of a tee. It is customary, how­ ever, to grade the tee so that it slopes away from the green. This grade, however, should not be noticeable to the eye. As far as turf maintenance and convenience to players are concerned it is well to have a slight grade on a tee in order that the surface water may drain away quickly. A slope of 2 to 3 per cent is the usual grade on teeing areas and is sufficient to take care of drainage. Renovating greens of the Virginia strain of creeping bent which has thinned from drought.—Last summer our water supply gave out and the turf on two of our greens is quite thin. Should we reseed or plant with stolons? (Illinois) Answer.—We suggest you try to establish some other strain of grass on your greens that have suffered from lack of water. Ordi­ narily when turf of the Virginia strain of creeping bent is in a healthy condition it is not easy to introduce other grasses, but when the Virginia bent is in a poor condition there is a fair chance that another strain may become established before the Virginia bent has recovered sufficiently to compete with the new grass. In your sec­ tion, for spring planting, you are likely to have success with seed of the seaside creeping bent. Our recommendation is that as soon as the frost is out of the ground in the spring you rake all the dead material off the greens, cut them as closely as possible, supply some good organic nitrogen carrier or some complete mixed fertilizer at the rate of 20 to 25 pounds to 1,000 square feet, and seed at the rate of 3 pounds to 1,000 square feet. This should be followed with top­ dressing. Grass mixture for tees.—What grass seed mixture would you recommend for planting our tees, and at what rate should it be sown? (Pennsylvania) Answer.—Our experimental work indicates that for your part of the country the following tee mixture will give good results: 40 per cent of Kentucky bluegrass, 40 per cent of Chewings fescue, 10 per cent of colonial bent, and 10 per cent of redtop. Eight pounds of this mixture to 1,000 square feet should be sufficient. Carelessness does more harm than want of knowledge. Benjamin Franklin