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Issued By The

UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION
P. O. Box 73 

Benjamin Franklin Station 
Washington, D. C.

USE OF TEST PLOTS: There will be a steadily increasing demand for substitutes 
for many of the chemicals commonly used as fungicides, insecticides, and 
herbicides, as these materials cease to become available either because of 
their role in the all out war effort or because of the fact that they can no 
longer be imported due to shipping difficulties or to the turn of the war in ' 
island outposts. Unfortunately, with a greatly depleted technical staff it will 
not be possible for the Green Section to test the many possible substitutes. 
We shall, however, follow developments in these directions and bring the more 
promising possibilities to the attention of our readers from time to time, with 
the hope that they may try them out on test plots and report the results back to 
this office. In that way the Green Section might act as a clearing house for the 
results from around the country. In all events, before using any of these sub­
stitutes in large-scale treatments it would be acting in the interest both of 
economy and better turf to try them out on a small scale first. If recommenda­
tions of institutions or men who are conducting large-scale experimental pro­
grams are not available, those of the manufacturer should be followed or, if 
necessary, modified to suit any particular set of conditions.

Since most recommendations for use of these materials on turf are given 

in terms of the amount of chemical to be used on 1,000 square feet, areas of 100 
square feet make good trial plots where relatively large areas of turf are in­
volved. On lawns or smaller areas, smaller sized plots such as 5 by 5-foot plots 
may be preferred. Untreated plots as well as some treated with the commonly 
accepted treatments should be included on as uniform turf as is available. Rou­
tine maintenance practices should be followed on all the plots in any one series.

In applying fungicides, insecticides and herbicides to test plots, it is 
important that the exact rate be known so that it can be duplicated, if desirable, 
in the future. This precision should be followed when measuring and marking off 
plots, as well as when weighing or measuring the material to be applied. The cli­
matic conditions prevailing at the time of the application should be noted and 
recorded, as well as the response of the turf to the treatment, and the degree of 
the control obtained.

The usual practice is to dilute the active materials with water and 

apply as a spray or mix with dry, seived sand, soil or topdressing if they are 
to be applied dry. Unless calibrated equipment is employed, the amount of water 
or sand which must be used to cover 1,000 square feet adequately with your equip­
ment should be determined before applications are begun.

A convenient procedure is to start with a known volume of water or sand 

(depending on which method of application is to be used) and a 100-square foot 
plot. Without adding any chemicals, spray the foliage on the plot until it is 
uniformly wet with the water, or distribute the sand evenly over the area. By 
measuring the amount of water or sand which is left and by subtracting this volume 
from the initial volume, the volume of water or sand necessary to cover 100 square 
feet is calculated. It is wise to make several such trials and use the average 
volume as the basis for your calculations. Multiply this by 10 and you have the 
amount of water or sand which you must use with your equipment to cover 1,000 
square feet. It usually takes from 2 to 5 gallons of water or from 4 to 8 quarts 
of sand to cover that area.

June, 1942

TETRAMETHYL THIURAMDISULFIDE: Chemical companies have not been permitted to 
manufacture mercury fungicides for use on turf since March 31, 1942. The 
demand for effective substitutes, therefore, is increasing rapidly. For 
several years the Green Section has been considering a large number of organic 
compounds which offered possibilities for the control of turf diseases.

All told more than a hundred of these compounds have been tested. 

Of these, some killed the disease-producing fungus but also killed the grass. 
Others did not injure the grass but were equally as harmless to the fungus. 
Still others, when applied at concentrations sufficiently great to control the 
growth of the fungus, were prohibitive in cost.

As Harrington reported in the Marcn 28, 1941, issue of Science, some 
of the thiuram sulfide compounds showed considerable promise. Of these, tetra­
methyl thiuramdisulfide has given effective control of both dollarspot and brown­
patch in extensive tests on putting green turf in and around Washington when 
applied repeatedly throughout the season at the rate of 3 ounces to 1,000 square 
feet. Applications at the 1-ounce rate gave only partial control. When applied 
at the 2-ounce rate, control was good in some cases but only partial in others. 
This past winter, moreover, it was shown in various states that effective control 
of snowmold was obtained from single applications in the fall at the 3-ounce rate.

Tetramethyl thiuramdisulfide is one of the organic compounds manufac­

tured and sold as a rubber accelerator by the R. T. Vanderbilt Company of New 
York, the Monsanto Chemical Company of St. Louis, and the E. I. du Pont de Nemours 
Company in Wilmington. It has been sold by these companies for some time under 
the trade names Tuads, Thiurad, and Du Bay 1205-U, respectively. However, as its 
use as a turf fungicide is covered by a pa’tent held by the du Pont Company, the 
other companies are unable to sell it for that purpose.

This year, as there is so much demand for satisfactory substitutes 

for mercurial fungicides, the du Pont Company has placed on the market a turf 
fungicide known as Thiosan, which contains 50 percent tetramethyl thiuramdisul­
fide. This product is to be available at a price somewhere between $1.25 and 
$1.40 a pound, when purchased in 25-pound lots. It probably will be avail­
able in amounts sufficient to supply the demand. When applying this product, 
it should be remembered that it contains only 50 percent of the active ingredient.

It is interesting to note that the thiuram sulfides have also proved 
to be of interest as contact poisons on soft-bodied insects, although they have 
not been shown to be effective as stomach poisons. The possibility of its use 
as a contact poison on turf insects simultaneously with its use as a fungicide 
should be tested. It was shown by Guy (Delaware Agriculture Experiment Station 
Bulletin No. 206) that of many chemicals tried tetramethyl thiuramdisulfide 
was the most effective feeding inhibitor of the Japanese beetle and the Mexican 
bean beetle. In fact, on a unit weight basis it was more than 3 times as 
effective as arsenate of lead and more effective than ground derris root con­
taining 4 percent rotenone. Although it is ineffective as a stomach poison, 
apparently it is the taste of the compound rather than its color or odor which 
is responsible for repelling the insects.

The difficulty in using the compound seems to be in getting it on in 

a.uniform, thin film which will stick to the foliage in spite of heavy rains. 
The best results were obtained in Delaware on fruit trees and ornamentals by 
spraying with a mixture containing 80 percent tetramethyl thiuramdisulfide, 
14 percent clay, 5 percent bentonite, and 1 percent lord alcohol, at the rate 
of 5 pounds to 100 gallons of water. As the compound reacts with copper it 
should not be used either before or after an application.of Bordeaux.

June, 1942

OTHER POSSIBLE MERCURY SUBSTITUTES: Many inquiries have been received concerning 
the possibility of using zinc oxide in conjunction with lime for the control of 
brownpatch and dollarspot. Several years ago, zinc oxide was tried by the Green 
Section with unsuccessful results. As it.was not tried in combination with the 
lime we are unable to offer any first hand information as to the effectiveness 
of this mixture. However, at Pennsylvania State College last year, Wernham 
apparently was able to check brownpatch and leafspot with this mixture when used 
at the rate of 8 ounces of each to 1,000 square feet, and broadcast in 8 pounds 
of sand without watering it into the soil. Applications were made at 3-week 
intervals.

Spergon, another possible mercury substitute, has been tried by the 

Green Section with no success. Spergon, however, occurs in two forms,— a wettable 
product which must be used if the material is to be applied as a spray, and a 
dry product. The latter is twice as concentrated as is the wettable form. The 
Green Section tests were made with the wettable product and the treatment watered 
in. There was no injury to the grass regardless of the amount used. However, 
even though it was applied at the 8-ounce rate 6 times from July 9 to September 
10, neither dollarspot nor brownpatch was checked. In Pennsylvania, however, 
when the dry product was applied at the 3-ounce rate and not watered into the 
soil a fair control of brownpatch and leafspot was reported although dollarspot 
was not checked.

The active ingredient of Spergon is an organic compound known as 

Tetrachloro-para-benzoquinone. Its price in February was $1.85 a pound when 
bought in 25-pound lots. The manufacturers of this product, the United States 
Rubber Company, Naugatuck Chemical Division, recommend its application at the 
rate of 3 ounces of the dry or 6 ounces of the wettable form to 1,000 square feet.

BROOD A OF WHITE GRUBS DUE THIS YEAR: The white grubs of most species of May and 
June beetles tend to appear in 3-year cycles, since it takes 3 years from the time 
the eggs are laid in the turf until the adult beetles again appear. The white 
grubs, therefore, tend to appear in large broods every third year in certain 
sections of the country. Brood A, the largest and most widespread brood, is due 
to appear this year. The areas in which this brood has appeared in the past occur 
largely in the Middle Atlantic and North Central states. They have been located 
on a map in the U. S. D. A. Farmers’ Bulletin Number 1798 which has been reprinted 
in the April, 1939, issue of TURF CULTURE.

The adult female beetles do not usually fly far from their feeding 
grounds to lay their eggs in turf. Since they usually feed on the leaves of 
trees such as hickory, white or burr oaks, walnut, poplar, elm, willow, locust, 
ash, hackberry, or even pines, grub activity may be looked for in the neighbor­
hood of such trees. It is important to watch for grub activity in the vicinity 
of such trees, particularly if large numbers of beetles were present there last 
year. Important turf in such areas should be treated with arsenate of lead as 
soon as grub activity becomes evident. Rates of 5 to 10 pounds to 1,000 square 
feet should be used, dependent on the nature of the soil and the severity of the 
infestation. Since arsenate of lead should be conserved for the war effort, it 
is recommended that it be applied only to those areas in which grub activity is 
evident.

The adult beetles which appear in May and June of this year will be 

responsible for next year’s brood of white grubs. They should be looked for in the 
early morning hours, when the females are likely to be found flying down from the 
trees on which they feed at night to the turf where they burrow into the soil and 
deposit their eggs. In areas where they are found in large numbers, grub injury 
may be expected this summer and particularly next year, and all good turf should 
be protected with arsenate of lead.

June^ 1942 

T.T.T. 3

"STANDARD” WARTIME GREENKEEPING PRACTICES ADOPTED BY CHICAGO DISTRICT CLUBS: Green­
keepers, green committee chairmen, and officials of the Chicago District Golf Asso­
ciation are to be commended on getting together on greenkeeping practices as well 
as rules which will be followed for the duration of the war. This will assure as 
nearly as possible standard playing conditions throughout the District, rather than 
making it necessary for those clubs which are adopting wartime maintenance practices 
to compete with those which are operating under more normal conditions.

It may be of interest to clubs in other districts which are planning to get 
together on such a program to know some of the decisions. Greens are to have a heighi 
of cut of 1/4-inch rather than the usual 3/16-inch and are to be cut only on Tuesday, 
Thursday, and Saturday, rather than an average of 5 times a week. Fairways are to be 
cut at 1 1/4 inches instead of 5/8 to 7/8-inch, and the rough is to be cut down to 
2g inches instead of at the usual 4 to 9-inch height. Grass on the tees will be cut 
at fairway rather than putting green height. The traps are to be raked only once a 
week, and members and caddies will be expected to smooth out their footprints. Win­
ter rules are recommended for the duration of the war and they are to be known as 
war rules.

FERTILIZERS AND THE WAR EFFORT: Consumers are being urged to use mixed fertilizers 
of which there still seems to be a good supply. High grade fertilizers (those con­
taining at least 20 units of plant food) are recommended because the consumer will 
get more plant food for his money and will have less expense for time and labor of 
applying it; because the manufacturer will need less labor, will have less wear and 
tear on his machinery and will need fewer bags; and because for the Government it 
will mean more economical production of vital food stuffs and more freight car 
space available for the shipment of other products.

In an article published a few months ago, in Better Crops with PI ant 

Foods, W. L. Mehring gave figures showing that probably a half-million tons of filler 
are mixed, moved, and applied unnecessarily each year in fertilizers which might 
readily be replaced by mixtures with higher analyses. With regard to superphos­
phate, for instance, the average run-of-pile product contains about 19.5 percent 
available PgO^, and many of the products contain more than 20 percent. Yet, there 
is still a large demand on the part of consumers for a 16 percent product, which 
means the actual addition of 200 to 400 pounds of filler to the run-of-pile prod­
uct per ton.

A similar story holds for potash. Most of the muriate of potash formerly 

imported from Europe was a 50 percent grade, and the consumers became accustomed 
to using this grade. Most American products now have a 60 percent or higher analy­
sis, but still many consumers and fertilizer manufacturers order the 50 percent 
product.

Mr. Mehring translated the losses due to the filler used unnecessarily 
in mixed fertilizers, superphosphate, and muriate of potash into terms of losses 
in transportation, man-hours of labor, and number of burlap bags. As mixed 
fertilizers are moved about 100 miles on the average, he calculated that it 
would take some 31,000 box cars to haul the unnecessary 500,000 tons of filler 
used over a distance of 100 miles. He also estimated that the use of‘this amount 
of filler unnecessarily meant the waste of the full working time of 1,000 men 
and also the use of 5 million 200-pound bags.

The conclusion is drawn, therefore, that the elimination of the annual 

consumption of 500,000 tons of unnecessary filler will not only save the con­
sumers about $5,000,000 a year, but a lot of unnecessary labor as well. What 
is more important now, however, is that such a change would ease the strain on 
our transportation and bagging industries and strengthen our war effort.

June, 1942

T.T.T. 4

NEW RYEGRASS DISEASE IN THE SOUTH: This spring numerous inquiries were received 
from the South concerning a disease which appears on the ryegrass and carries over 
onto the Bermuda grass. This disease has-been reported in previous years but unfor­
tunately no one has had time as yet to investigate the cause of the disease nor to 
produce a cure for it. The mercury fungicides have been tried repeatedly, however, 
without avail. It is not wise, therefore, to waste the limited available supply 
of mercury fungicides in an attempt to control this new disease of ryegrass and Ber­
muda grass, as such attempts are likely to result in failure. Until more information 
is obtained regarding the cause and cure of the disease, the best procedure is to 
reseed such infested areas with Bermuda grass as soon as possible.

NITROGEN FERTILIZERS: On last January 31, the National Fertilizer Association 
released a statement in which Charles J. Brand assured the country that although 
there is not an abundance of all fertilizers "the fertilizer industry is better pre­
pared to meet the demand of increased crop goals than it was in 1917-1918. "

Due to the enormous demands to munitions on the nitrogen industry the War 

Production Board started rationing nitrate of soda in January on a month-by-month 
basis. The requirements for agriculture are determined by a committee of 16 members, 
each of whom is an authority in some phase of fertilizer use or crop production, while 
the requirements for munitions, meat curing, agriculture, etc., are determined by 
other Government offices for the following month.

Sulfate of ammonia is, of course, one of the compounds which is being used 

to supplement the nitrate of soda supply. Consequently even though the supply of 
sulfate of ammonia last year was from 50 to 100 thousand tons larger than the preced­
ing year, due to the increased production of coke, of which sulfate of ammonia is a 
by-product, the supply is not sufficiently large to satisfy the demand.

Oil-meals will therefore be strongly urged as substitutes for inorganic 
nitrogen sources. Their use in mixed fertilizers will be difficult to accomplish 
because of established ceiling prices, unless adjustments of maximum prices are 
made for mixed fertilizers containing larger quantities of the oil-meals.

In this connection it was demonstrated over a period of 15 years at the 

Arlington Turf Garden in a series of plots planned to demonstrate the relative value 
of various fertilizers on bent turf that the results with cottonseed meal and soybean 
meal were about the same and were approximately as good as those receiving sulfate of 
ammonia and compost. These meal products have an analysis of approximately 6-3-2 and 
can be used very satisfactorily. Wherever possible, therefore, those who are buying 
fertilizer for turf are urged to use these seed meals or activated sludge products 
if they are available, thus leaving as much as possible of the more readily available 
inorganic nitrogen for purely agricultural crops. Moreover, it is urged that as 
little nitrogen as possible be used on golf course turf, lawns, etc., for the dura­
tion of the war. In addition to contributing to the war effort, this will reduce 
the amount of mowing necessary, at a time when both labor and machinery are at a 
premium.

USE OF ROTENONE RESTRICTED: On April 13 an order became effective relative to 
the conservation of rotenone-bearing roots, including timbo, barbasco, cube and 
derris. According to this order, rotenone is to be used only for strictly agricul­
tural purposes, and by the Army and Navy as a delousing agent. Formerly the greater 
part of our supply came from East Africa, British Malaya, French Indo China, the 
Hitch East Indies, and the Philippines. Therefore even with annual imports from 
Peru increased to 2j million pounds, there will probably not be more than 6 million 
pounds imported this year, whereas the normal annual demand of 8 million pounds will 
be increased by Army and Navy requirements as well as by increased food production.

June, 1942

T.T.T. 5