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Issued By The

UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION

ROOM 307, BUILDING 4 
BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY STATION 
BELTSVILLE, MD.

OFF-HIGHWAY FUEL NOT NOW RATIONED: The Office of Price Administration says that at 
present gasoline has not been rationed for off-highway purposes, such as tractors 
and the like for golf courses. Neither is there any anticipation at present of 
such an action being taken. The opinion of the Gas Rationing Office in OPA is 
that in some cases local rationing boards may request golf courses to curtail their 
off-highway use of fuel but no such national restrictions are planned at present. 
This should be encouraging to the golf courses, particularly as reduced manpower 
will probably necessitate, if anything, the additional use of power-driven machines.

NEW RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF OIL SEED MEALS IN MIXED FERTILIZERS: The situation at 
present with reference to the use of oil seed meals is critical. Seeds have been 
produced and it would seem that ample amounts of seed meals should be available 
for use as both feed and fertilizers. However, the Commodity Credit Corporation 
has established an escalator for prices such that each month until next June the 
prices for the meals will be increasingly higher. Perhaps this may be responsible 
for considerable hoarding and speculation which has produced an artificial shortage. 
If this is the case, it is regrettable since it means that an order has been issued 
under date of December 31, effective January 2, to the effect that no oil seed 
meals may be used in any mixed fertilizers until further notice. It is believed, 
however, that the chances are good that the oil seed meals will be available in 
sufficient quantities for use on golf courses late next summer and early fall, 
although they will probably not be available for use this early spring. It will 
be noted that the restriction refers only to their use in mixed fertilizers.

FORMER GREEN SECTION MEN IN THE WAR EFFORT: Eight former members of the Green 
Section technical staff are now working directly in the war effort, six of them 
contributing in an important way in the establishment and maintenance of turf on 
airfields. All of those working with turf are functioning on a civilian status 
with the exception of Captain George E. Harrington of the Army Air Forces Liaison 
Office. Dr. John Monteith, Jr., and Dr. Fred V. Grau have their headquarters in 
Washington, D. C., with the Army Engineer Corps. Also connected with the Army 
Engineers are John W. Bengtson in Mobile and Gordon H. Jones in Dallas. Alton E. 
Rabbitt has recently been appointed to the Bureau of Aeronautics of the Navy 
Department and is responsible for the turf on the Navy airfields. Although not 
now working on turf, in addition to these six, two of the younger former members 
of the Green Section staff have commissions in the Army and the Navy, respectively - 
Lt. Ian Forbes, Jr., and Ensign Willis H. Skrdla.

HARVEY L. WESTOVER: Those who have followed the development of the Green Section 
since its early days will remember that from the fall of 1926 to the spring of 
1929 Mr. Harvey L. Westover, of the Division of Forage Crops and Diseases of the 
U. S. Department of Agriculture, was Acting Chairman of the Green Section Research 
Committee during the absence from Washington of the Chairman, Dr. R. A. Oakley. 
Since 1913 he had been connected with the Forage Crops Office; and although for 
many years he was in charge of alfalfa investigations, he always maintained a 
helpful interest in our turf program. It is with sincere regret, therefore, 
that we record his sudden death from heart complications on January 2, 1943.

January, 1943

WAR-TIME CARE OF MACHINERY

This winter it is more important than ever before to repair all machinery 

to be used next season. With manpower at a premium and therefore a greater depen­
dence on mechanical equipment, as well as the impossibility of getting new machines, 
it is vital from the standpoint of golf course maintenance that all equipment be put 
in the best possible shape during the "off season." In this connection the Bureau of 
Agricultural Chemistry and Engineering of the Department of Agriculture says:
"Do not appraise the present condition of a machine by 

last season's experience or a casual glance which may fail to 
reveal some weakness or breakage. A careful check of each 
machine part should be made, noting its condition and need 
for repair or replacement."

All equipment which is hopelessly beyond repair should be turned in for scrap metal 
except for parts which might be used in the repair of other pieces of equipment.

TRACTORS: With reduced labor, the tractor becomes increasingly indispensable in golf 
course maintenance. If there were any symtoms last season of the tractor being 
sluggish, all valves and valve mechanism should be checked thoroughly. If a tractor 
is several years old the valves may need grinding but with a newer machine there is 
probably some other cause of sluggish valves. The engine compression can be checked by 
slowly cranking the tractor by hand. If the crank tends to rebound at each compression 
stroke, the valves are functioning properly. However, if this rebound is lacking, the 
valves are not properly closing and the condition which exists is known as leaking 
valves. Leaking valves may or may not be the result of wear. The operator should 
have the condition corrected as soon as possible in order to avoid the necessity of 
removing the cylinder head and having the valves ground.

The valves sometimes stick when carbon from the fuel accumulates on the 

valve stems. According to the .Bureau of Agricultural Chemistry and Engineering, the 
sticking of valves can be corrected by starting the engine and applying kerosene to 
the valve stems after the motor has idled awhile. Time should be allowed for the 
kerosene to work down between the valve stems and the guides. The kerosene will dis­
solve any gummy accumulation and soften the carbon, thus removing such causes of valve 
sticking. With an L-type engine-head the kerosene can be applied through spark plug 
openings.

Other possible causes of sluggishness in the engine may be improper valve 

spring tension, valve clearance, and broken piston rings. These difficulties as well 
as the proper seating of the valves all require expert attention, however, and for 
their correction the tractor should be placed in the hands of an experienced mechanic.

Tractor engines operate at higher temperatures than do autos and motor 

trucks. It is therefore particularly necessary to take all possible precautions to 
prevent over-heating of the engine in order to prolong its life. If the tractor over­
heated badly last season it may have been due either to a sluggish fan or to leaks 
in the cooling system. In getting the tractor ready for another year the fan belt 
and blades should be checked. Loose or worn fan belts should be tightened or re­
placed, and any damaged fan blades should be replaced or reshaped.

Leaks in the cooling system may be due to defective hose or hose connec­
tions, worn packing of the water pump, a bad radiator, or blow hole in the engine 
gasket. The repair of hose and pump are relatively simple jobs and can usually 
be taken care of in the shop. A leaking radiator, however, should be put in the 
hands of an expert repairman, who will not only take care of the leaks already 
present but detect other weak places which may be repaired at the time the radiator 
is out of the tractor and thus save repetition of the job and expense as well as 
unnecessary delays next season. Temporary plugging of leaks with patented remedies 
usually is not satisfactory because the leaks thus repaired are likely to break open 
at a time when the tractor is needed most and cause serious inconvenience or delay.

January, 1943 

T.T.T. 2

It would be advisable this winter to purchase a replacement of hose

and connections, a fan belt, pump packing, or any other articles for which there 
may be a likelihood of need. To have these on hand may save costly delays.

BATTERIES: All storage batteries should by all means be properly taken care of for 
winter conditions, and especially since some materials used for their construction 
are already restricted for civilian use. Several principles in connection with the 
winter care of batteries should be borne in mind.

In the first place, a discharged storage battery will freeze at slightly

less than 32° F. with possible damage to the plates. On the other hand, if the 
batteries are fully charged they will not freeze at low temperatures, although at zero 
degrees Fahrenheit and lower they possess less than one-half of the capacity to start 
the motor than under summer conditions. The battery operates the starter best at a 
temperature of approximately 80° F. If the motors are being used during the winter it 
is important to keep starting mechanisms, distributor points, spark plugs, ignition 
cables, and wiring in perfect condition and to use proper winter grades of lubricants 
in order to conserve the drain on the battery in getting the motor started. All the 
battery terminals and clamps should be inspected for corrosion. It is difficult for 
electricity to flow through corroded terminals. However, the amount of corrosion can 
be reduced by means of an application of oil or grease to the terminal and clamp.
When motor equipment is used only occasionally the batteries should be

checked frequently, since they lose some charge each day that they are idle. If left 
idle for some time the plates are likely to become sulfated, frequently resulting in 
permanent damage to the battery. It is also important to keep the liquid in the 
battery slightly above the top of the plates at all times. That part of the plates 
not in contact with the battery liquid will get no charge and become sulfated.

After adding water in freezing weather it is important that the battery be

charged somewhat either in the machine or in the shop. This is important in order to 
mix the newly added water with the battery liquid. If not mixed, the water which 
was added may freeze and thus cause damage.

MOWERS AND OTHER MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT: All mechanical equipment should be thoroughly 
cleaned, all movable parts and bearings greased and all bolts tightened. The blades 
of mowers should be sharpened and properly adjusted for next spring. A thin film 
of oil over all metal parts will prevent the formation of rust.

HAND TOOLS: The life of all hand tools should be extended as long as possible by 
removing all dirt and rust, coating all metal parts with a thin film of oil and 
painting the wooden parts.

A generally satisfactory rust removing paste can easily be prepared

according to the formula published in the March, 1942, issue of TIMELY TURF 
TOPICS.

The formula calls for 2 parts, each, of oxalic acid and phosphoric

acid (usually an 85 percent solution has been used), 1 part of glycerin, and 
5 parts of ground silica. In preparing the paste the first three ingredients are 
mixed and then enough of the ground silica added to make a paste of the desired 
consistency. This has usually been approximately 5 parts, but the amount may vary 
with the fineness at which the silica is ground. Any fairly finely ground inert 
material such as diatomaceous earth or pomace stone may be used.

January, 1943 

T.T.T. 3