Bulletin of the Green Section of the U. S. Golf Association Vol. IV Washington, D. C., July 21, 1924 No. 7 A MONTHLY PERIODICAL TO PROMOTE THE BETTERMENT OF GOLF COURSES CONTENTS. Page The Error of Generalizing----------------------------------------------------------- 158 Early Morning Watering as an Aid to Brown-Patch Control. By O. B. Fitts 159 New Member Clubs of the Green Section----___________________ _i___ 159 Replacing Fly or Cylinder Knives. By W. R. Hurd, 2d____________ ■___ 160 Instructive Golf Holes X. No. 8, Columbia Country Club______________ 160 Bent Stolons Two Years Old as Compared with Those One Year Old in Vegetative Planting____________________________________________ 163 Quick Sodding at the Country Club of Atlantic City. By H. Kendall Read 163 Compost Shed at Yorktown Country Club_________________________ 164 Injector Nozzles for Use with Carbon Disulfid in Ant Extermination. By C. H. Hadley____________________________________________ 165 Treatment of Nursery Rows of Creeping Bent That Produce Seed Stalks. By R. A. Oakley--------------------------------------------------- - -------------- 165 Damage to Turf from the Army Worm__ __________________________ 166 Chemical Weed-Killers on Golf Courses. By L. W. Kephart__________ 169 Bur Clover for Southern Fairways on Heavy Soil. By Henry P. Smith___ 171 The Leaf-Spot Disease of Bluegrass. By John Monteith, Jr_____ _____ 172 Some U. S. Golf Association Decisions on the Rules of Golf____________ 173 Acid- and Alkaline-Reacting Fertilizers. By R. A. Oakley____________ 174 The Size of the Fairway. By R. Avery Jones_______________________ 175 Questions and Answers______________ ___________________________ 175 MEMBERS OF THE GREEN COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED ‘Dr.. C. V. Piper, Chairman Dr. r. A. Oakley, Vice-Chairman *E. J. Marshall, Vice-Chairman W. A. Alexander Frank B. Barrett A. C. U. Berry J. K. Bole Wm. f. Brooks C. B. Buxton A. H. Campbell N. Stuart Campbell W. C. Ferguson Wm. C. Fownes. Jr. ‘Dr. Walter S. Harban Dr. Tiios. P. Hinman A. J. Hood Frederic C. Hood Norman Macbeth P. D. Maxwell Sherrill Sherman James L. Taylor ‘Wynant D. Vanderpool ♦Alan D. Wilson- Frank L. Woodward ♦Executive Committee member. Inverness Club Old Elm Club Hollywood Golf Club Waverly Country Club Mayfield Country Club Minikahda Club Dallas Country Club Toronto Golf Club Agawam Hunt Club Glen Echo Country Club Oakmont Country Club Columbia Country Club Druid Hills Golf Club Detroit Golf Club Kittansett Club Wilshire Country Club Dornick Hills Country Club Yahnundasis Golf Club Ekwanok Country Club Morris County Golf Club Pine Valley Golf Club Denver Country Club ADVISORY MEMBERS STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION Washington, D. C. Washington, D. C. Toledo, Ohio Fort Sheridan, Ill. Deal. N. J. Portland, Oreg. South Euclid, Ohio Minneapolis, Minn. Dallas, Texas Toronto, Ont. Providence, R. I. Normandy, Mo. Pittsburgh, Pa. Washington, D. C. Atlanta, Ga. Detroit, Mich. Marion, Mass. Los Angeles, Cal. Ardmore, Okla. Utica. N. Y. Manchester, Vt. Convent Station. N. J. Clementon. N. J. Denver, Colo. Hugh I. Wilson. Merion Cricket Club, Haverford, Pa. F. H. Hillman, Washington, D. C. James W. R. Walton, Washington, D. C. D. Standish, Jr., Detroit, Mich. Published by the Green Committee of the United States Golf Association, 456 Louisiana Avenue, Washington. D. C._ Editorial Offices: P. 0. Box 313, Washington. D. C. Subscription price: To golf clubs that are members of the Green Section of the U. S. Golf Association, $4.00 per year (included in membership fee). Entered as second-class matter December 16. 1921, at the postoffice at Washington, D. C.. under •he Art of March 3. 1879. Copyright, 1924, by the Green Committee of the U. S. Golf Association. 158 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE Vol. iv. No. 7 The Error of Generalizing It seems to be a habit of the human mind to generalize. Even this in a way is a generalization. Man makes a few observations, then a few correlations, and then concludes .at once that he has discovered a law. The philosopher is eternally blanketing all individuals and races under specific attributes. The Psalmist reflects, “I said in my haste, ‘AH men are liars.’ ” And the wag logician suggests that if all men are liars then the Psalmist must be a liar, and therefore all men are not liars. Philoso­ phers and poet philosophers may be forgiven for their willy-nilly in­ dulgence in generalities. They do little harm. “All flesh is grass” is a beautiful conception, and as a matter of fact is not far from the technical truth, but when generalizing is taken into the realm of natural sciences—specifically biology, or the science of living things—it becomes a bad habit. In plant culture we meet with generalities every day, such for example as “plants will not grow in water-logged soils” and “soils must be aerated to produce the best growth of plants.” Yet we know that rice and cypress trees grow in swamps and that these soils are not aerated in the commonly accepted sense of the term. It is true many plants require well-drained soils for their best growth; but all plants do not—some plants will not even live in them. “Plants thrive best in a sweet soil,” say many would- be teachers. True enough, red clover and alfalfa do. But how about blueberries and rhododendrons? Generalizing has invaded our own pet field—turf culture. Because turf lives indefinitely we have generalized that the grass that makes it is a true perennial, such as is an oak tree or an alfalfa plant, and have predicated our methods of culture upon this erroneous conclusion. Noth­ ing is more fallacious than the all-too-commonly accepted view that once the roots of the grass become established deeply in the soil the success of the turf is assured. It has resulted in extravagant waste of money and much bitter disappointment. A meadow and a putting green are distinctly different in their fertil­ izer requirements, but they have commonly been classed together in this respect. In the case of the latter, not only growth of grass but texture of turf and freedom from weeds must be considered. Lime is still regarded by many as the panacea for soil and plant troubles, but we know that in the culture of the bents and fescues, at least, it has little or no place. “Greens should be rolled frequently,” says one. “They should be rolled only occasionally,” says another. One general­ izes from sandy soils; the other from clay. Close cutting of greens is advised by one as necessary for good turf. It is condemned by another as harmful to the grass. One has bent grass in mind, the other fescue. Both would be right if each would name his grass, or, in other words, if they would be specific, but failing to be specific, both are wrong. And thus we find it throughout greenkeeping. What is sauce for the goose is not necessarily sauce for the gander, particularly if the male bird be of a different species. Generalizations to which there are important exceptions can not be excused on the ground that the exceptions prove the rule; for just as this expression, as at present worded, is ja pei-version of the original mean­ ing, so is its present meaning a perversion of the truth. Rules are laws, and laws are facts immutable. If we must generalize let us be careful to note the exceptions, if any, or at least to indicate their existence. We July 2i, 1924 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 159 should practice the habit of scientific thinking, which avoids generalities, except as they come through the proper steps of hypothesis, theory, and finally law. We should understand that reasoning by analogy does not necessarily end with license to generalize. Furthermore, we should prac­ tice the strict definition and use of terms. Where possible, relative terms should be avoided. Too frequently they confuse rather than enlighten. If we do not have exact expressions to convey our thoughts we should start at once to develop them so that those who hear or read our words of wisdom may know just what we mean. Early Morning Watering As An Aid to Brown-Patch Control By O. B. Fitts There is much to be said on the subject of watering putting greens. There is investigational work still to be conducted before the practice of watering can be put on a thoroughly sound basis. But what it is desired to do at this time is only to offer some suggestions regarding the relation of watering to the control of brown-patch. By brown-patch, in this article, is meant specifically the large brown-patch. The suggestions here made may also apply to the control of the small brown-patch, but the evidence accumulated is not so definite on this point. In 1923 experiments were conducted at Arlington Farm on the effect of early morning watering on the control of brown-patch. While the experiments are still in progress it can scarcely be said that they are of sufficiently long duration or sufficiently extensive to do more than offer a hopeful suggestion. To be brief and to the point, the results at Arlington and on the greens of the East Potomac Park Public Golf Course, Washington, indicate that, in the latitude of Washington, D. C., watering in the morning before 7:30 o’clock is very helpful in the control of the large brown-patch. It does not prevent the disease, but it seems to lessen its effect appreciably, so that recovery after an attack is relatively rapid when the usual good treatment is given. In the tests at Arlington no attempt has been made to measure the quantity of water applied, but the application may be regarded as liberal. The use of an adjustable nozzle, which will give considerably more force to the spray than the rose nozzle, is regarded as more effective. Care should be taken, however, not to apply sufficient force to disturb the surface of the green appreciably or wash the soil from around the crowns of the plants. It is suggested that this method of watering be followed, especially at times when brown-patch is likely to be active. While it is not recommended as a sure means of control under all con­ ditions, no harm can come from giving it a thorough test, and it is thought that very beneficial results will follow. New Member Clubs of the Green Section.— Ottawa Country Club, Otta­ wa, Ill.: Petersham Country Club, Petersham, Mass.; Blue Hill Country Club, Orangeburg, N. Y.; Albany Country Club, Albany, N. Y.; Berkeley Country Club, Berkeley, Calif.; Clinton Country Club, Lock Haven, Pa.: Country Club of Ithaca, Ithaca, N. Y. 160 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE Vol. iv, No. 7 Replacing Fly- or Cylin ''.er-Knives.—A new 14-inch golf-green mower with a grass-catcher costs somewhere around $38, and it does not require any element of skill other than such as an ordinary ingenious farmer has, to put new knives in the machine. Last year we bought cylinder-knives complete for three of our old machines for about $16 each and replaced the bed-knife with a new one, which puts the machine in first-class con­ dition. In the past the trouble has been that when the cylinder-knife wore down the machine could not be set to cut close, and as far as we can find it has been the practice to discard the machine and buy a new one; at least that is what we were doing for nine years.—B. R. Hurd, 2d, United Shoe Machinery Athletic Association, Beverly, Mass. Instructive Golf Holes X No. 8, Columbia Country Club, Washington, D. C. This hole is situated on gently rolling land, the green being on a slightly lower level than the tee. Indeed, the latter is built up to secure full visibility, as the ground from the tee mid­ way to the green is nearly level but very slightly upgrade. The approach to the green is nar­ row, heavily guarded by bunk­ ers on the right, and with a buvker as well as a vertical bank on the left. The green is bean-shaped and slopes from the right to the left and from the back to the front, being lowest at the extreme left. In other words, the slope is something like that of half a saucer. Its area is about 6,000 square feet. A perfectly driven ball rolls on the green at the right and then describes an approximate semi- eircl“, coming to rest near th" center. It thus requires an ac­ curate and delicately iudgpe' ball to reach and hold the gre pound of bent seed. Unless the areas to be re­ seeded are prepared so as to get a good seed bed, we are afraid you will have difficulty in getting first-class results from reseeding. In case you have a good supply of compost top-dressing we would also advise you to utilize the top-dressing as far as you can by mixing the seed well into the compost top-dressing and apply the mixture when you reseed, provided the seeding rate above indicated is maintained. 3. Producing Bent Turf on Stiff Clay Soil.—We have been trying for several years to make a putting green on stiff clay soil, but without much success. We first sowed the green to a mixture of red fescue and redtop, but last year sowed considerable German mixed bent seed along with some redtop, and also top-dressed liberally with sand. At the present time the grass is very thin and the soil very hard. We have thought of removing one or two feet of the clay soil and replacing it with black loam. What would you suggest in the matter? (Minnesota.) Answer.—While it is desirable to have good top soil for a putting green, in our judgment the need for such a soil has been greatly. exag­ gerated. It seems to be in the minds of many that a good top soil should be 6 or 8 inches or even 18 inches deep. Our experience indicates that 3 or 4 inches is ample, and that it is even possible to establish good greens on any ordinary soil. We have accomplished this on a stiff clay soil in the following way. A well-prepared seed bed is made and in the latter part of August or early September sowed to bent seed at the rate of 3 to 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet. The following spring the green is top-dressed with compost consisting of one-fourth good clay loam or loam, one-fourth well-rotted manure, and one-half sand, to which ammonium sulfate has been added at the rate of 15 pounds per cubic yard. The com­ post is applied at the rate of 1 cubic yard to 5,000 square feet of green. Frequent top-dressings are also applied during the growing season (every 30 days, if possible) with the omission of the ammonium sulfate. This latter*should not be applied oftener than three times a year—once in early spring, once in late spring, and once in early fall. At the time of a;-,plying compost containing ammonium sulfate, a thorough watering should be given to wash the chemical into the soil. Pure sand as a top- dressing causes the soil to bake; it does not relieve the stiff condition ; and we have seen many greens made thin by top-dressing with sand alone, which is particularly the case where the sand contains enough silt to cause it to bake and form* a crust. If you have a reasonably good stand of bent grass Ave believe you could improve the green wonderfully by following the method we have* outlined but without even disturbing your present turf. If, however, you decide to prepare an entire new seed bed, it would of course hasten the development of your turf if you would apply 3 or 4 inches of good top soil before seeding. 4. Improving Putting Green Turf by the Introduction of Bent Seed.—Our soil is poor and sandy. The turf on the greens is simply the natural grass, w’hich under constant mow’ing and rolling has become of fair quality. Can you suggest any method by which we could improve this turf without going to the expense of reconstructing the greens? (New York.) Answer.—A great deal can be done to improve your greens by not disturbing the soil at all. Your best method would be to seed, where. 178 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE Vol. iv, No. 7 necessary, with German mixed bent seed, about the middle of August in your latitude. At the same time the condition of the soil should be im­ proved by frequent top-dressing with compost. An application of am­ monium sulfate in the spring and fall of each year at the rate of 3 to 5 pounds to 1,000 square feet will also do much to encourage the spread of the bent grass. 5. Impossibility of Getting Pure Creeping Bent Seed.—We hav6 a letter from a seed firm guaranteeing to furnish us with seed which has been tested and found to be i‘86 per cent creeping bent.” Is this a mis­ statement, or can it be true? (Illinois.) Answer.—The “creeping bent seed” of the trade is in reality South German mixed bent seed, which consists of about 85 per cent Rhode Island bent, 15 per cent velvet bent, and a mere trace of true creeping bent. Your seed firm’s statement is an error, due perhaps to a misunderstand­ ing. There is no straight creeping bent seed on the market. The only practicable method of establishing putting greens of straight creeping bent is the method of vegetative planting, using selected strains for the purpose. The Rhode Island bent and velvet bent obtained from the German mixed bent seed are good putting green grasses, but they do not possess the pro­ nounced spreading habit of creeping bent. 6. Quack Grass as a Turf Grass; Seeding a Polo Field.—We are preparing to seed a polo field and want to use a grass which will stand hard wear. Would Kentucky bluegrass or quack grass, or the two mixed, be good for the purpose? We seeded the field to redtop and Kentucky bluegrass some time ago, but these do not stand the wear, whereas a small patch of quack grass in the field stands the knocks better. The soil is quite heavy. (Ohio.) Answer.—While quack grass is fairly tough, our observations lead us to think that under fairly close cutting it would tend to thin out and not make a good covering. If mixed with bluegrass, however, these two grasses might answer your purpose. Since you are on rather heavy soil, we are inclined to advise the use of a mixture of 4 pounds Kentucky bluegrass, 1 pound German mixed bent, and 1 pound recleaned redtop seed, sowed the latter part of August or the first of September at a rate not less than 100 pounds to the acre, and preferably at a somewhat heavier rate. 7. Inadvisability of Using Red Fescue in Mixture with Bent.— We are ready to seed three new greens and are wondering whether it would be advisable to sow these with a mixture of red fescue and bent. Red fescue seems to do very well here. (Pennsylvania.) Answer.—We consider it a mistake to sow a mixture of red fescue and bent. In our experience, the former grass will not survive the close cutting that is necessary for good results with bent in putting greens. , Moreover, the bent is certain to crowd out the red fescue plants in a relatively short time, so that the use of red fescue seed would be a waste of money. 8. Spiked Rollers and Weed Control.—We cut out the chiekweed and yarrow in our putting greens, by the use of a hole cutter where the weeds are that size, and replace with creeping bent turf from our nursery, of which we have one acre. It has been suggested to us that we use a spiked roller and sow bent seed on the greens as a means of crowding out weeds. Which do you think is the better method? (Pennsylvania.) July 21, 1924 UNITE© STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 179 Answer.—The method you are pursuing of cutting out perennial weeds and replacing with good turf is absolutely the best method to use in fighting weeds on putting greens. Spiked rollers will not remove weeds whether followed by seeding or not. All of our experiments with spiked rollers and similar devices have resulted in injury to the turf. In the light of our present knowledge we do not advise using them except in an experimental way, spiking a portion of a green and comparing the behavior of the spiked portion with an unspiked portion. 9. Use of Salt for Killing Weeds in Bunkers.—Could you give me any information with regard to killing weeds in bunkers? We have a power sprayer. (Oregon.) Answer.—Probably the most convenient and effective preparation for killing most kinds of weeds is common salt. If applied dry, 30 to 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet should be used. If applied in solution, make the solution as strong as possible, using about 3y2 pounds to a gallon of water, and apply with a sprinkler or sprayer at the rate of 6 to 9 gallons per 1,000 square feet. 10. Destroying Weed Seeds and Plants by Composting.—Can the plants and seeds of pearlwort be killed by burying them in a covered pit for two years? (Massachusetts.) Answer.—Seeds and plants of pearlwort and other weeds are killed by composting them. If the compost pile contains manure, a period of one year will generally suffice for killing the weed seeds and plants. 11. Fairways and Putting Greens Where Watering Is Impossible. —Can you recommend any grasses that would make satisfactory fairways and putting greens in this section where no facilities for watering are avail­ able? (Washington.) Answer.—Your proposition is a difficult one. On the whole we would think you would find Kentucky bluegrass satisfactory for your fairways. Brome grass will make a coarse sort of turf on even drier ground than will bluegrass. White clover may well be added with the bluegrass, as it will help out greatly, particularly in spring. There is however no grass which will not dry up during the long dry season under the conditions you propose. Where there are areas of the fairway which are thin in the fall we think it would pay to sow these spots with redtop and Italian rye­ grass as early as possible in the spring, or, even better, to sow the seed on top of the snow in the winter; both of these grasses grow rapidly and will help out during the spring and early summer. Without water for your putting greens you had better not try to have grass greens, but resort to sand greens. 12. Eradication of Knot Grass.—We are having considerable trouble throughout our course, particularly on the fairways, with a weed we be­ lieve to be “hog grass,” although in all probability you may have another name for it in the classification of weeds. We are sending you a specimen of this grass. What method can we use in exterminating this weed? Ohio.) Answer.—The weed you send is knot weed, sometimes called knot grass, but not a true grass but a member of the buckwheat family. Scien­ tifically it is known as Polygonum aviculare. The plant is readily eaten by hogs and by cattle, and often is very abundant along roadsides and other hard tramped ground. On golf courses it rarely occurs excepting where the ground is thin and poor, and any treatment which results in a dense turf will practically do away with any further trouble from the knot weed. It is an annual, and where necessary can easily be eradicated by hand-weeding. MR. GREEN-COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Midsummer is the time to give your greenkeeper all the encouragement possible. ’ Give him more than words of cheer. Give him laborers enough to carry out his summer program successfully. This is the critical time of the year. Greens must have first call on the Club’s resources. Crab grass and other summer weeds must be fought to a standstill; and to do this properly the young plants must be pulled as soon as they show themselves. Do not be deluded into thinking that your greens are crab-grass proof. They may resist crab grass to a considerable degree, but they need your help. Brown-patch, too, may take a notion to attack almost any hot, sultry night. Give your greenkeeper facilities for applying Bordeaux, and help him train his men to use this fungicide properly. He will need a force of men to water the greens early in the morning while the brown-patch is on. This is not a preventive, but it offers help; and if the worst should befall and brown-patch) should hit hard, be prepared without delay to give first aid with compost and quick-acting nitrogenous fertilizers. Mowing must not be neglected. Bent greens must be mowed closely and frequently; fescue greens, less closely, but frequently. Keep the water system in good repair. The greens will tell you when they need water, and how much. Do not let anything distract attention from the greens. Think of the rest of the course as a mere side line, if you must. Neglect the fairways and the rough, if necessary, and let whiskers grow on the bunkers. Prom now till the cool weather of fall, the greens are the thing. Forget business, vacation, politics, and even family, but stick to the greens. THE PERIPATETIC GOLFER.