4% OF GROSS? 5%? 10%? What are your fiiel costs? Atwood Lawn Spray's Tom Brune on propane conversion: "I don't want to be at the mercy of a propane dealer." "There's not much you can do but jump out of the truck and scream at the pump." This was the initial reaction of Sheldon Dubrow, Dub- row's Nurseries, Livingston, New Jersey, to the question: What ad-justments have you made to re-duce the percentage of your gross receipts spent on fuel? Other reactions were equally as candid. "We get stuck every time we think of it," laments Thomas Brune of Atwood Lawnspray in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Robert Miller of Acne Mainte- nance in Acme, Michigan found it hard to contain his enthusiasm for the question. "That's a good one," he managed. One just laughed. The survey involved telephone (HBJ) A Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publication ŁHI KMSI Volume 6, Number 10 ORE I interviews of eleven lawn care businessmen and women from around the country. All have been in business for over five years, all have survived the fuel crisis and price rises of the last few years, and all have a premonition that fuel costs will once again turn upward, putting the squeeze on profits, and forcing continued and frequently to page 28 OCTOBER 1982 RY Serving lawn maintenance and chemical lawn care professionals PLCAA SHOW PREVIEW PLCAA packs for Indy More than 1,500 persons are ex-pected to attend the Third Annual Professional Lawn Care Associa-tion of America (PLCAA) Confer-ence and Trade Show Nov. 16-18 at the Indiana Convention Exposi-tion Center in Indianapolis. Head- quarters hotel is the Indianapolis Hyatt Regency. More than 85 exhibitors are expected to fill more than 150 booths at the show. Butz on profits This year's keynote speaker will be former U.S. Secretary of Agri-culture Earl L. Butz, whose ad-dress, "Populism, Politics and Progress" will expand upon free enterprise and the essential need for profits in the American NOVEMBER 7-9 PLCAA keynoter Butz ALCA maintenance group meeting set for Dallas The general maintenance con-tractors committee of the As-sociated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) will be accorded full divisional status at this year's national convention, to be held November 7-9 at the Marriot Mar-ket Center in Dallas. Its upgrading will be the focus of the convention, which is being billed as a national conference for all grounds maintenance and landscape man-agement contractors. According to Ray Gustin, Presi-dent of ALCA, "Grounds mainte-nance and landscape management is one of the fastest growing segments of landscape contract-ing, and it is high time this part of the industry be organized as a full-fledged division of ALCA, with its own officers, regional coordinators, educational prog-rans, business seminars and publi-cations. Synnestvedt organizes The conference organizing committee, headed by Don Syn-nestvedt of Theodore Brickman Co., Long Grove, Illinois, reports the p|_[,,rkrknn tV»r» nnnfnvnrina is to provi MISR JQ37f>99 tion and c p £ RTtKE PROF scane mai ?ICHIGAN 5 TA Tf scape ma CRQp £ S0JL sc business. E LANSING "the comn economic system today. The conference itself will open with the popular Early Bird Re-ception 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Mon-day, Nov. 15. This event serves as a chance for lawn care businessmen from around the country to visit with each other and exchange ideas and success stories. Following PLCAA President Marty Erbaugh's opening at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Gerry Sweda, sales training manager for O. M. Scott & Sons, Marysville, Ohio, will speak on "Motivation." Following Sweda, there will be a presentation of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY'S sur-vey of the industry. Postal regulations The final session of the after-noon will be led by Jerry Swinehart, director of mail pro-cessing for Indianapolis. He will speak on postal regulations af-fecting lawn care mailings. There will be a cash bar on the exhibit floor from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, and the evening is open. Exhibits will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and a half day on Thursday, with buffet luncheons scheduled. The PLCAA annual meeting will be held in conjunc-tion with a buffet breakfast on Thursday morning beginning at 8 a.m. From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, there will be a panel discussion on "hot issues" facing the lawn care industry. Dr. Robert Miller, vice president of ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio, and president of the Na- tional Coalition for a Reasonable 2,4-D Policy, will speak on the o a n I.oq to 2:30 * H DH UN IV contact L 3DG 43* MI *B828 e 1717> >44-0828. AT PRESS TIME PLCAA exhibitors Hahn, Inc. USS Agri-Chemicals GROUNDS MAINTENANCE Hawkeye Chemical Co. Power Spray Technology, Inc. BFC Chemicals, Inc. Miller Chemical & Fertilizer Estech, Inc. The Andersons Northrup King Co. Mobay Chemical Corp. International Seeds, Inc. Monsanto Co. Pickseed West, Inc. Moyer & Son, Inc. Encap Products Co. E-Z Rake, Inc. Rockland Chemical Co. Dow Chemical U.S.A. Knox Fertilizer & Chenical Co. Lofts Seed, Inc. FMC Corp., Ag Machinery Div. Mallinckrodt, Inc. Cushman Ryan/OMC Lincoln Lebanon Chemical Corp. Rhone-Poulenc, Inc. Turf-Seed, Inc. AMERICAN LAWN APPLICATOR Stauffer Chemical Co. O. M. Scott & Sons Co. TUCO, Div. of the Upjohn Co. Chipman, Inc. Riverside Manufacturing Co. LAWN CARE INDUSTRY Echo, Inc. PBI/Gordon Corp. Diamond Shamrock Corp. W. A. Cleary Chemical Corp. Smithco, Inc. Dice Decal Corp. March & McLennan Brouwer Turf Equipment, Ltd. Olathe Manufacturing, Inc. Du Pont Co. Warren's Turf Nursery, Inc. Rain Bird Sales, Inc. Great Sale Lake Minerals & Chemicals Corp. Velsicol Chemical Corp. Lakeshore Equipment & Supply Co. Ciba-Geigy Corp. Agro-K Corp. The Grasshopper Co. Velotta Uniform Sales Co. Clean Crop Special Products Feldmann Engineering & Mfg. Co. Sierra Industries, Inc. Coatesville Machine, Inc. Desco Chemical, Inc. Agriculture Service Corp. N-P-K-Ca Concepts, Inc. Palm Industries American Pelletizing Corp. Green Pro Cooperative Services Professional Turf Specialists Container Manufacturing, Inc. B & G Equipment Co. Ł i7'T -Make sure your lawn care jobs don't come back to haunt you. With labor and gasoline what they are today, the cost of a call-back is fright-ening. Add in the hidden costs of unhappy customers, and it's enough to scare you to death. That's why you need DURSBAN* insecticide in at least two of your yearly applications. You see, in most parts of the country, insects are a problem in both the Spring and later on in the Summer. If they don't get you the first time, they just might get you the second. And that can mean costly call-backs. So think twice before you decide to skimp on DURSBAN. And think about how little it costs-as little as $3.50 for a 10,000 sq. ft. lawn. Which is a lot less than the cost of a call-back. DURSBAN insecticide gives you results you can count on, too. It gets all your major problem bugs. And it controls them for up to eight weeks instead of the more common four to six. DURSBAN. Makes sure all your returns are happy returns. Available in 2E and double-strength 4E formulations. See your Dow distributor. Also ask him about our new "DURSBAN delivers the goods'' incentive program. Be sure to read and follow all label directions and precautions. Agricultural Products Depart- ment, Midland, Michigan 48640. DURSBAN Call-backs haven't a ghost of a chance, DOW Chemical U.S.A. 'Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company. Ad No : 2901 UPFRONT PC H C/3 D Q Z < u 2 £ < J Extension under fire? Several national farm organiza-tions are charging that the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) has spread itself too thin L4WN OIRE INDUSTRY ROBERT EARLEY, Editor/Group Publisher JOAN HOLMES, Production Manager MARILYN MacDONALD, Production Supervisor DAVE JOHNSON, Graphic Design JOAN SMITH, Circulation Supervisor GAIL KESSLER, Reader Service Manager LINDA WINICK, Promotion Manager MARKETING/SALES New York Office: ROBERT EARLEY (212) 888-2892 757 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017 Southern Office: JIM BROOKS, National Sales Manager RON KEMPNER (404) 233-1817 3091 Maple Dr., Atlanta, GA 30305 Northwest Office: BOB MIEROW (206) 363-2864 1333 N.W. Norcross, Seattle, WA 98177 Classified: DAWN ANDERSON (218) 727-8511 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802 Please send advertising materials to: LAWN CARE INDUSTRY 120 W. Second St. Duluth, MN 55802 218-727-8511 (HBJf) A HARCOURT BRACE JOVANOVICH PUBLICATION ROBERT L. EDGELL, Chairman RICHARD MOELLER, President LARS FLADMARK, Executive Vice President ARLAND HIRMAN, Treasurer THOMAS GRENEY, Senior Vice President EZRA PINCUS, Senior Vice President JOE BILDERBACH, Vice President JAMES GHERNA, Vice President GEORGE GLENN, Vice President HARRY RAMALEY, Vice President VBPA &ABP LAWN CARE INDUSTRY (USPS 397250) is published monthly by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publications Corporate and Editorial offices: 757 Third Avenue, New York. New York 10017. Advertising offices: 757 Third Avenue. New York, New York 10017, 111 East Wacker Drive. Chicago. Illinois 60601 and 3091 Maple Drive. Atlanta. Georgia 30305. Accounting. Advertising Production and Circulation offices: 1 East First Street. Duluth. Minnesota 55802. Subscription rates: one year, $15 in the United States. $18 per year in Canada. All other coun-tries: $40 per year. Single copies (prepaid only): $2 in the U.S.; elsewhere $4.50: add $3.00 for shipping and handling per order. Second class postage paid at Duluth. Minnesota 55806 and additional mailing offices. Copyright (£M 982 by Harcourt Brace )ovanovich. Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Microfilm copies of ar- ticles are available through University Microfilms. International. 300 N. Zeeb Road. Ann Ar-bor. Michigan 48106. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. P.O. Box 6200. Duluth. Min- nesota 55806-9900. because of its expansion into urban areas, in other words short-changing its traditionally rural-oriented programs. They feel that agricultural pro-duction should be the top-priority item. On the other hand, groups such as Gardens for All feel that the Cooperative Extension Service should continue to serve the people Š where they live Š in urban areas Š and that it should expend its urban gardening and community developnent efforts. And what lawn care business-man reading this column has not benefitted from the Cooperative Extension Service? Enough said. This dilemma and others are facing a national committee ap-pointed jointly by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture John Block and Robert Clodius, president of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), to determine the fu-ture of the Cooperative Extension Service. Co-chairman Daniel Aldrich, chancellor at the University of California-Irvine, identifies three factors making this 21-member committee's tasks most difficult. First, Aldrich says, people in the more than 3,000 counties in America have a much wider range of interests, problems, and needs than existed in earlier decades. These people have had a vital part in the determination of programs at county and community levels and in providing local funds and volunteers to conduct such pro-grams. Aldrich goes on to say that many urban groups and individuals have come to believe that the colleges of agriculture, home economics, and natural resources should serve urban as well as farm people. Questions as to how much of the Extension resources should be allocated to marketing, pro-cessing, and distribution systems are raised. Thus, questions the committee faces are: What should the scope of Extension's programs be? Should Extension serve urban as well as rural clientele? Should 4-H youth programs continue to be available to nonfarm as well as farm youth? A second major factor the com-mittee faces is the effect of changes in technology, media and com- munciations. If CES were to use more computers, cable television, and other such media, such usage could increase CES's effectiveness and efficiency but possibly risk not serving some people who wish one-to-one counseling on prob-lems they face in their businesses and homes. The committee has sent a ques-tionnaire to more than 6,000 per-sons throughout the nation, asking them to respond to many of these issues. Even so, Aldrich says the committee invites people to write down concerns they wish the committee to address, or any rec- ommendations they wish to suggest. Such responses should be sent to: Dr. Laverne Forest, Project Coordinator, University of Wisconsin-Extension, 605 Exten-sion Building, 432 North Lake St., Madison, Wisconsin 53706. The committee will complete its task by next month and publish the report for public use. New warm-season grasses: Four warm-season turfgrasses, two bermudagrasses and two St. Augustinegrasses, have recently been released to commercial sod producers in the Southeast. The following descriptions are based mainly on information provided by the cultivar developer. More detailed information should be-come available as the turfgrasses are evaluated at research stations throughout the South. Tifway II bermudagrass is another developed by Dr. Glenn Burton and staff at the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton. It is an improved mutant of Tufway. It resembles and has the same desirable characteristics of Tifway but it makes a denser, more weed-free turf; it is more resistant to root-knot, ring and sting nematodes; and exhibits longer fall color retention and earlier spring green-up. It is suited for use in lawns. Its management re-quirements are similar to Tifway. Vamont bermudagrass was de-veloped by the Virginia Agricul- tural Experinent Station. It has excellent low-temperature hardi-ness and is suited for use in general turf areas. It has a light green color, medium-coarse leaf texture (similar to common ber-nuda), rapid establishment rate and excellent recuperative rate. Raleigh St. Augustinegrass was developed at the North Carolina Experiment Station in North Carolina. It has medium green color, medium leaf texture and shoot density and moderate fall low-temperature color retention and spring green-up rates. It is susceptible to chinch bugs and moderately susceptible to gray leaf spot. Its major attributes are its low-temperature hardiness and re- sistance to St. Augustine Decline (SAD) virus. Seville St. Augustinegrass was developed by O. M. Scott & Sons, Marysville, Ohio, and is marketed by Pursley, Inc., Palmetto, Fla. It has a medium-dark green color, medium leaf texture, and medium-high shoot density. It also has moderate fall low-temperature color retention, spring green-up rate and is susceptible to chinch bug. Seville has moderate low-temperature hardiness and resis- tance to SAD virus. U tJy When it comes to toughness, one industrial/commercial engine shines. Briggs & Stratton industrial/commercial engines. Everything about them is work-site tough. When you depend on your power equipment for profit, you can't afford to make compro-mises. Make sure the replace-ment or original-equipment engine you choose is designed for the punishment of indus-trial/commercial duty. Make sure it's a Briggs & Stratton. Our I/C engines are job-site functional Š complete in de-sign, complete in quality. We don't compromise either Š our reputation is too important. From their cast iron bores to their dual element air cleaners, Briggs & Stratton I/C engines are built in total for the most brutal operating conditions. And Briggs & Stratton provides perhaps the most important fea ture of all . . . qualified, readily accessible service worldwide. Uncompromising features and top service. Two good reasons your next engine, whether it's original equipment or replace-ment power, should be a Briggs & Stratton I/C. > Our I/C engines range from 3 through 18 HP, including our new 4 and 11 HP vertical crankshaft models. We also offer diesel power Š the tough, dependable Briggs & Stratton Farymann die-sels from 5 to 27 HP. For complete details on our I/C engines, write Briggs & Stratton, Industrial/Commercial Division, P.O. Box 702, Milwaukee, Wis-consin 53201 U.S.A. Or contact your local Briggs & Stratton dealer. Features that add up to maximum life and minimum maintenance. Cast Iron Bores. Our I/C engines come with cast iron bores, which provide better wear charac-teristics and longer cylinder life. Magnetron® Ignition. Our Magnetron elec-tronic ignition has no moving parts, which means no points or condensers to wear out. No adjustments. No corrosion. It's de-signed for the life of the engine. And it gives five times longer spark duration and greater consist-ency in KV out-put than1 capacitor discharge systems. Dual Element Air Cleaner. The Briggs & Stratton air cleaner features a large capacity pleated paper cartridge sur-rounded by a foam sleeve. This double filtering insures that only the cleanest air gets through to the carburetor which ex-tends the servicing interval by a factor of five. Replaceable Bearings. No special tools are needed to replace DU and ball bearings. And they're made for extra heavy radial and thrust load capacity. Stellite® Valves and Seats. Exhaust valves and seats are faced with Stellite® for better wear and heat resist-ance. Can be expected to last up to five times longer than more com-monly used materials. The diesel alternative. Farymann has long been con-sidered one of the finest names in diesel power for the indus-trial/commercial market. This German-built diesel has a big reputation for long life, easy starts, simple maintenance and the capability to stand up un-der extreme operating condi-tions. This is why Farymann is preferred on vibrators and com-pactors Š two of the toughest industrial applications. The great Farymann tradition is worldwide today. People from Toronto to Tokyo are taking advantage of the rugged per-formance features and extra conveniences long associated with the name Farymann. You get cast iron cylinder bores. Direct injection with Robert Bosch equipment. Semi-auto-matic compression release. An excess fuel device for easier starts. And a self-bleeding fuel system. So when you're considering the diesel alternative, consider Farymann Š an integral part of the worldwide Briggs & Stratton acceptance story. Available from 5 to 27 HP. BRIGGS & STRATTON CHICAGO'S TEMPO 21 LAWNBEAUTIFUL Master's thesis, $5,000 investment leads to million dollar company A fleet of uniquely designed serv-ice trucks keeps Tempo 21 LawnBeautiful on the go. 'There aren't any other trucks in the world like ours," says Robert Parmley, president of Tempo 21, Wheeling, 111. "Our trucks, each with a 1,200-gallon capacity, can carry a full day's supply of either dry fertilizer or liquid fertilizer/herbicide solu-tions at the same time. "When a crew encounters a Tempo 21 Lawn Beautiful's Parmley: "We can cover 250,000 square feet of lawn with either dry or liquid fertilizer in a day with one load." newly seeded lawn adjacent to an established lawn, they can easily switch over to straight dry fer- tilizer for the new lawn right there," he said. He says many other companies have to make special trips to the new lawns in order to spray a straight fertilizer. 25-truck fleet This special feature was de-veloped by one of the board men-bers of the 10-year-old company, which also has offices in Carol Stream, 111. and Libertyville, 111. Parmley and his partner Dave Floreani were fresh out of college, each with a Master's degree, and were determined to run their own business. They decided to start a lawn care service in the Chicago suburbs. The service was fashioned after the Master's thesis they co- authored, which was on a service-oriented small business. Neither of them had any experi-ence in lawn care, so they sought an expert to design the ideal service truck. "A golf course su-perintendent offered to do it," Parmley recalls. "He built most of the truck himself. And we are still using it." The golf course superintendent never went to work for Tempo 21, but became a partner in the com-pany. With only a few modifications all the trucks, more than 25 in the fleet, have basically the same fea- tures. Each truck has two 600-gallon fiberglass tanks anchored directly behind the cab. And at-tached behind the tanks are two dry storage compartments, each with a one-ton granular mixture capacity. The application equipment and accessories are easily accessible beneath the truck bed. Under the fiberglass tanks hang a PTO-powered centrifugal pump and control valves. A self-winding hose reel is set below the dry storage boxes. Granular spring and fall When granular applications are called for, the spreader, which is stored at the rear with the handle protruding slightly, can be swiftly removed from a fold-up loading ramp. "We can cover 250,000 square feet of lawn with either dry or liquid fertilizer in a day with one load," Parmley explains. They apply granular fertilizers and her-bicides early in the season, from March into April, then switch to liquid mixtures. Again, in late September, when the rain begins to fall, they switch back to a granular program. Cash flow is kept up during the winter with a lawn mower repair shop. "It's only open part-time during the season." Tempo 21 hires a fertilizer com-pany to analyze the soil in their service district, which covers the suburbs within 35 miles of Chicago. The fertilizer company, in coordination with Tempo 21's staff agronomist formulates the appropriate fertilizer mixtures for them. For pre-emergent weed control they use primarily Betasan, mar-keted by Stauffer Chemical Co., Westport, Conn. Spring applica-tions provide pre-emergence con- trol for crabgrass and other weeds. Betasan is used on about 90 per-cent of the lawns treated with a granular herbicide. For post-emergence control of weeds, they use Trimec, marketed by PBII Gordon Corp., Kansas City, Mo. During the winter months most of the more than 60 employees keep busy stripping down, over-hauling, repairing, and repainting all the trucks and equipment. Tempo 21's philosophy is one of year-round employment. "We have a high quality service force and less employee turnover when we pay them all year for nine months of lawn work," Parmley states. Computer strategy "We keep the cash flowing during the winter with our lawn-mower repair shop," he adds. "It's open only part time during the spraying season. We concentrate on treating lawns then." Parmley recalls how their first year wasn't nearly as busy or productive. "We barely made enough money to live on our first season," he reminisces. "And that winter I sold correspondence courses door-to-door. I decided not to do that again." Through persistence and hard work, they turned their $5,000 investment into a multi-million dollar operation. As a devoted computer user for storing customer records and bookkeeping records, Parmley has added a new function to the computer system, which he feels improves the service for their customers. "Our service supervisers follow up on all complaint calls and record and log in the computer the weed or insect problem. The com-puter breaks them down by neighborhood so that we can de-velop the following season's strategy with the information gathered the year before." According to Parmley, Tempo 21 will continue to grow as it forges into the next century. As the name indicates, he adds, "We're setting the pace for the 21st Cen-tury." TOOLS,TIPS,TECHNIQUES Storage, shelf life of pesticides As the end of the lawn care season approaches, every lawn care businessman must concern himself with storage of pesticides in such a way as to insure they will not deteriorate. There are hundreds of pesticide formulations, and all cannot be treated the same if a useful product is desired when the chemical is again removed from storage for use. The formulation maze is further complicated by the fact that we must deal with partially used containers. The shelf life of a pesticide is dependent upon several factors: Ł Storage conditions Ł The type of formulation Ł The kind(s) of inert ingredients present Ł The nature and stability of the chemical itself. Most pesticides can be stored if proper facilities are available. However, before storing any chemical, read the label and if you still have questions, contact the manufacturer. Under normal conditions, the following rules apply for the maintenance of pesticides. (1) Never allow liquid formulations to freeze. On the other hand, dry and liquid formulations should never be stored where temperatures may exceed 100°F. Heat initiates the breakdown process. (2) All pesticides should be kept in a well-ventilated but dry place. Also, keep chemicals in the dark, as some are decomposed by prolonged exposure to sunlight (especially those in glass containers). (3) Keep different chemicals separated. Herbicides, fertiliz-ers, fungicides and insecticides should be stored in separate compartments with no air exchange between them. (4) Always keep chemicals in their original containers, if possible. If the original container is damaged, use a substitute of similar composition and label it clearly. Glass, plastic and paper are the best storage containers as many pesticides will corrode metal. If a container is opened (especially paper containers), it should be closed tightly and then placed in a clear plastic bag for added protection and safety. The clear plastic also allows easy identification of the contents without opening the bag. (5) The floor and exterior walls are usually the dampest places in a room. Therefore, keep powdered, granular and dust formulations and all chemicals in paper containers away from these surfaces where moisture may condense. (6) Keep an up-to-date inventory of all pesticides and use the older materials first. r* > Z n > z a c C/D H TO < MAKE IT LEGAL, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR BREAK-UP THE DAY YOU BEGIN Some say partnerships can't work Š here are 4 lawn care ones that did In 1956 Robert Shaheen and Curtis Goodfellow formed a hand-shake partnership, setting up their own two-man company and working just enough hours to put themselves through college. Five years later, both having completed their schooling, the pair again drew up a formal partnership in Little Rock, Ark. This time the partnership was outlined under the guidance of a lawyer, involving a strict buy and sell agreement, provisions for a stock buying of one partner by the other, and life insurance policies which would pay off the loan from the bank. Equally invested The partners are equally in-vested in the business, split profits down the middle, and receive the same salary. "My partner and I are good friends, but we know that in order to be successful as partners we need to act as a business team in the office," says Goodfellow, vice president of the company, Land-scape Associates, Inc., adding, "Even in the beginning we hand-led our partnership as a business operation." A good business operation runs on cooperation, and conflicts be-tween partners can disintegrate a company as quickly as it began. After 21 years of working in a successful partnership Goodfel-low believes the key to establish- ing a partnership is to develop trust in each other. Give and take "A partnership in marriage is just like a partnership in business. You must give and take a lot, and there are a lot of gray areas, but when you have trust in your partner that what he is doing will eventually better the business, you can succeed," he explains. The key is simply trust, Good-fellow further states, "I don't worry if my partner is doing his job, stealing from me or taking advantage of me. That is where others fail, when they lose their trust in each other." On the surface, Goodfellow and Shaheen seem like an unlikely pair to start a business together. How-ever, often the best partners, ironi- cally, have very different skills and interests. Both must be dedicated to the business and trust the ability of his partner. Personality differences Shaheen is the creative one in their partnership, dreaming new ideas and meeting the public, while Goodfellow is the overseer, making sure the jobs get done, and the ideas are carried out. "These personality differences have made us better," Goodfellow remarks. "We can each add our own dimension of skill, making us a more diverse unit." Where Chuck Ferdig and Duane Keesen, partners in Keesen Enter-prises, Inc. in Englewood Cliffs, Co., experience conflicts, is in areas they are both strong. They also agree "opposites" work well together and consider the strongest point in their partner- ship to be the different skills each possesses in different areas. More than a handshake Keesen, who is the original owner of Keesen Enterprises, Inc., 10 years ago opened the door to Ferdig. Although in many cases a handshake, sufficient capital, and an agreed upon enterprise are all that is necessary to begin a partnership, Keesen and Ferdig chose to be more cautious. Under the direction of their lawyer, they outlined the duties of each partner. "If you both try and do the same thing, problems can only be expected," Ferdig warns. "Let one person be stronger in his area, where he has the most ability, knowledge, and experience." He also said to include in the to page 12 K, . 2n<* prize ,nst*nt winner YOU CAN WIN $11000 IN CASH Lawn Care Industry's "LONG GREEN" EEPSTAKES at the PLCAA Show You can really clean up at the PLCAA Show in Indianapolis, November 16-18, this year when Lawn Care Industry awards $1750 in cash! Enter our "LONG GREEN" SWEEPSTAKES at any participating booth .. .and you might go home $1000, $500 or $250 richer! Here's all you have to do: 1) Get either copy of LCI's new "PLCAA Show Extras" with listings of participating booths. 2) Go to any listed booth, get an entry blank with complete rules/details (for non-exhibitors only), fill it out and drop it in the ballot box. 3) Enter as often as you like, but only once at each booth. 4) Pick up your prize-if you're one of our instant winners-and have your picture taken at the winning booth. Prizes will be mailed if winners are not present. Thafs itŠfor the fastest "green" you might ever see! See you at the show...and good luck. Vbpa ABP L4WN GIRE INDUSTRY HBJ A HARCOURT BRACE JOVANOVICH PUBLICATION 757 Third Avenue Ł New York, New York 10017. (212) 888-2892 ŁH « ,il|: P! Our tell us We've got the solution. BUY CHEMICALS IN BULK 220 gal 700 gal 1400 gal PREVENTS DAMAGE & MATERIAL SPILLAGE Heavy duty poly containers Ł REDUCES WAREHOUSE SPACE One container Ł IMPROVES INVENTORY MANAGEMENT Accurate metering BULKKEM ships up to 220 gallons in easy to use, returnable containers...and we pay the freight both ways. We can also deliver by tank truck direct to your location and fill the bulk container. THE SOLUTION...BULKKEM's nationally accepted method of handling bulk chemicals. ELIMINATES CONTAINER RINSING & DISPOSAL No wasted man hours CHEMICALS available in bulk TRIMEC® 992 AMINE 2,4-D IRON CHELATE BETAMEC-4 MECOMECT 2.5 PHENABAN 801 2,4-D + DICAMBA Š AN EIGHT TO ONE SELECTIVE HERBICIDE PHENABAN 1001 2,4-D + DICAMBA Š A TEN TO ONE SELECTIVE HERBICIDE CALL our toll free number1 -800~447-4131 or write for further information. \BULKKEM BULK SUPPLIERS OFmjAWNCHEMICALS THE BULKKEM CORPORATION Ł 400 NORTHTOWN RD. Ł NORMAL, IL 61761 Circle No. 102 on Reader Inquiry Card PARTNERSHIPS from page 10 agreement possible options in case the partnership fails. Such options are best worked out through a legal mind, by someone who has seen both successes and failures. The division of profits, stock, and salary should also be worked out at this time. Ferdig and Keesen have since changed their original agreement several times, and today with Keesen owning 51 per-cent of the shares and Ferdig 49 percent, they share equal profits and salary. Dissolving format Provisions for the possible death or disability of a partner, plus a format for dissolving the partner-ship are also necessary. Ferdig and Keesen each hold $300,000 life insurance policies on each other, which would be used to pay the company's debts, and given to the deceased's family. The legal formalities involved in starting a partnership sometimes seem unnecessary to the beginners who are old buddies and as yet have no profit. Ferdig, however, cautions those starting out, whether they are brothers, old college pals, or purely business associates. "Don't let any partnership be an 'I thought you said,' or 'I under-stood' situation. When you're coming up and everything is rosy, \ you're of one mind, but when things are coming down and going the other way, nothing seems in proportion. This is when you want an agreement, and when the partnership is falling apart it is too late to start one." Indeed, not every partnership lasts 10 or 20 years, and Patrick McGrady's was one that broke after three years. The partnership was not a failure. McGrady's brother-in-law, his ex-partner, just decided to change industries. Because the pair had formed a legal agreement at the beginning of their partnerships the separa- tion unraveled much more smoothly than what might have been expected, McGrady said, who is the owner of Pro Green Inc. in New Castle, Ind. In their original buy and sell agreement they had agreed to keep a yearly update of assets to know what the value of the business was at all times. By having this record, McGrady said they were able to split the business accurately and fairly. When one wants out "If you do have a previously arranged contract the shock that comes when one partner wants out is not nearly as great. Both parties already know where they stand, and what measures need to be taken," McGrady comments. "You just avoid a lot of arguing by setting down the ground rules in the beginning." A true partnership need not consist always of two people; in fact a partnership is defined as two or more people formed for a com-mon purpose, generally conduct-ing business. David Young and his three partners, who own a lawn-care business in the Baltimore- Washington area, are four such people. Young, before joing the partner-ship, was previously in partner- ship with Barbara McCoy for five years. The pair three years ago decided to team up with another lawn-care partnership in the same area. "We were both running lawn-care services in adjacent areas, and we realized we could cut our overhead by merging to-gether and putting our cash flow together," Young says. Power struggles All four partners are equally invested, and hold life insurance policies on each other. They are currently in the process of drawing up a legal contract agreement. Although the partners did not use legal counseling in the begin-ning, they did, on their own, outline the duties and divisions for each partner. This was based on the skill and qualification each person had in a certain area. Even with this outline, conflicts did arise in their beginning years. Often here is a power struggle between partners and Young says they were no exception. "Not wanting to give up the power was a problem at first for us. Finally we realized we all wanted the same things, had the same to page 15 GREEN PRO COOPERATIVE SERVICES presents EASY-MONEY-MAKER SERIES Quality; Lawn-Tree-Shrub Spraying Units PROFESSIONAL EARNINGS ARE YOURS Ł Specialty Weed Control Ł Disease Control Ł Ornamental Spraying Ł Deep Root Feeding Ł Evergreen Winter Protection Gets you started for a very affordable $847.00 Ł Lawn Feeding Ł Special Organic Soil Building 5$v», EASY-MONEY-MAKER 1 Includes: Ł 150-gallon TV Tank of tough polyolefin with cradle, straps and pads Ł 250 psi Š 6 Roller Pump (Hypro) Ł 3 h.p. Briggs & Stratton engine Ł 5 gpm flow Ł All necessary connecting hoses and special fittings EASY-MONEY-MAKER 2 Includes: Ł 300-gallon Pickup Tank (also good for use in vans or stake trucks) Ł 400 psi dual-piston pump (Hypro) Ł 8 h.p. Briggs & Stratton engine Ł 10 gpm flow at all pressures Ł All necessary connecting hoses and special fittings Built for Greater Profits at a Very Moderate Investment $1547.00 ITS WHAT YOU NEED TO SET YOU APART FROM YOUR COMPETITORS - DON'T PUT IT OFF! Prices Effective 9/1/82-Subject to Change Without Notice 2 WEEKS DELIVERY - CONTINENTAL U.S.A. CALL or WRITE for advice and more information GREEN PRO COOPERATIVE SERVICES 380 S. Franklin Street, Hempstead, New York 11550 (516) 483-0100 Circle No. 105 on Reader Inquiry Card The legal formalities involved in starting a partner-ship sometimes seem unnecessary to the beginners who are old buddies and as yet have no profit. Keesen Enterprises' Ferdig, however, cautions those starting out - whether they are brothers, old college pals or purely business associates. "Don't let any partnership be an 'I thought you said' situation," Inquiries serviced for 90 days from date of issue. For those countries outside the U.S., please apply appropriate postage before mailing. READER SERVICE INFORMATION CARD 10-82 1 For more information on products or services mentioned in this issue, circle the corresponding numbers below, fill in appropriate information and mail today. 101 108 115 122 129 136 143 150 157 164 171 178 185 192 199 206 213 220 227 234 102 109 116 123 130 137 144 151 158 165 172 179 186 193 200 207 214 221 228 235 103 110 117 124 131 138 145 152 159 166 173 180 187 194 201 208 215 222 229 236 104 111 118 125 132 139 146 153 160 167 174 181 188 195 202 209 216 223 230 237 105 112 119 126 133 140 147 154 161 168 175 182 189 196 203 210 217 224 231 238 106 113 120 127 134 141 148 155 162 169 176 183 190 197 204 211 218 225 232 239 107 114 121 128 135 142 149 156 163 170 177 184 191 198 205 212 219 226 233 240 PLEASE CHECK BELOW YOUR PRIMARY BUSINESS AT THIS LOCATION: A. CONTRACTOR OR SERVICES: ŁLawn care service business involved primarily with fertilization. weed. and insect control Please specify method of application 10 Ł Liquid 11 DOry 12 DBoth 20 UPrimarily mowing/maintenance service 30 [J Landscape contractor/lawn service company 40 IHNursery or garden center/lawn service company 50 QPest control/lawn service company 60 ^Irrigation contractor/lawn service company B GR0UN0S CARE/MAINTENANCE AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FACILITIES: 110 ŁPrivate or public estate 120 130 140 150 190 ŁSchool, college, university, hospital, or similar facility ŁCondominium housing development or industrial park ŁGovernment grounds: parks, around municipal buildings, military facilities Ł Cemetery or memorial garden ŁOther (please specify) C. SUPPLIER 210 nChemical dealer or distributor 220 LJ Equipment dealer or distributor 230 Seed broker /dealer 240 ŁSod grower NAME BUSINESS NAME. CITY _STATE_ .TITLE . .ADDRESS. .TELEPHONE. ( ) AREA CODE I WISH TO RECEIVE (CONTINUE RECEIVING) LAWN CARE INDUSTRY EACH MONTH Ł YES Ł NO SIGNATURE DATE BUSINESS REPLY CARD FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 665 DULUTH, MINNESOTA POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE READER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WWN GIRE INDUSTRY POST OFFICE BOX 6200 DULUTH, MINNESOTA 55806 NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES MORE FACTS MARKETING IDEA FILE PARTNERSHIPS from page 12 goals, and were all committed to the business, so we might as well work together to achieve these goals." Young said he feels the success of their partnership comes from working so well as a team and as individuals. "When there is a decision to be made in your area, you are the one to make it. This area is your responsibility," he adds. Titles don't count Titles in a business, such as president and vice president are unimportant to the majority of business partners. Some switch their titles every few years while some address the senior partner as president. In Young's partnership they chose their titles according to the area each worked the best in. Because much of Young's work is in the office, he was given the title secretary/treasurer. He emphasizes the titles have no relationship to their position in the company, and will be restructured every few years. "What is important," Young adds, "is that we treat each other as equals and create what we set out to create Š a well organized business." Partnerships can sour and often do, but the old adage, "two heads are better than one," still seems to be holding true for some. "Partner-ship form of business is the most difficult form of business to make work," concludes Goodfellow of Landscape Associates, "but if you pull your skills together and plan for success it will work. And when things go wrong, as they will, you always have the comfort of some-one to lean on." KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS Eclipse is recommended in Maryland, Virginia After consistently ranking number one in three consecutive year-long shade trials, Eclipse Kentucky bluegrass has been added to the Maryland/Virginia recommended list for sod certification, according to John Zajac of Garfield Willian-son Co., Jersey City, N.J. The environmentally-adaptive, disease and drought-resistant Kentucky bluegrass distinguished itself in tests performed under the natural shade of locust and cherry trees. It will prove a boon to sod growers who normally can't emu- late ideal growing conditions. The Maryland/Virginia list is limited to turf varieties found suitable for use in the transition zone, an area which presents spe- cial problems for turf professionals because it encompasses climates too south for cool-season grasses and too north for warm-season grasses. The tests were conducted by agronomists fron the universities of Maryland/Virginia extension division and the U.S. Department of Agriculture turfgrass program in Beltsville, MD. ALL SEED IS NOT CREATED EQUAL! Not every Kentucky Bluegrass seed can produce a grass that tolerates up to 65% shade and still grows vigorously. Not every seed can produce a grass that can stand the stress of drought, cold and extreme heat. Not every seed can produce a grass that can survive low and high altitudes, poor soil and sand. Not every seed can produce a grass that tolerates short mowing down to as little as one-half inch. Not every seed can produce a grass that can stand up to the wear and tear of baseball, football and horse racing. But then, not every seed is Warren's A-34 BenSun Kentucky Bluegrass ...it can and does! Circle No. 117 on Reader Inquiry Card 74J