EQUIPMENT Lawn tractors: how to get most for your money When a lawn care business-man goes on the market for a tractor, he finds that the units be-ing offered today all look pretty much alike, even when they are several hundred dollars apart in price. Lawn tractors can offer a lit-tle or a lot in the way of features, quality, operator comfort and dependability. Engineers from Massey-Ferguson Inc., Des Moines, Iowa have compiled a list of things to consider when it 
is time for you to buy your next 
lawn tractor. There's more to the exterior than good looks. What lies beneath that crisp new coat of 
paint? Is the body made of steel? Or is it fiber glass? Or synthetic material? Does the hood ade-quately protect the engine and its 
components? Is there a tangle of levers, pedals and hand controls. Is the tractor designed to suit the needs of the human body? Begin at the front. Some brands offer a fully enclosed engine. Unfortunately, this 
design may cause overheating which can curb engine perfor-mance and may even shorten engine life. Some brands may of-
fer a fully exposed engine that lets plenty of air in ... and CONFERENCES Coal strike cancels Midwest Turf meeting The annual Midwest Turf Conference, with its full comple-ment of 10 lawn care speakers on the three-day program, was can-celled last month due to energy cutbacks brought on by the now-settled coal strike. plenty of noise out. And some manufacturers offer a semi-enclosed hood. Check engine mounts. Under the hood, check to see how the engine is attached to the tractor frame. Is it metal-to-metal? Or is the engine mounted on vibration dampeners? Check the muffler? Examine the entire exhaust system. Which way does it direct hot exhaust fumes? Does the tractor have head-lights? Or are they optional? You may need them for nighttime jobs like hauling and snow removal. Check the steering. Does the steering shaft consist of a bent rod that passes through a slot in to page 15 FINANCE ChemLawn sales top $48 million; 18 new branch offices to open Sales of ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio were $48.9 
million in the fiscal year ended Oct. 29, 1977, company president 
Jack Van Fossen told 100 share-
holders at the company's annual meeting in Dayton, Ohio re-cently. The 1977 figures compare with sales of $36.3 million for the same period ending in 1976. The 
growth is over $12 million, or about 33 percent over the 1976 figures. L4WN J j^ll ^m Serving lawn maintenance Ł J^Mm^Jmmm and chemical lawn ^^ | care professionals. INDUSTRY APRIL 1978 Ł VOL. 2, NO. 4 Ł A Harvest Publication It was appropriate the meet-ing was held in Dayton, because it is one of the first cities where Chemlawn was marketed, and there are still many shareholders there. Stock was sold back in 1970 almost on a door-to-door basis to Chemlawn customers at $5 per share, wrote Dayton Daily 
News business editor James C. 
Bohman in a recent issue. Thanks to two stock splits, one original ChemLawn share is now worth 15 shares. Not surprisingly, Bohman wrote, many original Chem-Lawn shareholders have the giddy feeling they own some-thing very nice. The only hitch is 
there is no public trading in the stock, so none of the 1,100 hold-ers of the 2,275,202 outstanding shares is quite sure what a share of stock is worth. In response to a questioning shareholder, Van Fossen said he was unsure of its market value. He said he has heard talk of it selling for from $9.50 to $15.50 per share. But he stressed that he 
does not know if that is true. "We feel an obligation to create a public market to gain to page 2 Dr. William H. Daniel, turf professor at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., where the conference was scheduled March 13-15, said that the gover-nor's office and the Indiana Pub-lic Service Commission in-formed him of the decision in 
early March. The energy cutbacks did not affect the state high school bas-ketball playoff schedule. Over 700 were to attend the confer-ence. It was not rescheduled, Dr. Daniel said. BUSINESS Winter rains thump California lawn care and landscape industry QUICK STARTS No profit potential, no pesticide page 2 When is a branch office justified? page 4 How to determine fertilizer rates, costs page 4 Certain uses allowed for chlordane, heptachlor page 5 Should you accept credit cards? page 18 
Franchisees told of pitfalls page 19 MEMOS 2 NEWSMAKERS 6 MEETING DATES 14 COST CUTTINGS 16 
PRODUCTS 16 
MARKETING IDEA FILE ..18 
MONEYWISE 19 TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES 20 For a complete market study of the lawn care industry in Detroit, see MARKETPLACE, page 10. This is part of a continuing series of in-depth looks at regions of the country where the lawn care business thrives. The study includes a profile of the city, potential lawn care customers, lawn care companies that operate there and how they go ahnilt opftino anH lrooninn oun»nn,A«« Two months of rain have cre-ated heavy work backlogs for contractors, and massive unem-ployment problems for labor un-ions serving the landscape and irrigation industries in Califor-
nia, according to Morton W. Her-mann, president of the Califor-nia Landscape and Irrigation Council. "Although the economy of the industry is booming, with more work than many businesses can handle, the rains have forced postponement of almost all jobs during the 10 weeks of heavy rains," Herrmann told LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. Burton S. Sperber, president of Valley Crest Landscape, Inc., the state's largest landscape firm, said that the rains have put his company 10 to 12 weeks be-
hind schedule on their work 
backlog. Valley Crest, like many other commercial/ind us trial land-scaping firms, operates with a six to eight month work backlog. It currently has more than a 100 projects which have been de-layed, postponed or tied up be-cause of rains. Smaller landscaping com-panies and many lawn mainte-
nance operations have been similarly affected. "Our biggest problem during January and February was meet-ing our overhead expenses, and trying to keep our key people on the payroll until we can begin working again," said the owner of a small landscaping firm. "At least our key people are getting paid." What percentage of customer* did you retain from last year? PERCENTAGE OF CUSTOMER! 75 to 89%-90 to 94%-95 to 99%--- 27 2% 7 16.0% y//^ 100%-19.4% *Z88* IW HG-9NISNV1 1SV3 9G18 IDS HQS 602 AIND 31 VIS NV9IHD1W 3X316 inVd 6(3 -8A£-1IG3 36 -SN-2ZZE£9Zd316 CHEMLAWN from page 1 liquidity," Van Fossen told shareholders. He said they hope to have public trading within five years. He said he is seeking Securities and Exchange 
Commission approval to publish a list of shareholders who want to buy or sell their stock, which 
would be for distribution to pre-sent stockholders, the company told LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. "We hope to have that very quickly," he said. Van Fossen told a stock-holder he thought it inappropri-ate to speculate whether a 
market will be created to pos-sibly dispose of the ChemLawn 
shares held by the estate of the company's founder, Richard L. Duke, who died in August (see LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, September/October, page 1). Even though sales were up, he said that net income per share dropped to $1.02 from $1.14 the previous year due to start-up 
costs on new ventures: Commer-cial/Industrial Services; Chem-Scape, a horticultural and tree and shrubbery care service; and 
Poseidon, underground irriga-tion systems. Current assets of the com-pany total $18.7 million, com-
pared yo $13.9 million a year 
earlier. The company paid a divi-dend of 20 cents per share in 1977 and 12 cents in fiscal 1976. ChemLawn has branches or franchises in 28 states, and a branch in Canada. Van Fossen said the company this year will open eight new branches in existing markets and 10 new mar-keting areas. Twenty-six new 
branches were added in last year and eight new markets were 
opened. RESEARCH Poa annua bulletin is now available A new bulletin, Annual Blue-grass Š Description, Adapta-tion, Culture and Control, writ-ten and edited by four top turf specialists, is now available. The bulletin was prepared by Dr. James B. Beard, professor at Texas A & M University, who edited the volume; Dr. Paul E. Rieke, professor at Michigan State University; Dr. Alfred J. Turgeon, associate professor at the University of Illinois; and Dr. Joseph M. Vargas, associate pro-
fessor at Michigan State Univer-sity. For information on obtaining the bulletin, contact: Dr. Paul E. Rieke, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, 209 Soil Science Building, Michigan State Uni-versity, East Lansing, Mich. 
48824. MEMOS WWN GIRE INDUSTRY Publisher: HUGH CHRONISTER General Manager: RICHARD J. W. FOSTER Executive and editorial offices: 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102 Editor: ROBERT EARLEY Executive Editor: DAVID SLAYBAUGH 
Associate Editor: BRUCE SHANK Technical Editor: RON MORRIS Assistant Editors: SCOTT SCREDON, MIKE CASEY Graphic Director: RAYMOND GIBSON Circulation Manager: JACK SCHAfiEL Research Services: CLARENCE ARNOLD Production Supervisor: DARRELL GILBERT Production Manager: PATRICIA KELLEY MARKETING/SALES Advertising Director: STEVE STONE (212) 421-1350 757 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Circulation & List Rental: TERRI HUTSENPILLER (216) 651-5500 Marketing & Merchandising Services: FRAN FRANZAK (216) 651-5500 Midwest Office: JOE GUARISE (312) 236-9425 333 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60601 Southern Office: DICK GORE (404) 252-4311 3186 Frontenac Court, N.E., Atlanta, Ga. 30319 Southwest Office: JOHN SANDFORD (213) 933-8408 5455 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1107, Los Angeles, Ca. 90036 Northwest Office: BOB MIEROW (415) 982-0110 582 Market St., Suite 1904, San Francisco, Ca. 94104 Classified: DOROTHY LOWE (216) 651-5500 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102 LAWN CARE INDUSTRY is published every month by The Harvest Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. at 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102 (216) 651-5500. Copyright © 1978 by The Harvest Publishing Company, all rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without consent of copyright owner. Controlled circulation postage paid at Cleveland, Ohio. SUBSCRIPTIONS: to Lawn Care Industry are solicited only from owners, managers, operators, buyers, merchandisers, agronomists, technicians, dealers, 
distributors and manufacturers of products associated with the lawn care and 
maintenance business. Position ana company connection must be indicated on 
subscription orders. Publisher reserves tne right to approve all subscription re-quests. Single copy cost $1.00 for current issue. All back issues $1.25 each. 
Foreign $1.25. Subscription rates: $10.00 one year, $18.00 two years, $24.00 three years. Group and foreign air mail rates available on request. SUBSCRIBERS: Send change-of-address notices, correspondence regarding subscription service to Fulfillment Manager, Lawn Care Industry, 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102. Change of Address notices shoula be sent pro-mptly, provide old as well as new address, attach address label from recent issue. Please allow one month for change of address to become effective. POSTMASTER: Please send form 3579 to Fulfillment Manager, Lawn Care In-dustry, 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102. The Harvest Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., publishers of WEEDS TREES & TURF, PEST CONTROL, NPCA Extra, GOLF BUSINESS and the Scientific Guide to Pest Control Operations. No profit potential, no pesticide: Development of at least two pesticides that would have been helpful to lawn care businessmen and other turf professionals has been halted due to what major pesticide manufacturers have apparently viewed as lack of profit potential. Much work had been done over the last few years by Ciba-Geigy Corp., Greensboro, N.C. on its CGA 12223, an insecticide largely targeted for grub 
control. Work has for the most part been stopped, although it may pick up again in the future. Also, American Hoechst Corp., Somerville, N.J. has also stopped its work on HOE 22870, a crabgrass postemergent herbicide, apparently for the same reason. Tom Perkins of Elanco Products Co., In-dianapolis, Ind. has reported that it takes anywhere from eight to 10 years and between six and 10 million dollars to bring a pesticide from test tube to market, largely because of government data required, and this is the main reason why a substantial return on investment is needed for companies to pursue research. The turf market is naturally not as laden with profit potential as the agriculture market, and in many cases, this is where the research dollar is going. Greatest show in turf: The phrase may be borrowed from a circus pr man's bag of tricks, but the educational sessions 
and equipment exhibits at the 49th Annual International Turfgrass Conference and Show earlier this year in San An-tonio were the best and biggest ever. The show is sponsored by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, and is largely centered on golf turf information and equip-ment, but there were many lawn care businessmen in atten-
dance at the San Antonio conference. Apparently, many turf distributors who handle lawn care accounts as well as golf course and other accounts told their people about the show and urged them to attend. All told, there were 195 exhibitors 
of turf equipment and supplies and almost a full week cram-
med with turf educational sessions. In the next three years, the show will be in three different areas of the country, 
allowing lawn care businessmen to update themselves on the 
very latest in turf. This February the show moves to Atlanta; in February of 1980 it is in St. Louis; and in February of 1981 it moves out to the West Coast to Anaheim, Calif. For further in-formation, check the Meeting Dates listings this month and 
every month in LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. Lawn tractor outlook good: Robert Orthey, manager of market planning for riding mowers for Toro Co., Minne-apolis, told LAWN CARE INDUSTRY that the industry ship-ped 420,000 front-engine riders last year. He estimates that the industry total will increase almost eight percent this year. Robert E. Drennan, vice president of sales for Massey-Ferguson, Des Moines, Iowa, agrees with this assessment and attributes the favorable sales outlook in part to a great deal of 
activity in residential building. Small business blues: Small business won't make out as well under President Carter's tax plan as big business. Or so says the Senate Small Business Committee. Its analysis says companies with taxable income exceeding $100 million a year will reap 60 percent of the benefits of Carter's tax cuts, while companies with taxable income under $50,000 will get only 
four percent. Allis-Chalmers wins award: The Lawn and Garden Equip-ment department of Allis-Chalmers Corp., Milwaukee, recen-tly received an award from the Outdoor Power Equipment In-stitute (OPEI) in recognition of the department's safety education program. The award was presented at the OPEI an-nual convention held in La Costa, Calif. Labor costs up: An employe who worked 50 weeks last year at the minimum wage will cost nearly 25 percent more to maintain this year for the same amount of work, reports 
Robert F. Lederer, executive vice president of the American Association of Nurserymen. The federal minimum wage has gone from $2.20 to $2.65 an hour. On top of that, he says, agricultural laborers have been brought under the Unemployment Compensation Act which, at a minimum, will cost employers $180.20 on each employe working at the minimum. Social Security, which is taking its first relatively 
insignificant step (compared to what is in store for the future) will cost employers $63.25 more than last year on this same minimum wage employe, Lederer said. Average weekly pay: Average weekly pay of factory workers in January fell to $232.06 from a revised $241.67 in December, the Labor Department reported recently. BEAUTIFUL ALL OVER. 0217® brand Fylking Kentucky bluegrass is beautiful in every way; brilliant green in early spring, consistent green in summer heat and long-lasting green into autumn. It has improved resistance to many dis-eases, drought, heat, cold, smog and traffic. Low-growing, Fylking forms exceptionally thick-knit rhizomes and root system for a dense sod that helps resist weed invasion. Now you can have a home putting green because fine-textured Fylking thrives on low-mowing (even as low as 1/2 inch). This physically pure, genetically true seed contains no annual bluegrass (Poa annua), bentgrass, or short-awned foxtail. Beautiful in price, too. Fylking Kentucky bluegrass seed costs less than most other elite bluegrasses. Ask for the Swedish beauty, 0217® brand Fylking Kentucky bluegrass seed when ordering at your local wholesale seed or sod distributor. FYLKING KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS U.S. Plant Patent 2887 Another fine, quality-controlled product of Jacklin Seed Company. Circle 109 on free information card LAWN CARE INDUSTRY APR 1978 BUSINESS At what point is a branch office justified? One lawn care businessman who runs a chemical spray operation says he has got to have annual sales of from $120,000 to $125,000 to support a branch operation with one girl, a com-bined salesman/supervisor and three lawn specialists, says business consultant Jim Nelson. Another company says an an-nual sales volume of $80,000 is the basis for establishing a branch with an answering ser-vice. Some telephone companies are now offering a "remote call 
forwarding" service which is like 
opening a branch office in another city. This service will br-
ing to your headquarters office calls from customers in several predetermined areas. This "branch office" service can let you establish a local identity in an area with no additional per-sonnel expense, and without ac-quiring expensive office space. For example, the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area was serviced by ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio, through a 
branch office set up in suburban Richardson, just north of Dallas, for the last several years. A prospective customer living in Fort Worth could call a Fort Worth number, and be con-nected with the Dallas branch of-fice of ChemLawn. A substantial 
number of customers was built up in Fort Worth through this 
method, serviced out of the Dallas office. This lawn care season for the first time, ChemLawn has 
opened up a separate branch of-fice in the Fort Worth area. Thus, the company saved the costs of maintaining two branches while establishing the business in that metropolitan area. TECH NOTES How to determine fertilizer rates, costs Most fertilizers contain the three major nutritive elements needed by a home lawn Š nitro-gen, phosphorus and potassium. The figures on the fertilizer label indicate the percentage of each element contained in the above order. For example, a 20-11-11 fer-tilizer contains 20 percent nitro-gen, 11 percent phosphorus and 
11 percent potassium by weight. Most fertilizers include more nitrogen than other elements be-cause it is essential to all plants. The amount of fertilizer to be applied is given in terms of "ac-
tual nitrogen", according to Thomas Graceffa, Rockford, Illi-nois-based landscape architect. "For example, given 100 pounds of 20-11-11 fertilizer," he told LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, "we know that 20 pounds is nitro-gen. Therefore, to provide two pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,-000 square feet, you would apply 10 pounds of 20-11-11 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet" (30 per-cent of 10 pounds = two pounds actual nitrogen). The following examples show how this application rate can be figured in a number of ways, de-pending on what type of fertil-izer is used. For example, say that you were dealing with a 10,000-square-foot lawn with a nitrogen requirement of two pounds per thousand square feet. If the fer-tilizer analysis was 20-11-11, 100 
pounds would have to be ap-
plied. If the cost for a 50-pound bag is $20, the total cost is thus $40 for the application. For the same 10,000-square-foot lawn, with a fertilizer analy-sis of 10-5-5, 200 pounds would have to be applied. If the cost of the 50-pound bag is $15, the total cost for the application is $60. Graceffa notes that it is im-portant to calculate the relative costs of fertilizers based on the cost per pound of actual nitro-gen rather than just the cost per pound of raw fertilizer. In the above example, for instance, the 
"cheaper" fertilizer was more expensive overall than the high-
er priced fertilizer where ap-plied to yield two pounds of actu-al nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. To obtain a copy of Gra-ceffa's Maintenance Guide for Trees and Shrubs, Groundcover and Lawns, write him at 831 N. Church St., Rockford, 111. 61103. mmmmmmmmmm SPRINKLERS Irrigation conference proceedings available Copies of the proceedings from the 15th annual Turfgrass Sprinkler Irrigation Conference are now available. The event was held at the Lake Arrowhead Conference Center in southern 
California in June of last year. To purchase any of the pro-ceedings, contact Dr. Albert W. Marsh, Soils Department, Uni-versity of California, Riverside, Calif. 92521. 4 LAWN CARE INDUSTRY TURF Soil acidity affects the growth of turf The primary nutritional prob-lem existing on home lawns to-day is one of low soil pH, accord-ing to Dr. Stephen J. Donahue, extension specialist in soils and plant analysis at Virginia Poly-technic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va. This situation can only be rectified, he recently told LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, by additions of proper amounts of limestone to adjust pH to a more optimum, near-neutral level. He said the level of soil acidity is usually determined by a pH test. This test measures the amount of hydrogen (acid-form-ing) ion in the soil solution. A scale of zero to 14 is used, with a pH of 7.0 being neutral, less than 7.0 acid, and greater than 7.0 alkaline. While the actual acid concen-tration of the soil is rarely low enough (less than pH) to cause direct injury to plants, the in-
direct effect of acidity on nutri-
ent availability (solubility) and microbial activity has a pro-nounced effect on turf growth, he said. Traditionally, low pH implies a lack of calcium as the primary cause of poor growth. However, in many instances the greatest in-jury to turf results not only from a reduction in plant available calcium but also from excesses and deficiencies of other ele-ments. At low soil pH levels (high acidity), one of the most com-
mon problems is aluminum tox-
icity. The solubility of alumi-
num in the soil increases in loga-rithmic fashion as soil pH de-creases, and below pH 5.5 it can reach toxic concentrations rapidly. The actual pH at which alumimun reaches toxic concen-trations depends on the native level of aluminum in the soil. This can vary considerably. Turfgrasses also differ in their tolerance to aluminum so 
that no one soil pH or aluminum level can bve selected as a criti-cal level. In general, the poten-tial for aluminum toxicity for most turfgrasses grown on acid mineral soils is greatest below pH 5.0, moderate between pH 5.0 
and 5.5, and slight or negligible 
above pH 5.5. Another nutrient found in toxic levels in very acid soils is manganese. While soils also vary 
in their native level of manga-
nese, toxic levels do not usually occur above pH. 5.5. Manganese toxicity is not nearly as wide-spread as aluminum toxicity. In addition to aluminum and manganese toxicity, strongly acid soils (pH less than 5.5) tend to 
reduce the availability of phos-phorus to plants. This is due to the complexing or tie-up of phos-phorus by aluminum and iron 
which renders the phosphorus unavailable for plant uptake. In strongly acid soils, calcium and magnesium are also limiting, having been replaced by hydrogen and aluminum, both acid-forming ions. Depletion of 
these essential plant nutrients has an adverse effect on turf growth. Soil acidity also affects the activity of soil microorganisms responsible for organic matter and thatch decomposition, and 
nitrogen fixation. While a neu-tral or near-neutral pH (6.0 to 7.0) favors the activity of these 
beneficial microorganisms, 
strongly acid conditions inhibit their activity, causing thatch build-up and a reduction in natu-ral soil nitrogen supply. Soil acidity decreases as the pH increases to 7.0. Above this level, the soil becomes alkaline 
and problems such as reduced 
availability of iron, manganese, 
copper, and zinc begin to occur. PESTICIDES Certain uses allowed for chlordane, heptachlor Velsicol Chemical Corp., Chi-cago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the Environmental Defense Fund 
and other interested parties have reached an agreement permit-ting production of the insecti-cides heptachlor and chlordane for certain uses previously sus-pended. The agreement permits cer-tain agricultural uses for various periods, up to 1983, and is the culmination of proceedings pending since 1974. At that time, the EPA issued a noticce of intent to cancel the products with the exception of termite control 
usage. Under the terms of the agree-ment, there are no restrictions on applications outside the United States. Uses for termite control domestically and internation-
ally will be continued. Most other U.S. home and lawn uses 
are to be discontinued. At some future time, however, Velsicol may apply for new registrations of the products. Liquid-cooled 22 or 27 PTO hp diesels that are big enough to do all the jobs you need to do. Yet small enough so you can afford them. If the jobs you have are too big for a lawn and garden tractor and too small for a farm or industrial tractor, John Deere has the tractor you need. In fact, two of them.The new John Deere 850 and 950 Tractors. Rugged. Reliable. 
And built to handle the jobs you'll give 
them. Big-tractor features. Under each tractor's lift-up hood is a liquid-cooled, 
fuel-efficient diesel engine: 22 PTO hp for the 850,27 PTO hp for the 950. Both 
tractors have smooth-running trans-missions with 8 forward speeds, 2 reverse. Speeds are well-spaced from 
less than 1 mph for tilling to almost 12 mph for transporting. Other big-tractor features are standard.There's a differential lock that 
engages on-the-go for added traction in slippery conditions and a fully shielded 540-rpm rear PTO. Individual rear wheel brakes lock together for highway 
transport and lock down for parking. 
A heavy-duty drawbar adjusts to four positions. Hand and foot throttles are 
both standard. Integral equipment easily attaches to a 3-point hitch (Category 1). The adjustable, fully cushioned seat tilts 
forward for weather protection. Big-tractor versatility. You can match the 850 and 950 to your jobs. Wheel tread width adjusts front and rear. Ground clearance is nearly 14 inches under the 850-more than 15 inches 
under the 950. Maneuverability is superb since both tractors will turn within a 10-foot radius. So whether 
you're mowing, loading, plowing, digging, planting, or cultivatingŠthese tractors can handle the job. Service you can count on. Your John Deere Dealer is always ready to help. Service training schools for the 850 and 950 have already been completed. And a complete inventory of service and replacement parts is ready. So stop by and see your John Deere Dealer soon for the complete story behind the new "Little-Big" 
Tractors. Or for free literature write to: 
John Deere, Box 63, Moline, Illinois 61265. Choose from a family of tractor-matched implements for all the jobs you need to do: Center-Mounted Rotary Mower 50 Utility Box Scraper 31 Integral Disk Johnson-Arps Model 30 Loader 350 Mower 71 Flexi-Planter 11 Light-Duty Field Cultivator 45 Integral Plow 31 Posthole Digger 100 Integral Disk 205 Rotary Chopper 2-Row Cultivator 30 Integral Plow 40 Rotary Tiller 45 Rear Blade 25A Flail Mower Nothing Runs Like A Deere" NEWSMAKERS Nate Robinson, formerly of Tru Green, Detroit, has been named general manager of lawn spray operations for Yard-master, Mentor, Ohio. Also, Ted Durchik and Mark Iafelice have been named turf specialists. Company partners of the six-
year-old firm are Kurt Kluznik and Rick Colwell. Dr. James A. McAfee has joined ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio, as a regional agronomist working out of its Dallas branch. Dan Corun has been named manager of Lawn King of the Severn, Millersville, Md. He had previously been a rigman and replaces Bob Tavenner. Rollins Lawn Care, Atlanta, has announced branch managers for its three new offices. Ron L.Webb has been named branch manager of the company's new Memphis office. He was previously a botanist for the Goldsmith Civic Center in Memphis and holds degrees 
from Mississippi College and Memphis State University. William H. Fines has been 
named branch manager of the company's new Charlotte, N.C. I i 1 Webb Fines Crenshaw office. He was previously with the Corenco Corp. of Tewks-bury, Mass., where he held several executive positions, and is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a B.S. in agronomy. He was most recently Mtroform works 'round the clock to keep lawns greener longer. While others sleep, you can be providing lawn care ser-vice to satisfied customers. 
The secret is Nitroform® slow-release nitrogen. It works around the clock to 
give green, healthy lawns. Keeping grass greener between visits is the best way to hold customers, while attracting new ones. Home owners will readily see that your lawn care service does the job with dependable 
results . . . at less cost than they can do it themselves. Nitroform is the best way to apply long-lasting nitrogen... 
whether you have equipment for liquid or dry application. You can use Nitroform as granular BLUE CHIP® or as POWDER BLUEŽ sprayable slow-release nitrogen. 
Nitroform gives uniform coverage, and is compatible 
with most lawn care mate-rials, including pesticides. Nitroform is the quality slow-release nitrogen. It's nonleaching. It keeps feeding long after your crew has moved on to other jobs. Because it's nonburning, even inexperienced labor can apply it With Nitroform, benefits are 
always predictable per-formance, easy application, dependable results. What else could you want except 
possibly more information? For that write Agricultural Chemicals, Hercules Incorporated, Wilmington, Delaware 19899. Phone: 302/575-5000. ilniiUi'JiTu ŁJii^HERCULES INCORPORATED ^Registered Trademark of Hercules Incorporated/ŽTrademark of Hercules Incorporated with the Massachusetts Farm Bureau. William Roger Cren-shaw has been named branch manager of the company's new Augusta, Ga. office. He was previously with the Medical College of Georgia as a land-scaping horticulturalist. He graduated from Clemson Univer-sity with a B.S. in ornamental horticulture. Davey Lawnscape, has an-nounced a number of personnel appointments and change due to the opening of four new offices in Buffalo, Milwaukee, Phila-delphia and Rochester, N.Y. In 
the Buffalo district, Dick Foote, former Pittsburgh sales and ser-
vice representative will become district manager, and Akron technicians Kathy Maher and Jim Foote will be sales and ser-vice representatives. In the 
Milwaukee district, Bob Evans, 
former Cleveland sales and ser-vice representative, will become district manager, with Eric VanHorn and Dan Miller serving 
as sales and service representa-tives. The Philadelphia district will be headed by Kim Schaefer, former Pittsburgh sales and ser-vice representative. Mike Steve and Bill Graening will be sales 
and service representatives. In the company's Akron/Canton district, technicians John Reeves, 
Maurice Peoples and Steve Marshall have been appointed sales and service represent-atives. In the Cleveland district, technicians Mark Laube, Dan Babroski and Bob Cline have been appointed sales and service representatives. Technicians Ed Gruber and Mark Morgan have been appointed sales and service representatives in the Pitts-burgh district. In the Detroit dis-trict, Dan Prospal has been ap-pointed sales and service repre-sentative. Toro Co., Minneapolis, has announced a number of appoint-ments. Gary Holland, vice presi-
dent of Toro and general 
manager of its new Outdoor Ap-pliance Division, has named Lynn Long director of operations. Fred Coyne replaces Long as Outdoor Power Equipment Group director of purchasing. 
Holland also announced the promotion of Mark Hunsley to 
manager of the division's Hud-son, Wis. plant. Also, James R. Loeffler, Jr. has been named quality assurance manager, and Douglas W. Meyers has been named traffic and warehousing manager. David M. Lilly has re-joined the board of directors of Toro and been named chairman of the board's executive commit-tee. Dave Zimmerman has joined Lakeshore Equipment & Supply Co., Elyria, Ohio as representa-tive for the Illinois-Indiana region. He is a February graduate of Penn State's two-year turf management program and a recipient of scholarship 
awarded by TUCO Division of 
Upjohn, Kalamazoo, Mich. Dur-ing the 1976-77 season, he managed the Rockford offices of a lawn care business. Also, Howard Altman has joined the company as a representative for the eastern Michigan marketing 
area. He is 35 and a graduate of Penn State's two-year program also. Harald Eriksen has been ap-pointed assistant chief engineer at Hypro Division of Lear Siegler, Inc., St. Paul, Minn. He has been with the company since 1973. Gary Bailey has been named national sales manager for Moody Sprinkler Co., Inc., Santa Ana, Calif. He has served with Moody in various marketing-sales positions for the past five years. Dr. Paul L. Smeal, professor of horticulture at Virginia Poly-technic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va. has 
been elected president of the American Society of Horti-cultural Science, southern 
region. Douglas H. Creecy has been named sales specialist for Dia-mond Shamrock Corp., Cleveland, in its Midwest region covering Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas. He will be responsi-ble for the company's complete product line of chemicals, in-cluding Bravo 6F and Daconil 2787 fungicides, Dacthal and 
Bueno 6 herbicides, arsonates, plus a variety of speciality turf 
care products. He was previously advertising manager for the divi-sion. Dr. August A. De Hertogh, professor of horticulture at Michigan State University, has been named head of the Depart-ment of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University. New Florida Turf-Grass Asso-ciation officers are: president, David L. DeBra, executive vice president of operations of DeBra Turf and Industrial Equipment 
Co., Hollywood; vice president, C. Wayne Sloan, director of golf 
courses, Gulfstream Land & Development Corp., Plantation; secretary-treasurer, Joseph G. Yuzzi, executive golf course 
superintendent at Woodlands Country Club, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Members of the board in-clude Frank H. Arnall, Zaun 
Equipment, Inc., Jacksonville; 
Charles Butterworth, Chase & Co., Sanford; Stanley F. Cruse, Pursley Turfgrass Co., Palmetto; Paul L. Deets, Woodbury Chemical Co., Mulberry; H. Anthony Kimball, Turf Grow Nursery, St. Augustine; Jack C. Russell, Soil Fumigants, Inc., Orlando; and J. Robert Wegman, 
Permanent Systems & Supply, Inc., Tampa. Dr. Paul M. Alexander has been named staff agronomist for Porter Brothers, Inc., Shelby, N.C.-based distributor of turf maintenance equipment and supplies and outdoor power equipment. He has served with the U.S. Golf Association Green Section, and as director of educa-tion for the Golf Course Superin-tendents Association of America. He will work with Porter Brothers customers on turf care problems, disease control, soil analysis and grounds main-tenance problems. The Gravely Division of the Clarke-Gravely Corp., Clem-mons, N.C. has named Bernard L. Biller as national branch manager, responsible for Cut the cost of expensive horsepower and expensive manpower. Bolens® HT-20 Tractor. Jobs too small for big specialized equipment can add up to a punishing expense in manpower. Hauling. Mowing. Tilling. Grading. Loading. Trenching. Backfilling. The intermediate size Bolens HT-20 Tractor can cut that expense by quickly adapting to over a dozen custom matched attachments including mower, tiller, bucket loader, back hoe, rakes, blades and brooms. The foot operated hydrostatic transmission goes from forward to reverse without clutching or changing gears. Perfect for close-quarters work. Allows optimum power/speed combinations with hands free to operate hydraulics. More than just a lawn and garden tractor, the HT-20 is powered by a 19.9 hp twin cylinder Kohler engine. The channeled steel frame, massive rear axle/differential and heavy duty front axle give a full day's work. Day after day. Get more value from your big horsepower and expensive manpower. With the rugged HT-20. It fits right in-between. To save money on both ends. Biller Zulpa Krupka Gravely factory branch sales. Also, Zen Kulpa, has been named manager of government sales and national accounts. Richard W. Krupka has been named consumer products sales planning manager for Jacobsen Manufacturing Co., Racine, Wis. He is responsible for sales plan-ing within the company's inde-
pendent distribution channels. He will report to John Huston, sales manager of the Consumer 
Products Division. Bolens Mulching Mowers.Ž They cut the grass and the workload. In one pass. When a Bolens Mulching Mower cuts the grass, it also cuts and recuts the clippings into tiny particles that are blown down into the turf. There, they disappear and quickly decompose. No clippings. No clean-up. No thatch build-up. The fine mulch actually feeds the turf while the crew moves on to other jobs.* 3, 4 and 5 hp models are specially built for commercial and institutional use. Straight-thru steel axles, rugged all-steel deck, tough one-piece handle and positive cutting height adjustment. Bolens Mulching Mowers. Tough, economical answers to your continuing turf maintenance program. *For a free copy of a University study on nitrogen return, contact FMC Corporation, Port Washington, Wisconsin 53074. See the complete line of Bolens commercial power equipment at your nearest dealer. For his name and address, call 800-447-4700 toll-free anytime (in Illinois, call 800-322-4400). FMC Corporation, Port Washington, Wis. 53074. ŁFMC Consumer Products Circle 116 on free information card LAWN CARE INDUSTRY APR 1978 7 A searching look into the future of the Lawn Care Operator: fair prices, can substantial business. several ways. There is every indication that the efficient operator who will do really superior work at build a long-range, We can help in If you have Š or may establish Š a Lawn Care Business, the outlook is good. The market potential, already large, is on the threshold of further growth because the sociological-economic factors are favorable. Many families today, whether living in a house, condominium or garden apartment, want at least a handsome lawn, trees, flowers and ornamentals. They want the benefits, but without the work of tending such landscaping personally. While many enjoy puttering with vege-tables or flowers, they tend to shun lawn chores that involve seeding, feeding, weed-ing, de-bugging. The do-it-yourself trend is giving way to a new lifestyle. Today, more and more women are profita-bly employed outside the home, sharing routine housework. With resulting higher combined earnings, these families can well afford professional lawn care, as well as golf, tennis, boating, summer cottages and long vacations. Thus, while this opens new vistas for the Lawn Care Operator, his work is certain to be fraught with difficulties, including keen competition. Naturally, the fittest will survive and prosper. Now, what does this mean for you, the Lawn Care Operator? It means you must provide exceptional service: Superior work, using efficient meth-ods, the best of equipment and products. Above all, you must avoid needless com-plaints, call-backs and retreatments. You simply can't afford to "fight fires" or handle needless complaints which tarnish your name, destroy profits, and waste time you urgently need to cultivate new business. If you do your job well, your customers will stay with you; you won't have to re-sell them year after year. The Gordon Turf Team can help you solve the single most persistant and troublesome problem of the turf industry Š weed control. Weed control will remain the thorniest bugaboo because weeds are visible. Failing to kill them brings costly complaints. In fact, you 
may have complaints even after the most thorough weed spray. The reason (and the 
cure) is crucial. As you know, weeds don't magically disappear the same week you spray them. 
You know the best herbicides work slowly. But your customer may not know this ... and that's the problem. Meet Trimec®, the solution Unlike some herbicides that quickly "burn" the foliage but tend to leave the root alive, Trimec broadleaf herbicide is slow, thorough, efficient. It kills the whole weed, root and all. Here's why: Trimec is a unique, patented formulation of 2,4-D, MCPP and Dicamba Š unlike any other. Its exceptional power and slow, gentle action results largely from the synergism of its active components; from their interaction which produces weedkill strength far greater than the sum of the components separately. 
This synergistic gain multiplies Trimec effi-ciency so that smaller amounts of chemical can be fully effective on the greatest number of weeds, with 
a light dosage, continuously 
through the growing season Š even at 50° F. or cooler. strength relies greatly on synergism rather than on heavy concentrations of chemicals, root absorption is minimal. Thus it poses little threat to flowers, trees, ornamentals and tender grasses. "Drift" hazard is reduced. Biodegradeable, precisely factory-formulated ... Trimec eliminates the need for 
on-site mixing and its chance of costly error. Broad-spectrum control, lowest cost Trimec controls the widest range of weeds Š even hard-to-kill species Š usually with one application. We're surprised if we find a weed that's Trimec-resistant. Because of its unparalleled efficiency, Trimec does not cost more to use, but less. Comparisons show that Trimec costs less per acre of weed control than any other herbicide. 
You use fewer gallons, you seldom need retreatment, your total cost-per-acre Š the 
true measure of economy Š is lower. Improved customer relations Home owners who don't under-stand weed control often com-plain in panic, "My weeds are still alive!1' We help you avoid such calls by providing an instructive 
door hanger. Left on the doorknob 
after each treatment, it explains Trimec's slow, thorough action, suggests patience, assures your customer his weeds are dying. This advance explanation stops many needless trouble calls, explains that you have indeed used the finest weed treatment available. A generous supply of door hangers is available with each Trimec 
order. More than weed control As your lawn service prospers Š perhaps growing into services beyond mere weed-and-feed Š Gordon's total commitment in the 
turf market will support your expansion. Your Gordon distributor has a complete family of superior, tested products tailored for the turf professional. His technical expertise is freely available. Should you need it, he has a direct line to Gordon's Technical Service Department. This includes our separate Lawn Care Division, with a field specialist whose sole concern is providing product informa-tion and technical assistance to the Lawn Care Operator. For instance . . . Meet HERBI, a unique new portable sprayer The HERBI illustrates our total involve-ment with lawn care. This advance-design sprayer was made expressly for problem areas and for those times when herbicides should be applied separately, apart from 
fertilizer. The HERBI story is summarized on the next page. See your distributor for complete information. PROFESSIONAL TURF PRODUCTS Safeguards the environment Trimec is ecologically sound and troublefree. Because its G pbi/GQRdon conponation 300 south third street KANSAS CITY. KANSAS 6611B S13-3A2-87BO TRIMEC IS a registered trademark of PBI/G0RD0N Corporation, U.S. Patent No. 3,284,186. LAWN CARE INDUSTRY APR 1978 Circle 122 on free information card Confro//ed-drop/ef Application HERBI: a new approach to applying herbicides Herbi is a lightweight, portable sprayer of high efficiency. It lets a walking operator make Ultra Low Volume controlled-droplet applications on target, low to ground, with little drift. Ideal for smaller problem areas, and areas inaccessible to heavy equipment. Gives controllable, 4-ft. clean-cut swath close to trees and shrubbery, with excellent control in wind. Battery-powered atomizer in head gives uniform 250-micron droplets; saves water, chemicals ... pene-trates better. Three nozzles included for different solutions, emulsions and Š with proper additive Š wettable powders. Fully self-contained; weighs 12 pounds loaded. Five-pint tank treats 33,000 sq. ft. or more at normal walking speed. Instruction manual and spare parts list included. Gordon distributors have full information. Authorized Distributors Gordon Professional Turf Products ALASKA Palmer Ł Alamasu, Inc. ALABAMA Birmingham Ł Noraia Company, Inc. Ł Tieco, Inc. Montgomery Ł Tieco, Inc. ARIZONA Phoenix Ł Capitol Nursery Supply Ł Target Chemical Company Tucson Ł Copper State Chemical Co. ARKANSAS Alexander Ł Capital Equipment Co. CALIFORNIA Anaheim Ł Foster-Gardner, Inc Bakersfield Ł Abate-A-Weed Co. Cathedral City Ł Butlers Mill, Inc. Cerritos Ł Target Chemical Co. Chula Vista Ł Wilbur-Ellis Company Coachella Ł Foster-Gardner, Inc. Manetca Ł Ramsey Seed Company Newark Ł L & V Farm Sales, Inc. Orange Ł Robinson Fertilizer Co. Oxnard Ł Coastal Ag. Chem. Sacramento Ł Orchard Supply Company San Diego Ł Butlers Mill, Inc. San Gabriel !Ł J. Harold Mitchell Co. San Jose Ł Foster-Gardner, Inc. Ł Moyer Chemical Co. Ł Northern California Fertilizer Co. Ł Target Chemical Co. San Leandro Ł Custom Chemilene Santa Ana Ł Moyer Chemical Company Santa Barbara Ł Agri Turf Supplies, Inc. Santa Rosa Ł Purity Chemical Products Co. South Gate City Ł Los Angeles Chemical Co. COLORADO Arvada Ł S.AJ. Turf Products Colorado Springs Ł Gorby, Inc. Denver Ł Van Waters & Rogers 
Ł Western Gard'n-Wise 
Pueblo Ł Pueblo Chemical & Supply CONNECTICUT Devon Ł Somers Turf Supplies Greenwich Ł Emanuel Shemin Greenhouses & Nurs. Hazzardville Ł Old Fox Chemical, Inc. So. Windsor Ł Turf Products Corporation DELAWARE Wilmington Ł Turf Enterprises FLORIDA Homestead Ł Atlantic Fertilizer & Chemical Jacksonville Ł Bingham Seed Co. Pompano Beach Ł Swift Agricultural Chemical Corp. Pensacola Ł Gulf Shore Turf Supply, Inc. Ł Tieco Gulf Coast Sanford Ł Chase & Company Winterhaven Ł Swift Agricultural Chemical Corp. GEORGIA Atlanta Ł Regal Chemical Co. College Park Ł Stephenson Chemical Co. Conyers Ł Lawn & Turf, Inc Doraville Ł Georgia Golf & Garden Ft. Valley Ł Woolfolk Chemical Works, Inc. HAWAII Hilo Ł Occidental Chemical Co. Honolulu Ł Occidental Chemical Co. Kahului Ł Occidental Chemical Co. Lihue Ł Occidental Chemical Co. IDAHO Boise Ł Steve Regan Co. Caldwell Ł Wasatch Chemical Co. Idaho Falls Ł Wasatch Chemical Co. Rupert Ł Wasatch Chemical Co. ILLINOIS Barrington Ł Olsen Distributing Co. Bloomington Ł Professional Turf Specialty Chicago Ł George A. Davis, Inc. W. Chicago Ł Turf Products, Ltd. Decatur Ł Scruggs-Drake Equipment, Inc. E. Peoria Ł Leon Short & Sons, Inc. Peoria Ł Behm & Hageman, Inc. Geneseo Ł C. D. Ford & Sons Morton Grove Ł V-G Supply Company Rockton Ł Turf Management Supply Springfield Ł Drake-Scruggs Equipment, Inc. Wheeling Ł Arthur Clesen, Inc. INDIANA Indianapolis 
Ł Desco Chemical, Inc Ł Cory Orchard Supply Co. Nappanee Ł Desco Chemical, Inc. IOWA Cedar Rapids Ł Hawkeye Seed Co. Inc. Council Bluffs Ł Leisure-Aid Davenport Ł Tri-State Toro Co Des Moines Ł Toro Service Center W. Des Moines Ł Big Bear Turf Ł Resthaven Turf Service Elkader Ł Meyer Equipment Co. Iowa City Ł Little Wheels, Ltd Sioux City Ł Ł W R. Anderson Dist. Co. Waterloo Ł Foster's, Inc Waukee Ł Baer Ag Supply West Burlington Ł Brayton Chemical, Inc KANSAS Kansas City Ł Pest Control Supplies Ł Rhodes Chemical Co. Saiina Ł The Landsco Corporation Wichita Ł Bartels & Shore Chemical Co. Ł Champion Turf Equipment, Inc. Ł Robert S. Wise Company KENTUCKY Florence Ł George W Hill & Co., Inc. Louisville Ł Bunton Seed Co., Inc. Ł Ky-lnna Turf Supply Co., Inc. LOUISIANA Baton Rouge Ł Gulfshore Turf Supply Ł Wyche's Golf Course Specialties, Inc. Covington Ł Tammany Turf & Supply, Inc. New Orleans Ł Southern Specialty Sales Co., Inc. Plain Dealing Ł Wyche Golf Course Specialties, Inc. MARYLAND Baltimore Ł Cornell Chemical & Equip. Co., Inc. Ł Miller Chemical & Fertilizer Landover Ł Vaughan Seed Company MASSACHUSETTS Newton Center Ł Grounds Equipment Co., Inc. Waltham Ł Farm Bureau Coop Assn., Inc. West Newton Ł The Clapper Company MICHIGAN Birmingham Ł W F. Miller Company Detroit Ł Terminal Sales Corporation Grand Rapids Ł Mollema & Son, Inc. Ł Parmender & Andre Hartford Ł Desco Chemical, Inc. Kalamazoo Ł J. J. Dill Company Royal Oak Ł Lawn Equipment Saginaw Ł Burdick Seed Company Taylor Ł Turf Supplies, Inc. Traverse City Ł Fergusons Company MINNESOTA Minneapolis Ł Minnesota Toro, Inc. St. Paul Ł R. L. Gould & Company Ł Turf Supply Company Savage Ł The Castle Chemical Co., Inc. MISSISSIPPI Jackson Ł Southern Seed Company, Inc. MISSOURI Chesterfield Ł Beckman Turf & Irrigation Grandview Ł The Landsco Corp. Ł Robison's Lawn & Golf Supply Kansas City Ł Bartels & Shore Chemical Co. Ł Champion Turf Equip., Inc. Ł Standard Seed Company Maryland Heights Ł Outdoor Equipment Co. St. Louis Ł Crown Chemicals Ł Kitten & Bear Springfield Ł Champion Turf Equip., Inc. MONTANA Billings Ł Turf Aid Dist. Company Helena Ł Mr Turf NEBRASKA McCook Ł Cornbelt Chemical Morrill 
Ł Jirdon Agri Chemicals, Inc. Omaha Ł Big Bear Equip., Inc. Ł Midwest Toro Ł The Yard Company Ł Leisure-Aid 
Ł Tri-Valley Corporation NEVADA Las Vegas Ł Clark County Whol. Merc. Co. North Las Vegas Ł Las Vegas Fertilizer Co., Inc. NEW HAMPSHIRE Greenland Ł Turf Specialty, Inc. NEW JERSEY Boundbrook Ł Loft Seed Company Ł Vaughan-Jacklm Corporation Freehold Ł Green Hills Turf Supply Maplewood Ł Pierson's Mill Company Mountainside Ł Andrew Wilson, Inc. Rahway Ł Fertl-Soil Company Saddle Brook Ł The Terre Company West Caldwell Ł Rockland Chemical Co. Yardville Ł Jep Sales, Inc. NEW MEXICO Albuquerque Ł Albuquerque Chemical Co., Inc. Roswell Ł Roswell Seed Company, Inc. NEW YORK Farmingdale Ł Wagner Seed Company Hamburg Ł Eaton Equipment Company Hawthorne Ł Metro Milorganite Hauppauge Ł Maxwell Turf, Inc. Jamaica Ł J & L Adikes, Inc. Bergen Ł Lawn Medic Rexford Ł S. V. Moffett, Inc. South Hampton Ł James H. Lynch, Inc. Lincolndale Ł Westchester Turf Supply Co Syracuse Ł Agway, Inc. W. Henrietta Ł S. V. Moffett, Inc. NORTH CAROLINA Charlotte Ł Seedmen, Inc. Shelby Ł Porter Brothers, Inc. Winston Salem Ł Goltra, Inc. OHIO Canton Ł Letherman Seed Company Cincinnati Ł Century Toro Dist. Inc. Ł Thorton Wilson Cleveland Ł Sidney L. Dryfoos Co. Ł U S. Garden Sales, Inc. Columbus Ł Century Toro Dist. Inc. Ł W R. Grace & Company 
Davton Ł Century Toro Dist. Inc. Elyria Ł Lakeshore Equipment & Supply Co. Findlay Ł Desco Chemical, Inc Mantua Ł John R. Skinner Co. Toledo Ł Century Toro Dist. Inc. OKLAHOMA McAlester Ł Tonys Chemical House Oklahoma City Ł Estes Chemicals, Inc. Tulsa Ł All Best, Inc. Ł Thompson-Hayward Chemical Co. Ł Wait Mfg. & Sales Co OREGON Portland Ł The Charles H. Lilly Co Ł Van Waters & Rogers 
Ł Wilbur-Ellis Company PENNSYLVANIA Doylestown Ł Philadelphia Toro Hanover Ł Miller Chemical & Fert. Corp Harleysville Ł Geiger Corporation Horsham Ł Pocono Supply Company Lebanon Ł Lebanon Chemical Corp Malvern Ł Fisher & Son Co, Inc Philadelphia Ł Farm & Golf Course Supply Co., Inc Phoenixville Ł Lawn & Golf Supply Pittsburgh Ł E. H. Griffith, Inc. Ł Krigger & Company Reading Ł Reading Bone Fertilizer Wycombe Ł Histand Supply RHODE ISLAND East Providence Ł Old Fox Chemical, Inc. SOUTH CAROLINA Inman Ł Woolfolk Chemical Works, Inc. SOUTH DAKOTA Sioux Falls Ł C & R Supply Company TENNESSEE Knoxville Ł Regal Chemical Co. Memphis Ł Axon Corporation Ł Bob Ladd, Inc. Ł Oldham Chemical Co., Inc. Nashville Ł Central South Turf Dist. Ł Tieco, Inc. TEXAS Amarillo Ł Amarillo Seed House Dallas Ł Chemical & Turf Specialty Co. Ł Van Waters & Rogers El Paso Ł El Paso Turf Supply Paris Ł Estes Chemical, Inc Waco Ł Estes Chemical, Inc. Wichita Falls Ł Estes Chemical, Inc UTAH Orem Ł Wasatch Chemical Div. Salt Lake City Ł Wastach Chemical Div. VIRGINIA Chesapeake Ł Turf & Garden Div. Harrisonburg Ł Wetsel Seed Company Richmond Ł Richmond Power Equip. Co., Inc. Roanoke Ł Agri-Turf Products Co, Inc Ł Miller Chemical & Fertilizer WASHINGTON Kent Ł Van Waters & Rogers Renton Ł Pacific Agro Company Seattle Ł The Charles H. Lilly Co. Ł Western Farmers Association Tacoma Ł NuLife Fertilizers WASHINGTON, D.C. Ł Lea's Green Meadows, Inc. WEST VIRGINIA Charleston Ł Youngs, Inc. WISCONSIN Chilton Ł Horst Distributing Co. Elm Grove Ł Reinder Bros. Turf Equipment Milwaukee Ł Loft-Kellogg Seed, Inc. Sun Prairie Ł Turf Management Supply LAWN CARE INDUSTRY Marketplace Detroit The best place to start a lawn care business should have plenty of people, with money, who don't have the time or the inclination to take care of their lawns them-
selves, says Art Brown, owner of Great Lakes Lawn Spray, Far-mington Hills. And, he says, the Detroit metropolitan area fits the bill just fine. The metropolitan area, including Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, has about 4.4 million people and 930,000 single-family homes, and no mat-ter how you cut it, that is an aw-ful lot of lawn care business potential. It provides plenty of territory for the 150 lawn care business-men that operate there, Brown says. And most of them will agree it is a highly competitive market, and, in some ways, just 
about "saturated". "If you start now it will take you three or four years to show much of a profit, and five years to realize a comfortable living," says one veteran lawn care busi-nessman. Another comments: "If you start on a shoestring, you'll have to starve for awhile." However, if a new operator in the Detroit area can survive for a few lean years, there is a nice profit to be made. Some busi-
nessmen interviewed said that their profits are between 10 and by Mike Casey Assistant Editor 20 percent annually. Even though lawn care is a growing industry in Detroit, the automobile is still king. To illus-trate this, Nelson Schaller, man-ager of ChemLawn Corp.'s office in suburban Pontiac, says: "One of our customers works for Gen-eral Motors. We sent an Inter-national truck over to his house. He would not let the crew work 
and even sent the truck back. We had to send a GM truck over. People sure are funny some-times." Auto manufacturers may pro-vide a few headaches now and then, but the auto is Detroit's golden egg and helped make it one of the top cities in the coun-try in terms of personal income. Detroit production workers aver-age-hourly earnings of $7.16, 
compared to the national aver-
age of $5.19. The average wage rate in Wayne County in 1976 
was $16,761. The region's wealth is as also reflected in a recent housing con-
struction boom; building was up last year from a seven-year-low, according to the Southeast Michigan Council of Govern-ments. Oakland and Macomb coun-ties are the top areas for development. The rural county 
pastureland is feeding bull-
dozers, and land is being cleared for new buildings. Oakland building permits totaled 5,068 housing units and Macomb authorized 2,893 for the first half of last year. Actually, Wayne County, where Detroit is located, 
lost homes because of demoli-tions. However, the western Wayne suburbs, including Can-ton, Wayne, Westland, Inkster, Garden City and Livonia, author-
ized 1,719 units. What all this new building means for the lawn care busi-
ness is that people are moving and building trends are perhaps 
changing. While Art Brown says that apartment buildings and condo-miniums are the place to look in the future because of their increasing numbers, his brother Al, Altop Lawnspray Service, Sterling Heights, disagrees. "There is not enough money in condominiums and too many headaches," he says. Lawn businessmen should not think that new homes will immediately mean new custom-
ers, says Jim Brown, Taylor Lawn Service, Romulus. He is another 
Brown brother. (See story about the Brown brothers in this issue.) Brown Brothers Find Their Roots In Lawn Spraying What the Kennedys are to politics, and what the Fords are to the automobile industry, the Browns are to lawn spraying in the metropolitan Detroit area. Between the four Brown brothers Š Art, Al, Bob and Jim Š they have more than 41 years of lawn spraying experience un-der their collective belts. And 
what's more, they all operate separate lawn spraying busi-nesses in Detroit. The brothers' interest in lawn spraying did not come from parental influence by any 
means. Al recalls: "Our father, who was in the advertising business, didn't even cut the grass. We had to do it with a lawn mower with steel wheels." However, their uncle was in-volved in landscaping and they worked for him at various times. Al, 40, was the first to start in the lawn spray business in 1966. Prior to this, he worked for his uncle and for Wayne County "Wouldn't Dad be proud of us now?," says one of the four Brown brothers, who have 41 years in the lawn spraying business. They are: Jim Brown, (left), spr Art Brown, Sob Brown and Al Brown spraying trees. His success was an example to Bob, 42, and Jim, 47, who en-tered the business in 1968 and 1967 respectively. Art, 46, decided to join the family busi-
ness in 1970. "Al was the stalk-
ing horse," Art says. What happens when their bidding for customers conflicts? "If Bob is bidding on the same account as me, I'll back off," Al said. However, they rarely com-pete with each other because their areas of operation are dif-ferent. "Usually they want to take care of the grass for the first two years. Either because they don't 
have the money, or it is the novelty of their own home and they want to do the work," he says. Despite the growth around the city, Detroit, like other Northeastern and Midwestern cities, is facing pollution, crime, unemployment, loss of jobs, white flight to the suburbs and a declining tax base. The city, once known for its motors, has become more noted for its murders and unemploy-ment lines. To attract business 
investments, city officials are offering tax breaks and sub-
sidies and trying to improve the city's image. Part of image program is promoting the city's newly-built Renaissance Center, a multi-million dollar downtown com-
plex. Even the telephone book cover proudly displays the cen-ter. Just as image is important to a city, it is just as crucial to an industry. Since lawn care is a relatively new business and com-posed of mostly small, indepen-dent operators, it has not pro-moted its image through mass 
media in the past because of advertising costs. Until ChemLawn Corp. came to Detroit in 1972, most in the business say they had a hard time selling themselves to the public. "ChemLawn has done a lot for the business. They are excel-lent promoters with clean trucks and uniforms. I'm thankful they came to Detroit," says one lawn 
care businessman. The image sword cuts both ways, however. "What hurts our business is for someone to botch a fertilizing job. And he drives around in a station wagon haul-ing a trailer. It is not a first-class image that makes you look good," says Bob Brown, Michigan Lawn Spray Service, Sterling Heights. The best way to project a good image is to provide a good ser-vice. The number one service problem in Detroit is Fusarium blight, which strikes hard against 
Merion bluegrass, common in the area. "Fusarium is the Dutch Elm disease of our business," says Al Brown. The blight is believed to be caused by nematodes injuring grass and making it more sus-ceptible to the fungus. A survey of lawn sprayers by the Lawn Sprayers Association 
of Michigan showed that fewer 
companies were treating the 
problem with chemicals than in past years. "We're finding that 
more companies are throwing in the towel," says Art Brown. One way to treat Fusarium is with benomyl, marketed under the trade name Tersan 1991 by 
Du Pont Co., Wilmington, Del. 
But lawn businessmen in Detroit usually shy away from its use be-cause of its expense. Tom Brune, Atwood Lawnsprayer Service, Sterling Heights, says he advises his customers asking about 
Fusarium blight to purchase the fungicide, but "I never say it is a cure-all." Lawn businessmen advise their customers to water their lawns early in the day to help reduce the chances of the dis-
ease. Also, when possible, they suggest blending bluegrasses not 
found to be susceptible. Another problem lawn busi-nessmen face is insects. They "If you start on a shoestring, you'll probably have to starve for awhile." / Detroit from page 11 said the most common pests are sod webworms and grubs. Most use Dursban and Diazinon, but say they do not leave the neces-sary residual quality to be effec-tive in controlling the insects. Diazinon is marketed by Ciba-Geigy Corp., Greensboro, N.C., and Dursban is marketed by Dow 
Chemical Co., Midland, Mich. Most interviewed complain 
about the banning of DDT and chlordane because they said 
these two chemicals provided the best results for controlling 
pests. However, one owner said he refrained from using chlordane when it was available because of its residual quality. "I did not want to do anything that would 
harm the environment. I was frightened about it (chlordane) because of its environmental ef-fects." Chlordane's usage for lawn care was banned by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is a subject of lawn businessmen's criticisms, and so are other governmental policies. Like other states, Michigan requires pesticide applicators to 
pass a certification exam to be-
come licensed applicators. Art Brown airs some com-mon complaints about the exam 
that other lawn sprayers share. "The exam is not specific enough about lawn spraying. A lot of the material has to do with agricul-ture." Likewise some training ses-sions at Michigan State Univer-sity focused too heavily on prob-lems not related to lawn spray-ers. But veteran owners say the trend is changing towards more concentration on lawn spraying and their business problems. Besides government regu-lation, lawn businessmen com-
plained about low pricing or "low balling" by firms. Operators pointed to two sources causing "under pricing." One is underestimating the square footage of a lawn by salesman. "The salesman may underestimate the lawn by as much as 30 percent. He knows he does not have to care for the lawn, and he still gets his commission," says Bob Brown. Secondly, companies break-ing into the market will some-times underbid competitors with the hope of getting volume busi-ness to offset low profits. "They 
eventually defeat themselves with un-business like prac-tices," says Brune. Brune and Art Brown say the companies eventually over-
commit themselves and go out of business because they don't have the capital or manpower to keep up the volume. Just as bad as underpricing is overpricing, says Jim Brown. "It gives the business a bad name." In estimating the average cost of a 5,000-square-foot lawn per application, operators pegged the cost at between $15 and $18. The number of recommended applications ranged from four to six. They were unable to set the market price of the average house that receives lawn care 
service. Roy Simpson, Fertileze Lawn Spray, Madison Heights, says the market price of his customers' homes ranges be-tween $30,000 to $50,000. Detroit is a city for lawn businessmen. It has money and people with outside interests, which keeps them away from lawn care. It's a good area for lawn care say the successful businessmen. Currently, ChemLawn main-tains four metropolitan branches and Davey Lawnscape, Kent, Ohio is starting in the area. So the market has a mixture of the bigs and independents. The metropolitan area's expanding potential is tied to the vitality of the central city, which is trying to attract businesses and spur the region's growth. The Detroit market is getting tighter but probably has not reached its saturation point. Besides the nine company representatives, interviewed for this story, other lawn care com-panies in the Detroit area in-clude: Bye & Associates Land-scape Co., Canton; Dun-Rite Ser-vice, Southgate; Combs Garden-ing Service, Detroit; Spearmans Snow and Lawn Service, Red-ford Township; T-M Landscape Co., Southgate; C & T Land-scaping, Wyandotte; Weed No More Lawn Spray, Southgate; Peterson Lawn & Land-scaping, Ypsilanti; Chem-Green Corp., Sterling Heights; Danan Lawn Care, Auburn Heights; Robert J. Hoffman Landscaping, Union Lake. A Mini-Computer He got into the business be-cause he liked the outdoors, but today he sprays one, maybe two, lawns a year. But Tom Brune, Atwood Lawnspray Service, Sterling Heights, isn't complaining one 
bit. His interests have moved in-doors somewhat to focus on his new Burroughs L-5 "mini-com-puter," which he says saved him substantial time and money last year, not to mention stream-lining his operation. Brune introduced the system last year for two reasons. First, his accounts receivable were out of control. Lawns were being sprayed when the customers were still past due on paying for their last application. Second, prior to installation of the computer, Brune's drivers had to handle paperwork after completing each job. Drivers had to fill out cards and invoices for 
each customer. Brune figured it took up to five minutes for each account and a lot of potential production time in the course of a day. "I don't make one dime until there is something coming out the business end of the sprayer," he said. "The computer gives my drivers more time to spray," he said. According to his computa-tions, the monthly payment for 
the computer is paid for by That was in 1966. Today he has about 1,300 accounts, five workers and four trucks. Also, he has three brothers in the same business. (See related story). "What I don't like most about the business, the bookwork, I don't have to worry about be-cause that is her business," he says. Brown's wife keeps the company books. Roy Simpson, Fertileze Lawn Spray, Madison Heights, is in a family business and wants to keep it that way. His father started the lawn spraying business, and Roy thinks that his son will continue 
it. "I don't want to get too big. I like a family-size business." Previously, Simpson sold of-fice supplies which prepared him for the office-work end of Roy Simpson could not afford to turn down 
overtime. Now I can set my own hours." French got into the business after seeing an ad in a trade magazine about lawn spraying 
equipment. "It was by accident that I got involved." He credits a lot of his busi-ness success to his wife, who handles the books for his com-pany. He has almost 1,000 ac-counts, operates three trucks and employs eight workers. A guitar and a 1950 flatbed truck started Al Brown's, Altop Lawnspraying Service, Sterling Heights, lawn spraying career. "I thought I would give it a try. So I bought a 1950 Ford flat-bed truck and traded an old guitar for a used tank and made a spray rig out of it," he says. Al Brown People From Detroit Sound Off For Nelson Schaller, the man-ager's position in ChemLawn Corp.'s Pontiac office gives him 
just what he wants Š a little bit of country and a chance to de-velop people's skills. TTie Ohio native, who grew up on a farm, says, "What I like most about my job is developing peo-
ple. I like to take a guy who does 
not know much about turf and 
show him what it is all about." Also, the job takes Schaller back to the country, which he prefers to urban living. His branch is located in a develop-ing rural area. "The most difficult part of the Nelson Schaller job is educating the customer. Getting their cooperation to just water their lawns is important. 
They think you have the miracle cure and they don't have to do anything," says Schaller, who joined the company in 1972. Getting renewal contracts back with the words "Thank you 
for your good service" written on them makes up for a lot of com-plaints, says Bill French, Down River Lawn Service, Inc., Tren-
ton. A 23-year veteran of lawn spraying, French does not regret leaving his factory job to start his business. "In the factory, I felt I Bill French Is Tom Brune's Latest Streamlining Effort Office worker Mary Lu Trombley types on a mini-computer keyboard. The computer has modernized Tom Brune's [below] lawn care operations. money saved in one week of computerized invoices. Operated by an office worker, the machine performs these functions: Ł It prints invoices, which the driver takes on his route. They don't need the standard route cards. Ł It will not issue an invoice for someone who has not paid for the last application. Brune calls it his "zero credit system," and he has cut his outstanding ac-counts 10 times what they used to be. Ł It posts payments to ac-counts when they are made. Ł It prints names and ad-dresses of customers who are 15 
days overdue on their bills. Ł It can keep a running sales total that lets Brune know where he is in terms of dollars coming in at any given time of the month. Ł It prints the labels for the annual renewal mailing. A job that used to take a month is now finished in two days, he says. The computer can also be programmed to handle payroll 
and expense bookkeeping, but Brune says he does need those services at present. He said the cost of the com-puter was $10,000, and that he spends $1,200 annually for a ser-vice contract. It has been very dependable. Besides saving time for book-keepers and drivers, the com-puter also has made it possible for Brune to expand without hir-
ing additional office help. He ad-ded 1,000 accounts to his existing 2,000 accounts this lawn care season by purchasing another company. He says the computer 
will pick up the additional ac-counting work. Brune became interested in lawn spraying while working for 
a Detroit-area landscaper and entered the business in 1970. Before the landscaping job, he was a high school social studies teacher in Akron, Ohio. While at the high school, the lawn sprayer was a football and cross country coach. Although he has left coaching, Brune still oozes with the enthusiasm of a coach. "I left teaching because I was dissatisfied with being indoors all day," he said. "I had worked summers in landscaping and lawn maintenance. But even though, today it is rare that I get out to do any troubleshooting or lawn spraying," he says. "Now I am more into stream-lining and management," he says. "I like this business because you can be your own 
boss. What I don't like is that the 
work is seasonal," he says. His streamlining movement has included customizing his ser-
vice vehicles and a daily cost analysis for every truck to see where the dollars are coming and going. The lean, ex-teacher started his business with a truck that he bought by trading in his used 
Volkswagen. Today he has five service vehicles and 13 em-ployes. "I don't want to become the K-Mart of lawn sprayers with a big business and bigger head-
aches," he says. Instead, Brune is satisfied to make a tidy profit and begin work on his next streamlining project. the business, but there is noth-ing to prepare a business for 
rises in fixed costs. "My number one complaint is that after you've set your prices in the spring there is an increase in gas or insurance," he says. Fertilize employs four full time workers and one part-time worker, uses three trucks and has 1,000 accounts. What irritates Jim Brown, Taylor Lawn Care, Romulus, the most is a dishonest worker. "I don't like it and get dis-appointed when I have a man who I think is a good worker but find out that he is stealing," he says. He likes the freedom the job offers. One of those freedoms is having time twice a week to ride the horses that he raises. Also, he Bob Brown likes seeing the faces of satisfied customers. He has six workers and two trucks. "Sometimes working in the pattern making shop, I would just get numb," says former-machin-ist Bob Brown, now owner of 
Michigan Lawn Spray Service, Sterling Heights. The dull six-day a week ma-chine job prompted Brown to look into something else Š the lawn spraying business, which gives him a chance to call his own shots. He has five workers, four ve-hicles and 1,300 accounts. One of 
his vehicles is a Suzuki Jeep, which he uses to spray city parks and baseball diamonds. It carries a 100-gallon tank and can cover an acre in three Jim Brown minutes, he says. Although it is limited to open spaces, it saves a 
lot of time. Art Brown, Great Lakes Lawn Spray, is one of the best jugglers around. On any given day, Brown keeps three businesses going at once. The pipe-smoking, brief-case carrying Farmington Hills businessman runs a lawn spray business, advertising business and a publishing business. "All 
of them are full time." "One of the reasons I like lawn spraying is that I like the smell of grass," he says with a smile. Prior to starting in lawn spraying, Brown was in adver-tising and publishing. "When you have good people working for you, it's possible," 
he says explaining how the busi-Art Brown nesses run all at once. His lawn spray business has five trucks, three workers and 800 to 1,000 ac-counts. A weekend mowing job and a love to work outdoors started Art Scheutzler on a 17-year career. He is the owner of Farm-ington Landscape Service and Supply, West Bloomfield, which has 200 to 250 accounts. About 70 percent of his accounts are resi-dential. He says he likes the work be-cause he makes a good living and gets outdoors. His services in-clude: lawn cutting, park cut-ting, gardening, shrub trimming, fertilizing, lawn spraying, weed control, dethatching, leaf clean-
up, snow removal, landscape construction and vacant lot clear-
ing. Art Scheutzler HOUSING Average price for new homes up $5,300 The average price of a new home rose to $58,400 in February from a revised $58,000 in January. A year ago, the average price was $53,100, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board reported recen-tiy. For existing homes, the average purchase price declined to $47,200 from January's revised $50,600, but was ahead of the year-earlier $45,900. MEETING DATES UNITE UNITE UNITE UNITE UNITE 
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UNITE TM makes pesticide-liquid fertilizer combinations mix and stay mixed for uniform trouble-free ap-plications. (TRY A LITTLE!) The totally new compatibility agent . . . THAT WORKS. S-Hopkins agricultural chemical co. Box 7532. Madison, Wl 53707 Call 608/222-0624 H-U-13 ProTurf Seminar, Tampa, Fla., April 25. Contact: (800) 543-0006. Southern California Turf and Landscape Institute, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif., April 26-27. Contact: Ed McNeill, SCTC, 1000 Concha St., Altadena, Calif. 91001, (213) 798-1715. ProTurf Seminar, Jacksonville, Fla., April 26. Contact: (800) 543-0006. ProTurf Seminar, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., April 27. Contact: (800) 543-0006. Seventh Annual Olds Turf School, Olds College, Olds, Alberta, Canada, May 5-6. Contact: Walter Gooder, Box 371, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2J6. Turf and Horticultural Workshops, Essex Agricultural and Technical Institute, Hathorne, Mass., May 9; Suburban Experiment Station, Waltnam, Mass., May 10; Worcester County Horticultural Hall, Worcester, Mass., May 11. Contact: Ronald Athanas, Middlesex County Extension Service, 105 Everett St., Concord, Mass. 01742. Texas A & M University Turfgrass Research Field Day, TAMU Turfgrass Field Lab, College Sta-tion, Texas, May 24. Contact: Dr. James B. Beard, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843, 713-845-1551. Arizona Horticultural Trade Show, Mountain Shadows Resort Hotel, Scottsdale, Ariz., June 8-10. Contact: Ms. Morgan Rayburn, AHTS, 326 W. Cambridge, Phoenix, Ariz. 85003, (602) 279-1445. Penn Allied Nursery Trade Show, Hershey Convention Center, Hershey, Pa., July 25-27. Contact: PNA, Inc., 169 W. High St., Carlisle, Pa. 17013, (717) 243-1786. Illinois Landscape Contractors Association Annual Summer Field Day, Stonegate Farm Nursery, Poplar Grove, 111., Aug. 2. Contact: Carole Rachesky, Box 484, Bloomingdale, 111. 60108, (312) 894-4774. Lawn, Garden, Outdoor Living Show, Division of National Hardware Show, McCormick Place, Chicago, Aug. 14-17. Contact: Charles Snitow, National Hardware Show, Inc., 331 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017, (212) 682-4802. Central Plains Turfgrass Association/Kansas State University Field Day, Kansas State Univer-sity, Manhattan, Kan., Aug. 23. Contact: Dr. Robert N. Carrow, Horticulture Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan. 66506, (913) 532-6170. Farwest Nursery Garden and Supply Show, Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Ore., Aug. 25-27. Con-tact: Carl Plog, Farwest Nursery Show, 224 S. W. Hamilton St., Portland, Ore. 97201, (503) 221-1182. Ohio Turf and Landscape Day, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, Ohio, Sept. 12. Contact: Edward H. Roche, OARDC, Wooster, Ohio 44691, (216) 264-1021. Virginia Turfgrass Field Days and Trade Show, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univer-sity, Blacksburg, Va., Sept. 12-14. Contact: Dr. John F. Shoulders, Department of Agronomy, 419 Smyth Hall, VPI Blacksburg, Va. 24061, (703) 951-5797. Pacific Horticultural Trade Show, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif., Sept. 20-22. Contact: Richard Staples, 1005 8th St., Suite 303, Sacramento, Calif. 95814, (916) 443-7373. Northwest Turfgrass Conference, Holiday Inn, Richland, Wash., Sept. 25-28. Contact: Dr. Roy L. Goss, Western Washington Research and Extension Center, Puyallup, Wash. 98371, (206) 845-6613. Fourth Annual Garden Industry of America Conference and Trade Show, Cincinnati Convention 
and Exposition Center, Sept. 29-Oct. 1. Contact: Paul Anderson, GIA, Box 1092, Minneapolis, 
Minn. 55440, (612) 374-5200. Central Plains Turfgrass Conference, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., Oct. 4-6. Con-tact: Dr. Robert N. Carrow, Horticulture Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan. 66506, (913) 532-6170. Professional Grounds Management Society Conference and Trade Show, Atkinson Hotel, In-dianapolis, Ind., Oct. 8-11. Contact: Allan Shulder, 19 Hawthorne Ave., Pikesville, Md. 21208, (301) 653-2742. 18th Annual Southern California Turf/Landscape Equipment and Materials Educational Exposi-tion, Orange County Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa, Calif., Oct. 18-19. Contact: Ed McNeill, SCTC, 1000 Concha St., Altadena, Calif. 91001, (213) 798-1715. Florida Nursery and Allied Trades Show, Curtis Hixon Convention Center, Tampa, Fla., Oct. 27-29. Contact: FNATS, Inc., 6535 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33600,(813) 626-4149. California Landscape Contractors Association Annual Convention, Hyatt Lake Tahoe Hotel, Lake Tahoe, Nev., Nov. 19-21. Contact: Mike Leeson, CLCA, 6252 E. Telegraph Rd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90040, (213) 728-CLCA. New Jersey Turfgrass Expo '78, Cherry Hill Hyatt House, Nov. 28-Dec. 1. Contact: Dr. Henry W. Indyk, Cook College, Rutgers University, P.O. Box 231, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903, (201) 932-9453. Associated Landscape Contractors of America Maintenance Symposium, San Jose Hyatt Hoi Nov. 29-Dec. 1, "Chemical Day," Nov. 30. Contact: Joe Marsh, Environmental Industries, Inc., Mabury Rd., San Jose, Calif. 95156, (408) 288-9770. House, 825 Circle 103 on free Information card LAWN TRACTORS frompagel the axle? If so, it probably won't offer the kind of positive han-dling or durability you may want. Is there a heavy-duty front axle that pivots? On some lawn tractors, the front axle may be made of ordinary channel iron or rod. And it may be attached to the frame at more than one point. Sounds okay until one wheel drops into an unseen hole and puts heavy stress on the frame. 
Serious stress may even cause 
misalignment of the engine and drive train. Welded steel frames provide strength and rigidity. Some lawn tractors are built around light gauge stamped steel frames that may bend or flex on rough terrain. A welded steel frame Hydrostatic transmis-sions help control machine forward and reverse movement without a lot of shifting and clutching. reduces flex and distortion to cradle the engine, transmission 
and drive train components. Take a good look at the draw-bar. Is it beefy? Strong enough to pull your attachments through thick underbrush or soggy top-soil? It should be. What about body and fenders? Are they made of fiberglass? Synthetic materials? 
Light gauge metal? Or heavy 
gauge steel? Examine the step plates. Are they big enough to let you get a good firm footing when you climb up to the driver's seat? In-line drive gets more power to the work. It won't do you a lot of good to have a big horse-power tractor if that power isn't transmitted to the gearbox. And that can occur on some brands that transmit power via a tangle of twisting, turning belts. Simply stated, each twist reduces ef-ficiency. Hydrostatic transmissions should make a tractor operate easier. A lot of tractor manufac-turers offer hydrostatic trans-missions to help you control machine forward and reverse movement without a lot of shift-ing and clutching. But some makes are still tough to operate. For example, to stop the move-ment of one manufacturer's trac-tor equipped with hydrostatic 
transmission, you must move a lever and then apply a brake. That takes a lot of eye, hand and foot coordination. Especially if 
you need to stop quickly. Is there a dual range trans-axle? Some tractors come with a single speed transaxle. Other brands offer a dual range trans-axle providing a much broader 
infinite speed range for work or transport. Choose high range for speed; low range for power. Is a Category "O" hitch im-portant? Some manufacturers provide a hitch that can be used only with their attachments. Others offer an A.S.A.E. Category "O" three-point hitch. That means it can be used with any Category "O" pull-behind implement. Will comfort vanish after an hour on the job? Does the seat 
move forward or back to accom-modate your personal needs? Are instruments, levers, and con-trols easy to see and use? Your ride should be an easy one if the seat is padded and adjustable. What about safety? Most manufacturers are concerned with your safety as well as your personal comfort. Many offer safety switches that prevent engine start-up unless both the 
mower and the drive train are disengaged and there is some-one in the driver's seat. Many also offer an engine cut-off switch that stops the engine when the driver leaves the seat. Things to look for in a quality mower. If you turn most lawn tractor mowing units upside down, you'll probably find three cutting blades arranged in a triangular configuration. One blade in front, followed by two others on the left and right. This 
configuration can cause "streak-
ing" Š strips of grass left uncut 
by many triangular-shaped mowers when making turns. Other units have all the blades "in-line," or side-by-side. This can allow for a shorter mower front-to-back, and 
because it is shorter, it follows ground contours to help eliminate scalping. Is it easy to lift and lower the mower? How do you raise and lower the mower (and other 
implements) on bigger tractors? Some units offer hydraulic im-plement lift controls, which 
make it easy to lift and lower the 
mower or other implements with fingertip control. Other points to watch out for include: The starter? Do you need front power take-off? Can implements run simultaneously yet independently? Do you prefer a side- or rear-discharge mower? Is changing attachments easy? For information on how to ob-tain further information on this subject, check the Products sec-tion of this issue. The LawnFeeder by Finn, sprays granular and liquid lawn II I* A / | 11 f*TC The breakthrough of the Finn LawnFeeder provides you, the lawn ^ x-r I'WJ Ł maintenance contractor, with a unique ability to spray dry granular lawn care products in slurry form along with other liquid products in one economical operation. Slow release,water insoluble, granular fertilizers can now be incorporated into your program without multiple applications to the turf. The LawnFeeder, uniquely engineered, incorporates mechanical paddle and slurry recirculating agitation and pumps the material through it's centrifugal pump. LawnFeeder Pinpoint Spray Control Granular Products Applied in Slurry Form Simple One-Man Operation Mechanical Agitation Centrifugal Pump All Steel Construction Hydraulicly Powered Drive Up to 300 Foot Hose 2525 DUCK CREEK RD Ł CINCINNATI, OHIO 45208 TOLL FREE 800-543-7166 Ł OHIO COLLECT 513-871-2529 COST CUTTINGS Depreciation ranges for equipment The federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) position on useful depreciation lives is set forth in its "asset depreciation system" (ADR). Most lawn care firms will want to use depreciation lives within these IRS rules to cut their tax costs, unless they are prepared to justify a different life on the basis of unique facts and circumstances. The concept of the ADR system, the American Association of Nurserymen reports, is that the IRS will not question depreciation lives within a range, published by the IRS on an industry-by-industry basis. The ADR system deals first with types of equipment used in all industries. It then prescribes an overall range which may be used for all other types of equipment used in a given industry. For most types, this in-cludes a "repair allowance" expressed as a percentage of cost. This represents a ceiling on annual repair costs if this allowance is elected, with any excess repair costs being capitalized. For example, for automobiles used in a business, the ADR is between 2Vi and 3V2 years, with an annual repair allowance of 16.5 percent of cost. For light trucks (under 13,-000 pounds unladen weight), the ADR is between three and five years, with an annual repair allowance of 16.5 percent of cost. For heavy trucks, the ADR is between five and seven years with annual repair allowance of 10 percent. For office 
furniture and furnishings, the ADR is between eight and 12 years with an annual repair allowance of two percent. For of-fice equipment, the ADR is between five and seven years with an annual repair allowance of 15 percent. PRODUCTS Rockland publishes fertilizer data sheet Rockland Chemical Co., Inc. has published a data sheet outlining availability of its professional turf fertilizers and fer-tilizer/pesticide combinations. The data sheet also explains the company's Twin-Win fertilizer, which contains two popular 
forms of water-insoluble nitrogen Š IBDU, manufactured by Swift Agricultural Chemicals Corp., and Nitroform, manufac-tured by Hercules, Inc. Circle 201 on free information card BRANNIN'S VEGETENDER a simple Sliding Motion is all it takes to cut weeds! Vegetender cuts weeds below ground level under any kind of mulch! REPORT FROM ATLANTA: Grounds Maintenance Magazine January-1978 "The piece of equipment drawing the biggest crowd was actually a new de-vice known as a Vegetender! It has proven superior to a hoe in that: Ł "It is Faster One operator on a Vegetender will do the work of 3 operators on hoes. Ł "It is Less Fatiguing. The operator on a Vegetender stands upright, while one on a hoe bends over. Ł It is More Versatile." the BRANNIN VEGETENDER is Distributed by IT A KUJAWA A =TI fNNcTERPRISES' 3630 East Munkwitz Ave Cudahy. Wl 53110 Circle 115 on free information card A new approach to applying herbicides A portable herbicide sprayer Š the HERBI Š has been intro-duced to the turf market by PBI/Gordon Corp. It is designed to help the lawn care business-men utilize herbicides effi-ciently. The unit's concept is 
based on ultra low volume con-trolled droplet application, which conserves water and chemicals and allows precise 
control of the spray pattern. The 
new sprayer permits a walking operator to apply an ultra low volume spray of uniform 250-micron droplets exactly on target, low to the ground, with lit-tle drift and greater penetration. Ideal for smaller problem areas and those inaccessible to cumbersome equipment, the unit gives a controllable four-foot, clean-cut swath Š close to trees and shrubbery Š and gives excellent control in wind. Uni-form droplet size is maintained by an atomizer in the spray head, powered by eight D-cell bat-teries that last for 100 hours of operation. Three nozzles permit the use of different solutions, emulsions and Š with a proper additive Š wettable powders. Fully self-contained, the Herbi 
weighs only 12 pounds loaded and treats 33,000 square feet or 
more at normal walking speed. The tank holds five pints. The sprayer is recommended for applying special herbicides in areas such as lawns, cemeteries, landscaped grounds of commer-
cial buildings, parks and other problem areas in turf having weed infestations not general for the area. Circle 202 on free information card Dust control in hydroseeded area Witco Chemical Corp. has published a detailed brochure on its Coherex dust retardant, which has uses in hydroseeding. The company said the dilution and application rate will vary ac-cording to type of soil and objec-tive. A 1:4 blend is used in most 
cases, with the application rates varying from one quarter to one gallon per square yard. For hydroseeding, the seeds are mixed with the dilution, and sprayed over the area at a rate of approximately one-half gallon 
per square yard. Circle 203 on free information card SPRAYERS Whether your needs are tor weed control, lawn insect or fungicide spraying, ornamental and shade tree spraying, or any general out-door work, we have the exact sprayer you require. Our reinforced fiberglass low profile tanks are available in the following sizes: 50, 100, split 100 (2 x 50), 200 and split 200 (2 x 100) gallon sizes. The reinforced fiberglass tanks are a low profile square design to minimize space, look attractive, and reduce chemical sloshing that you get in higher round style tanks. These tank sizes can be incorporated into many varieties of sprayers using Hypro, Bean, Cat or Sherwood pumps, either electric or gasoline powered. All our spray units come complete with tank, pump unit, welded steel chassis and hose reel, either skid or trailer mount. P.O. BOX 124 AMITYVILLE, ' cuTitl Cut your grass and cut your risks with Mott flail safe mowers. Under conditions wet or dry, Mott cuts and mulches everything from fine lawns to high weeds. Cutting widths from 38 to 88 inches and gangs to 19 feet. Mott mowers have Circle 104 on free information card RON GIFFEN "a BIG man in a BIG industry" Jfyou art a cLawn/Applicator~t I want to see you "Yes, I want to see you about Lescosan 4E (Betasan*) emulsion and why it is out-selling other pre-emergence crabgrass controls. I want to tell you how you can save by buying direct from the formu-lator, and all about its full-season control. Lescosan 
is very effective on all grasses and many ornamentals and ground covers. We can also supply it in 12.5 or 
3.6 granules. *(BetasanŠregistered TM of the Stauffer Chemical Company.) "I also want to tell you about the other fine LESCC? PRODUCTS, including LESCO Thirty-Six Sulfur-Coated Urea. "Call me on my toll-free wats line (1-800-321-5951) or write to me and I'll be in touch with you immediately. There is no obligation, of course." LESCf) PRODUCTS Div. Lakeshore Equipment & Supply Co 300 S. Abbe Road Elyria, Ohio 44035 A Family of Fine Products: Lescosan 12.5G Š Lescorene Š Lesco 4 Š Lescobor Š Lescopar Š Lescopex Š Lesco Non-Selective Herbicide Lesco MSMA Š Lesco Thiram 75W Š Lescozyme Š Lakeshore Chinch Bug & Sod Webworm Control Circle 108 on free Information card LAWN CARE INDUSTRY APR 1978 PRODUCTS Turf care equipment brochure from Ryan A free 12-page color brochure explaining in detail its line of turf care equipment is now avail-able from Ryan. Units featured include the company's core pro-cessor; Levellawn combination core rake and topdressing level-ler; Ren-O-Thin power rakes; sod cutters; and Tote Trailer de-signed specifically to transport the company's Jr. Sod Cutter. Circle 204 on free information card Level cutting on bumpy terrain The 832R, an eight-horsepower, front-engine rider with a 32-inch 
cutting width, has all the key 
components of Toro Co.'s more 
expensive premium front-engine riders, yet carries a suggested price of less than $1,000. The 1ash Heavy Duty Measuring Wheel Welded Construction Wide Wheel-VU" Used by one of the Largest Lawn Care Companies in the U.S.A.-Cushioned Handle Grip Metal Housed Veeder-Root Counter Easy Reset Counter Guard Great for Measuring Roads, Parking Lots, and Driveways . . . Custom Colors Available on Request (Lots of 25 or more Only) Shipping F.O.B. Columbus Quanity Discounts Available For More Information Call or Write: Imler Industries, Inc. 1117 Broadview Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43212 614/ 486-9068 Circle 102 on free information card company is offering a choice of two bagging attachments for the unit Š the Easy-Empty catcher 
introduced last year; and the new "Easy Fill" bagging attach-
ment which fills two standard-size 30 gallon plastic trash bags. Or, if the customer prefers, two 
nylon bags. Other features in-clude: heavy-duty, five-speed, in-line transaxle, for longer, trouble-free product life; fric-tion plate traction clutch, for ex-tended traction belt life and smoother start-up and oper-ation; and free-floating deck sus-
pension for level cutting, even on 
bumpy terrain. Circle 205 on free information card Lawn care programs outlined in booklet Hercules, Inc. has published "Lawns Stay Greener Longer", a booklet which outlines pro-fessional lawn care programs based on annual needs of vari-
ous turfgrasses in each climate throughout the country. The com-pany said that the compre-hensive, educational booklet is designed to provide pro-Snowco offers the oil around utility trailer line Model 20-005 with standard wheel covers Take your choice of eight flatbed trailers with loading ramps or tilt decks, plus a box bed trailer with tailgate. They're ideal for hauling grounds maintenance equipment and other bulky, hard-to-handle items. Three trailers with ramps; two with perforated steel decks, one with wooden deck. Capacities 1,150 and 2,100 pounds. Five trailers with perforated steel tilt decks. Capacities 1,000 to 3,500 pounds. One steel box bed trailer with optional canvas or fiberglass cover. Capacity 1,200 pounds. Name_ Firm _ Send Coupon Today Address. City MARKETING IDEA Should you accept credit cards? Should a lawn care businessman offer the availability and accept credit cards for payment of services performed? Rick Jesse, owner of Perma-Green, Chesterland, Ohio thinks so. Jesse views this as part of the marketing of his business. He announces on much of his literature that any of the major credit cards such as MasterCharge or BankAmericard will be accepted, and also mentions to his customers at the time of application. "People expect this kind of convenience now, and have grown accustomed to it by using credit cards for other ser-vices they receive," he recently told LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. The American Association of Nurserymen has reported a problem one of its members encountered with a partici-pating bank in a bank credit card program, that could have parallels in the lawn care industry. In this case, a nursery ac-cepted his customer's bank credit card as payment in ad-vance for a special order. The customer later cancelled the order. Subsequently, and without waiting to hear the nursery-men's side of the story, the customer's bank charged back the full amount of the purchase. Efforts by the nurseryman to resolve the dispute through his own bank were unsuccessful. One reason that Jesse has offered availability of payment through credit card is that he collects payment from his cus-tomers on the spot right after his lawn care application is 
complete. Often, customers do not have cash readily avail-
able, and he has found that they will use their credit card. If 
nobody is home, he of course bills the customer. fessional lawn care operators with information and guidelines on the use of "Nitroform" slow-
release nitrogen. Recognizing the growth potential for pro-fessional lawn services, the com-
pany offers "Powder Blue" nitro-gen for spray systems; and "Blue Chip" nitrogen for dry applica-tions. Both the powder and granular forms of Nitroform are slow-release nitrogen sources. They are released by soil bac-terial action for slow, depend-able feeding. When tempera-
tures are too high or too low for grass to grow, soil bacteria are dormant, assuring that Nitro-form will be released only when nitrogen is needed to keep lawns and shrubs healthy, the com-pany said. The booklet contains suggested rates and procedures 
for liquid and dry application systems, and includes tables that are helpful in determining the annual nitrogen requirements for four different growing zones. Circle 206 on free information card Booklet tells how to choose lawn tractor Lawn tractors differ consider-ably in size, price, utility fea-tures, quality, comfort and dependability. How does a lawn care businessman choose a new 
lawn tractor intelligently? What 
do you look for? How do you 
compare one brand against an-
other? To help the lawn care 
businessman make the right decision, Massey-Ferguson has 
prepared a new booklet entitled 
"Lawn and Garden Tractors Š 
How To Get The Most For Your Money". Circle 207 on free information card Model 20-002 with standard hub caps Snowco Division of Beatrice Foods Co. 4354 McKinley, Omaha, Nebr. 68112 Please send Utility Trailer Information _State_ Jp PRODUCTS Two-wheel tractors are convertible Gravely has introduced its new two-wheel convertible tractors. The units offer such features as: all-gear, two- and four-speed transmissions with instant forward/reverse in any gear; cast iron transmission housings; precision bearings; all-gear drive from engine through trans-
mission to attachments Š no. 
belts; two-wheel, walk or rise maneuverability; low center of gravity; all tractor controls at operator's position; and four-cycle cast iron engines with engine choices of eight, 10 or 12 horsepower. With over 20 attach-ments, the tractors power mowers for fine dawn mowing and trimming, as well as rough mowing, snow removal, plowing, 
light grading and hauling. Circle 208 on free information card 30-inch Turf Tender A new 30-inch Turf Tender to ap-ply granular fertilizers, pesti-cides, seed, or sand joins the Gandy Co. line of turf appli-cators. The rugged, all-metal, push-handle 30-inch model fea-MONEYWISE Franchisees told of pitfalls Persons who enter business by the franchise route have a better chance of survival than the average small businessman. But those contemplating a franchise should 
look carefully before they sign. That is the warning from two franchising experts who teach college and hold franchising seminars around the coun-
try. Many lawn care businesses are franchise operations, such as Lawn-a-Mat Chemical & Equipment Corp., Mineola, N.Y.; Lawn Doctor, Wickatunck, N.J.; Lawn King, Fairfield, 
N.J.; Lawn Medic, Rochester, N.Y.; and A-Perm-o-Green Lawn, Inc., Austin, Texas, among many others. Alfred J. Modica and David Seltz urge those interested in owning a franchise to examine the record of the franchiser and interview several persons it has already franchised. "Ask 
for a list of franchises," says Modica, who teaches at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., "and select some at random to 
visit on your own." Successful franchisers have well-developed and effective marketing and training programs, Modica said. He advised potential franchisees to meet the firm's marketing and train-ing people before they sign a contract. "These firms have 
management, technical and training manuals that give details of the standard operating procedure of the firm. Don't sign up on the spur of the moment. Get competent legal counsel to look over the contract before you sign." Potential franchisees, he said, should stay away from "own-your-own-business" shows, and should watch out for 
fad businesses and pyramid schemes. "Look at the firm's 
financial statements and see where it is deriving its income," he said. If the income comes mainly from the sale of franchises and not from its products or services, that is a 
tipoff that a pyramid scheme is involved. Many businesses fail because they are undercapitalized, Modica said. A beginning franchisee should have personal funds to sustain him for at least six months in business in ad-dition to the franchising fee he pays initially. Lawn care franchises range from $7,000 to $25,000, and some above and below those figures. Modica warns that at 
least 50 percent of the total investment should be the 
franchisee's own money. Persons who go into business for themselves are making an investment and should know how to evaluate that investment properly. "You shouldn't just be buying a job," Modica said. "Your return on investment should be at least 11 percent." Other vital factors in the success of an enterprise are location and kind of patronage expected. "You should have a business where the customer keeps coming back Š not just a one-time sale," he said. But someone who takes the time and effort to investigate before leaping into a franchise has a greater chance at 
success than most new businessmen. Modica said about 94 percent of new small businesses fail within the first two 
years. The rate of franchises failing is only about six to eight 
percent, he noted. tures a snap off stainless steel hopper bottom and rate control 
slide. Bottom and slide are micro-precision mated at the fac-tory for uniform openings and uniform application at all gauge settings. Set the cam gauge from Kubota introduces new diesel tractor Kubota Tractor Corp. introduces a new model tractor, the L295DT, which offers four-wheel drive, along with 30 horsepower, three-cylinder, water-cooled diesel engine as standard features. This the rate chart provided, open the rate control slide with the handle-mounted control lever, and apply. The hopper has an approximate 100-pound granu-
lar capacity. Two tri-bar rotors distribute materials evenly to all openings. The 12-inch molded wheels have rubber-tired rims. 
For easy cleaning, the Turf Ten-der disassembles without tools. Unsnap the hopper bottom, 
loosen the end wing nuts and all parts can be quickly wiped 
clean. Circle 209 on free information card new tractor was built to be used for regular commercial land-scaping and offers additional standard features such as eight forward speeds, front and rear power take-off, constant mesh gears for easy shifting, power hydraulic lift with convenient position, auxiliary hydraulic tap, 
differential lock for extra trac-tion when it is needed, and in-dependent wet disc brakes that resist wear. Circle 210 on free information card Custom Designed Truck Units & Hose Reels Choice of tanks, size & material Tank mounted 1" from truck frame for low center of gravity. Mechanical or pressure agitation. Power rewind reels. Will build one piece or complete truck to your specification. CONSOLIDATED SERVICES 401 S. College St. Piqua, Ohio 45356 513-773-3109 Circle 129 on free information cara DERBY TILLER-POWER HOE THATCHES & AERATES LAWNS Cuts neat borders around shrubs Š Tills soil for re-planting patches of old grass Š Power churns fertil-izers into soil Š Weeds flower beds and decorative plantings of shrubs Š Weighs 17 lbs., EASY TO USE. jy1 Patch Reseeding Not in Stores ... We sell factory direct to save you money. Built for rugged use. Good engineering + simple design = low price. American made, gasoline powered, work tested for 10 years by truck farmers, nursery-men and gardeners. Derby Tiller-Power Hoe aerates or thatches 20 x 40 ft. section in five minutes or less. Has precise depth control, weeds 1 to 3 inches deep. High speed tines break ground for planting, tills 6 to 8 inches deep, power churns 
soil into finely granulated loam ... Tills 9 in-ches wide. Powered by rugged 1 hp engine, easy to start ... fun to run ... women & children can operate it safely ... you guide it single handed ,.. doesn't tire you out. .. weighs 17 
lbs. Makes easy work of hard chores. Built by Co. with 50 years experience in the 
manufacture of tough dependable gardening tools. jsps Aerates & Thatches Weeds Small Spaces Service agents in your area, fully guaranteed ... your money back if not satisfied ... for full information plus free gardening guide write or call ... DERBY TILLER CO. P.O. BOX 21 RUMSON, N.J. 07760 STREET CITY_ Orders accepted by phone Mon.-Sat. 9 to 5, Call (201) 741-0601. Circle 114 on free information card PRODUCTS 500-gallon spray tank brochure is available A free illustrated brochure is available on new 300-, 400- or 500-gallon spray tanks manu-factured by Ag-Chem Equip-ment Co., Inc. The 300-gallon tank is polymer, the 400-gallon tank is either polymer or stain-less steel and the 500-gallon tank is stainless steel. All tanks fea-ture large fill holes, anti-splash lids and full length stainless steel sparger for "bottom sweep" 
agitation of chemicals. Large gathering sump assures com-plete emptying of valuable chemicals. Polymer tanks have a two-year guarantee and resist punctures and cracking. Circle 211 on free information card Information published on soil fumigants Great Lakes Chemical Corp. has published data sheets on its 
Bromo-O-Gas, a multi-purpose soil fumigant for use on lawns, nurseries and ornamental nur-series. It is effective in controll-ing nematodes, soilborne dis-eases and various weed seeds. Circle 212 on free information card 1,600-2,000 gallon spray tanks available Raven Industries, Inc. is now 
manufacturing a new line of 1,-600 to 2,000 gallon applicator, nurse and storage tanks. The tanks are constructed of fiber-glass for maximum chemical and corrosion resistance. Fittings and 
accessories are also available. Circle 213 on free information card NEXT MONTH Vargas Bredeson Weaver Hillman The May issue of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY will feature ... Dr. Joe Vargas of Michigan State 
University on turf disease identi-
fication; Joe Bredeson of Swift Agricultural Chemicals Co. on the growth of the lawn care in-dustry; Gary Weaver and Gary 
Hillman of Turf Gard Co., Troy, Ohio explaining the problems they went through establishing their two-year-old lawn care 
business; a profile of the lawn care market in Los Angeles and much, much more. The June 
issue will feature Cleveland in 
Marketplace, and the July issue will feature Denver. THE NEW FROM BILLY GOAT A multi-purpose, outdoor-industry aid BiLLV GOAT INDUSTRIES INC it fc i IMl I Ask us for a demonstration P.O. Box 308, 1803 Jefferson Lee's Summit, Missouri 64063 Ł Phone: (816) 524-9666 Circle 107 on free information card TOOLSpTIPS & TECHNIQUES How much nitrogen? The amount of nitrogen needed annually depends on the grass, on the rainfall and/or irrigation and on the growing season. Agronomists for Hercules, Inc., Wilmington, Del., have put together a compilation of suggested annual nitrogen rates for various grasses and regions. Zone I consists of areas of the country where the growing season is the longest. This would be Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arizona; the southern tips of South Carolina and California; the southern halves of Georgia, Alabama and Mis-sissippi and Texas. In this area, bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysia, bahiagrass, centipedegrass and ryegrass are recommended to receive between two and 16 pounds of nitrogen per thousand square feet a year. Hybrid bermudagrass and dichondra re-ceives between six and 20 pounds of nitrogen per thousand square feet. For Zone II, which is comprised of the middle states or temperate zones, common bluegrass varieties are recom-mended to receive about three to five pounds of nitrogen, im-proved bluegrass cultivars between four and eight pounds 
of nitrogen, common and improved fescues between two and four pounds of nitrogen, and improved perennial ryes be-tween four and five pounds of nitrogen. In the Midwest and Great Lakes region (Zone III), com-mon bluegrass varieties are recommended to receive be-tween two and three pounds of nitrogen, improved bluegrass cultivars between four and six pounds of nitrogen, common and improved fescues between two and four pounds of nitro-gen, improved perennial ryes between three and four pounds of nitrogen and bentgrasses between six and 10 pounds of nitrogen. In the northern border states and Canada (Zone IV), com-mon bluegrass varieties are recommended to receive bet-ween two and three pounds of nitrogen, improved bluegrass cultivars between four and six pounds of nitrogen, common and improved fescues between two and four pounds of 
nitrogen, improved perennial ryes between two and three pounds of nitrogen and bentgrasses between six and eight pounds of nitrogen. Middle states would include the northern halves of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, New Mex-
ico, Arizona; all of North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee; mid-Cali-fornia; and the southern halves of New Jersey, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah and Nevada. States in the Midwest region would include Massachu-setts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Ohio, In-dians, Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Oregon; the southern portions of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Mon-tana and Idaho; and the northern portions of New Jersey, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California. Zone IV would include northern portions of Maine, Ver-mont, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana and Idaho; all of North Dakota and Washington; and south-
ern Canada. Hercules recommends that lawn care business-men consult local university or extension turf specialists 
when in doubt. Copies of this information have been made available through the Products section of this issue of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. "Handles like a breeze. works up a storm1" SPECIFICATIONS 8 HP Model BL-81 Ł 8 HP Briggs & Stratton, ball-bearing 4-cycle gas engine Ł Weight: 105 lbs. Ł Ship weight: 110 lbs. Ł Rear wheels 10" diam. Ł Front wheels 5" diam. Ł Shipped assembled in one carton Our new BL-81 Blower handles like a breeze. We've made sure of that by giving it Zedron® pneumatic rear tires, steel front wheels, an easy-grip handle throttle and a compact, fold-down handle. But that's ALL it does like a breeze. When it comes to power, the BL-81 will blow your toughest job problem into next week! Its 8 HP Briggs & Stratton engine and aerodynamically designed fan will clean littered landscapes or blow-dry hard surfaces like streets, parking lots and tennis courts by the time other models are needing their second wind! And it will push debris where you tell it to with an adjustable front or side exhaust system. n Lets get down to grass facts! Average business increase 25% 1976 vs. 1975. More than 8,000 businesses have emerged Š almost over night Š to serve the wants and needs of the 45 million home owners in the residential turf and ornamental market. Last year these businesses served over 4 million accounts, produced $1.25 billion in receipts and a 25% growth. These facts make it clear that chemical lawn care and maintenance services are booming businesses today... and have just scratched the surface of the huge residential market. If you've Housing starts on the upswing in 1977. been trying to sell this emerging service industry, we don't have to tell you how difficult it's been to reach. Now at last there is a magazine that delivers this exclusive audience. Now for the first time you can communicate with this growth market. Now you can match your message to the market. L4WN ORE NDUSTKY A Harvest business publication. lawn care...the growingest market Don't let insects make your turf a jungle* DURSBAN ŁWSJ For less money than any other major turf insec-ticide, DURSBAN* brand insecticides can p^JjjW keep more than a dozen insect pests from turning healthy turf into a teem-»n9 insect jungle. Chinch bugs, S0C' wedworrTIS' You name it. If it's a major turf insect problem, MIPP^ I DURSBAN 2E or more concen-SPFETRATED DURSBAN 4E probably controls it. Economically. Just Ip&l/ one application of either pro-p- W^i^^A duct Prov»des several weeks of r'4fl e^ect've residual insect control. a J ^^W&M- ^J Simply mix with water and spray. jmi* Simply mix with water and spray. ŁL Or call one of our selected custom formulators, and apply a DURSBAN granular formulation straight or in a dry fertilizer mixture. Life is a big enough jungle without insects tearing up your turf. So for broad-spectrum insect pest control at a very low cost, make DURSBAN insecticides part of your turf program. Just read and follow all label directions and pre-cautions. Agricultural Products Department, Midland, Michigan 48640. DOW CHEMICAL U.S.A. ^Trademark of The Do* Chemical Company BEHIND THIS ISSUE No matter where we go, we get requests from lawn care businessmen who want to know when the next turf conference, business meeting or seminar is being held in their area. You will notice that on page 14 of this issue, we have introduced an expan-ded Meeting Dates section to keep our readers up on what is happening in the way of educational meetings for the lawn care industry. In addition, the smart companies in the industry like Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Hercules, Northrup King, Swift, O.M. Scott & Sons, Finn Equipment and many, many others are putting on their own individual seminars for lawn care businessmen and other turf professionals around the country. Even though we have expanded our Meeting Dates section, we often can't print all that is going on. If you have a question about what is coming to your area, just give us a call and we'll put you in touch with the right people. CLASSIFIED HELP WANTED LANDSCAPE Š LAWN CARE. Es-timatorŠsalesman. Opportunity for advancement with established firm 
offering landscape and turf care ser-
vices. Salary ana liberal fringes. Ex-perience in direct selling and job 
cost estimating essential. Send 
resume to: Jeff Kahnke, Vice Presi-
dent, Tree Service, Inc., 6000 West 78th Street, Edina, Minnesota 55435. USED EQUIPMENT When answering ads where box number only is given, please address as follows: Box number, c/o LAWN CARE IN-DUSTRY, Dorothy Lowe, Box 6951. Cleveland, Ohio 44101. Rates: 35c a word for line ads, 65c a word for display ads. Box numbers add $1 for mailing. All classified ads must be received by the publisher before the 10th of the month preceding publication and be accompanied by casn or money order 
covering full payment. Mail aa copy to Dorothy Lowe, LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, Box 6951, Cleveland, 
Ohio 44101. FOR SALE: 1976 GMC lVa ton spray truck w/1000 gallon tank, Meyers multistage pump, hose, and nose reel. This truck with only 13,000 miles on it is in excellent condition and ready to spray! For details call 217 529-5692. FOR SALE LAWN-GARDEN-FEED STORE. Grossing $300,000.00 yearly. Sales, service, parts. Excellent location, east of Cleveland, Ohio. Business 
only $40,000.00. plus inventory of ap-proximately $60,000.00. Send in-quiries to Box 4, Lawn Care Industry, Box 6951, Cleveland, Ohio 44101. FOR SALE: Custom lawn combine. Excellent condition, stainless steel construction. Aerates, rolls, seeds, fertilizes and sprays from 50-gallon tank. Combine comes with custom transport trailer. Combine Š $2,800. Trailer Š $1,200. Call: 914 634-8444. WANT TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD IN LAWN CARE INDUSTRY? Write: Dorothy Lowe LAWN CARE INDUSTRY BOX 6951 Cleveland, OH 44101 1977 1 TON SPRAY TRUCK, 700 gallon bean piston pump, 7000 miles. Call 614 837-8992. you can depend on Glade to germinate quickly, establish fast. Forms a thick rhizome and root 
system, dense, low-growing, fine-textured turf 
of medium to deep green in color. Glade Kentucky bluegrass has proven resis-tance to many troublesome diseases including stripe smut and leaf rust. Better than average resistance to today's Fusarium blight has made 
Glade a vital fortifying ingredient in many pro-fessional turf grass mixtures. A higher level of resistance to powdery mildew in moderate shade. A Rutgers University selection (tested as P-29), Glade Kentucky bluegrass is your guarantee of 
physically pure and genetically true seed. 
Specify the sun-n-shade elite Glade Kentucky bluegrass seed for your next lawn seed mix, available at your local wholesale seed distributor. Circle 110 on free information card LAWN CARE INDUSTRY APR 1978 23 Having genuine Jacobsen parts in stock makes sense. Having 3,200 different types of parts makes news. The average Jacobsen distributor carries about 3,200 different kinds of genuine Jacobsen replacement parts in stock at all times. That's one heck of a lot of parts. But when a piece of equipment 
goes down, you want it back in 
action fast. Aid with genuine parts because they're made to fit and work perfectly. So a big selection is important. If you do a lot of your own equipment maintenance and 
repair, this is just one reason to go with Jacobsen. Here's another. Your Jacobsen distributor can even help you set up your own 
inventory of most likely used 
parts. Which can speed up repairs 
even more. If you don't do much maintenance yourself, it's good to know your Jacobsen distributor has plenty of parts, plus trained 
mechanics who specialize in servicing Jacobsen equipment. Either way, you're ahead of the game with Jacobsen. Good 
equipment to start with. A distributor who stands 
behind your equipment with a large supply of genuine parts. And the Jacobsen factory squarely behind the distributor. Just so you always get the same fine performance you expect with equipment that has the name Jacobsen on it. It isn't hard to find a good argument for going with Jacobsen. There are 3,200 of them in the parts department alone. AeX* \AX> Jacobsen Manufacturing Company. Racine. Wisconsin 53403 An Allegheny Ludlum Industries Company