ASSOCIATIONS PLCAA plans fall lawn care meeting The board of directors of the Pro-fessional Lawn Care Association of America met last month and began planning for an associa-tion annual meeting to be held later this year. The PLCAA also hopes to sponsor an annual con-ference and trade show. John Latting, PLCAA secretary-treasurer and presi-dent of Lawn Groomer, Normal, 111., was named chairman of the conference planning committee. Although no definite dates have been set, PLCAA board members 
favor dates in November in a midwestern location such as 
Louisville, Kentucky. Jerry Faulring, PLCAA presi-dent/told LAWN CARE IN-DUSTRY: "The theme of the event has been tentatively es-tablished to be one of strong emphasis on business manage-ment with lesser emphasis on 
agronomic issues. "We do not want to conflict with any existing, successful regional conference as that would only serve to antagonize and diminish our potential draw," he said. Faulring also said that the re-cently advertised First National 
Lawn Care Business Conference and Trade Show scheduled for March 16-19 in Milwaukee is not "affiliated with the Professional 
Lawn Care Association of America. We are certainly not against it, but many people have indicated to me that they thought it was affiliated with PLCAA, 
and that is not the case. It should not be confused with our event planned for later in the year." The board also accepted the resignation from the board of David Murphy of Green Valley Co., Shawnee Mission, Kans., because of personal time restric-tions. Nominated to replace Murphy was Dr. Robert Miller of ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Miller accepted the board's nomination and is now an active member of the PLCAA 
board. The PLCAA board also started plans to form a technical advisory group to the lawn care 
industry consisting of of mem-
bers of the turf educational com-munities at state land-grant universities. INDUSTRY COMMENT Spring influx of amateur 'lawn experts' threat to industry 
credibility, Lawn-A-Mat exec says by Stanley L. Weber, general manager, Lawn-A-Mat Chemical & Equipment Corp., Westbury, N.Y. Along with the first robins, lawn care businessmen this spring will probably see the return of another, less pleasing seasonal species . . . the newly hatched lawn care "expert". Unusually large flocks of these creatures will suddenly appear 
in most areas, stimulated by in-
flation, general economic uncertainty and the anticipated 
recession. Like in 1969-70 and 1973-74, the environmental con-ditions are ideal for their 
resurgence in force. WWN j Serving lawn maintenance Ł M^kK^Jmam and chemical lawn [ care professionals. INDUSTRY JANUARY 1980 Ł VOL. 4, NO. 1 Ł A Harvest Publication PULSE REPORTS LCI Survey charts third quarter buying More than 95 percent of respon-dents to a recent survey con-ducted by LAWN CARE IN-DUSTRY said they spent an average of $2,168 apiece on turf fertilizer during the third quar-ter of last year Š the months of July, August and September. Results for this third quarter "pulse report" are based upon figures submitted anonymously by 159 respondents. This repre-
sents a 43 percent response to questionnaires mailed to readers 
of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, ac-cording to LCI market research manager Clarence Arnold. The results in this fertilizer category would project to $19.4 million worth of purchases by the total readership of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, Arnold said. In the pre-emergence herbi-cide category, 32.7 percent of the respondents said they purchased 
an average of $849 worth of pro-QUICK STARTS Will economy affect mowing/maintenance? page 2 Spray machine cuts work time in half page 8 Guide to diagnosing ornamental problems page 18 Turf color ratings in drought periods page 27 Planning the mower/tractor purchase page 14 The advantages of fluid lime MEMOS 2 MEETING DATES 4 NEWSMAKERS 6 COST CUTTINGS 21 MARKETING IDEA FILE 23 TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES 25 PRODUCTS 24 duct, for a readership projection of $2.6 million during the third quarter of last year. In the post-emergence herbi-cide category, 50.9 percent of the respondents said they purchased an average of $660 worth of pro-duct, for a readership projection 
of $3.2 million. In the fungicide category, 37.7 percent of the respondents said they purchased an average of $637 worth of product, for a read-ership projection of $2.3 million. In the turf insecticide category, 42.8 percent of respondents said they purchased an average of $1,-261 worth of product, for a read-ership projection of $5.1 million. In the tree insecticide cate-gory, 46.5 percent of the respon-dents said they purchased an 
average of $534 worth of product, for a readership projection of $2.3 million. In the grass seed category, 59.7 percent of the respondents said they purchased an average of $1,-849 worth of product, for a read-ership projection of $10 million. In the soil amendment cate-gory, 35.8 percent of the respon-If the economy slows down and inflation and soaring energy costs continue, many hard-pressed individuals will try their luck with their own lawn care businesses, part- or full-time. The reasons are obvious. One the surface, they make sense to 
someone in a financial bind who is seeking to generate much needed income . . . quickly. The capital investment seems deceptively low. Almost any motor vehicle that can pull a second-hand trailer will fill the bill. A manual spreader and some hand tools are all that are needed (or so it seems) and the 
new "expert" may already have them if he's the handy type. Signing up the first few customers is usually not much of 
a problem either. Spreading the word through friends, neighbors, relatives and the community grapevine can be counted on to produce a certain amount of 
"sympathy" business, particu-
larly during the first mellow days 
of early spring. Underpricing. Overhead is low. The home telephone and garage will doo. Licensing and accreditation requirements are 
usually ignored or are unknown (o page 26 dents said they purchased an average of $3,220 worth of pro-duct, for a readership projection of $11 million. In the less than 10 h.p. tractor category, 7.6 percent of the 
respondents said they purchased 
an average of $4,352 worth of 
equipment, for a readership pro-jection of $3.1 million. In the 10-20 h.p. tractor cate-gory, 11.9 percent of the respon-dents said they purchased an 
average of $5,217 worth of equip-ment, for a readership projection of $5.8 million. In the self-propelled rotary mower category, 29.6 percent of the respondents said they pur-chased an average of $1,934 
worth of equipment, for a read-ership projection of $5.4 million. In the irrigation sprinkler cate-gory, 25.8 percent of the respon-dents said they purchased an average of $3,707 worth of equip-
ment, for a readership projection 
of $9 million. For further information on other categories of purchases, contact Arnold at 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44102. Third quarter buying % of sample making purchase average purchase projection to LCI readership Turf fertilizer 95.2% $2,168 $19,400,000 Post-emergence herbicides 50.9 660 3,200,000 Fungicides 37.7 637 2,300,000 For a look at LAWN CARE INDUSTRY'S second annual listing of , see INSIDE THE IN-f[ series of indepth looks at ems the lawn care busi-for this feature have been Insecticides 42.8 1,261 5,100,000 Iti HQ-9NISNV1 iSVi 9Q18 IDS II OS 602 AINfì 31V1S NV9IHDIW 3»3ia mvd da -8¿E-iIQ3 3d -SN-222EE92dJId Seed 59.7 1,849 10,000,000 10-20 h.p. tractors 11.9 5,217 5,800,000 Source: LCI third quarter pulse report. 1979 2 < >< oc H C/3 D Q 2 Cd oc < u 2 £ < j HERSHEY Pennsylvania turf conference to feature lawn sessions A seven-person panel discussion focusing on "Starting and Staying in the Lawn Care Business" will highlight the 1980 Pennsylvania Turfgrass Conference, February 26-29, at the Hershey Motor Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, Pa. David Hoffacre, president of Spray-A-Lawn, Pittsburgh, Pa., will discuss advertising methods; 
Philip Catron, regional agrono-mist for ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio, will speak on product selection; and Dan Moreland, assistant editor of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY magazine, will discuss goofs to avoid in the lawn care business. Other panel speakers include Robert Coyner, vice-president of sales for Pascoe Equipment Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.; Gregory Richards, of Professional Turf Operations, Gaithesburg, Md.; and Jim Kelly, general manager of Keystone Lawn Spray, Wayne, 
Pa. A number of professional lawn service sessions will be con-ducted at the conference in-cluding a discussion of miracle products by Dr. Herbert Cole, Jr., of Pennsylvania State Univer-
sity, and a speech about how to handle chemical spills by Dr. Win Hock, extension pesticides specialist at the university. Nineteen-eighty will also be the first year a trade show will be conducted in conjunction with the conference which is being sponsored by the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Conference and Penn-sylvania State University. For further information con-tact Christine E. King, Pennsyl-vania Turfgrass Council, 412 Blanchard St., Bellefonte, PA 16823, 814-355-7652. DISTRIBUTION Rain Bird opens Florida facility A new office and warehouse facility utilizing an on-line com-puter system to expedite equip-ment orders to the eastern U.S. was opened recently in Tampa, Fla. by Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. 
Corp., Glendora, Calif. The direct hook-up with Rain Bird's computer at California headquarters allows the Florida distribution center to immedi-ately transmit all order entry information directly to the fac-tory. The Tampa facility services states east of the Mississippi River. L4WN GIRE INDUSTRY Editor/Associate Publisher: ROBERT EARLEY Technical Editor: RON MORRIS Assistant Editor: DAN MORELAND Graphic Director: RAYMOND GIBSON Publishing Director: RICHARD J. W. FOSTER Research Services: CLARENCE ARNOLD Advertising Production: CHRIS SIMKO Editorial Secretary: JEANNIE SUTTON MARKETING/SALES Circulation & List Rental: SHARON JONES (216) 651-5500 Marketing & Merchandising Services: FRAN FRANZAK (216) 651-5500 
New York Office: BRIAN HARRIS (212) 421-1350 757 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Midwest Office: JOE GUARISE, JEFF DREAZEN (312) 236-9425 333 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60601 Southern Office: DICK GORE (404) 233-1817 3091 Maple Dr., Atlanta, Ga. 30305 Northwest Office: BOB MIEROW (206) 363-2864 1333 N.W. Norcross, Seattle, WA 98177 Classified: DOROTHY LOWE (216) 651-5500 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102 CORPORATE OFFICERS Chairman: JAMES MILHOLLAND JR. President: HUGH CHRONISTER 
Senior Vice President: BERNIE KRZYS 
Senior Vice President: DAYTON MATLICK Vice President: CHARLES QUINDLEN LAWN CARE INDUSTRY is published every month by The Har-vest Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. at 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102 (216) 651-5500. Copyright ' 1980 by The Harvest Publishing Comnany. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be repro-duced either in whole or in part without consent of copyright 
owner. Controlled circulation postage paid at Cleveland, Onio. HARVEST 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, $23.00 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 should be sent promptly, 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. ŁŁŁ MEMOS Pesticide market figures: The U.S. Census Bureau recently published data from a preliminary report based on 1977 figures for value of pesticide shipments at the manufacturer's level. Value of total insecticide shipments was pegged at $800 million; value of total herbicide shipments was pegged at $1.156 billion; and value of fungicide shipments was pegged at $217 million. The largest percentage of these figures would 
of course be for agricultural markets in the U.S. Toro's Barefoot into mowing/maintenance? When The Toro Co., Minneapolis, acquired Barefoot Grass Lawn Service, 
Columbus, Ohio, last year, some lawn care businessmen felt that the company would move towards offering complete 
mowing/maintenance lawn care along with its granular chemical lawn care program. This will never happen, many others feel. The reason? As one competing lawn care businessman said: "If Toro would get into complete mowing/maintenance you would find its dealers who handle consumer mowers and tractors up in arms. The dealers would never stand for Toro trying to push a mowing/maintenance service on one hand, and then trying to sell the same audience mowers and tractors on the other hand." But the same businessman feels that it would not be il-logical for Toro's Barefoot to become involved in offering a 
commercial mowing/maintenance service, much like ChemLawn Corp.'s Commercial Maintenance Division 
operating in a handful of cities. Oregon field burning: Agreement has been reached be-tween Oregon grass seed growers and officials of the city of Eugene on field burning proposals, according to a recent arti-cle in the Portland Commercial Review. The issue said the Oregon seed industry and officials of the city of Eugene presented a joint proposal to Oregon's Environmental Quality Commission, which was promptly accepted. The proposal involves use of various field burning techni-ques, depending on weather conditions. Use of these techni-ques is expected to allow grass seed growers to burn their fields without polluting the air of Eugene. Limits on the num-ber of acres to be burned will be lifted under the agreement. The agreement came about because early in August, Oregon Governor Victor Atiyeh issued an executive order 
allowing up to 180,000 acres to be burned this year. The order also required the Environmental Quality Commission to adopt smoke regulations which would determine when and how the field could be burned. The order did not guarantee that 180,000 would be burned, however. The actual number of acres burned will depend on the weather and on implementation of a smoke management plan, the article said. It was estimated at the time of the arti-cle (September 18) that 160,000 acres had been burned in the Willamette Valley. Other fields at the time of the article were still too wet to be burned. A good field burn is necessary for optimum seed yields, grass seed company executives say. Will economy affect mowing/maintenance? Almost all econ-omists, government officials and business executives anti-cipate at least a modest recession at some point. But when? Economists believe the recession may have started as far back as April and that, in any event, it will become evident in the current quarter. Most business managers, however, can-not yet find cyclical decline in activity. Neither can the sensitive statistics that foreshadow im-pending changes in business conditions. If the leading in-dicators are interpreted strictly, not only is the United States not in a recession now, and was not in a decline for the fourth quarter of last year. Michael E. Levy, director of economic policy research for the Conference Board, states in Business Week that "The economy is still advancing sluggishly but without serious im-balances in real output." But even those economists who hold to the view that the economy is still moving upward are ready to jump ship soon. Notes Levy: "Persistently high inflation rates, a fragile finan-cial system and the monetary restraint initiated by the Federal Reserve in October have made a 1980 recession unavoidable." One Midwest mowing/maintenance businessman asks "are we vulnerable?" and then answers his own question by say-ing" "The only good thing about bad financial times is that the hand-to-mouth maintenance operations will fall by the wayside. Some of my top accounts might cut back on some of their maintenance budgeting, but for the most part, I'm not going to lose any of my major accounts. But when the econ-omy goes back up again, you will find the fly-by-nighters back in the picture." WIPE OUT GRUB PROBLEMS WITH PRQXOL. Proxol 80 SP I I INSECTICIDE Grubs are of increasing concern. Many entomologists agree infes-tations are on the rise. Grubs can and will attack customer turf and reduce the benefits of your lawn care program. Your profits and reputation are on the line. Protect your reputation, and customer turf, with a grub control pro-gram using Proxol 80 SP insecticide. Long used by golf course super-intendents, whose requirements are often very demanding, Proxol has recently become available to the lawn care industry. Proxol has a proven performance record for controlling grubs...and other common lawn pests: sod webworm, cutworm, and armyworm. Fast acting Proxol stops pests before damage starts. It controls grubs on contact. Unlike other insecticides that have been shown to tie-up in thatch, Proxol penetrates thatch readily and works effectively at the site of larval activity. You'll like the way Proxol fits into your lawn care program. It's highly soluble in water, easily applied with conventional ground equipment, and can be tank mixed with other non-alkaline pesticides. Low effective rates offer economy. And Proxol won't persist in the environment. Proxol helps you protect your customer's investment in your quality lawn care program. And protects your reputation, too. Acti-dione": Programed turf disease care is prevention of damage...not a cure. Acti-dione is a proven broad spectrum fungicide to help you stop turf disease problems before they start. We'll be glad to send more information. CALL THIS NUMBER TOLL-FREE FOR PRODUCT AVAILABILITY AND INFORMATION: OUTSIDE MICHIGAN 1-800-253-8600 INSIDE MICHIGAN (COLLECT) 0-616-323-4000 TUCO Division of Thj^Jpjohn Company TUCO products readily available. Over 150 U.S. distributors and 8 TUCO distribution centers assure you of convenient product availability. 'Sod Webworm MEETING DATES Z < Maryland Turfgrass '80, Baltimore Con-vention Center, Baltimore, Md., Jan. 7-9. Contact: Dr. David J. Wehner, Depart ment of Agronomy, University of Mary land, College Park, Md. 20742, 301-454 3715. ary-50th Annual Michigan Turfgrass " " — ' ìcni] sity, East Lansing, J 15-16. Contact: Richard W. Chase, Coop-Conference, Kellogg Center, Micnigan State University, East Lansing, January oc H <X> D Q Z w oc < u Z £ < _2 Mississippi TurfgrasS Short Courses, Mis-sissippi átate University Campus, Mis-sissippi State, Miss., Jan. 7-11. Contact: Dr. Euel Coats, P.O. Drawer PG, Mis-sissippi State, Miss. 39762. Turfgrass Council of North Carolina, Inn on the Plaza, Asheville, N.C., Jan. 9-11. 
Contact: Leon Lucas, 1239 Williams Hall, P.O. Box 5155, Raleigh, N.C. 27650, 919-737-2751. New Hampshire Turf Conference, Sheraton-Wayfarer Motor Inn, Bedford, N.H., Jan. 10-11. Contact: John Roberts, Plant Science, Nesmith Hail, University of New Hampshire, Durham. N.H. 03824. Nebraska Turf Conference, Nebraska Center, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, January 14-16. Contact: Dr. Robi C. Shear-
mar, 377 Plant Science Building, Univer-sity of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68503, 402-472-1143. erative Extension Service, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824. Southern Weed Science Society Annual 
Meeting, Arlington Hotel,* Hot Springs, 
Ark., Jan. 15-17. Contact: Jerry Weber, 
North Carolina 6tatte University, Weed 
and Science Center, 3123 Ligon St.. Raleigh, N.C. 27607. Southeastern Pennsylvania Turfgrass School & Trade Show, Westover County Club, Jeffersonville, Pa., January 15-16. 
Contact: William White, Philadelphia 
County Extension Office, 215-424-0650. Mid-America Trade Show, O'Hare Exposition Center, Rosemont, 111., Jan. 20-23. Contact: James Kelty, 4300-L Lincoln Ave., Rolling Meadows, 111. 60008, 312-359-8160. Capital Area Ornamental School, York, Pa., January 22. Contact: Harold E. 
Stewart, 75 South Houcks Road, Suite 101, Harrisburg, PA 17109 or Tim Markovits, Court House, York, PA 17401. Landscape Ontario Annual Congress, Sheraton Centre Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Jan. 22-24. Contact: Robert Cheesman, Landscape Ontario, 103-3034 Palstan Road, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4Y 2Z6, 416-276-6177. International Franchise Association 20th Annual Convention; Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado, Calif., Jan. 27-31. Contact: IFA 
Annual Convention Registration, 1025 
Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 1005, 
Washington, D.C. 20036. Western Pennsylvania Turf & Grounds Maintenance School & Trade Show, Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge, Monroe-ville, Pa., January 29-31. Contact: Philip Sellers, Allegheny County Extension Of-fice, 412-355-4275. Virginia Turfgrass Conference, Fort Magruder Inn, Williamsburg, Va., January 30-31. Contact: J. F. Shoulders, extension specialist, Virginia Poly-technic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va. 24061, 701-961-6000. Annual Turf & Landscape Conference, Tappan Zee Inn, Nyack, N.Y., Jan. 30. Contact: Frank Claps, 136 Laurel Ave., Larchmont, N.Y. 10538, 914-834-6846. 16th Turfgrass and Environmental Landscape Exposition, San Mateo County Fairgrounds, San Mateo, Calif., Jan. 30-31. This unretouched photo from California demonstrates an advantage of including 20% Citation with an improved blend of bluegrasses. On the left is 100% Kentucky bluegrass damaged by Fusarium blight. On the right the Citation-
bluegrass mixture shows little or no damage. "PROGRESS FROM THE GROUND UP" forenoM srg CítatíonTUrf Perennial Plant Variety Protection Number 7500003 Ł MTVW asked for an all-purpose, deep rooted high temperature tolerant ryegrass This is our answer! Dr. William Meyer, Research Director, states: "At Turf-Seed, Inc., we set out to develop a turf-type perennial ryegrass with 
rapid establishment, good heat tolerance and the ability to maintain high quality throughout the hot summer months. We also wanted an attractive, dark green color and improved mowing performance. After years of cross breeding and testing, Turf-Seed developed Citation. I believe it comes very close to the specifications we were looking for in a fine-leafed ryegrass." Citation had the highest average turf performance rating in a five-year test at Rutgers University. This excellent record has been confirmed by years of proven performance in applied use by turf professionals throughout the United States. Top-quality Citation seed is now available for your use. For test results and information write: Vaughan-Jacklin Corp. Bound Brook, NJ 08805 Downers Grove, IL 60515 Post Falls, ID 83854 Landover, MD 20785 Jonathan Green & Sons Farmingdale, NJ 07727 Turf-Seed, Inc. Hubbard, OR 97032 Contact: Emory Hunter, chairman, NCTC, P.O. Box 268, Lafayette, Calif. 94549. Associated Landscape Contractors of America Annual Meeting and Trade Ex-hibit, Town & Country Hotel, San Diego, Calif., Feb. 3-8. Contact: ALCA, 1750 Old Meadow Rd., McLean, Va. 22102, 703-821-8611. Super Turf Seminar, Holiday Inn, West Palm Beach, Fla., Feb. 8-9. Contact: Eldon Mahan, Box 311, Bethany, Okla. 73008, 405-787-8034. National Landscape Association Annual Landscape/ Garden Center Management 
Clinic, Gait House, Louisville, Ky., Feb. 
10-13. Contact: NLA Landscape/Garden 
Center Management Clinic, 230 Southern Building, Washington, D.C. 20005, 202-737-4060. National Arborist Association Winter Meeting, Orlando Hyatt House, Orlando, Fla., Feb. 17-21. Contact Bob Felix, 3537 Stratford Road, Wantagh, N.Y. 11793, 516-221-3082. Northern Virginia Professional Lawn Maintenance Seminar, Vienna Com-munity Center, Vienna, Va., Feb. 19. Con-tact: Charles L. Hall, Jr., 3945 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, Va. 22030 or the Co-operative Extension Service, U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacks-burg, Va. 24061. Northwest Pest Control Conference on Integrated Pest Management, Spokane Sheraton Hotel, Spokane, Wash., Feb. 22-25. Contact: Christopher Senske, P.O. Box 6258, Kennewick, Wash. 99336, 509-783-5461. First Agri-Turf Irrigation Exposition & Technical Conference, Galleria Plaza & Houston Oaks Hotels, Houston, Texas, February 24-27. Contact: The Irrigation 
Association, 13975 Connecticut Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20906, 301-871-8188. Pennsylvania Turfgrass Conference, 
Hershey Motor Lodge & Convention Cen-ter, Hershey, Pa., Feb. 26-29. Contact: Arthur D. Wick, P.O. Box 362, Sewicklev, Pa. 15143 or Christine E. King, Pennsyl-
vania Turfgrass Council, 412 Blanchard Street, Bellefonte, Pa. 16823. Northeastern Pennsylvania Turf School, Master Host Motel, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., March 4-5. Contact: Cy Chadwick, Court House Annex, 5 Water Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702. 12th Annual Professional Turf and Plant Conference, Salisbury Restaurant, Eis'en-
hower, Park, East Meadow, Long Island, 
N.Y., March 4. Contact; Waldemar Solo-vieff, 63 Central Avenue, Amityville, N.Y. 11701. National Lawn Care Business Conference and Trade Show Red Carpet Hotel, Milwaukee, Wis., March 16-19. Contact: Lawn Care Conference, Box 1936, Ap-pleton, WI 54913,141-733-2301. Northcentral Pennsylvania Turfgrass School, Smethport Country Club, Smeth-port, Pa., Maren 18. Contact: C. E. Craver, McKean County Extension Office, 814-887-5571. California Landscape Contractors Associ-
ation 1980 Landscape Industry Show. Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, Calif., April 3-4. Contact: Michael E. Leeson, CLCA Landscape Industry Show, 3617 W. MaCarthur Blvd., Suite 500, Santa Ana, Calif. 92704, 714-979-2522. 6th Annual Garden Industry of America Conference & Trade Show, Convention 
Center, Baltimore, Md., Sept. 12-14, 1980. 
Contact: GIA Conference & Trade Show, Box 1092, Minneapolis, Minn. 55440, 612-374-5200. National Lawn & Garden Distributors Association Annual Convention, Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles, Calif., Sept. 16-19. Contact: Nancy S. Irving, executive director NLGDA, 1900 Arch St., Philadel-
phia, Pa. 19103. Symposium on Turfgrass Insects, Holiday Inn, Columbus, Ohio, October 14-15. Con-
tact: Dr. B.G. Joyner, Plant Diagnostic Labs, ChemLawn Corp., 6969 Worthington-Galena Road, Suite L, 
Worthington, Ohio 43085, 614-885-9588. LAWN CARE INDUSTRY READER SERVICE CARDŠJANUARY 1980 (ex^s m90days) Use this prepaid reader service card to get additional information on products or services mentioned in this issue (Card must be completed before processing) NAME TITLE BUSINESS ADDRESS CITY STATE If you would like a subscription to LAWN CARE INDUSTRY circle number 101. Subscription cost is $10.00 p To help us better service you editorially, please answer the following: 4. Title: Ł President Ł Owner Ł Manager Ł Technician Ł Other (specify) 1. Are you primarily Involved in. Ł Chemical lawn care and maintenance services Ł Chemical application only Ł Mowing and other maintenance services 
Ł Other (specify) Application Ł Liquid Ł Granular Ł Both 2. Is your business location: Ł Headquarters 
Ł Branch office 3. Is your business: Ł Independent Ł Chain Ł Franchise Ł Other (specify) 5. Number of accounts: Ł Less than 500 Ł 500-1.000 Ł 1.001-5.000 Ł 5.001-10.000 
Ł 10.001-25,000 Ł 25,000 or more 6. Estimated annual sales volume: Ł Less than $50.000 Ł $50.001-100.000 Ł $100.001-250.000 Ł $250,001-500.000 Ł $500.001-1.000.000 Ł $1.000.000 or more Ł Please send product information only on items circled Ł Please have a salesman call me about items circled. Best time to call me is . CIRCLE THE ITEM NUMBERS FOR FREE DETAILS ON PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 161 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 169 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 2675 CLEVELAND. OHIO POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE ATTENTION: THE EDITORS LAWN CARE INDUSTRY 9800 Detroit Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 44102 NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES LAWN CARE INDUSTRY P.O. BOX 6136 DULUTH, MINNESOTA 55806 BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 665 DULUTH. MINN POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE Editor's Information Card . .. HELP US TO HELP YOU The editors of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY would appreciate your comments on the magazine s contents. Please write your message below, tear out the card, and mail. Postage is prepaid. Which article In this Issue did you find the most interesting and/or helpful? What subjects would you like us to cover in future issues of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY? | NAME TITLE COMPANY ADOMM B CITY »TATE. ZIP "Chipco26019gives us much more to sell than we ever had before!" Tru Green Agronomist, Steve Brown, talks about Chipco 26019 fungicide... and how its helped their business. Steve Brown is respon-sible for all turf grass chem-ical programs for Tru Green Corporation, an East Lansing based lawn care company with 30 outlets throughout the Mid-West. After using Chipco 26019 at all of their locations, he says, uWith Chipco 26019 on our side, you can bet well be a lot more aggressive about going after fungicide business." Steve is echoing the kind of response we've gotten from lawn care companies throughout the country. Chipco 26019 is a broad-spectrum fungicide that gives you more control with fewer sprays. It stops major turf disease like dollar spot (includ-ing benomyl-resistant dollar spot), brown patch and Helminthosporium (leaf spot). And it does it for up to three weeks at low, economical rates. Chipco 26019 mixes well, with no residual left in the tank. And it presents no problems of phytotoxicity to turf. But the ultimate test is what it does for your business. On this point Steve Brown is totally positive. He says, "1 appreciate the Please read label carefully, and use only as directed. fact that it has a 21 day residual, but even more important from a business standpoint, is the fact that it's going to workI Because now we can say to a potential customer, if you have a disease problem we can take care 
of it. We think of Chipco 26019 as a competitive tool." If you'd like to have this competitive tool working to expand your business next season, ask your chemicals distributor for 
this profitable addition to the popular Chipco line of turf fungicides and herbicides. As Steve Brown says, "I'm convinced it's the best thing i going today." Rhone-Poulenc Chem-ical Co., Agrochemical Dr vision, Monmouth Junction, New Jersey 08852. CHIPCO 26018 FUNGICIDE RHONE POULENC CHEMICAL COMPANY 'AGROCHEMICAL DIVISION z < oc H co D Q Z w oc < u z < NEWSMAKERS John Theodosakis is owner of Spartan Services, Deerfield, 111. The company is involved in both mowing/maintenance and liquid 
and granular applications of fer-tilizer and pesticides. Frank Reynolds, Jr. is presi-dent and Paul Sullivan is secre-tary of Lawn Aid, Ltd., North Haven, Conn. The company han-
dles both liquid and granular chemical lawn care and renova-tion of lawns. R.W. Plicta is owner of Greenwood Lawn Service, Dearborn, Mich. Byron Black is owner operator of Country Side Exterminators, Oklahoma City, Okla. Rodney L. McCoy is owner of McCoy Hydro Mowing, 
Coshocton, Ohio. Ron Jensen is owner of Jensen's Gardening, Aptos, Calif. A-l Turf Irrigation Sales, Inc., distributors of the full line of 
Rain Bird sprinkler equipment 
plus irrigation supplies, has 
opened a new branch office in 
Houston. Managing the facility is George Burtch. A-l is head-quartered in Orange, Calif. Rain Bird is headquartered in Glend-
ora, Calif. Charles Baird is owner of Green Thumb Chemical Lawn 
Care, Powder Springs, Ga. The company applies both liquids 
and granular materials in its 
chemical lawn care program. Frank H. Stevens is president of Pro-Lawn-Plus, Inc., Baltimore. Donald C. Eccleston is vice president, and Lou Ann Markley is secretary-treasurer. The company is involved in li-quid chemical lawn care and 
mowing/maintenance. Sperber (left) and Goldstein. Burton S. Sperber, chief operating officer of Environmental Industries, Inc., Encino, Calif., recently received Landscape West magazine's Man A WORD TO THOSE WHO THINK IT 1AKES A FORTUNE TO MAKE BIG MONEY IN LAWNCARE. ANNOUNCING THE LOW-INVESTMENT. NO-FEE. NO-ROYALTY, NO-ADD-ON PROFIT PROGRAM FROlti AGRO-CHtM. For as little as $5000, you can become part of the fastest growing field in the great outdoors. As an independent dealer of Agro-Chem, a leader in lawncare products and training. Agro-Chem will supply you with everything you'll need to grow along with the incredibly profitable lawn-spraying industry that has seen sales increase more than 20% in the past year alone. As manufacturers, we ship directly to you from our modern plant in Franklin Park, Illinois. There are no profit-picking middle-men involved. (Our profit comes from the products you buy.) And best of all, you remain your own boss. Free to grow with the rising demand in your own area. WE HELP YOU ALL THE WAY We'll teach you the very latest in organic, scientific lawncare. And we'll supply you with super-effec-
tive sales tools. Newspaper ads. Radio commercials. Brochures, door-sellers, publicity and advertising. You supply the desire to make big money in this growing field. AGROtCHEM. INC. A UNIQUE, ORGANIC LAWNCARE PRODUCT LINE SUPERIOR TO OTHERS. Agro-Chem lawn nutrients are totally organic. Natural. And specially formulated by us according to soil tests in your area. There are no harsh chemicals that can lead to weakened, disease-ridden lawns. Instead Agro-Chem nutrients create a natural, deep-root growth that assures green lawns and turns undesirable thatch into humus. And all Agro-Chem products have been proven effective, and profitable, after thousands of residential, commercial and institutional applications. IT DOESN'T COST A FORTUNE TO START IN BUSINESS NOW! The return investment is substantial, from the start. For instance, an initial product order costing you $5000 can bring you a gross profit of about $10,000. Even if you begin with a small truck and only a 300-gallon product tank. IT ONLY TAKES A PHONE CALL. OR A STAMP. Call us collect today, or fill out and return the attached coupon to receive our no-obligation booklet describing your incredible profit potential as an Agro-Chem dealer. But act now, and be ready for the big profit season ahead. CALL MR. THOMAS GREENE, COLLECT 312-455-6900 Where the grass is always greener. 11150 W. Addison, Franklin Park, Illinois 60131 I I I 
I OK. Send me your book that shows me how I can make big money as an Agro-Chem dealer. I understand there's no obligation. Name Address _ City/Town _ State. Zip. MAIL THIS COUPON TO: Agro-Chem, Inc. 11150 W. Addison Franklin Park, Illinois 60131 I 
I I 
I of the Year award. Publisher Denne Goldstein presented the award. L.J. Cohen is president of Pest Fog, Inc., Corpus Christi, Texas. Bill Cohen is vice president and Doug Odom is manager, and Gary Lewis is service manager. The company is involved in both liquid and granular chemical 
lawn care. Peter Cohn is president of Cohn Enterprises, Inc., Denver. The company handles mowing/maintenance and granular application of fertilizer and pesticides. J. Roger Finn is president of Antietam Tree & Turf Service, Hagerstown, Md. Norman C. 
Culbertson is vice president. David L. Smith is owner of Dave Smith Lawn Care and Landscaping, McHenry, 111. The company handles both 
mowing/maintenance and liquid and granular chemical lawn 
care. Joe Sander is owner of Yard Maintenance, North Tonawanda, N.Y. The company is affiliated with Sander's Nursery. Ray Landers is owner of Perf-a-Lawn of Georgia, Peachtree City, Ga. The parent company is based in New Carlisle, Ohio. Bruce A. Volpe is landscape maintenance supervisor for Post Properties, Inc., Smyrna, Ga. Two Minneapolis-based ex-ecutives of The Toro Co., Ralph 
D. Murray and John G. 
Szafranski, have been appointed 
company vice presidents. 
Szafranski has been named vice 
president and general manager of Toro's Commercial Products Division. He was general manager. Murray is vice presi-dent, marketing of Toro's Inter-national Group. He was director 
of sales and marketing. Bill Swadley is owner of Barefoot Grass Lawn Service, Rockford, 111. The company also owns two retail garden centers and sells sod. Andrew Hines is branch manager for Leisure Lawn, Columbus, Ohio. The company is based in West Carrollton, Ohio. Shawn Shea is president of Misty Hill Landscape Design, Wellf leet, Mass., a mowing/maintenance operation. Southtown's Lawn Service has moved from Depew, N.Y. to of-
fices in Orchard Park, N.Y. Dale R. Wagatha is owner. Tom De Paepe is owner of The Grounds Men, Broomfield, Colo., 
a mowing/ maintenance operation. ¥ T M soPifcsoil Gypsum adds profitable extra sales to your town care business! , I vyJJfl Liif Ł Ł Ł A Sofn-SoilŽ Lawn & Garden Gypsum is a natural soil conditioner you can depend on to help boost your business two ways, two times a year. In Spring, application of Sof'n-Soil gypsum helps make fertilizers work more effectively all season long by loosening up heavy clay. This allows root systems to develop normally to keep lawns thriving all summer. In Fall, application of Sof'n-Soil gypsum works like health insurance to protect against the harmful effects of winter de-icing salt. Sodium chloride is toxic to most plants, causes heavy clay soils to tighten, keeps water from leaching out the salt. The available calcium in Sof'n-Soil gypsum replaces toxic sodium attached to the clay soil particles, permits new seed or sod to grow normally. Look into the multi- /y profit opportunities of adding Sof'n-Soil gypsum 1 'If// benefits to your services. Remind ecologically-conscious prospects that Sof'n-Soil gypsum is non-toxic, noncaustic, harmless to plants, pets and people. Ł For specifics, write to us at 101 S. Wacker Dr., Chicago, III. 60606, Dept. LCI-180. twBRF' -i ti t ? Ł:.Ł/ Mi:.' ! C J f' mmm Ifefl i | r :' > | $ Sp.-j J9$; Ł ' mm , ' if." r Ł m Ł / m j/ CHEMICALS DIVISION UNITED STATES GYPSUM PRIMARY SUPPLIER OF SECONDARY PLANT NUTRIENTS 8 z < BILL SHEARMAN'S CHEM-TROL oc H co D D Z M OC < u z < 1-3 New York lawn businessman's spray machine cuts work time in half When Bill Shearman of Florida, N.Y. first started his lawn care business nine years ago, two of his customers were right across the street from each other. One day, one of the customers can-
celled her service. "I was just starting out, and I really couldn't afford to lose a 
customer," remembers Shear-man. "I asked her why she had changed her mind and she 
wouldn't give me any reason. Then I looked across the street and noticed that that lawn was two shades greener than hers. "I said: 'Are you cancelling because that lawn is greener?' and she said 'yes.'" Shearman tells the story to il-lustrate the importance of having a solid knowledge of turfgrass to be successful in the business, not to mention a fair knowledge of human nature. "I knew why that lawn was not the same color as the one across the street," he goes on. "The other lawn had had better care before Chem-Trol (his company) 
came along, but I couldn't tell the 
lady that. I asked her to give me eight weeks to get her lawn as green as her neighbor's and told her she did not have to pay me 
until she was satisfied. I had my money in five weeks." That customer has been responsible for a whole lot of referrals over the years, Shear-man adds. Starting his lawn care service with two employes and two tank trucks, Shearman now has seven employes, 1,500 customers, a 
large hydroseeder and two three-Steve Mcilroy drives one of Chem-Trol's two 11-horsepower spray units onto a 3A-ton pick-up. wheel, 11-horsepower spray machines he designed himself and plans to market this year. The machines can cover a 6,000-square-foot area with chemicals in five minutes, half the time it would take by hand, Shearman says. Depending on the terrain and operator, an acre can be covered in 45 minutes. GET TOUGH ON WEEDS. PROTECT YOUR TURF WITH MCPP. Make sure your turf gets total protection by using tough, hard working MCPP (mecoprop). It puts an early, first round knockout punch on pesky weeds, but it's gentle to tender grasses. MCPP is the best approved herbicide for chickweed; and it puts bittercress, chickory, cinquefoil, clover, cranesbill and dandelions down for the count. And with the current suspension of silvex for turf, MCPP is the most cost effective alternative by far. Use it with 2, 4-D or tank-mix the MCPP/2, 4-D combination according to label directions with other compatible herbicides, and get an even greater spectrum of weed control. MCPP shapes up like a champion in other ways, too; because there is minimum hazard from root absorption, it works effectively in a wide temperature range; it's bio-degradable; stable several years above 32°F; non-flammable and non-corrosive in use;and treated areas can be seeded within two weeks. Let MCPP fight weeds for you. Look for products that contain MCPP, and ask your local distributor for those that have the MCPP knockout punch. It gets tough while _ _ .. you play it safe Fallek- Lankro Corporation One Warrior Road (Holt), P.O. Box H, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35404. 205/556-3550 Caution: Read the entire label before using any pesticide. ©i960. Fallek-LankroCorporation Considering the growth of his business in an area in which un-der 10 percent of the homeowners use a lawn service, and his enthusiasm over the three-wheel "Chem-troller," Shearman believes the lawn care industry has a very healthy 
future, despite inflation. He says he is now working to capacity. "Our service is so popular because people are concerned 
about what others think," says Shearman. "I've sold the service to people who don't have a sofa or rug in the house." Shearman started his business after working for 10 years as assistant treasurer of Dogett Patco Corp., a lawn.and garden dealer. He had a solid basis in Chem-Trol owner Bill Shearman points out three nozzle controls which release a spray solution at the back of his specially-designed spray unit. horticulture from which to draw on when he started Chem-trol in a semi-rural area of upstate New York, about 60 miles from Manhattan. "I used a 23-foot tank-type truck at first," he says, "and we used a hose to spray the lawns. After one season, I decided there 
had to be a better way than pull-ing hose. I decided I needed a three-wheel, self-contained spray unit." His first spray machine was adapted from a three-wheel, all-terrain type vehicle. It had the engine in the back, rider in front, 
and tank in the middle. "The first week we changed to this machine from the tank truck, 
the operator said he felt like he was on vacation," remembers Shearman. The present machine, which has been seven years in the mak-ing, is metal with a fiberglass tank, capable of holding 50 gallons of chemicals. Additional chemicals can be stored in the 11-foot pick-up which transports the machine to the job. Chem-trol sprays suspended materials for fertilizer. Insecticides go in with the fertilizer, but Shearman puts down herbicides separately. In its final form, the machine will have two separate tanks, one for herbicide and the other for fertilizer, with the systems work-ing independently. He plans to have this two-system machine perfected over the winter. "In the winter," he says, "we develop, make and repair machinery and look for new 
business. The contractors are slow when we are slow. They 
have time to sit down for a cup of coffee and talk when I do." 
Chem-trol's business is 80 per-cent residential and 20 percent 
commercial. He will also often get jobs as a subcontractor for housing developments. His spray machine is equipped to handle both large and small jobs, and because it is transpor-ted in a pick-up, there is a sizeable savings in transporta-tion costs. "The pick-ups use one-fourth the gas of a tank truck," says Shearman. His business takes in a 75-mile radius from his office. The machine has a hydraulic braking system and is calibrated to run at a certain speed, usually three or four miles an hour. The more experienced the operator, the faster he can go. By figuring out the amount of water going through the pump and how wide they are spraying, Chem-trol em-ployes can determine how many gallons they'll need per acre before going on a job. The right hand-grip controls speed; the left is the hydraulic brake. A lever near the floor has forward and reverse controls. Also near the floor are three noz-zle controls which can be operated with the driver's free hand. They release the spray in the back of the machine. Spray comes out of the right, left and 
middle nozzles, and there are retractable booms for larger areas, which allow the operator to cover twice as much ground. For hard-to-reach areas, there's a hose attached to the machine. But few areas are hard-to-reach. The machine goes through an average four-foot-wide garden gate. The unit is transported on a three-quarter ton pick-up with a custom-made body. The spray unit can be driven up and down a steel-mesh ramp. Chem-trol has two complete spray/pick-up units. "We've shown a 50 percent in-crease in business in the last three years," Shearman said. His basic, five-application pro-gram includes fertilizer, micro-nutrients, crabgrass control and broadleaf weed control in early spring; fertilizer, micronutrients and insecticide in spring; chinchbug and sod webworm control in early summer; fertil-izer, micronutrients, grub and 
broadleaf weed control in early fall; and fertilizer, micro-nutrients and soil amendments 
in fall. He uses 2,4-D and MCPP for weed control. Fertilizer is a 50 percent organic nitrogen mix in early spring. When fertilizer is 
used in summer it is a 100 per-
cent organic nitrogen mix. He 
uses Boots Hercules Agrochemical Co.'s Powder Blue nitrogen. Dave Feest operates Chem-Trol's three-wheel spray unit. It can cover a 6,000 square-foot area with chemicals in five minutes. Micronutrients are mag-nesium, sulfur, copper, iron, zinc, and manganese. He feels they are an essential part of a lawn care program. For crabgrass control he uses Dacthal, manufactured by Dia-mond Shamrock Corp. He switches insecticides so pests do not become immune, alternating seasons with Dow's Dursban and Ciba-Geigy's Diazinon. The company also handles tree spraying, hydroseeding, in-dustrial weed control and mo-wing/maintenance. Union Car-bide's Sevin is used for gypsy moth control on trees, which have been a problem in his area for more than 10 years. Hydroseeding is done along highways and for subdivisions. Shearman usually will be part of a contracting package, but rarely bids on jobs alone. He has worked in the past with sewage contractors and builders. He 
usually gives a contractor an es-timate on a job, which the con-
tractor then includes as part of 
the total price when the job is bid. A1 Tierney, a Chem-trol sales rep, sells industrial weed con-trol. Like Shearman, he often takes advantage of the winter months to drum up new business. "You haven't lived," jokes Tier-ney, "until you've sold weed con-trol when there is five or six inches of snow on the ground." Shearman does maintenance as part of a total lawn care pro-gram, but refuses to do it other-wise. He says he does not want anyone pointing to an otherwise poorly kept lawn which Chem-trol simply mows. The average lawn Chem-trol services is 12,000 square feet. He charges $19.88 per application for a 5,000-square-foot lawn, based on a five-application pro-gram. He advertises on radio, in newspapers and through direct mail. He keeps his employes year-round, and pays well over $5 an hour for a skilled, experienced operator. Story and photos by Carol Rose Or, the Bull, a high-performance 25hp diesel powered workhorse with dual-range 12-speed transmission and 4-step PTO (555, 774, 1025 and 1320rpm). With agricultural tires and 4-wheel drive for the construction site or landscaping job, or with wide turf tires and 2-wheel drive for the lawn or golf course, you get a lot of Bull at a practical price. And the 38hp Stallion Ground Hugger. With power steering, nine-speed selective sliding gear transmission and 11 -inch ground clearance, it's the state-of-the-art in special turf tractors. Cut down on costs without cutting back on performance. With Satoh. The tractors that can cut it in today's economy. Sfe**4 Get it at your SA.TOH tractor dealer. P.O. Box 5020, New York, N.Y. 10022 tr > £ Z n > m Z a c CD H 50 > Z Cut grass, not corners. Satoh tractors help you beat the rising costs of owning and operating outdoor power equipment without sacrificing perform-ance or productivity. There are fourteen 2 and 4-wheel drive Satoh models sized from 15 to 38hp. Designed with standard features most demanded by pro-fessionals. Engineered for optimum blends of power, size and speed. Each Satoh tractor can handle a wide variety of front, mid and rear-mounted implements for a full range of applica-tions, from cutting grass to digging trenches. For the best in economy and performance, there is a Satoh tractor to suit your budget as well as your needs. Like the compact 16.5hp Beaver III or the 18.5hp Buck, both powered by 3-cylinder diesel engines, driven by dual-range 8-speed transmis-
sions and featuring, as standard, live hydraulics, three-step power take off and a Category I 3-point linkage. Both small enough to be efficient, yet rugged enough to handle the really tough jobs. Selective Herbicide for crabgrass in turf Why have more turf care professionals selected Betasan herbicide? Retasan is tops in crabgrass control. Betasan is easy on established grass. Betasan is a pre-emergence herbicide.. .you stop crabgrass before it starts. Betasan is economical and reliable to use. Betasan is available from these fine private label distributors: Firm Brand Name Sales Area Best Products Div. of Zoecon Corp. Lathrop, California BestŽ 4-E and 12.5-G West Coast Southwest PBI Gordon Corp. Kansas City, Kansas Betamec-4Ž National Lakeshore Equipment and Supply Co., Inc. Elyria, Ohio Lescosan 4-E, 12.5-G and 7-G East of Rockies Agway, Inc. Syracuse, New York Betasan 7-G Northeast Pratt-Gabriel Div. Miller Chemical and Fertilizer Co. Paterson, New Jersey PrattŽ 4-E, 12.5-G, 3.6-G and 7-G Northeast Mallinckrodt, Inc. St. Louis, Missouri Pre-SanŽ 4-E, 12.5-G and 7-G National Pro-Lawn Products, Inc. Syracuse, New York Betasan 7-G Northeast Rockland Chemical Co. West Caldwell, New Jersey RocklandŽ 4-E, 12.5-G and 7-G Northeast Betasan, the one choice for you. Always follow label directions carefully. Stauffer Chemical Company, Agricultural Chemical Division, Westport, Connecticut 06880. Stauffer CH E M ICA LS Betasan* Million-dollar lawn care companies LCI's second annual look at the industry's largest by Bob Earley Editor/Associate Publisher At least 28 chemical lawn care companies grossed more than $1 million dollars last year. The largest percentage of these com-panies are chain operations. At least another 34 chemical lawn care companies grossed between $400,000 and $1 million dollars. Many of these companies will go over the million-dollar mark in 1980. The survey is based upon questionnaires filled out by many of the companies, es-timates by lawn care businessmen across the country, and estimates by the editors and marketing staff of LAWN CARE IN-
DUSTRY. The list is not conclusive, but does include most of the major chemical lawn care companies in the United States. The list does not include companies whose main business is not chemical lawn care, for example, mowing/maintenance com-panies. In the following listings, (C) represents a chain operation with offices in more than 
one city, (F) represents a franchise opera-tion, and (I) represents independent com-panies operating for all practical purposes in one metropolitan area. The companies are not listed in ranking order. The com-
panies represented here collectively grossed in excess of $204 million last year. ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio, heads the list. It grossed about $86.6 million last year with service to 694,000 customers. It has more than 100 branches, and employs close to 2,000 persons. Lawn Doctor, Inc., has about 250 franchise outlets employing 1,200 persons. Gross sales were estimated by the company at more than $17 million on service to 115,-000 customers. Lawn-A-Mat Chemical & Equipment Corp., Westbury, N.Y., has about 150 franchise outlets employing 800 persons. 
Gross sales were estimated by the company at $13.5 million on service to 75,000 
customers. Lawn Medic, Inc., Bergen, N.Y., has about 92 franchise outlets employing 276 
persons. It also has a company-owned divi-sion. Gross sales were estimated at $6.4 million on service to 43,400 customers. Davey Lawnscape Service, Kent, Ohio, has 10 company-owned outlets employing 
110 persons. Sales were estimated at $4.5 million on service to 37,000 customers. Perf-A-Lawn Corp., New Carlisle, Ohio, has eight company-owned outlets and 18 
franchise outlets. The company employs 175 persons. Sales were estimated at $4 million on service to 45,000 customers. Barefoot Grass Lawn Service, Worthington, Ohio, has 12 outlets, both company-owned and franchise. Sales were 
estimated at $3 million. R.W. Collins, Inc., Satellite Beach, Fla., has 17 company-owned outlets, employing 
125 persons. Sales were estimated at $3 million on service to more than 20,000 
customers. A-Perm-o-Green Lawns, Inc., Austin, Texas, has 13 franchise outlets, employing 65 persons. Sales were estimated at $3 million on service to about 25,500 customers. Leisure Lawn, Inc., West Carrollton, Ohio, has four company-owned outlets em-ploying 80 persons. Sales were estimated at $3 million on service to more than 20,000 customers. Liqui-Green Lawn Care Corp., Peoria, 111., has 26 franchise outlets. Sales were es-timated at $2 million on service to 13,000 customers. Lawn King, Inc., Fairfield, N.J., has more than 80 outlets. The company estimates sales of more than $2 million. It is a franchise-based operation. Excelawn, Inc., Louisville, Ky., has three outlets, and estimated sales in excess of $2 million. Hydro Lawn, Inc., Gaithersburg, Md., has two company-owned outlets, and employs 37 persons. Sales were estimated at $1.75 
million, on service to more than 12,000 customers. Keystone Lawn Spray, Wayne, Pa., has three company-owned outlets, and employs 30 persons. Sales were estimated at $1.65 million, on service to about 14,500 
customers. No-Risk Exterminating Co., Inc., Fort Meyers, Fla., employs 60 persons out of its 
one office. Sales were estimated at $1.5 
million on service to 20,000 customers. Easy Lawn Corp., Piqua, Ohio, has seven company-owned outlets employing 42 per-sons. Sales were estimated at $1.5 million on service to 17,000 customers. Spring-Green Lawn Care Corp., Naper-ville, 111., has 23 franchise outlets. Sales were estimated at $1.5 million on service to 
10,000 customers. Lawn Beautiful, Wheeling, 111., has two company-owned outlets employing 40 per-sons. Sales of $1.5 million were estimated on service to 13,500 customers. Chemical Applicators, Pearland, Texas, has two company-owned outlets employing 22 persons. Sales were estimated at $1.2 million on service to 700 customers, most of them industrial weed control accounts. Super Lawns, Inc., Rockville, Md., has 10 franchise outlets employing 20 persons. Sales were estimated in excess of $1 million, on service to more than 4,000 customers. Yardmaster, Inc., Painesville, Ohio, has two company-owned outlets, employing 30 
persons. Sales were estimated at $1 million on service to 4,800 customers. Gross sales of $1 million or more ChemLawn Corp. (C) Columbus, Ohio Lawn Doctor, Inc. (F) Matawan, New Jersey Lawn-A-Mat Chemical & Equipment Corp. (F) Westbury, New York Ever-Green Lawns Corp. (C) St. Louis, Missouri Lawn Medic, Inc. (F) Bergen, New York Davey Lawnscape Service (C) Kent, Ohio Tru-Green Corp. iC) East Lansing, Michigan Perf-A-Lawn Corp. (C,F) New Carlisle, Ohio Barefoot Grass Lawn Service (C,F) Worthington, Ohio R.W. Collins, Inc. (C) Satellite Beach, Florida A-Perm-o-Green Lawns, Inc. (F) Austin, Texas Leisure Lawn, Inc. (C) West Carrollton, Ohio Green-Lawn, Inc. (C) Louisville, Kentucky Liqui-Green Lawn Care Corp. (F) Peoria, Illinois Lawn King, Inc. (F) Fairfield, New Jersey Excelawn, Inc. (C) Louisville, Kentucky Hydro Lawn, Inc. (C) Gaithersburg, Maryland Keystone Lawn Spray (I) Wayne, Pennsylvania No-Risk Exterminating Co., Inc. (I) Fort Myers, Florida Easy Lawn Co. (C) Piqua, Ohio Spring-Green Lawn Care Corp. (F) Peoria, Illinois Lawn Beautiful (I) Wheeling, Illinois Chemical Applicators (I) Pearland, Texas Super Lawns, Inc. (F) Rockville, Maryland Yardmaster, Inc. (I) Painesville, Ohio Burke Pest Control, Inc. (I) Fort Lauderdale, Florida Tomasello, Inc. il) West Palm Beacn, Florida Rollins Lawn Care (C) Atlanta, Georgia Spray-A-Lawn of Warren-Youngstown, Inc., Ohio, employs 25 persons. Sales were estimated at $995,000 on service to 9,400 customers. The Shur Lawn Co., Omaha, Neb., has two company-owned outlets employing 26 persons. Sales were estimated at $962,000 on service to more than 6,400 customers. Central Chemical Service, Inc., Kearney, Neb., has two company-owned outlets em-ploying 12 persons. Sales were estimated at $855,000 on service to 1,700 customers. Turf Doctor, Inc., Framingham, Mass., has three company-owned outlets employ-ing 40 persons (including part-time help). Sales were estimated at $850,000 on service to 5,010 customers. INSIDE THE INDUSTRY > ? Z n > » m Z a a CD H » Ford's Chem Service, Inc., Pasadena, Texas, employs 15 persons. Sales were es-timated at $850,000 on service to 1,000 customers, mostly industrial weed control accounts. Greenlon, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, em-ploys 18 persons. Sales were estimated at $794,000 on service to more than 6,500 customers. Spray-A-Lawn of Pittsburgh, Inc., Pa., has two company-owned outlets employing 22 persons. Sales were estimated at $767,000 on service to 8,300 customers. Eastside Spraying Service, Kirkland, Wash., employs 20 persons. Sales were es-timated at $700,000 on service to 5,000 customers. Lawn Builder, a division of R & T Landscaping, Inc., Harrison, Ohio, employs 26 persons. Sales were estimated at $700,-000 on service to 1,900 customers. Lawn Groomer, Normal, 111., has two company-owned outlets employing 13 per-sons. Sales were estimated at $650,000 on 
service to 4,800 customers. Lawnco, Inc., Brooklyn Heights, Ohio, employs 17 persons. Sales were estimated 
at $640,000 on service to 5,126 customers. Spray-A-Lawn, Inc., Orrville, Ohio, em-ploys 16 persons. Sales were estimated at $576,000 on service to 4,900 customers. McGinty Brothers, Inc., Long Grove, 111., employs 12 persons full-time. Sales were estimated at $550,000 on service to 3,500 
customers. Lawnmark Associates, Peninsula, Ohio, has three company-owned outlets. Sales 
were estimated at $520,000 on service to 3,-900 customers. Wagenschutz Lawn Spraying, Plymouth, Mich., employs 15 persons. Sales were es-timated at $500,000 on service to 4,200 customers. Royal Lawns, Inc., Pine Brook, N.J., has five franchise outlets employing 13 per-sons. Sales were estimated at $500,000 on 
service to 1,800 customers. Lawn Craft, Bellevue, Wash., has two company-owned outlets, employing 20 per-sons. Sales were estimated at $500,000 on service to 1,000 customers. American Lawnservice, Inc., North Hills, Pa., employs 15 persons. Sales were es-timated in excess of $500,000 on service to more than 2,500 customers. Spray-A-Lawn, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, has four company-owned outlets employing 10 persons. Sales were estimated at about $500,000 on service to 2,500 customers. Chem-Care Lawn Service of Alabama, Inc., Birmingham, has two company-owned outlets, and employs 15 persons. Sales were 
estimated at $475,000 on service to 2,800 
customers. Atkins Lawn Pros, Columbia, Mo., has six company-owned outlets employing seven 
persons. Sales were estimated at $450,000 
on service to 3,300 customers. Four Seasons Lawn Care, Parkville, Mo., has three company-owned outlets employ-ing 27 persons. Sales were estimated at $435,000 on service to 670 customers. Gross sales of $400,000 to $1 million Lawnrite Corp. (I) Port Jefferson Station, New York Spray-A-Lawn of Warren-Youngstown, Inc. (I) Warren, Ohio A-l Wilson Power Spraying, Inc. (I) Fort Lauderdale, Florida The Shur Lawn Co. (C) Omaha, Nebraska Central Chemical Service, Inc. (I)' Kearney, Nebraska Turf Doctor, Inc. (I) Framingham, Massachusetts Ford's Chem Service, Inc. (I) Pasadena, Texas Greenlon, Inc. (I) Cincinnati, Ohio A-l Spray Service (I) Tacoma, Washington Spray-A-Lawn of Pittsburgh, Inc. (I) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Washington Tree Service (I) Seattle, Washington Eastside Spraying Service (I) Kirkland, Washington Lawn Builder (I) Harrison, Ohio Lawn Groomer (I) Normal, Illinois Lawnco, Inc. (I) Brooklyn Heights, Ohio Techniturf, Inc. (I) South Berlin, Massachusetts Spray-A-Lawn, Inc. (I) Orrville, Ohio McGinty Brothers, Inc. (I) Long Grove, Illinois Lawnmark Associates, Inc. (C) Peninsula, Ohio Green Lawn Fertilizer Corp. (I) Kansas City, Missouri Wagenschutz Lawn Spraying (I) Plymouth, Michigan Security Pest Control of Florida (I) Port Richey, Florida Royal Lawns, Inc. (F) Pine Brook, New Jersey Lawn Craft (I) Bellevue, Washington American Lawnservice, Inc. (I) North Hills, Pennsylvania Cut 'N Care (I) Ann Arbor, Michigan Spray-A-Lawn (C) Cincinnati, Ohio Chem-Care Lawn Service of Alabama, Inc. (I) Birmingham, Alabama Atkins Lawn Pros (C) Columbia, Missouri Four Seasons Lawn Care (I) Parkville, Missouri Lawncare, Inc. (I,F) Cleveland, Ohio Signature Lawns, Ltd. (I) Davenport, Iowa Village Green Lawn Spraying, Ltd. (F) West Chicago, Illinois Senske Weed & Pest Control (I) Spokane, Washington > z Ibbîi Heavy Duty Measuring Wheel Welded Construction Wide Wheel -W Cushioned Handle Grip Metal Housed Used by one of the Largest Lawn Care Companies in the U.S.A.-Great for Measuring Roads, Parking Lots, and Driveways . . . Counter Easy Reset Counter Guard 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 "Our TORCO sprayers outlasted and outperformed any other spray units we have tried!" Š Tim Shallcross, Jr. Greenlawn, Inc. Durability and dependability are the two main reasons that TORCO lawn sprayers have become the industry leader. If your business is suffering from "down time" and high maintenance costs, find out what our customers like Tim Shallcross already know... TORCO means tough! TORCO Equipment Company Ł 207 Eiler Ave. Ł Louisville, Kentucky Ł 40214 (800) 626-1818 or (502) 366-1415 (collect in Ky.) Circle 121 on free information card Circle 140 on free Information card 14 LAWN MAINTENANCE E CD D Q Z w oc < U z < J Mower/tractor purchases are a 'critical' business function by Dan Moreland, assistant editor Planning mower and tractor purchases may be the most critical function of a lawn main-tenance professional. One busi-nessman recently contacted by LAWN CARE INDUSTRY un-doubtedly echoed the view of many in the industry when he said, "I only do about'$100,000 of business a year, so if I want to make anywhere close to a halfway descent living I can't af-ford to make one and two thou-sand dollar mistakes when it comes to purchasing equip-ment." Mistakes not only adversely af-fects profits, but end the career of many lawn maintenance pro-fessionals before they even get started. Therefore, mower/trac-tor purchases should not be determined haphazardly. Proper planning is a must for those who 
hope to be successful in the lawn maintenance field. "I only do about $100,000 of business a year, so ... I can't af-ford to make one and two thousand dollar mistakes when it comes to purchasing equip-ment." LAWN CARE INDUSTRY re-cently discussed this topic with several lawn maintenance busi-nessmen across the United States and they had a variety of sugges-tions concerning how to success-fully manage mower/tractor pur-chases. Their recommendations 
included: Ł Cost justify all new equip-ment. Ł Plan well ahead of seasonal demands. Ł Collect product data throughout the year and keep 
that information up to date and on file. Ł Be aware of alternatives to purchasing new equipment (i.e. leasing, overhauling old equip-
ment, purchasing used 
machinery). Ł Establish credit with several banks in your community. Ł Do not purchase new equip-ment with the expectation of 
financing that equipment with new business. Ł Purchase only one or two brands of mowers or tractors so 
your mechanics can develop a substantial used parts inventory. Ł Trade in used equipment to get a break on the price of new equipment. Ł Be aware of special offers by mower/tractor dealers and 
distributors (i.e. lease/buy agreements, special payment policies, etc.) Most lawn maintenance busi-nessmen agree that prior to purchasing a mower or tractor, that piece of equipment must be cost justified. In other words, you must be able to establish that you 
need that piece of equipment 
and eventually turn it into a pro-
fit center for your business, jerry Von Tress, general manager of Maintain, Inc., Dallas, Texas, said he tries to "accurately pro-ject" annual sales figures before purchasing new equipment. If those predictions indicate a need for new equipment Maintain, Inc. purchases what it needs. If 
they don't, the company does not purchase the new equipment. Without exception, those con-tacted by LAWN CARE IN-DUSTRY said lawn maintenance 
businessmen should plan ahead for equipment purchases. Marion F. Grove, president of Greenlawn, Greenville, S.C., said prior to each new season she reviews the size and types of ac-
counts she will be servicing in the coming year. "First, I take a look at my pro-jects and the acreage I'm going to take care of," she said. "Then I determine what type of mower would best fit that application. I also look at the type of equip-
ment I already have in hand 
because what I have at the start 
of one season may not be what I need the next season. Finally, af-ter I decide what type of equip-ment I need I look at specific 
models." Grove also recommends collecting product information throughout the year to aid in the selection process. "I try to have literature in hand on all equip-
ment so at the point in time I start to evaluate a piece of equipment or bid on a certain job I will have 
it readily available." Lawn maintenance business-men should also be aware of the 
alternatives to purchasing new 
equipment. Kent Price, president 
of Lawnshapes, Inc., Min-neapolis, Minn., recommends overhauling equipment. "We'll generally overhaul our equip-ment before we buy something 
new," he said, "although it de-
pends on each individual piece of equipment." Overall, the rule of thumb in the lawn care industry, is to overhaul large equipment (i.e. trucks, large mowers, etc.) and simply purchase new walk-behind mowers each year. Von Treess, of Maintain, Inc., said, "We feel we're better off con-two-cents makes Over the years, your ideas, suggestions and criticisms have made so much sense that we've incorporated a lot of what you've said into the Jacobsen products you see here. You've helped us develop new products, improve existing ones, and sharpen our service. "Before I buy a piece of equipment I will usually have one half of the business that I need to support it. I will then actively seek out the business required to support the other half." Marion Grove, Greenlawn, Greenville, S.C. stantly maintaining our trucks and larger equipment because we can continue to use them long after they've depreciated in value. But there has got to be a point where the replacement cost of that equipment dictates 
how much effort can be put into rebuilding it." Regarding small mowing equipment, Von Tress added, "Each year we feel our fleet of small mowing equipment is used up and is worthless at the end of the year. So we purchase small mowers every year." Larry Shelton, of Classic Landscapes, Ltd., Raleigh, N.C., agrees. "The bigger motors lend themselves better to rebuilding than the smaller ones," he said. 
"We overhaul mid-sized equip-ment (i.e. 52-inch Goodall), but we just rob the motors of our small equipment after they've worn out. It's cheaper to do that than pay the service bills." A second option to new machinery is purchasing used 
equipment. However, most lawn maintenance professionals con-tacted by LAWN CARE IN-DUSTRY voiced concern over purchasing used equipment 
unless they knew the history of a 
particular piece of machinery. "I only feel comfortable buy-ing a used piece of equipment if I know the history of the equip-ment or the source I'm buying it 
from," Shelton said. "Anything with a motor on it I'm a little leary about buying used and I wouldn't consider buying a piece of used equipment from some-
body I didn't know." Although many view purchas-ing used equipment as "buying headaches," other consider it beneficial for newly established lawn maintenance businesses. "I started out with a lot of used equipment," Bert Goodman, co-
owner of Quality Lawns, Milwaukee, Wis., said, "even though I wouldn't be too inter-ested in it anymore. It's a good way to cut down on the cost of equipment when you're first starting out." Mowing maintenance busi-nessmen also recommend not And in each case, the end result is always something from which you can benefit directly More reliability More longevity More safety More comfort. More flexibility More economy So the next time you feel like throwing in your 2C worth, go ahead. Thlk to your distributor or write to us directly. Jacobsen Division of Tfextron Inc., 1721 Packard Ave., Racine, Wisconsin 53403 We hear you. wrw . 1 üwŁ"Łv. .ŁŁr-'-^NV:^ purchasing new equipment with the expectation of financing that equipment with new business. "I purchase new equipment as the need becomes apparent," Good-
man said. "I would never buy a piece of equipment and then say I hope I have the business to sup-port it." Price, of Landschpes, Inc., said his cash-flow situation largely 
determines if he buys a mower 
or tractor. "Because this is a seasonal business and our cash-flow is so tight, we buy our equip-ment after we get the business," he said. Paul Constant, owner of Con-stant Care, Inc., Kansas City, Mo., said he has no "clean-cut" 
method of justifying a mower or tractor purchase. "I don't pur-chase another tractor based on 
dollar volume or the number of new customers I get each year," he said. "It isn't that clean-cut. I 
suppose it's slightly a gut feeling." Although many lawn mainte-nance businessmen base their mower and tractor purchases anything from "gut feelings" to 
complex mathematical formulas, 
we think Grove, of Greenlawn, has the best suggestion. "Before I buy a piece of equipment I will usually have one half of the 
business that I need to support it," she said. "I will then actively seek out the business required to support the other half. If I don't have at least one half of the business I use what I've got, even f it's not 
sufficient. It's better than going out on a limb." Yet another way to decrease equipment costs is to limit your expenditures to one or two models of mowing equipment, thereby making repairs more uniform. For example, Maintain, Inc., attempts to utilize only one type of small mower so repairs can be made more easily. "If we only use one type of mower we not only can build up a large parts inventory, but our me-
chanics learn very quickly how to repair that piece of equip-ment," Von Tress said. Finally, be aware of special of-fers by mower/tractor dealers and distributors. A significant amount of money can be saved 
by merely keeping your eyes and ears open. Lease/buy agreements are particularly affective in reducing the risk of buying new 
equipment. Goodman, of Quality 
Lawns said he often utilized lease/buy agreements when he was first starting in business. "Rather than buy a piece of equipment right away and then be stuck with the payments, I 
figured as long as I could apply the rent towards the purchase price it would give me a way to determine if I really needed that 
piece of equipment," he said. Obviously, there are a number of ways to reduce the risk of purchasing new equipment. The key is to plan ahead and to cost justify all new purchases. Remember the comments of Bret Goodman, co-owner of Quality Lawns, Milwaukee, Wis. "We're a small business and I don't have a lot of extra funds to put into new equipment. That's why I'm conservative. I need that money to live on." z n > 50 m Z a c CD H X *< > Z Diazinon is labeled for How many will you Diazinon" not only controls, label in the business, but is labeled for more turf insects You'll count 24 turf insects in than any other turf insecticide. all. Including white grubs, sod Just take a look, it's the biggest webworms, cutworms, chinch bugs, ©1978 Ciba-Geigy Corporation every insect on this page face this season? army worms and ants. This season, be sure to ask your local supplier for Diazinon. And put the biggest label in the business to work for you. Ciba-Geigy, Ag. Div., Box 11422, Greensboro, NC 27409 Diazinon by CIBA-GEIGY The biggest label in the business. M i <s CIBA-GEIGY 18 HORTICULTURE z < >-oc E c/3 D Q z u a: < u z < Guide to diagnosing ornamental problems by Dr. R.E. Partyka It is almost impossible to find a residential turf area that does not contain some ornamental plant material. Such plants in-
clude trees, shrubs, flowers, ground covers, annuals, suc-culents, etc. These plants are used for many purposes, but primarily for privacy and 
aesthetic value. Ornamentals are prone to numerous problems and your 
presence, as a lawn specialist, will often require that you answer a homeowner's questions 
concerning these plants. The fact that you have training in turf and related fields in solving turf problems can be put to work in helping a homeowner with his or 
her ornamental problems. Your answers do not have to be specific, but they should en-courage some action by the customer. Ł Do you feel you have suf-ficient background in orna-mentals to discuss broad categories of insects, diseases, or physiologically-related problems that may occur in your area? Ł Are you up to date with en-vironmental conditions in your local area? Unusual or severe 
weather conditions for a few weeks may be a clue to the 
symptoms observed on a plant. Ł As you approach the area, observe plant material to see if similar plants are showing the same symptoms. If so, this would often suggest that the problem is 
not confined to one property, but is due to climate or a reaction by that species of plant. Ł Observe the local site where the affected plant is located. Be particularly aware of the terrace or lay of the land because possi-ble water pockets and drainage patterns may be involved. Ł Be aware of the age of the home and surrounding area. New home sites can be associ-
ated with transplant problems, whereas older sites may be susceptible to root girdling, gas line leaks, etc. Now that we have considered history, overall site, and the loca-tion of the plant we can begin to concentrate on the plant itself. Is the problem confined to the leaves only? Are leaves and cer-tain branches affected or does one find that the entire plant is showing some unusual 
symptoms? Once a category is determined, one can begin to focus more closely and consider 
further possibilities. These 
include: Dark spots on leaves often indi-cate a leaf spot disease which may be related to wet weather condi-tions. LEAF PROBLEMS Ł Leaves with spotsŠDark spots or sooty-like spots on leaves often suggests a leaf spot disease that may be related to 
wet weather. An early fungicide treatment may help and an 
application of a general purpose 
insecticide is recommended in the future. If leaf tissue sepa-Observe the local site where the affected plant is located. Be particularly aware of the terrace of lay of the land because possi-ble water pockets and drainage patterns may be involved. Many situations may be baf-fling to you. In these cases it is 
best to point out to the customer that the problem is beyond the scope of your background, but you will seek further help or else 
advise the customer as to whom he should contact. Further, keep references and telephone num-
bers readily available so you can direct your customers to the pro-
per source. County extension agents, reliable local consultants, 
and representatives of state uni-versities are recommended con-tacts. Also, in some cases you 
may have well qualified people in your working complex who 
can help with the problem. Above all, if you can't help at the time, be honest and tell the customer, but be sure to follow up with help and advice when you come into contact with them 
again. The following guidelines are to help a horticulturally-minded lawn specialist in making a 
diagnosis of an ornamental plant 
problem. Your agronomic back-ground and common sense will play a role in the decision you 
make. Ł Understand your customer and his or her knowledge of 
plants. Is the customer asking you or are you trying to explain a problem that you noticed? What does the customer expect and 
can you satisfy those expecta-tions? Ł Do you recognize the plant material in the area? Are you familiar enough with most plants 
due to your company training programs or your prior knowl-edge to be comfortable in dis-
cussing the plants? Ibro introduces trimmers to be called You work hard for a living. You need equipment built to do an honest day's work, too. So Toro has come up with trimmers and blowers good enough to be called Professionals.Ž They're specifically designed for parks, schools, golf courses, offices and other commercial users. Ruggedly engineered to give you dependable service. And reliably powered by the world famous Kioritz air cooled, two cycle, gasoline engine. Our 21cc trimmer is ideal for quick trimming jobs. Weighs only 11.9 lbs. and has an auto-matic head 
that feeds new line with just a tap on the ground. Our 21cc deluxe trimmer is for longer stretches of work on grass, weeds and brush. It's easily maneuverable 
with an adjust-able U-handle control and wide strap Š«o, harness for 
operator 
comfort. Our 30cc trimmer/cutter is heftier and more powerful for sustained ~ _ chores on - ^m 
everything ^ * jy from grass to light brush. Its fixed head / with heavy Š duty nylon line 
and 10" weed cutter 
are both standard. -Ł 21cc Jk Deluxe Trimmer ŁJ Ł \ fe! » 40cc v Back Pack Blower JllTvfì'r, 21cc Hand Held Blower J The Toro Company. 8111 Lyndale Ave. So.. Minneapolis. MN S5420. rates easily and round spots or serpentine areas are visible, a leaf miner may be present. Leaf miners require specific insecti-cides and careful timing for con-trol. Ł Holes in leaves Š An uneven margin around a hole indicates insect feeders. The insect may be 
present, but if not, its cycle is 
complete and prepare for the next time with a general purpose insecticide. A smooth margin 
around a hole could mean pos-sible frost damage when the leaf was in the bud stage. This is usually noted on the first leaves of the season. Further, weevils feeding at night produce notches 
in leaves, while broken leaf tissue with some holes indicates possible hail damage. Ł Leaf webbing Š Masses of fine, threads on several leaves may indicate the presence of spiders or the early stages of webworm or caterpillar activity. Ł Leaf rolling Š The presence of webs and insects suggests a These oak leaves were distorted by a growth regulating herbicide. The plant was affected through drift or root uptake. leaf roller that a general-purpose insecticide can control. If no web is evident and the foliage is not off color, water stress may be the cause. Review recent weather conditions and water the plant. If there is no response, look for other problems. Ł Leaves off color and not a natural green Š Stripple pat-terns with many small areas of yellow or light color may indi-
cate spider mites, lace bugs, or leaf hopper plant bugs. Kel-thane is effective for spider 
mites and Sevin should be used 
for the other insects. Green veins with yellow tissue between the veins may indicate a mineral deficiency (iron, zinc, or manga-nese), toxicity of a minor ele-ment, or a soil sterilant used in the vicinity being absorbed by the roots. Plant material and soil may require further testing. If the plant has brown edges and the tissue between the veins is brown, water stress is indicated. Look for a possible restriction in the root, trunk, or branch of the plant. Further, leaf beetles or skeletonizers are present if the leaves are all brown and tissue is eaten. If insects are present, 
identify and control with 
stomach poison insecticides. Yel-low leaves or needles may also mean a natural leaf change, possible plant stress, or a genetic plant characteristic. Ł Leaves distorted, curled, and veins outstanding Š This in-dicates possible disease, insect-related problems, or the plant may have come into contact with 
a growth regulator compound from drift or root uptake. An uneven margin around a hole (above) indicates insect feeder damage. Whereas, a smooth margin around a hole could mean possible frost damage when the leaf was in the bud stage. LEAVES ON ENTIRE BRANCHES Ł Large amounts of webbing Š This indicates the presence of 
webworms. Ł Leaves turn yellow or brown on individual branches Š Definite discolored area on branch below off-colored foliage indicates a canker or restricted 
area. Treat by pruning off the af-fected area. If no canker or dis-
colored area is present, but inter-nal discoloration in vascular tissue is apparent, a vascular wilt disease is the cause. There is no control in most cases. If neither of the above, check for trunk or root damage on one side of the plant. z n > n Z a a <X> H SB > z This dead elm tree is an example o an entire plant which has been af-fectd by ornamental problems. Any number of factors could have caused the problems including nutritional disorders, water shortage, root rots, 
or old age. ENTIRE PLANT AFFECTED Ł Leaves curled and wilted Š This indicates a possible water shortage. Check for dry soil or a problem in the soil root zone and try watering. Ł Leaves yellow or off color Š A nutritional disorder or root in-
jury is the cause. Examine root area and possibly run a foliar test. Ł Leaves all brown or with brown edges Š This indicates a serious water shortage. In new transplants (under three to four andblowers good enough Professionals. 30cc Jfr Trimmer /Cutter Ł ~ I 21cc Trimmer 1 I X i < W ' Ł"v/'y'fr . < .Ł Y Ł äfijPS? ŁOt J-'-kl-.' Łv>l-<jfei . V, Ł i/ç» » ' , ' Ài. "^¿V' > : <fss , ' . * J' / ' ZK li > Iit\ ». ' . U ' " ' trç-r». . \wji7 Łfe > . t+vP . Iii ->: r- w Ł v v. "V -s 4 Ł * «K rjWuCVVA Got tougher jobs? Our trimmer accessories include a 10" circular saw blade for thick grasses, tall weeds, scrub trees and the like. And, to blow hours of work away in minutes, take your 
choice of two new Toro* blowers: Our 21cc hand held blower is just 9.7 lbs. but discharges air at 102 mph. Perfect for "quickie" jobs clearing leaves, dust and light debris off side-walks, flower-beds and smaller areas. Our 40cc back pack 
blower produces an air velocity of 276 mph to 
gather leaves 
and all kinds of litter from lawns, driveways, parking lots, stadiums and other areas. . * And it goes where you go, easily and/ comfortably. Want to know more about the trimmers and blowers good enough to be called Professionals? Call your Toro distributor for more information. TORO The Professionals Circle 112 on free information card LND SIDEWALKS IN AND AROUrf PARKING LOTS MENT AND MAINTENANCE CLEANUP AROUND SHRUBS EDGING FOR DRIVEWAYS , .EDGING AROUND ^LOWERS NO ROOT UPTAKE TURF RENOVATION AND RESEEDING ABILITY IN DAYS Ł5« Roundup. The herbicide that does so much more. For so much less. Soil sterilants used near this fence damaged oak trees when the material leached into the root zone. Ł Materials that are not of a growth regulator nature Š These materials may result in yel-lowing or scording of leaves which resemble other plant problems. Soil sterilants used 
around fences and driveways of-ten create problems on woody ornamentals when they do not 
stay confined to location or are not used properly. Many of these 
compounds are chlorophyll in-
hibitors so early yellowing and 
scorching may confuse the initial diagnosis. Ł Temperature fluctuations and other environmental stresses 
Š These can produce leaf symptoms that resemble a dis-ease or a herbicide related prob-lem. Weather records, stage of plant development, materials 
used, and timing must all be con-sidered in evaluating a problem of this nature. The above guidelines should help in looking at problems in a logical manner. On the spot 
diagnosis may be difficult until further tests have been con-ducted. These may be done by you or else the customer may have these done. A poor diagno-sis on a snap judgement may lead to poor credibility for your company. years in place) check the follow-ing: 1.) Watering practices Š See if the soil is too wet or too dry. 2.) Size of root system Š See if the root ball is too small for the size of the plant. 3.) Planting depth Š Roots should be planted within one inch of the soil surface 
in most cases. Deep planting may be a problem 
in some cases. 4.) Confined roots Š Roots may be restricted by their 
containers. 5.) Excess water Š Wet, soggy soil and a sewer gas odor suggests poor drainage and excess watering. 6.) Excess fertilizer Š You may need to take a soil sample and check the solu-ble salt level of the soil. In older plants (more than four years in place) check the follow-ing: 1.) Girdling twine at soil line or below The parallel veins on this grape deaf are indicative of the distorted foliage produced by the use of 2,4-D as a growth regulator. 2.) Girdling roots Š They generally appear on plants which have been in one location for awhile, but gir-dling may occur sooner in container grown plants. 3.) Root rots Š Check the color of roots in soil. White roots 
are healthy, but black or brown roots indicate 
damage. 4.) Construction damage to roots followed by second-ary root rots. 5.) Gas leak Š Check the soil odor and the color of roots. Dead roots will be present if gas displaces oxygen in the soil. Locate gas and sewer lines. 6.) Fill soil Š Check depth of soil around the base of the plant. Where do first roots 
begin? 7.) Excess water Š Indicated by wet, soggy soil and sewer gas odor in area. Water stands in dug hole may also be present. 8.) Vascular wilt disease Š In-dicated by internal dis-coloration. 9.) Age of plant Š Old age, size, variety, and environ-ment can cause a decline in the health of the plant. Whether you use it for any of the many maintenance uses indicated here or complete turf renovation, Roundup® herbicide by Monsanto can make it much easier to clean up many of the unsightly weed and grass infes-tations that can spoil good looks. For grounds maintenance, one application of Roundup will control many of your worst 
annual and perennial weed prob-lems. And one man with a backsprayer can replace many of the herbicides and frequent treatments that are often necessary. In addition, Roundup won't wash, leach or volatilize from the treated area to injure desirable vegetation. And there's no danger of injury due to root uptake, because Roundup has no residual soil activity. Naturally, normal precautions should be observed to avoid 
spray drift. Can you afford to let an-other season go by without Roundup in your grounds main-ALWAYS READ AMD FOLLOW THE LABEL FOR ROUMDCJP. Roundup® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Co. © Monsanto Company, 1979. There's never been a herbicide like this before. MIMICKING PROBLEMS Other factors may produce symptoms on plant material that resemble a disease or herbicide and confuse the issue. These 
should be considered when appropriate for location and time of year: Ł Air pollution Š Causes various patterns on all plants or only affects tissue at a certain 
stage of growth. Some materials can damage all plant vegetation 
in an area so one plant could not be separated out. Other materials can affect certain plant species or only certain plants of a 
variety due to genetic back-
ground. In such cases, all possi-ble avenues must be explored. Ł Herbicides Š Growth regulator herbicides often pro-duce distorted foliage with parallel veins and twisting and curling of tissue on deciduous broadleaf plants. Key character-istics must be examined as insect and virus disease induced prob-
lems often look similar. Often finer details are needed to separate the problems. Broad-leaf evergreen and needle plants may not show any symptoms and 
if present occurs only on new 
expanding tissue. tenance program? See your local chemical dealer for your supply of Roundup herbicide. ~ -jr Monsanto COST CUTTINGS In-house computers versus service bureaus A number of the most successful companies in the lawn care industry utilize computers for a variety of tasks in-cluding routing, inventory, and preparing customer state-ments. Computers not only streamline their operations, but also save time and money. There is no doubt that when used correctly computers can be beneficial to lawn care business-men. But what about the small lawn care company which may not have the capital to purchase a computer, yet could benefit from its capabilities? There is an alternative. Data processing services or so-called "data centers" can perform many of the 
same functions of an in-house computer. What types of ser-vices you purchase determine the cost, but according to Her-
bert D. Teague, of Tymshare, Inc., Decatur, Ala., the small businessman can save a significant amount of money by utilizing a service bureau. "We normally think in terms of you being able to use a data center for 25 to 75 percent of what it costs you to do the same 
work on an in-house computer," Teague said. However, Teague readily admits that there are also some disadvantages to service bureaus. "There are times when the service bureau or data center will not respond to you as quickly as you would like them to respond," he added. "Prob-lems within the data center with hardware, schedules, and 
personnel can also occur which cause us to perform less than 
what we would like to perform." Teague also made a number of other statements concern-ing computers including: Ł If you deal with 2,000 or more customers per month you have the base needed to "make use of the speed and ef-ficiency of a computer." Ł "Don't circumvent the development of your routing and accounts receivable systems trying to get low return applica-tions (i.e. inventory, payroll, etc.) onto the system." Ł Carefully determine what you want your data base to con-tain. Make sure you put everything in that data base that you would ever want and make sure you allow room for things that you're not thinking about presently. Ł Make sure that your people do not "feel threatened" by computers. "The attitude of your people is very important to the success of any data processing installation." Ł Computers are not infallible. "You have to remember that these things (computers) are mass produced just like tele-visions and calculators and you do stand a chance of getting a bad piece of gear." Ł After purchasing a computer you must secure it against outside theft and vandalism, against accidental destruction of your data base, and against deliberate vandalism from an em-ploye. GOVERNMENT Withholding tax may be imposed on franchisees The Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) attempt to impose income tax withholding requirements on independent contractors, in-cluding some 800 lawn care franchisees, has angered Inter-national Franchise Association (IFA) officials. "Every participant in the franchise system of distribution could be hurt if the IRS has its way," Joseph Koch, IFA ex-ecutive vice-president, said. Representative Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) and Senator Robert Dole (R-KS) are currently sponsoring bills to clarify the definition of independent con-tractors and establish a "safe harbour" for those business peo-ple who meet certain criteria. However, the IRS is seeking amendments to both bills. If the IRS pushes the amendments 
through, a ten percent with-holding will be required for all independent contractors, safe 
harbour status notwithstanding. "IFA is supporting both H.R. 3245 and S. 736 without amend-ment," Koach said. "We flatly 
dispute IRS' allegations that independent contractors, and franchisees in particular, are guilty of widespread tax abuses." If the ten percent withholding were to pass into law, 
franchisors could be required to collect ten percent of their 
franchisee's gross earnings. "Franchisees are independent business people in every sense of the word," Koach said. "Such a withholding requirement would not only tamper with franchisee independence, it would be vir-tually impossible to satisfy. Franchisors are in no position to collect ten percent of income from franchisees, since the in-come stream goes directly to the franchisee," he added. However, support may be growing. IFA's Director of Government Relations Jerry Wilkerson said, "Franchisors and franchisees are really pull-
ing together in support of both the Gephardt and Dole bills." / Should you attend a Mauget tree injection seminar again? New and experienced applicators can profit from yearly Mauget tree injection seminars. If you've been to a seminar before, you'll want to come again for a booster shot of new information. It's a meeting worth repeating. New applicators will learn about the Mauget Tree Injection Process and participate in indi-
vidual field training. Experienced applicators will receive information about new injection techniques, results of field research, new EPA registrations, and sales and marketing of the Mauget product line. Add it up. There's new slide programs, new information, and valuable marketing techniques. Plan Now To Attend. Each tree care firm who purchased Mauget capsules in 1979 will re-
ceive one free registration. Choose the loca-tion nearest you. Seminars begin at 9 a.m. Evening seminars begin at 7 p.m. February 12 Montgomery, AL Ramada Inn 29 Charlotte, N.C. Registry Inn I-77, Wood I awn Rd. Exit March 3 Macon, GA Ramada Inn Riverside North I-75, Pierce Ave. Exit 4 Birmingham, AL Airport Holiday Inn I-59 & I-20 Airport Exit 5 Memphis, TN Airport Holiday Inn I-55, Brooks Rd. Exit 7 Bowling Green, KY Ramada Inn I-65 Greenwood Int. (Rt. 231) 7 Erie, PA Holiday Inn South I-90 & Rt. 97 Exit 7 8 Knoxville, TN Holiday Inn-University Center I-40 at 17th St. Exit 8 Monroeville, PA Sheraton On-The-Mall PA Turnpike, Exit 6 11 Williamsburg, VA Williamsburg Lodge 11 Mellville, LI., N.Y. Musicaro's of Mellville Rt. 110 12 Gaithersburg, MD Holiday Inn I-270 Montgomery Village Ave. Exit 12 Paramus, N.J. Holiday Inn-Paramus Garden St. Parkway, Exit 165N I »he Hotel Hershey 13 Armonk, N.Y. Ramada Inn Rt. 684 (Exit 3) & Rt. 22 14 Wilmington, DE Brandywine Hilton I-95, Naamans Rd. Exit 14 Norwalk, Conn. Norwalk Holiday Inn I-95, Exit 13 18 Cincinnati, OH Cincinnati Northeast Holiday Inn 1-71, Fields-Ertel Rd. 18 State College, PA Holiday Inn Rt. 322 South 19 Ft. Wayne, IN Hospitality Inn I-69, Exit 111A (Rt. 3) 19 Scranton, PA Scranton Sheraton Inn 1-81, Exit 52 20 Cleveland, OH Brown Derby Inn Ohio Turnpike, Exit 12 & St. Rt. 8 saVeirees m 800-423-2699 SEND THIS REGISTRATION COUPON OR FACSIMILE TODAY TO: J. J. MAUGET COMPANY, P.O. Box 3422, Burbank, CA 91504 / Mauget TVee Injection \ ( Seminars, they're meetings ) worth repeating 20 Binghamton, N.Y. Holiday Inn, Hawley St. N.Y. 17, Exit 72 21 Farmington, Ml Botsford Inn I-96 & 8 Mile Rd. (Rt. 102) 21 Albany, N.Y. Sheraton Airport Inn I-87, Exit 4, 200 Wolf Rd. 27 Rochester, N.Y. (Evening) Sheraton Inn South I-90 (Exit 46) & Rt. 15 April 3 Syracuse, N.Y. (Evening) Holiday Inn North 1-81 & I-90 (Exit 36) 10 East Aurora, N.Y. Erie County Cooperative Extension 21 S. Grove St. Please reserve. . places at the (location) .meeting. Ł Check here for free registration Distributor's Name Name (s) Representing Address Phone _ Now a Controlled Release Nitrogen In Solution. Fertilizer Turf-tested, true-solution nitrogen fertilizers developed especially for lawn and turf professionals. No burning, quick greenup, nitrogen released in one season. No agitation, no clogging, no bag handling. No aggravation. FORMOLENE controlled release nitrogen fertilizer is a clear water solution of short-chain urea formaldehyde polymers. Soil pH activates FORMOLENE fertilizer into water insoluble nitrogen that's slowly broken down by microbial action to release usable nitrogen for healthy turf and lasting color throughout the season. But there's also sufficient readily available nitrogen for the rapid color response 
your customers like to see. And all the nitrogen in yourformulationisavailablewithinthegrowing season. In Spring, FORMOLENE fertilizer quickly greens up turf, but without that burst of growth which leads to disease and excessive mowing schedules. During hot, dry Summer, FORMOLENE fertilizer won't burn, yet maintains steady growth with adequate watering while holding color for several months. For Fall lawn care spray programs, you can strengthen root formations and obtain Winter carryover of nitrogen for moderate growth the following Spring. FORMOLENE fertilizer blends easily with other N, P and K nutrients and with most turf herbi-cides, insecticides and fungicides. It feeds both 
foliar and through the rootsystem. FORMOLENE 
fertilizer resists leaching and volatilization and can be used at rates as high as 2 lb per 1,000 sq. ft. per application without burning. Yet ratesof less than 1 lb per 1,000sq. ft. perapplication can yield 
excellent results. One gallon of FORMOLENE 
fertilizer contains about 3 lb of N. FORMOLENE fertilizer can be stored in mild steel or plastic tanks and is available from Ashland in 20-ton tank truck loads. Smaller quantities and complete custom fertilizer blends are available from authorized dealers. 
Our dealers can assist you with blending and mixing information to achievetheexactanalysis you require for turf conditions in your area. In short, FORMOLENE fertilizers and blends are the ideal way to get nitrogen to your customers' lawns. We'll be glad to tell you more. To take the aggravation out of your 1980 lawn care program, write Ashland Chemical Company, Chemical Systems Division, Box 2219, Columbus, Ohio 43216. Or call one of our FORMOLENE fertilizer experts at (614) 889-3490. Ashland\ Ashland Chemical Company DIVISION OF ASHLAND OIL. INC. WÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ MARKETING IDEA FILE Expand lawn business by diversifying You can expand your lawn care business by diversifying and offering your present customer other services beyond a basic lawn 
application program, whether it be liquid, 
dry, or a combination of both. Here are a number of services you can in-corporate into your present program, offered by Ron Giffen, national lawn care marketing 
director for Lakeshore Equipment & Supply Co., Elyria, Ohio: Giffen Optional rounds for late fall application. Your company could offer liming applications, gypsum applications, late fall fertilization, snow mold control applications, or ornamental spraying with anti-transpirants to protect the ornamentals against winter. Services that can be offered to your customer during the regular growing season. These services include: installation of lawn irrigation systems, lawn aeration, thatching, seeding, reseeding or sodding, tree and ornamental spraying, 
landscape design and construction, general shrub and tree maintenance, fungicide applications. Other services include snow removal, consultation services done once or twice a year, monthly, etc. Or adding job services such as window cleaning, gutter cleaning or blacktop coating. Diversification into related fields. This could include pro-viding lawn care for industrial complexes, estates, school sites and athletic fields, cemeteries, condominium com-plexes, home development areas that have common en-trances, common recreational areas or common meeting facilities. "Diversification and expansion brings along with it benefits and new challenges," Giffen said. "Among these 
benefits are better cash flow and profits over a more exten-
ded period of time throughout the year, key employes are better-able to be kept on the job year-round, and employe morale is increased because their jobs are diversified. They won't feel as if they are just performing an assembly line ser-vice day-in, day-out." 23 r* > S Z n > 70 m 2 a c en 70 *< > z KENTUCKY The advantages of fluid lime The advantages of fluid lime are that a lawn care businessman can get more uniform application and more uniform pH adjust-ment, there are no problems with 
dust and a faster pH adjustment 
can be achieved, according to the University of Kentucky's Dr. 
Lloyd Murdock He spoke on "Soil Testing and Fluid Lime" at the recent Kentucky Turfgrass Conference in Owensboro. "If you don't keep the pH in an area around about 6.0 and 6.2, you don't get the most ef-ficient use of phos-phorus and the available micro-nutrients either." "Liming in the past has been a low-cost thing," Dr. Murdock said. "But it has been usually used in bulk, it's dusty, you don't get much on, and you can run into some toxic problems. But then fluid lime came along. It's a little more expensive, but it is a 
way to get the lime on in a more advantageous manner." The pH level is one of the things a lawn care businessman 
tests for when he conducts a soil test. The other things to test for include primary elements such as phosphorus and potassium, and some minor elements, 
although for some of the minor 
elements it becomes a "little hazy" when you are testing to determine levels. Dr. Murdock recommended at least 10 cores be taken of a test 
area, and that they be taken from three to six inches deep. "And when you take these samples, be sure to mix them up well before you send them to a lab," he said. Most labs will give to page 25 CALC-A-LAWN The computer data system for the lawn care industry... Specifically designed for your professional lawn care service company to use for computer program controls in business operations and management planning. Improves efficiency of day-to-day operations resulting in increased profits. Reduces problems of estimates processing, customer records, service routing schedules, invoice printing and delivery, accounts receivable control, and special analyses needed 
for management. Streamline your internal systems and procedures. Mini Systems Group, Inc. has developed the CALC-A-LAWN system to enable you to keep control of your information processing needs as your lawn care business grows. Our custom data processing program systems are expressly prepared for the needs of your professional lawn care service to enable you the businessman to achieve your goals of efficient and profitable 
operations. Computer assisted management control has these 
advantages: Ł reduces employee costs and errors. Ł expedites routing, scheduling, invoicing, and customer inquiries with the result of less lost time and more cash flow. Ł provides better control of accounts receivable and inventory requirements. Ł allows back-up records for emergency use. You may be ready for this system, if your customer base has grown above two thousand service stops. Call or write nowŠand be oper-ating early for the coming season! Mini Systems Group, Incorporated 6500 Pearl Road. Cleveland, OH 44130 Tel.Š(216) 842-5449 z < >-oc H CO D Q Z u os < u z £ < J The February issue of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY will feature stories about weed identification and control, fertilizer basics, and seed requirements for non-opti-mum turf areas. An in-depth look at how to develop your assistant will also be featured. BUNTOH COMMERCIAL LAWN-TURF EQUIPMENT MORE POWER ...for less cost per h.p.! The new 16 h.p. Bunton gives you 60% more power than the 10 h.p. model -for less than 20% more cost. Now you can cut heavier grass faster ... and have a smoother running, longer lasting engine! It's a rugged, self-propelled mulching mower with jd battery start. Available in 36" and 52" cutting widths with optional riding attachment. A complete line (50 models) of commer-cial mowers from 18" through 20'-4" cuts, from 31/2 h.p. through 19.6 h.p. 1979 GSA No GS-07S 03640 For more information send for complete full-line catalog. BUNTON CO. P. O. Box 33247 Loul&ville, KY 40232 U.S.A. 502/459-3810 Telex 204-340 Circle 132 on free information card PRODUCTS Mini-utility spray tank Snyder Industries introduces a 150-gallon miniutility spray tank which fits securely over the rear wheelwells of most mini-pickups. Made of a high density polyolefin material, the tank features a low center of gravity for increased stability. Further, dual recessed and reinforced outlets provide gravity and/or pump assisted drainage. The seamless, one-piece unit also has a translu-cent green tinting and an ultra-violet inhibitor which help protect the tank and its contents from the sun's damaging rays. Standard equipment includes an anti-splash strainer basket designed especially for wettable powders, a high-strength utrethane lid-tie which is corrosion resistant, and molded-in gallonage indicators. The spray units are also available in 300- and 465-gallon models for larger 
capacity liquid handling needs. Circle 206 on free information card Fertilizer stakes for 'acid-loving' trees Special evergreen stakes, which provide fertilizer for acid-loving trees and shrubs, as well as con-ifers, have been introduced by Ross Daniels, Inc. Added to the balanced fertilizer formula for acid plants are trace elements of sulphur, zinc, and iron. Trees are fertilized by merely pounding the stakes into the ground around 
the outer edge of the tree branches. Circle 212 on free information card Valve stem grinder Quick Face, a valve stem grinder for all small engines, is available 
from Ray's Lawnmower Sales and Service. The grinder 
features a diamond sharpener 
and a holder that secures all small engine and automotive 
valves. Circle 215 on free information card Professional SPRAY EQUIPMENT AT AN ECONOMICAL COST!!! DEPENDABLE ACCURATE Ł ECONOMICAL 2. Mieter allowi you la arti 4. Elactnc host real provides quick chemical! aaa yard at a time rewlndin« and provai wrvlct Your spray company is different than others so you need a sprayer tailored to your needs. That's why the Professional Turf Specialties system is used by lawn spray companies from Chicago to Texas. No other system con suspend large particles such as IBDU and nitroform and offer a separate tank that ollows you to mix one product, one lawn at o time, through an inductor as well as these features: 1) A pumping system that can load or unload itself and other trucks. 2) Remote throttle tachometer and pressure gauge for finite accuracy. 3) Ability to suspend slow release nitrogen such as IBDU® or nitroform. 4) Can be mounted on your present equipment or on any new truck. 5) Optional compartmentalized tank, allowing you to fill one section from the other and custom mix chemicals on the job through an inductor. Professional Turf Specialties CALL COLLECT ( 309 ) 454 2467 SUPPLIERS OF EQUIPMENT AND CHEMICALS FOR TURF MAINTAINENCE 1801 INDUSTRAL PARK RD. Ł NORMAL, ILLINOIS 61761 Circle 111 on free Information card Chemical spreader The WS-480 Grounds Wheelie, made by Wheel Spray Corpora-tion, is a liquid chemical spreader with a ground-driven pumping system. The unit's twin-wheel pumps spray a fan of solu-tion six feet wide at a rate of 1,000 square feet per gallon. The pumping system and six-gallon container are made of corrosion-resistant materials and the frame 
is fabricated of heavy guage steel 
with shut-offs located on the han-
dle grips. Circle 202 on free information card Diagnostic laboratory Port-A-Lab, a plant life diagnostic laboratory designed for field use, is available from Maier Tree Care Service Center 
Corporation. The portable labo-ratory includes a pH indicator, 
disecting block, magnifying glass, microscope, tree-top inspection binoculars, and a variety of other 
diagnostic equipment. Circle 203 on free information card TOOLS,TIPS & TECHNIQUES Spray truck provides formula flexibility Raymond G. Hill is a "Yankee ped-dler" of sorts. Except that he's from Victoria, Texas, which is about as far from the Mason-Dixon Line as you can 
possibly get without "dog-paddling" in the Gulf of Mexico. But like the 19th Century peddlers who travelled from Hid town to town selling their wares, Hill spent much of 1979 roaming the United States exhibiting his brainchild, a unique spray truck designed for lawn and tree maintenance work. October brought Hill, of Hill's Liqui-System, to Ohio and a company owned by Al Dall, Lawnco, Inc., Brooklyn Heights. Dall recently purchased one of Hill's trucks and was so im-
pressed that he invited Hill to exhibit the vehicle to other lawn care operators in northeastern Ohio. So Hill pulled up stakes and travelled more than 1,500 miles in an attempt to sell the lawn care businessmen on the benefits of his unique truck design. Hill developed the $17,900 vehicle in 1978. Standard equip-ment includes: Ł Dodge 300 one ton truck (other make trucks optional) 
Ł Brahma 24 pump (volume four to 25 gallons per minute) Ł Injection pumps for two optional streams Ł Fiberglass 400-gallon, dual level holding tank Ł Two 26-gallon fiberglass tanks for injected chemicals Ł Liqui-System metering gong Fiberglass slurry tank for 1,-000 pound fertilizer load Ł Hannay electric hose reel Ł Two hundred foot discharge hose with valve (other lengths optional) Ł Seventy-five foot input hose and hand reel 
Ł PVC lawn nozzle Ł All fiberglass body shell. The two primary benefits of Liqui-Matic is it offers formula flexibility and reduces fuel consumption. The vehicle's 400-gallon, float controlled, water holding tank is filled by con-necting it to the customer's home water supply, thereby precluding the need to carry a large water supply on the truck. The resulting reduction in weight decreases fuel con-sumption and increases gas mileage. "The truck is a lot lighter than most spray trucks because you don't have to carry your water supply with you," Hill said. r* > 
? Z n > 50 CO z a c CD H 50 > Z FLUID LIME from page 23 about the same analysis, he said, but there are often differences in the recommendations given. He showed sample recommenda-tions given by four labs for the same cores he sent each of them to prove his point. "Just because one lab recom-mends more elements be added doesn't mean that that is necessarily the best recommen-
dation," he said. Advantages of liming in general are that it can help pre-vent low pH, which allows a more efficient use of nitrogen for 
turfgrass growth. "If you don't keep the pH in an area between about 6.0 and 6.2, you don't get the most efficient use of phosphorus and the 
available micronutrients either," 
he said. He also said that proper 
pH also promotes bacterial ac-tivity, giving a "much faster degradation of organic material that you get if the soil has a pH in the 5's." A low pH can also hamper some of the efficiency of herbi-cides, Dr. Murdock said. Also, and this applies directly to many lawn care company practices, "as soon as you start 
using high rates of nitrogen, you can run into acidity problems." It takes two to three pounds of lime 
to neutralize one pound of nitro-gen. Over the years, a high nitro-
gen program can make the top layer of soil very acid. He said the four ingredients of fluid lime are a carrier (water, 
nitrogen or phosphate solutions for example); a dispersing agent; 
clay, to keep the solution in suspension; and lime. Lime is about two-thirds of the total mix-ture, the carrier is about 30 per-cent, and the clay and dispersing agent are each about one to two 
percent of the mixture. He said use of fluid lime in a lawn fertilization could work to 
neutralize acidity on the spot, but warned that there could be some precipitation problems with certain materials. He suggested that if a lawn care businessman is using liquid lime, to be sure to mix the materials in a small jar to the right pro-portions first, to make sure there 
is no precipitation. DEALERS WANTED TO SELL THE NEW ... Compact TV-actors from i LONG ^v Compact, Fuel efficient 24 Ł 28 Ł 35 PTO ) Horsepower Diesels. Priced up to ^ 25% below competitive models. .. - - .f.-. . V \ V 260-C Ł This compact 24 PTO H.P., 2-cyl. diesel includes as standard equipment: Continuous PTO, 6-speed trans., 3-pt. hitch with draft and position control, and more. Hydrostatic steering optional. The perfect tractor for turf and horticultural work. Wt. 3,180 lbs. (approx.). Turf or general purpose farm tires Price with 5.00 x 15/12.4 x 24 GPF Tires. LIST PRICE**: 2-WD Š $5,525.00 if t. ß f t , 'j Ł eft? y4 m M , ."' A ** \ ' Ł' >/> \ <V >ŁŁ' . . A Ar ,ly. —'».V 360-C: A heavy-duty, compact 3-cyl., 35 PTO H.P. tractor engineered for outstanding performance and economy. Stand-ard equipment includes: 6-speed trans., hydrostatic steering*, continuous PTO, 3-pt. hitch with draft and position control, and more. The ideal tractor for heavier turf work or small farm chores. Turf or general purpose farm tires. Wt. 3,630 lbs. (approx.). Price with 5.00 x 15/12.4 x 24 GPF Tires. LIST PRICE**: 2-WD Š $7,204.00 COMPARE PRICE AND PERFORMANCE, AND YOU'LL BUY{ *Hydrostatic steering to be phased-in on the 360-C. "Prices based on Long Mfg. N.C. Inc. 's current suggested list price, tor standard equip-ped tractors with tires as specified. F.O.B. point of manufacture; and are subject to change without notice. 31 0-Cl A 2-cyl. compact, 28 PTO H.P. tractor. Standard fea-tures include: Continuous PTO, 6-speed trans., 3-pt. hitch with draft and position control, and more. Hydrostatic steering op-tional. Excellent turf or small farm tractor. Turf or general pur-pose farm tires. Wt. 3,159 lbs. (approx.). Price with 5.00 x 15/12.4 x 24 GPF Tires. LIST PRICE**: 2-WD Š $5,930.00 Good Reasons to 3 Sell LONG Compacts: Ł Small in size Š BIG in power. Ł Quality built tractors, priced up to 25% below competition. Ł Fuel efficient Š High performance diesel engines. Ł Precision engineered to give outstanding performance and more horsepower per dollar. Ł Dealer floor planning program. 
Ł Dealer parts financing program. Ł Regular dealer discounts, plus special incentive discounts. Ł 7 convenient sales and distribution offices to serve you. LONG LONG MFG. N.C. INC. HOME OFFICE: TARBORO. N.C. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Box 1139 (1907 N. Main St.). Tarboro, NC 27886 Tel. (919) 823-4151 Box 918 (2610 Hwy. 77 North). Carrollton. TX 75006 Tel. (214) 242-5102 Box 3928 (3863 W. River Dr.). Davenport. IA 52808 Tel. (319) 324-0451 
Box 167 (Hwy. U.S. 41 South). Tifton, GA 31794 Tel (912) 382-3600 Box 13263 (1920 Channel Ave ). Memphis. TN 38113 Tel. (901) 774-6523 
Box 259 (#8 Long Lane). Mechanicsburg. PA 17055 Tel. (717) 697-8277 906 Harney St.. Vancouver. WA 98660 Tel. (206) 695-1259 SPRING INFLUX frompagel to the new "expert". Little won-der that so many hard-pressed breadwinners view the lawn care business as an inviting cure 
for their immediate financial 
woes. Lacking practical experience, in their zeal to get the flow of 
dollars started, these operators 
will often underprice the com-petition and blithely dispense sidewalk advice about lawn care that is a mixture of superstition and wishful thinking. Usually, they know little about lawn analysis or proper handling and selection of chemicals and other materials. This irresistible impulse to overpromise and oversimplify leads to inevitable disappoint-ment on the part of the consumer 
as spring heats up to summer and the harsh realities of the lawn care profession become evident. Most lawn industry profes-sionals are familiar with this in business for any meaningful length of time. It is not merely a matter of coping with additional competition, which the profes-sional can handle if he is worth 
his salt. Even though most of this breed will vanish before the following spring rolls around (a very few will learn the business the hard way and survive) the damage they do to those already in the in-dustry will live on. Before going further, it should be made clear that nobody can 
object to the freedom of any in-
dividual to go into any kind of legally sanctioned business of his 
choice. This is the essence of our 
free enterprise system. Industry black eye. The point is that few businesses see- to be as easy to get into as ours, and at-tract as many transients. As a result, the permanent, reputable 
people in our business have to 
bear the onus of the "negative image" fostered by those who, as 
it turns out, are only "passing through". These new lawn "ex-perts'' overpromise and oversimplify, leading to customer 
disappointment. By not understanding the real cost and seasonal factors of our business, their prices are often unrealistically low as a result of ignorance, casting shadows on the credibility of the knowledgeable lawn busi-nessman who has already used a very sharp pencil to get his prices way down to meet those of bona fide competition. Because this kind of operator invariably does not understand the essentials of turf manage-ment at the outset (or man-agement of any kind, for that matter), the consumer is fre-quently duped into expecting 
better results than are possible to obtain within the claimed Preserve Your Copies of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY in PEMIkNENT BINDERS only $5.00 period. Even if this is done out of ignorance and eagerness, the end 
result is the same, a black eye for the industry. The problem is easier to describe than to solve, but we 
must try. The wisest approach is not to throw rocks at the other guy (thereby aclling even more attention to him) but to play up 
all the factors which spotlight 
your own integrity and help build confidence in you. "Soft sell" yourself at every opportunity. There are more ways to do this than you may realize. They make good 
business sense in general, but they are also your first line of defense against gypsy operators. Display on your letterheads, envelopes, flyers, ads, contracts, 
etc., every printed notice you give the public, your affiliation with recognized organizations. Amone these might be the Pro-fessional Lawn Care Association 
of America, Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, local or state turfgrass associa-tions, landscape gardener groups, etc. If you have these credentials, flaunt them. If you don't, you should start to acquire them. If you have been in business awhile, say so, loud and clear, at every chance. "Established 1969" or 1972 or even 1976 conveys a message to the public that can be decisive when they compare 
your realistic sales presentation with the naive, blue-sky pitch of a misguided amateur. Blow the whistle. The Lawn-A-Mat organization will be observ-
ing its 20th year in business dur-
ing 1980 and it is a safe bet that we will be using this landmark event in many ways to drive home this theme. Depending upon how long you have been in business, you should do the same. If you have fulfilled any testing, certification or licensing requirements of state, county, township, city or village agen-cies, let the public know about it. Include such information wherever possible in your literature. Display on your trucks, building signs and equip-ment any decals supplied by such agencies. If you have taken educational or training courses or earned a degree relating to your business 
from a recognized institution, or won any awards for dis-tinguished performance or length of service from any in-
dustry group, don't hide your 
light under a bushel. Even if you don't feel these are particularly outstanding accomplishments, don't un-derestimate their impact on the public. Such credentials can 
make the difference when you are trying to explain why you can't possibly charge as little as the new lawn fellow down the street or can't possibly promise the immediate fantastic results he has, and stay in business at the same time. Blow the whistle. That's right. If you spot any lawn operators you have reason to believe may not have complied with licensing 
or certification requirements, turn their names, vehicle license numbers, etc. over to the appro-
priate agency or authority. If you are playing by the rules, isn't it When there ore no alternatives for the best! Model PC 1200 Portable Use Tank: Cap. 1185 gal. 108" long, 60" wide and 53" high. Standard equipment: Baffling system, free standing molded base for ease in mounting, steel hold down lugs for securing tank to frame, 18" vented access hatch secured with deluxe hinged hardware. The TUFLEX manu-facturing process al-lows a five year war-ranty on all tanks. For economy prices and more information on our complete line of tanks, write or call now: is the only manufacturer to spe-cialize in s£*/77/£55fiberglass spray tanks specifically for the pest control and lawn care industry. Remember when craftman-
ship was an art... at Tuflex it still is! The exclusive Tuflex process carries a full five 
year warranty on all handcrafted seam-less fiberglass tanks. Tuflex Manufacturing Company PO Box 13143, Port Everglades Station Fort Lauderdale. Florida 33316 Phone 305/525-8815 Plant Location: 800 Eller Drive, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale Circle 123 on free information card Custom-made binder easily holds entire years copies of LCI magazine. Green binder with logo protects your magazines and gives your library a neat appearance. Magazines can be inserted as they are received....send check or money order to: LAWN CARE INDUSTRY 9800 Detroit Ave. Ł Cleveland, Ohio 44102 1980 Pennsylvania Turfgrass Conference February 26-29 Hershey Convention Center Hershey, Pennsylvania For preregistration, contact: Mrs. Christine King, secretary Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council 814-355-7652 Registration at door also available Circle the dates now! your own fault if you let them join the club without paying the same dues? If every legitimate lawn businessman does the same, the word would soon get around that there is no free lunch in our industry. Licensing? Although all of these tactics can help the respon-sible lawn businessman tem-porarily counteract the fly-by-night image projected by un-qualified amateurs, they are not a permanent solution. The prob-lem will probably persist until clear, fair and enforced stan-dards are developed which must 
be met by anyone who wishes to 
call himself a "lawn care ex-
pert". These standards could en-compass formal education, 
apprenticeship-type experience, 
accredited training courses and testing and certification. Plum-
bers, lawyers, electricians, architects and barbers have evolved qualification standards which have served them well and have also benefitted the public. Why can't we? A trend in this direction may already be in progress. In many 
localities there is talk of licens-ing lawn businessmen, usually in 
conjunction with regulation of home improvement companies. Federal Environmental Protec-tion Agency control of pesticide applicators is another move in this direction. Perhaps our industry is still too young and free-wheeling to 
seriously pursue this subject at this time. Probably in its current vibrant stage of rapid change and development, most of us have 
other more weighty matters to contend with, such as new technology and the complexities of mass marketing and adminis-tration. However, at some point, the issue will have to be faced 
squarely. Much as every lawn businessman knows that each operational month and season brings its own set of needs and obstacles, and plans ahead ac-
cordingly, it is not premature to start stockpiling those ideas whose time is sure to come in the near future. RESEARCH Turf grass color ratings studied throughout periods of drought by Dr. R.W. Smiley and H.M. Pid-duck, Cornell University Green-color retention is often considered to be indicative of 
drought tolerance for lawns gro-wing on dry sites during mid-
summer. Actually, this is misleading because one mecha-nism of drought survival among grasses is dormancy. Actively-growing grass which has not been allowed to become dormant may be killed by rather sudden periods of dry weather or by excessive temperatures. Dor-mant stands are much more 
resistant to excess temperature or lack of water and may, under certain circumstances, be more 
drought resistant than lush, green stands. On the other hand, the axillary buds in the crowns of dry grasses are very susceptible to breakage 
and may be killed quite easily by traffic. Many of us have seen a droughted stand recover shortly after the onset of rains or irriga-tion, only to discover areas that fail to recover where the pressure of tires, foot, or pet traf-
fic has occured on the dry grass. Nevertheless, the image that "green is good" is deeply in-grained in professional lawn care and very few users of turf-grasses would admire a straw-colored lawn especially if other lawns in a neighborhood remain green when drought stress is marginal. Turfgrass species vary in their ability to survive periods of 
drought and excessive tempera-tures. Hard fescues and tall fescues have generally been con-sidered more drought-hard than perennial ryegrasses and bent-grasses. Kentucky bluegrasses are intermediate in hardiness. A large number of morphological and physiological 
plant characteristics govern these differences, some of the most important of which are 
rooting depth, root mass, leaf shape, and surface area. Other factors include certain charac-teristics of the leaf stomata, leaf hairs, and leaf cuticles. These characteristics differ among species and among cultivars within species, so that newly-released cultivars may be quite different from their prede-cessors. Assessments of mid-summer color on an unwatered, fully sunlit variety trial at Ithaca, 
N.Y. were made during a drought in 1978. The plot, at the Cornell University Turfgrass Field Labo-ratory, was planted in 1976 with 66 cultivars of Kentucky blue-grass, 33 cultivars of fine fescue, 24 cultivars of perennial rye-grass, and 14 cultivars of fine fescue. Each cultivar was planted in three different areas of the plot and all were maintained with a minimum of maintenance and at a mowing height of 1.5 inches. Many of the cultivars became dry whereas others remained 
lush and green. Color ratings were made on July 14,1978, and are listed in the table with a rating of one representing dry brown turf and 
nine representing active green turf. Ratings of six and above for 
the mid-summer rating generally indicated pleasing turf color. Soon after the ratings were made midsummer rainfall intensified 
and all plots became green and 
active within a period of two weeks. The summer dormancy was not long lasting. Large variations in summer color occurred among turfgrass species and cultivars. The Ken-tucky bluegrasses best satisfied For Carriage-Trade Results... Sli WATER SOLUBLE PLANT FOODS by PRO-LAWNM Ideal for establishing and maintaining shrub plantings, gardens and lawns. Plant foods available in 25 and 45 lb reusable plastic pails. 30-10-10 For acid-loving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreens, camellias. 20-20-20 Excellent for foliar feeding. For roses and all perennial and annual flowers. PLUS High- and extra-high phosphate . . . low- and no-phosphate formulations. Timely Deliveries. Samples on request. Pro-Lawn has a complete line of fertilizers in both water soluble and granular forms. For more information, current prices, write or call: PRO-LAWN PRODUCTS, INC. Box 4908 « Syracuse. NY 13221 Ł 315-477-6112 prolawn Circle 125 on free information card Making more profit in 1980 will be less a gamble if you attend the National Lawn Care Business Con-ference, March 16-19, Milwaukee, Wis. Professionals, like you, can ex-change know-how, get a technical up-date from the program sessions, see the latest products. You are not alone any longer, and many others like you, looking for a better way to increased profits are coming to learn and share. It's the kind of conference you would plan for lawn care professionals. Please join 
us! Conference details: Lawn Care Conference 
Box 1936 Appleton, Wl 54913 (Area 414/733/2301) How can you cut more grass per gallon? Get yourself a Brouwer. Run a 7 gang unit, cut up to 7 acres per hour with a 30 HP tractor. Brouwer's unique Positive P.T.O. Drive requires less horsepower than conventional wheel drives, increases fuel economy, and successfully operates in varying grass conditions. The lightweight, high-stress steel frame combined with the simple, "no-wheel and gear" mowers minimize 
flattening and avoid wheel tracks. Brouwer 3, 5, and 7 gang mowers are simple, easily transportable, re-markably maneuverable and excep-tionally economical and versatile. THE NEW BROUWER HYDRAULIC LIFT MOWERS ADD ANOTHER TIME SAVING INNOVATION AT A VERY LOW COST. For complete details on the Brouwer line of mowers, write for our free brochure. BROUWER The Turf Equipment People Brouwer Turf Equipment Limited, Woodbine Ave., Keswick, Ontario, Canada L4P 3E9 Tel: (416) 476-4311 Circle 104 on free inrormation card z < >« oc H co D Q Z w oc < U Z < HJ these aesthetic demands. Ratings of fine fescues were depressed due to the presence of diseases. Dawson would have rated higher had it not been the only fescue to 
have red thread disease at this time. Leaf spot diseases also con-tributed significantly to many of the poor fine fescue ratings. Turf grass species vary in their ability to survive periods of drought and excessive temperatures. Hard fescues and tall fescues have generally been considered more drought-hardy than perennial ryegrasses and bentgrasses. Further, during the leveling procedure prior to planting, one corner of the perennial ryegrass 
plot area was excavated deeper than all other plot areas. All varieties rated poorly in the deeply-excavated area, but some 
of the same varieties rated very 
well in the other two replicates. The large non-uniformity of ratings among replicate plantings of the same cultivar was high only for these ryegrasses as is suggested by the statistical evaluations shown in the table. The ryegrass varieties affected by the soil bias are underlined in the table and it appeared that if 
the bias had been absent, more favorable ryegrass cultivar 
ratings may have occurred as fol-
lows: 4.5 for KO-12; 6.0 for 
Diplomat, Eton, KO-15, Pelo, S 321, and Wendy; and 7.0 for LP 
101 Hunter. It can be seen that if the soil bias had been absent we pro-bably would have reported more favorable ratings among the rye-grasses underlined in the table. It is also of interest that upon resumption of the rains, replicates of cultivars in the 
more deeply-excavated corner Table 1. Summer color for 2-year-old, unwatered turfgrass cultivars during a mid-summer drought at Ithaca. Rating* Kentucky Bluegrasses Fine Fescues Perennial Ryegrasses Tall Fescues (1-9) 7.7 Nugget 7.3 7.0 Majestic, Ram I Centurion, Scaldis 6.7 A20-6, A-29-10 Dawson, Waldina BarFa 73-1 6.3 Bonnieblue, P-66, Yorktown 56-GI-301 Sydsport 6.0 Galaxy, Orna, PSU-151, Grelo Loretta, Player Kenny WWAG-452 5.7 Adelphi, Pennstar, Lamora, LP 101, Kennell PSU-150, Rugby, Norlea Touchdown, WWAG-463 5.3 Bar 73-7, Barzan, Bensun, C-26 Perma, Score Delft, Fylking, 1-13, K-128, Vantage 5.0 Bristol, Brunswick, NK100 Fawn, Kentucky 31, Fanfare, Gardi, Geronimo, ZW 42-75 Olymprisp, Pion, PSU 173, Trivoli 4.7 Banff, Bar 73-2, Birka, Ensylva, Gracia Eton, NK 200, Pelo, Barbarossa Enoble, G-22-990, HU-55, Wendy Kl-143, Primo, PSU-190, Windsor, WWAG-412 4.3 Baron, Bar 73-4, Cougar, Minuet, Polar, Puma, Barenza, Diplomat, Alta, MSU Enprima, Parade, PSU-127, Ruby Sprinter. S 321 PSU-169, WWAG-436 4.0 Bar 73-6, Enmundi, Glade, Atlanta, Checker, Koket, KO-15, Manhattan, Barkas Merion, P-154, Vieta Pennlawn, Pruf-1, Scarlet, Omega Veni, Waldorf, Wintergreen 3.7 Aquila, Cheri, Newport, Banner, Barfalla, Cascade, Backafall, Festal, Miner Park 1-307 3.3 Boreal, Encota, Fortress, KO-12, Linn Highlight, Jamestown, Jamosa, Ranier 3.0 Kenblue Pennfine 2.7 Captan Engina 2.3 Citation * Ratings: 1 = dry and straw-colored turf, 9 = lush and dark-green turf. Statistical Significance: Within turfgrass species, those cultivars connected by the same vertical line do not differ at the 95% level of confidence (e.g. the variation in their ratings could be due to experimental errors rather than to cultivar performance). were devastated by Rhizoctonia, whereas the disease was slight to moderate on all cultivars elsewhere in the plot. The applicability of results such as those presented here is always questionable. The in-fluences of many factors, such as geography, topography, climate, and management intensity are seldom adequately defined by a 
single plot. Therefore, it is of in-terest that for Kentucky blue-grass cultivars comparable drought-tolerance results oc-curred in a test in Maryland (Dr. John Hall, unpublished data for 1973). Test results of 23 cultivars common to the Cornell study and a 1972 planting in Wye Mill, Md. indicates that a very close agree-ment exists between the cultivar 
ratings at both locations. This suggests that the test results for Kentucky bluegrasses are valid over a wide geographical area. Data such as that presented here, together with annual cultivar quality and pest resistance ratings, should be useful to those who are planning the establishment of new lawns 
and to those who will rejuvinate 
existing lawns by overseeding with new cultivars. This article was reprinted from the New York State Turfgrass Associa-tion Bulletin 97:437-440 (1978) with permission by the authors. AQUA-GRO FOR MORE SUCCESSFUL LANDSCAPING AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE AT LOWER COSTS. Irregular growth of turf in stratified soil when maintained j^* with plain water Ł Compensates for poor soil mixtures and soil stratification Ł Helps eliminate hot spots Ł Allows for the rewetting of B & B stock and the establishment of sod. Recovery of same area in two weeks when maintained with Aqua-Gro and 
water Ł Eliminates seed floating, reducing drought, heat stress, and disease. Ł Increases fertilizer and pesticide performance. Ł Provides for improved plant establishment and growth. AQUA-GRO is available in liquid concentrate or spreadable granular. For free illustrated brochure write to: a'cr AQUATROLS CORPORATION OF AMERICA, INC. 1432 Union Ave., Pennsauken, New Jersey 08110 (609) 665-1130 « £L LAWN CARE INDUSTRY READER SERVICE CARDŠJANUARY 1980 (expires m90days) Use this prepaid reader service card to get additional information on products or services mentioned in this issue (Card must be completed before processing) NAME _TITLE_ BUSINESS ADDRESS CITY STATE If you would Uke a subscription to LAWN CARE INDUSTRY circle number 101. Subscription cost is $10.00 per year. To help us better service you editorially, please answer the following: 1. Are you primarily involved in. Ł Chemical lawn care and maintenance services Ł Chemical application only Ł Mowing and other maintenance services Ł Other (specify) Application Ł Liquid Ł Granular 
Ł Both 2. Is your business location: Ł Headquarters Ł Branch office 3. Is your business: Ł Independent Ł Chain Ł Franchise Ł Other (specify) 4. Title: Ł President Ł Owner Ł Manager Ł Technician 
Ł Other (specify) . 5. Number of accounts: Ł Less than 500 Ł 500-1,000 Ł 1.001-5,000 Ł 5.001-10.000 
Ł 10,001-25.000 Ł 25.000 or more 6. Estimated annual sales volume: Ł Less than $50.000 Ł $50.001-100.000 Ł $100.001-250.000 Ł $250.001-500.000 
Ł $500.001-1.000.000 Ł $1.000.000 or more Ł Please send product Information only on items circled Ł Please have a salesman call me about items circled. Best time to call me is . SIGNATURE _ CIRCLE THE ITEM 101 102 103 121 122 123 142 143 162 163 
182 183 201 202 203 221 222 223 
241 242 243 
261 262 263 141 161 
161 NUMBERS 104 105 124 125 144 145 164 165 
184 185 204 205 
224 225 
244 245 264 265 FOR FREE 106 107 126 127 
146 147 166 167 
186 187 206 207 226 227 
246 247 266 267 DETAILS ON 108 100 
128 129 
146 149 166 169 
188 186 208 209 228 229 
248 249 
268 269 PRODUCTS 110 111 130 131 
150 151 
170 171 190 191 210 211 230 231 250 251 270 271 AND SERVICES 112 113 114 132 133 134 152 153 154 
172 173 174 192 193 194 212 213 214 232 233 234 252 253 254 
272 273 274 117 137 155 156 157 175 176 177 195 196 197 215 216 217 235 236 237 255 256 257 
275 276 277 115 116 135 136 156 159 
178 179 118 119 120 138 139 140 160 180 198 199 200 218 219 220 238 239 240 
258 259 260 
278 279 280 NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 2675 CLEVELAND. OHIO POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE Attention: Circulation Dept. LAWN CARE INDUSTRY 9800 Detroit Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 44102 NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 665 DULUTH. MINN POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE LAWN CARE INDUSTRY P.O. BOX 6136 DULUTH, MINNESOTA 55806 SUBSCRIPTION GROUP SUBSCRIPTION RATE: 5 or more copies Š $7.00 per subscription. Include all names and addresses on company letterhead. Ł PAYMENT ENCLOSED Ł BILL ME Make check or money order payable to LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. 1 Year Š $10.00 2 Years Š $18.00 3 Years Š $23.00 TITLE BUSINESS ADDRESS STATE ZIP 1. Are you primarily Involved In 3. Is your business: Chemical lawn care and maintenance services Ł Independent Ł Chemical application only Ł Chain Ł Mowing and other maintenance services Ł Franchise Ł Other (specify) Ł Other (specify) . Application Ł Liquid Ł Granular 
Ł Both 2. Is your business location: Ł Headquarters Ł Branch office 4. Title: Ł President Ł Owner Ł Manager 
Ł Technician Ł Other (specify) . 5. Number of accounts: Ł Less than 500 Ł 500-1.000 Ł 1.001-5.000 Ł 5.001-10.000 Ł 10.001-25.000 
Ł 25,000 or more 6. Estimated annual sales volume: Ł Less than $50,000 
Ł $50,001-100.000 
Ł $100,001-250.000 
Ł $250,001-500.000 Ł $500,001-1,000.000 
Ł $1,000,000 or more Signature . FERTILIZER 37-0-0 Lescosan, the name you remember for crabgrass control. LESCO Sulfur-Coated Fertilizer, the name to remember for greener lawns. Ron Giffen, Vice President of National Sales I've told you about our Lescosan (Betasan*), the best selling pre-emergence crabgrass control on the market. You've proven its effec-tiveness. I'm here to tell you now that Lakeshore Equipment & Supply produces an equally effective line of sulfur-coated fertilizers. LESCO Sulfur-Coated Urea and 100% Sulfur-Coated Fertilizers pro-vide the perfect ingredients for denser, greener lawns. The sulfur coating, applied to the fertilizer components, provides controlled release of nutrients for prompt and sustained feeding for safe, ef-ficient and economical fertilization of lawns in all areas of the country. As supplier of the most effective full-season crabgrass control on the market Š Lescosan (Betasan*) Š and of the latest in controlled-
release (sulfur-coated) fertilizers, manufactured by our subsidiary, Ag Industries Manufacturing, we have a special interest in the lawn care market. Lakeshore carries a complete line of turfgrass supplies made and distributed with you in mind. The full family of fine LESCO Pro-
ducts mean quality at affordable prices. Call Lakeshore today and ask about Lescosan, Sulfur-Coated Fertil-izers and our other turfgrass supplies. Ask for Barb Š she'll have one of our lawn service specialists give you the full story and work out a complete program tailored to meet your specific needs. * (Betasan Š registered TM of the Stauffer Chemical Company.) A Family of Fine Products Lescosan 12.5GŠLescoreneŠ Leseo 4ŠLescoborŠ LescoparŠLescopexŠLeseo Non-Selective HerbicideŠLeseo MSMAŠ Leseo Thiram 75WŠLescozyme ŠLakeshore Chinch Bug & Sod Webworm Control. LESC© PRODUCTS Division of Lakeshore Equipment & Supply Co. 300 South Abbe Road, Elyria, Ohio 44035 (216) 323-7544 1-800-321-5325 Nationwide 1-800-362-7413 In Ohio z < BEHIND THIS ISSUE OS H CO D D Z w OS < u z Last month we attended the Ohio and Il-linois Turfgrass Conferences. This month we're headed for state turf conferences in Maryland, Nebraska, Michigan and Virginia. It is a heady time of the year for many reasons. First, it is exciting to see the 
new equipment and products on the market. Second, it's a great time to talk to as many lawn care businessmen as we can. Third, the educational sessions provide a wealth of information for all those in attendance. As you can see from the news story on page 1 of this issue, the Professional Lawn Care Association of America began plan-ning last month at its board meeting for a 1980 annual meeting which hopefully will include at least a conference and perhaps even a trade show. The PLCAA board is talking Louisville in the first half of Novem-ber, and we are behind the idea 100 per-cent. The fact that PLCAA is planning a national lawn care conference is by no means a slight on the state turf conferences. PLCAA president Jerry Faulring would be the first to tell you that one of the main con-siderations in any planning is to not conflict with existing conferences. But the PLCAA basically feels that a true business con-
ference that addresses the management 
needs of the lawn care businessman is needed. And on the premise they have 
begun planning. Don't confuse the PLCAA 
conference with the scheduled lawn care 
conference to be held in March in Milwaukee. We're in favor of all 
educational efforts, but feel that the first national lawn care conference should be sponsored by the industry's professional association. Stay tuned for details. CLASSIFIED When answering ads where box number only is given, please address as follows: Box number, % 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 ad copy to Dorothy Lowe, LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. Box 6951, Cleveland, Ohio 44101. FOR SALE FOR SALE: Very profitable lawn spraying company serving Chicago and suburbs. One of the largest such firms in the area and offers both li-quid and dry application. Write: Box 14, Lawn Care Industry, Box 6951, Cleveland, Ohio 44101. MISCELLANEOUS KELWAY SOIL pH TESTER, used by professionals everywhere. Direct reading, longlasting, portable, lightweight, no power source. Model HB-2 reads moisture too. Available through local distributors or contact Kel Instruments Co., Inc., Dept. L, P.O. Box 1869, Clifton, N.J. 07015. 201 471-3954. USED EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: 10-1977 Chevy one-ton trucks, 750 gal. spray tanks, R & M 3L4 pump, electric hose reels, spray hose, ready to spray. Phone 513 845-0631. STAINLESS STEEL COMBINE that rolls, aerates, applies seed plus li-quid and granular chemicals. Call 301 987-5901. GOING OUT OF BUSINESS, grounds maintenance contractor. Selling trucks, trailers, riding and push mowers, hand tools, etc. The whole works. Columbia Mainte-nance, 3700 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Alexandria, Virginia 22305. 703 683-5252. HELP WANTED NATIONALLY KNOWN LAWN CARE service needs foreman to 
supervise in the servicing of over 2,-
200 accounts. We need a take charge person capable of over seeing our 
entire service department. Un-limited opportunities for the right 
person. Supervisory experience is necessary, knowledge of the lawn business is not a requirement. Lawn Doctor, Box 198, Morrisville, PA 19067. CHEMICAL LAWN CARE company needs working foreman with at least three years experience in turf 
management including supervision, sales, customer and employee rela-tions. Must have mechanical back-ground. 214 690-1900. Lawn Doctor, P.O. Box 30121, Dallas, TX 75230. DO TO RAPID EXPANSION the Ex-celawn Corporation of America is seeking qualified individuals to fill full time positions which are currently open in production, sales and service areas in Chicago, Il-
linois, Indianapolis, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. A successful applicant should have a B.S. degree 
or equivalent education and experi-
ence in Agronomy or horticulture 
with emphasis in turf science. Ex-celawn currently ranks in the top 5% 
of all lawn care companies in the U.S. and is committed to continued rapid expansion. We are able to of-
fer to qualified individuals key pro-
motion to supervisory as well as mid-dle or upper management positions in the near future. Salary and 
benefits commensurate with the in-
dividuals qualifications. Send resume in confidence to Excelawn 
Corporation of America, Corporate Headquarters, P.O. Box 372, Crestwood, Kentucky 40014, Attn: Er-
nest Sampson. TREE CARE MANAGERŠWe are looking for someone experienced in the feeding and spraying of trees and ornamentals. You will nandle sales and service in this newly opened 
division of our established lawn care 
company. This position offers excel-lent opportunities for advancement 
for the dynamic individual. Appli-
cants should have a B.S. degree or 
equivalent in one of the horticultural in assisi A precision Vert.-Cut Thatcher specially d«*"'* for goli 9ree" maintenance TM-** ¿point hitch mount and avalve with «heels and hydraulic Mt AB-1 Aeri-Boy«***"* for double utility ¡KSK*«** stand manauverable. DEALERS WANTED (812)428-2025 Hann 1625 N. Garvin St., Evansville, In. 47711 « Circle 122 on free information card Something NEW For Snow Plowing!!! At Last - A Snow Plow Cutting Edge That Does The Complete Job and more! It Pushes Forward! It Plows Snow Backwards Ł It saves you time Ł It eliminates the rear blade Ł It gives extra strength Ł It interchanges and fits your present plow Ł It lets one plow do the work of two. t One truck uses less gas than 1 Ł It saves you time and money. ^ Available For Meyers A Western Plows - 7W In Stock AeJe Lesko Co* %oÄ7.aI 529-0769 DEALERS WANTED sciences. Please send a complete resume including education, experi-ence, and salary history to: Village 
Green Limited, 303 Wilson Ave., West Chicago, Illinois 60185, or call 
collect 312 293-1036. LAWN CARE MANAGERŠWe are looking for a take charge person ex-
perienced in all aspects of lawn care. This person will supervise daily operations in a rapialy expanding 
lawn care company in the far 
western suburbs of Chicago. Appli-
cant should have a B.S. degree or 
equivalent in one of the Agronomic sciences, a totally professional view of the lawn care industry, and the desire to be an intrical part of a pro-
fessional team. Salary will be com-mensurate with experience. Please send a complete resume including education, experience, and salary 
history to: Village Green.Limited, 303 Wilson Ave., West Chicago, Il-linois 60185, or call collect 312 293-1036. TURF SPECIALIST/MANAGER 
TRAINEE positions open at ex-panding chemical lawn and shrub care company in fast growing 
Houston, Texas". Tremendous oppor-tunity for those having experience with national or regional lawn care companies, or knowledge of turf-grass and ornamental plants. The right people will have unlimited ad-vancement potential. Send complete resume including education, experi-ence and salary nistory to: Environ-mental Lawn Cqre, 7544 Harwin, Houston, Texas 77036 or call collect 713 784-1750. ADVERTISERS Agro-Chem 6 Aquatrols Corp. of America 28 
Ashland Chemical Co 22 Bunton Co 24 Brouwer Turf Equipment 27 Ciba-Geigy Corp 16-17 Diamond Shamrock Corp cover III Fallek-Lankro 8 Hahn, Ine 30 Imler Industries 13 Jacobsen Div. of Textron, Ine 14-15 Lakeshore Eqpt. & Supply Co 29 
Lawn Care Business Conference 27 Lebanon Chemical Corp 24, 28 
A.J. Lesko Co 30 
Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Ine cover IV Long Mfg 25 J.J. Mauget 21 Mini-Systems Group 23 
Monsanto 20 Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council 26 Pro-Lawn Products 27 Professional Turf Specialties 24 Rhone-Poulenc, Ine 5 Satoh Agricultural Machinery 9 Stauffer Chemical Co 10-11 Torco Equipment Co 13 The Toro Co 18-19 Tuco Div. of Upjohn Co 3 Turf-Seed 4 U.S. Gypsum 7 r I For the turf you care for: season-long protection against crabgrass, Poa annua and other annual grasses and weeds with America's leading preemergence turf herbicide. Dacthal is number one in its field. Not only because it is so effective, but because it con-trols more than 20 unwanted weeds and grasses. Applied properly, it lays down a barrier that stops early and late germinating annual weeds without affecting healthy, growing 
turf grasses. Tough weeds like crabgrass and Poa annua can't stand up to Dacthal. The help you need for total turf care. Dacamine® provides postemergence control of over 70 broadleaf weeds including dandelion, annual chickweed, knotweed and Canada thistle. It works right down to the roots. So tough perennials don't return. Daconate® is the postemergence herbicide that knocks out nutsedge, chickweed, wood sorrel, sandbur and other grassy weeds. It's a ready-to-use liquid herbicide with a built-in surfactant for uniform wetting. Daconil 2787® is the broad-spectrum fungicide that stops nine fungus diseases on turf. Use it from spring to fall to prevent dollar spot, leaf spot, red thread, stem rust of blue grass, large brown patch. It's effective even in hot weather. Provides disease con-trol on a number of ornamentals. Count on the big four from Diamond Shamrock to make your job easier. Circle 145 on free information card Diamond Shamrock The resourceful company. See your turf chemicals supplier, or contact the Diamond Shamrock Agricultural Chemicals Division sales office nearest you: Three Commerce Park Square. 23200 Chagrin Blvd. Beachwood. OH 44112 Ł 1760 The Exchange. Suite 100. Atlanta. GA 30339 Ł 5333 Westheimer. Suite 850. Houston. TX 77002 Ł Commerce Plaza Bldg. 2015 Spring Rd., Oakbrook. IL 60521 Ł 617 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City. CA 94063 a-JR ' 1 mm ; v - gfyW JSR1 ^ c . V.-J "With Baron, it's delivery as usual Peter Loft, Chairman, Lofts Pedigreed Seed What better testimonial to Baron's performance? The climatic stress which caused the bluegrass supply problem made our point better than any ad we could write. Baron ... the world's outstanding Kentucky bluegrass weathered the seed crisis. Baron endured and is available to meet your needs for a tough bluegrass that can stand up to stress and traffic. Order Baron . . . The Kentucky bluegrass that came through the crisis. Let it come through for you. m Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Inc. Bound Brook, New Jersey 08805 Lofts/New England Great Western Seed Co. Lofts Kellogg Seed Co. Arlington, MA 02174 Albany, OR 97321 Milwaukee, Wl 53201 (617) 648-7550 (503) 926-2636 (414) 276-0373 Lofts/New York Lofts/Maryland Canadian Distributor: Cambridge, NY 12816 Landover, MD 20785 Oseco, Inc. (518) 677-8808 (301) 322-8111 Brampton, ON L6V 2L2 Circle 129 on free information card (416) 846-5080 LOFTS