BUSINESS How to avoid winter cash flow problems Winter can be a bleak season, particularly in the North and Midwest. Cold weather, gray skies and short days make January and February seem to drag on end-lessly. During these months a large percentage of the population spend their days anticipating the 
arrival of spring. Among them are lawn care businessmen with winter cash flow problems. Winter can be a desperate time for lawn care businessmen with cash flow headaches. Operating expenses pile up and employes still have to be paid, yet the money isn't coming in as fast as it did in the spring and summer. Winter is a difficult time for seasonal businesses, but it doesn't have to be that way. Innovative 
lawn care businessmen have de-veloped ways to avoid winter cash flow problems, while still main-taining a healthy work environ-ment throughout the winter. Theodore Hadeed, president of Agro-Lawn Systems, Inc., Land-
over, Md., has increased his winter cash flow by incorporating a winter application (fertilization and liming) into his lawn care program. "Our cash flow is very good up to the end of December 
because of our winter treatment," he said. Agro-Lawn has also improved its cash flow situation by requiring customers to pre-pay. "We require a down payment for the first treatment," Hadeed said. "After 
the first treatment is completed we give them a bill. The first bill must be paid before we provide a second application." "So basically we get paid for the treatments before they are done," he added. "This cures some of the cash flow problems and we don't have any loss (due to non-payment)." In an attempt to better cope with winter cash flow problems, other 
lawn care operators have diver-sified their services to include 
snow removal, chimney sweeping, 
landscaping and firewood sales. Larry Kapp, of Kapp's Green to page 16 REGIONS Major turf conferences to be held next month in Ohio, Illinois, 
New Jersey, Texas and Washington Following this month's first Pro-fessional Lawn Care Association of America Conference and Trade Show in Louisville, there are at least five major regional turf con-ferences that have scheduled ex-tensive lawn care sessions next month. These five conferences are: the Landscape Maintenance Sym-posium sponsored by the As-sociated Landscape Contractors of 
America (ALCA) December 1-3 in Seattle; the Ohio Turfgrass Con-ference December 2-4 in Colum-bus; the Texas Turfgrass Confer-ence December 8-10 in College Station; the New Jersey Turfgrass Expo '80 December 8-11 in Cherry 
Hill; and the Illinois Turfgrass 
Conference December 16-18 in Springfield. ALCA. Programming at the Landscape Maintenance Sym-posium will be centered around the meeting's theme, "A Framework for Planning and Man-aging in the '80's" according to program chairman Rod Bailey, Evergreen Services Corp., Bel-m/N Serving lawn maintenance Ł JUI^/Ihi and chemical lawn ^^ M^mm I care professionals. INDUSTRY NOVEMBER 1980 Ł VOL. 4, NO. 11 Ł An HBJ Publication LCI SURVEY Businessmen spent $57.1 million on mowing equipment last year Readers of LAWN CARE INDUS-TRY spent more than $57 million on tractors, mowers and trimmers last year, according to a recent survey conducted by the magazine. In a similar survey conducted last year, readers of the magazine spent $32.9 million in the same basic categories. In the walk-behind mower cate-QUICK STARTS gory, 56.3 percent of the readers said they spent an average of $1,381 in 1979, for a readership projection of $7.5 million. In the riding mower category, 21.6 percent of the readers said they spent an average of $5,319, for a readership projection of $11 million. In the less-than-10-horsepower tractor category, 6.8 percent of the 
readers said they spent an average of $2,088, for a readership projec-tion of $1.4 million. In the 10-20 horsepower tractor category, 16.8 percent of the read-ers said they spent an average of leville, Wash. The Symposium will be held at the Washington Plaza Hotel, Seattle. It is designed for own-ers, managers and staff of maintenance-oriented businesses 
looking for paths to survival and success in the decade ahead. The 
three days of meetings will be keynoted by publisher Dick 
Morey, speaking on "Where in the '80's?" in which he will cover trends in the industry and relevant aspects of outside trends. Succes-sive sessions will follow on theme of the changes and trends which 
will develop in the coming dec-ade. Other sessions in the Sym-posium will include two "industry 
directions panels"Šone covering 
markets and services, and the second on products and equip-ment. Both panels will feature industry contractors and suppliers, as will many of the other 
sessionsŠLong-Range Planning, 
Organization Planning and Human Development, Your Chart of Accounts, Hidden Costs in Maintenance, Business Tricks of the Trade and Financial Fore-casting, Financing and Cash Flow. For further information, contact: to page 6 $4,840, for a readership projection 
of $7.9 million. In the 21-30 horsepower tractor category, 7.4 percent of the readers 
said they spent an average of $7,633, for a readership projection 
of $5.5 million. In the 31-50 horsepower tractor category, 6.8 percent of the readers 
said they spent an average of 
$15,929, for a readership projec-tion of $11 million. The results of this survey are based on a 53.6 percent response to 500 questionnaires mailed to read-ers of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY earlier this year. For a copy of the 
survey, contact: Bob Earley, 
Editor/Publisher, LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, Harcourt Brace 
Jovanovich, Inc., 757 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017. Improving herbicide performance page 4 Housing starts in the Seventies page 7 ALCA meeting set for New Orleans page 7 Tank mix compatibility problems page 10 Thatch-related turf problems page 15 California landscape show in Long Beach page 21 MEMOS 2 NEWSMAKERS 5 MARKETING IDEA FILE 11 TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES 16 MEETING DATES 18 PRODUCTS 19 MONEWISE T 20 CLASSIFIEDS 22 0*¿0Z aw >idVd 3931103 V V XQ0 Od JLS83HWV V097 NOI i VONflO 3 83SSÍ1W ISIWONQdOV nVäJ Q3 d 3 dO Ha- -ose- xaviiöfi 18ÀVW I 3D Ió¿6-2d-80Z0000 930*1 DUSTRY, page 12. 
nisiness, technical in faces in his job d by our readers. MOWING EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, 1979 Equipment % sample purchasing average per purchaser projection to LCI readership Walk-behind mowers 56.3% $ 1,381 $ 7.5 million Riding mowers 21.6 5,319 11.0 million Less-than-10 h.p. tractors 6.8 2,088 1.4 million 10-20 h.p. tractors 16.8 4,840 7.9 million 21-30 h.p. tractors 7.4 7,633 5.5 million 31-50 h.p. tractors 6.8 15,929 11.0 million Larger tractors 6.3 16,918 10.0 million Hedge trimmers 37.9 298 1.1 million String trimmers 38.9 462 1.7 million Source: 1980 LCI Survey o CO Oí > O z >-oc H c/3 D Q Z i < u z < TRANSITION LCI offices move; Earley to publisher Effective with its November issue, LAWN CARE INDUSTRY has 
moved its primary editorial and 
sales offices to New York. The magazine has been pub-lished by Harvest Publishing Co., Cleveland, since its inception in 1977. Harvest is a wholly owned subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jo-vanovich, Inc. The magazine is now being published directly by Harcourt. In addition, Robert Earley has been named editor/publisher of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. He has previously been editor/associate publisher. He will be working 
directly with Tom Greney, Har-
court group vice president in 
charge of LAWN CARE INDUS-
TRY and its two sister publications Š WEEDS TREES & TURF and PEST CONTROL. Another mag-azine in the Harvest group Š GOLF BUSINESS Š will continue to be published by Harvest. LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, WEEDS TREES & TURF and PEST CONTROL were moved to New York to be more closely aligned with Harcourt's business mag-
azine operation. Harcourt is the largest publisher of business and professional magazines and jour-nals in the country. With more than 70 titles. It is the third largest publisher when measured in terms 
of volume. Earley will continue with his present editorial and sales respon-sibilities. He has been editor of the magazine since 1977, and had 
previously been managing editor of WEEDS TREES & TURF and associate editor of GOLF BUSI-
NESS. He has also in the past been 
associate editor of GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT, published by the Golf Course Superintendents As-sociation of America, Lawrence, Kans.; managing editor of HEAT-ING/COMBUSTION EQUIPMENT NEWS, Cleveland; and managing 
editor of CRYOGENICS & INDUS-TRIAL GASES, Cleveland. He also has daily newspaper and advertis-ing agency experience, and holds a 
B.S. in journalism degree from 
Northwestern University, Evan-ston, 111. He is a trustee of the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation, and is on the board of directors of the Profes-sional Lawn Care Association of America. He is also immediate past president of the American Society of Business Press Editors. New address for the magazine is: LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, Har-
court Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 757 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017, (212) 888-2892. L4WN OIRE INDUSTRY Editor/ Publisher: ROBERT EARLEY Associate Editor: DAN MORELAND Graphic Coordinator: ROBERT ANDRESEN Graphic Design: DENISE JOHNSON Production Manager: MAXINE HÄGEN MARKETING/SALES New York Office: ROBERT EARLEY (212) 888-2892 757 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Midwest Office: (312) 773-2300 111 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 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: DAWN ANDERSON (218) 727-8511 1 East First St., Duluth, MN 55802 Circulation Supervisor: CLAUDIA PLAUNT 1 East First St., Duluth, MN 55802 Reader Service: GENE BAILEY (218) 727-8511 1 East First St., Duluth, MN 55802 Please send advertising materials to: LAWN CARE INDUSTRY 120 W. 2nd St. DULUTH, MN 55802 218-727-8511 HARCOURT BRACE JOVANOVICH PUBLICATIONS (HBJ ROBERT L. EDGELL, Chairman RICHARD MOELLER, President LARS FLADMARK, Executive Vice President ARLAND HIRMAN, Treasurer THOMAS GRENEY, Group Vice President EZRA PINCUS, Group Vice President LAWRENCE WITCHEL, Group Vice President JOE BILDERBACH, Vice President JAMES GHERNA, Vice President GEORGE GLENN, Vice President HARRY RAMALEY, Vice President LAWN CARE INDUSTRY (USPS 397250) is published monthly by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publications. Corporate and Editorial offices: 757 Third Avenue, New York. New York 10017. Advertising offices: 757 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10017, 111 East Wacker Drive, Chicaco, Illinois 60601 and 3091 Maple Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30305. Accounting, Advertising Production, and Circulation offices: 1 East First Street, Duluth. Minnesota 55802. Subscription rates: one year, $15 in the United States and Canada; all other countries: $4.50. Controlled circulation postage paid at Cleveland, Ohio 44101. Copyright © 1980 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send Form 3579 to LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, P.O. Box 6017, Duluth, Minnesota 55806. MEMOS NFSA brochure promotes lawn care: The National Fertilizer Solutions Association recently published a brochure entitled "The Fluid Fertilizer Concept for the Lawn and Turf Industry." The brochure says that fluid fertilizers have fast become the modern method of fertilizer application in the commercial lawn care and turf fertilization industry, and estimates that more than 60 percent of the industry is currently using the fluid fertilizer application technique. The brochure goes on to say that "the reasons for the large and still growing usage of fluid fertilizers by the lawn and turf 
industry are many, but they can be summarized by discussion of the major advantages they offer, namely: uniform distribution, prescription formulation, agronomic advantages and handling and application efficiencies. . . . "Through the use of fluid fertilizers, uniform distribution is virtually assured. With fluids, every drop is exactly the same, resulting in a completely uniform and homogeneous mixture. This same uniformity is carried through to the application as a result of the basic principle behind the movement and distribution of fluids. That principle is the use of a pump to force the fluid under pressure through an orifice or spray gun nozzle. 
Thus, at a given pressure and with spray gun nozzle of a certain size, the rate of flow is constant. . . . "Prescription formulation with fluid fertilizers means that they can be precisely mixed to meet the precise nutrient needs of the plant. The importance of prescription formulation as a key advantage of fluid fertilizers is very evident when considering the increasing need for secondary and micronutrients. . . . "One of the key agronomic advantages offered by fluid fertilizer is the broad range of choices of materials to supply the major elements of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. . . . "Fluid fertilizers offer a number of handling and application efficiencies. Application is fast and easy since all you have to lift is the end of a hose. No handling time is wasted unloading 
equipment, lifting bags, or cleaning up the waste and mess from 
spillage on surrounding sidewalks and pavement." The NFSA printed the brochure to show the potential of the lawn care industry to its membersŠmostly farm fertilizer dealersŠand to promote the benefits of fluid fertilizers to lawn care companies that are presently applying dry fertilizer applications. For a copy of the brochure, write: NFSA, 8823 N. Industrial Rd., Peoria, IL 61615. Weeds as energy? Common weeds and grasses may prove to be valuable sources of energy, according to researchers at Battelle's Columbus, Ohio laboratories. As part of experiments sponsored by Battelle, researchers are growing such crops as milkweed, ragweed and orchardgrass to determine their potential as renewable energy sources. The 
crops have the potential either to be burned for their energy value or converted into products such as oil and rubber. Researchers are analyzing them for their yields, germination and seedling vigor. Following harvesting, the crops will be weighed and examined for their biomass potential. International Seeds markets bluegrass. In our July issue, we listed bluegrass rankings from Purdue University in tests there, and also marketers of the various varieties. Harry W. Stalford, product manager for International Seeds Inc., Halsey Ore., wrote to tell us that his company had Merit and Vantage Kentucky bluegrasses released to it by O. M. Scott & Sons, Marysville for production and marketing. He adds that Merit and Vantage are available on a commercial basis through ISI distributors. A steep decline in the middle quarters? Consumer spending provided the underpinning for the economy in 1979 and thereby averted a recession. This support has now been withdrawn, and 1980 is turning into a classical business cycle downswing. According to a recent article in Business Week magazine, retrenchment by consumers has triggered production cutbacks. 
Inventories will have to be cut to stay in line with the lower sales level. This process almost assures continued downward momentum in business activity and the beginning of a reduction 
in inflationary pressures. As recently as April, the consensus of economic experts was for only a two to three percent annual rate of decline in real Gross 
National Product for the two middle quarters of this year, with a gradual and modest recovery beginning before year-end. In 
recent weeks, these forecasts have been scaled downward: Now 
the view is that the second and third quarters will be worse than anticipated previously. A number of private economists and economic consulting companies are factoring in five to eight percent annual rate declines in real Gross National Product in one or both of the middle quarters. They say that is a serious 
recession. Chipco 26019lets you increase your business without adding new customers. Chipco 26019Fungicide builds profits. Until now, it just hasn't been practical to offer disease control to your typical lawn care customers. The way available fungicides worked, you'd have to make too many appli-cations. And probably get spotty results at that. Enter Chipco 26019 Fungicide...the broad-spectrum turf fungicide that fits right into your spray program. Chipco 26019Fungicide gives you more control with fewer sprays. It stops major turf diseases like fusarium blight, Helminthosporium (leaf spot and melting out),dollar spot (includ-ing benomyl-resistant dollar spot), and brown patch. And it gives effective control for up to three weeks 
at low, economical rates. Chipco 26019 Fungicide | is easy to work with, too. It 
mixes well, with no residual left in the tank. And it pre-sents no problems of photo-
toxicity to turf. PRODUCT NUMBER 3355 7T Think what Chipco 26019 Fungicide will do for your business. Because you know it's really going to workŠfor up to 21 days Š you can get a lot more aggressive about going 
after fungicide business. You can offer it right away to existing customers with disease problems. You can 
add it to your basic lawn care package when 
current contracts roll over. And you can use Chipco 26019 Fungicide as a competitive tool when you're going after new customers 
next season. If you'd like to have this competitive tool working to expand your business, ask your chemical dis -tributor for the profit-building addition to 
the popular Chipco line of turf fungicides and herbicides:Chipco 26019 Fungicide. Rhône- Poulenc Chemical Co., Agrochemical Divi-sion, Monmouth Junction, New Jersey 08852. I CHIPCO 26019 CHIPCO 26019 FUNGICIDE *PP»e<l Fungicide for the Prevention and Control ot Certain Diseases ot Turtgrass VEHEMENT: Š ^REOtENTS .... 50.0% i *EEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN CAUTION m stat««ht of practical treatment "^'»ÏÏSjrï^Ž V>"0 <ŁŁ<»' tor eye. Hush with "»Haw »1X1 got modtc! »ttontion 4 RHONE POULENC CHEMICAL COMPANY AGROCHEMICAL DIVISION m NET CONTENTS 2 POUNOS ( 907 RQ) Please read label carefully, and use only as directed. CHEMICALS Soil properties affect herbicide performance Environmental factors and soil properties may determine how effective many of our surface applied herbicides are. Environ-mental factors such as too much rain may wash herbicides away 
while too little rain may cause the herbicide to never gain its total effectiveness. Soil properties such as pH can also affect herbicide performance. When some her-bicides are sprayed on soils with a low pH, they may be strongly absorbed and unavailable for their intended job. Thus, the movement and reaction of herbicides in the soil are important factors to con-sider when herbicide failure oc-
curs. In order to discuss the move-ment and reaction of herbicides in the soil, I will break them down into two basic groups, ionic and 
nonionic. The ionic group can be further divided into three sub-groups; cationic, basic, and acidic. The nonionic group can be di-vided into two subgroups; volatile 
and nonvolatile. Ionic herbicides undergo a pro-cess known as ionization when they are dissolved in the soil 
solution. This process means that an ionic herbicide may separate into electrically charged particles. These electrically charged parti-cles may become positively 
charged (cations) or negatively charged (anions). Since soil parti-cles are generally thought to be negatively charged, a herbicide that ionizes and forms cations will be bound very tightly to the soil particles. Paraquat is a good example of a herbicide that ionizes to form cations. Cationic herbi-cides should only be applied as foliar sprays. As mentioned earlier, other io.nic herbicides may be categorized as being basic or acidic. The triazine herbicides such as atrazine or simazine are good examples of basic type her-bicides. Soil pH is a measure of the amount of hydrogen ions in the soil solution. A low pH means a lot of hydrogen ions are in the soil solution and thus the soil is said to be acidic. Liming helps to neutralize these hydrogen ions 
and raise the pH of the soil. If the soil is unlimed and the pH is low, the basic type herbicides can as-sociate with the hydrogen ions in the soil and form positively charged substances. As mentioned earlier, soil particles are generally thought to be negatively charged. Thus the positively charged sub-stances just mentioned can be-
come strongly absorbed to the soil particles in acid soils. In neutral or alkaline soils, though, the basic type herbicides will not associate 
with the hydrogen ions and are held much more weakly by the soil particles. The herbicides are then free to do their intended job. Thus it is important to maintain a good 
soil pH when using basic type herbicides. The last group of ionic her-bicides are those which are con-sidered acidic. This group in-
cludes chemicals like the phenoxy acids such as 2,4-D and the ben-zoic acids such as dicamba. These herbicides react almost opposite to 
how the basic type herbicides 
react. When these compounds are 
applied to the soil surface they 
react with the soil solution to form negatively charged particles cal-led anions. Since the soil particles are negative also, these herbicides 
are not tightly bound in the soil. The nonionic herbicides do not usually ionize irt the soil solution. Therefore they do not exhibit a positive or negative charge. As mentioned earlier, this group of herbicides can be split up into For maximum effec-tiveness, volatile herbi-cides should be incor-porated into cool, dry soils. those that are volatile (lost from the soil surface to the atmosphere) and those that are nonvolatile. The volatile group of herbicides includes those chemicals within the group of compounds known as the thiocarbamates. This includes herbicides such as EPTC, vemo-
late, and butylate. These com-pounds are really lost to volatiliza-tion and must be incorporated into 
the soil to be most effective. In-creased volatilization may occur when soil temperature and soil mositure increases. For maximum effectiveness these herbicides 
should be incorporated into cool, relatively dry soils. The dinitroaniline herbicides such as trifluralin and benefin fall 
between the volatile and non-volatile group of nonionic her-
bicides. These herbicides have very low water solubilities and do not leach to any significant degree. 
Sunlight may decompose these herbicides, therefore soil incorpo-ration is necessary to achieve effective weed control. The urea herbicides such as linuron, fluometuron, and diuron are considered nonvolatile. They are much more water soluble than the dinitroaniline herbicides. 
Their absorption and activity is related to the organic matter and clay content of the soil. The higher 
the organic matter and the finer the soil texture the higher the rate of chemical that is required. The anilide herbicides such as anachlor and metolachlor are also 
considered nonvolatile. Their ab-
sorption and activity is similar to 
that of the urea herbicides. Both 
the urea and anilide herbicides are applied preemergence since rain-fall will slowly move them into the soil. IIIHV STH-GREEN UJON'T SELL Callaway Gardens was recently named the Best Maintained Golf Course in America by Grounds 
Maintenance Magazine. Bill Langer, Callaway Gardens Director of Turf Management says, 
"Sta-Green is one of the best fertilizers you can buy. Callaway Gardens has used Sta-Green to fertilize our golf courses for the "Now Available to Lawn Care Professionals." past 18 years. I've been extremely satisfied with the quality and per-formance of Sta-Green Fertilizers and delighted with the great service 
the Sta-Green people give us" The reason we won't sell you the same Sta-Green we sell Callaway Gardens is that we custom-formulate our product for each individual golf 
course, based on soil samples. Bid Langer-C.G.C.S., Director of Turf Management. Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Georgia So the Sta-Green you get will be exactly what you need for beautiful and healthy turf. For special booking prices and delayed billings, contact your local distributor or call 1-800/633-6560. In Alabama, call 1-800/272-8402. C/) co' 3 ? 5 c e 8 3 3 C CD 3 CO C f 3 £ s ° CD û) il o® â z o à § 2 Ł Ł> * f M 3 <o ® 5 W CD (/) 0) 3r CO o f i 8 2 8 
8 « o Mail To Compan Name Your Title First Initial >< Š Š 
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Š Jr Š -Š Š Š Š Š Š _ Š ® Š ?N Š Š Š Š Š Š Š 2 S S 2 Cn f f E Eifitl fill t ir fis f S K 3 s piS il1! «i I B NOVEMBER 1980 (Expires in 60 days) reader service card 
Use this card to obtain more information...fast. NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES z 5 DULUTH. -1 < CL LU GC in 8 o z i-CO CO UJ Z s QC UJ Q-CO CD GO CO < -1 o GO CO < 
-1 o H co QC LL B NEWSMAKERS i à s sad insecticides including Orthene, Monitor, Dibrom, Plictran, Naled and Phosphamidon. He has been with Chevron for 15 years, holding 
various sales, development and management positions. Three new management addi-tions have been announced to strengthen Columbus, Ohio-based Barefoot Grass Lawn Service, a subsidiary of The Toro Co., Min-
neapolis, for its planned major 
expansions. John Dunham has been ap-pointed regional director, with full responsibility for the company's 
operations in the upper Midwest. With more than 12 years of experi-ence in the lawn business, Dunham comes to Barefoot from the Pro Turf Division of O. M. Scott & Sons, Marysville, Ohio. He will 
also be involved in corporate tech-nical and training aspects of the business. A. Maris Franke has joined the Barefoot staff as director of man-agement information systems. Franke will have responsibility for both headquarters and franchise data processing functions. Patrick J. Norton recently joined the company as director of finance 
and administration. Prior to join-ing Barefoot, he served as vice president of finance with Inspec-tion Technology and held a man-agement position with Arthur An-dersen & Co., both in Cleveland. Page Mays, Columbus market manager, has been promoted to / Perf-A-Lawn Corp., New Carlise, Ohio, announces these recent promotions: Ron Wilson, formerly franchise director, has been named vice president in charge of fran-chising; Mike Hiller has been named vice president in charge of 
sales and marketing; Mark Tamn 
has been named director of fran-chise training and development. Richard Deering is president of 
Perf-A-Lawn which presently has branches in 28 markets, both franchise and company-owned. Samuel W. Funderburk is presi-dent of Pro Lawn, Acworth, Ga. The Ortho Agricultural Chemi-cals Division of Chevron Chemical Co. has appointed R. H. (Dick) Foell to the position of product 
manager for herbicides. His ex-
perience will be focused on the 
management of Ortho's growing herbicides line, including 
Paraquat, Diquat and introduction of Ortho's newest herbicide, Bol-ero. Foell has been with Chevron 27 years, holding various opera-tions, sales and management posi-tions throughout the U.S. The company also announced the appointment of A. C. (Art) Assad to the position of product manager for insecticides, respon-
sible for Chevron's broad line of Beautified lawns. Satisfied customers. RYAN REN-0-" RYAN LAWNAIRE III Thins ... weeds . .. opens soil for seeds. That's results from Ryan. Whether you use your aerators and power rakes in your turf maintenance business, or you rent them to first-time users, you're looking for the same day-in, day-out performance. You get it with quality Ryan® Turf-Care Equipment. Because every piece of Ryan equipment has its roots in the golf course industry, where the name Ryan has stood for quality since 1948. And we build the same precision and accuracy into our lawn aerators and power rakes. The self-propelled Lawnaire® III, for example, makes it easy to aerate like a pro. Just fill the ballast drum with water to add up to 50 pounds of weight, and get up to 2V2" of penetration. The 19-inch width of the Lawnaire III Aerator helps you make quick work 
of big lawns, with 30 spoon tines penetrating the turf every 7 inches. Transporting the Lawnaire III is 
quick and easy, too, with the optional Tote Trailer. The gutsy 7-hp Ryan Ren-O-Thin® IV and economical 5-hp Ren-O-Thin III Power Rakes handle those big dethatching jobs with a wide 18" swath. Both feature a floating front axle and micro-screw height adjustment for setting the proper dethatching depth you need. And a choice of three optional blade reels let you, or your customers, dethatch according to turf conditions. The easy-to-operate 3-hp Ryan Thin-N-ThatchŽ makes dethatching less of a chore. It has a 15" cutting width and fold-down handle for easy transportation. Combine that with easily adjustable cutting heights and durable carbon steel flail blades and you've got a great rental machine. With Ryan lawn care equipment, you get more for your moneyŠand your customers do, too. To discover how easy it is to get professional results with Ryan, contact your local Ryan dealer. 81-CUR-4 RYAN EQUIPMENT Day-In, Day-Out Performance 2032 Cushman, P.O. Box 82409 Lincoln. NE 68501 Call: 402-435-7208 regional director. Mays, with 11 years of experience in the lawn business, will have responsibility for all operations in the company's Lincoln/Omaha, Denver and Cleveland markets. He will also be responsible for commercial opera-tions in Columbus along with all corporate technical services. Louis Mattoon is president of Green Lawn Fertilizer Corp., Kan-sas City, Mo. Joe Jackson is secretary/treasurer. The company 
offers liquid chemical lawn care services. Steve Nuss is owner of Highland Park Lawn Co., Grand Island, Neb. Mike Small is spray manager and 
Larry Decker is manufacturing 
manager. The company offers liq-uid chemical lawn care, and sod-ding and seeding services. Mid-East Power Equipment Co., Lexington, Ky., recently took top honors as Jacobsen's 1980 'Distributor of the Year.' Jacobsen, based in Racine, Wis., honored representatives of the company at its annual distributors meeting in Pheasant Run, 111. At awards presentation were, far left, Richard Dittoe, Jacobsen vice-president, marketing; Tom Bruns, president; John Bakhaus, Mid-East Power Equipment president, second right, and John Spence, general manager. s i» z g 2 a c C/3 H PO Z O < co 00 o CONFERENCES from page 1 ALCA, 1750 Old Meadow Rd., McLean, VA 22101 22102. Ohio. There are 17 lawn care sessions scheduled at this confer-ence, to be held at the Ohio Center and Hyatt Regency in Colum-
bus. Sessions include: "Fuel Man-agement for Lawn Care in the '80's," John Latting, vice presi-dent, Latick, Inc., Normal, 111.; 
"Pre-Emergence and Post-Emergence Herbicide Alternatives for Turfgrass Weed Control," Dr. Thomas Watschke, Penn State 
University. Also: "Complications in Turfgrass Weed Control," Dr. Robert Shearman, University of Nebraska; "Pesticide SpillsŠHow 
to Handle and Legal Considera-
tions," Win Hock, Penn State University; "Nitrogen Sources and a Look into Fertilizer Technology 
in the 1980's," Dr. Charles Darrah, ChemLawn Corp., Columbus. Also: "The Impact of Gov-ernmental Regulations on the Lawn Care Industry," Bob Robin-son, ChemLawn Corp., Columbus; "Toxicological Concerns in Pes-ticide Usage Around the Land-scape," Dr. Robert Yeary, Ohio State University; "Nitrogen Nutri-tion and Helminthosporium Dis-ease Relationships in Kentucky Bluegrass," Dr. Clint Hodges, Iowa 
State University; "Lawn Disease 
ManagementŠA Practical Ap-
proach," Dr. Joe Vargas, Michigan 
State University. Also: "Panel: Incorporating a Disease Management Program into 
Lawn Care Services," John Latting, 
Dr. Roger Funk, Davey Lawnscape Service, Kent, Ohio; Allan Duey, Jay-Lan, Inc., Sioux City, Iowa; and Mike Brown, L & M Lawn Care, Canton, Ohio; "Versatility in Liq-
uid Lawn Care Programming," Dr. Roger Funk; "Versatility in Dry Lawn Care Programming," Page Mays, Barefoot Grass Lawn Serv-ice, Columbus. Also: "Effective Training Pro-grams for the Lawn Care Indus-try," Gordon Ober, Davey Lawnscape; "Methods of Detect-ing Insect Infestation," Dr. Harry Niemczyk, Ohio Agricultural Re-
search and Development Center, Wooster; "Types of Insurance Available to Custom Applicators," Robert Hadley, attorney, Turner and Smith Associates, Columbus; and "Renovation TechniquesŠ 
What's Working?" Dr. Robert Shearman. For further information, contact: Dr. John Street, Ohio Turfgrass 
Foundation, 1827 Neil Ave., Col-umbus, OH 43210, (614) 422-2592. 
Former Ohio State football coach 
Woody Hayes will be banquet speaker. Illinois. This conference will be held at the Prairie Capital Conven-tion Center, Springfield. There are a number of excellent general sessions of interest to the lawn care businessman, and five specific lawn care sessions. These are: "Government Regulations in the Lawn Care Industry," Bob Earley, editor/publisher, LAWN CARE IN-Proved tough enough to be a Cushman. People in your profession naturally expect a mower from Cushman to be something special. In its first year, the Front Line proved it is just that. The common-sense engineering and durability . of the Front Line are just 9 what you'd expect from a Suspended bucket seat for comfort W Cushman® product. But its cut is cleaner and more even than most people expect from a riding rotary mower. Now, in addition to the 72" deck, we are offering a 60" mower deck for smaller jobs. In fact, with just one tractor you can now handle a variety of jobs with the accessories shown below. And this year the 
Front Line is also available with a diesel power engine. Yes, Cushman has put even more into the Front Line mower this year, so you'll get more out of it in the years ahead. To find out more about what Cushman value could add to your mower operation, contact your Cushman dealer today. Wheel-type steering and clustered gauges for convenience Large-capacity fuel tank-up to 6 hours between refills Split front traction assist pedals for sharp turns and maneuverability Mower deck is 12-gauge carbon steel with welded reinforcements Single rear-wheel steering with traction 
assist provides a zero turning radius 8 cutting height settings from 1 Ł to 41/2* The famous 18-hp air-cooled OMC engine powers its way through the toughest cuts Differential is 100% Cushman Deck lifts hydraulically for curbs PTO drive is Hydrostatic Cushman quality drive Now versatile enough to pay off all year. These specialized accessories make the Front Line even more productive for you. IP New! Diesel Power Ł 4-cycle. 2-cylinder engine Ł Water-cooled Ł Economical CUSHMAN 3036 Cushman, P.O. Box 82409 Lincoln, NE 68501 The Front Line Tough enough to be a Cushman. Call: 402-435-7208 DUSTRY, New York; "Lawn Reno-vation," Rick White, Village Green Lawn Spraying, West Chicago; "Insect Pest Update," Dr. Roscoe Randell, University of Illinois; "Iron Fertilization of Kentucky Bluegrass," Allan Yust; and "Dis-ease Update," Dr. Malcolm Shurtleff, University of Illinois. For further information, contact: Dr. David Wehner, Illinois Turf-grass Foundation, P.O. Box 501, Urbana, IL 61801, (217) 333-7847. For further information about the New Jersey conference, to be held at the Cherry Hill Hyatt House, contact: Dr. Henry Indyk, 
Cook College, Rutgers University, Box 231, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, (201) 932-9453. For further information about the Texas Turfgrass Conference, to 
be held at the Rudder Conference 
Center at Texas A & M University, 
College Station, contact: Dr. Richard Duble, 349 Soil & Crop 
Science Center, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, (713) 845-4826. ALLIED CHEMICAL Fertilizer research program announced A $3.4 million fertilizer "forward research" program has been an-nounced by the Allied Chemical Corp., Houston, Texas. Up to $1.2 million has been earmarked for further foliar fertilizer technology research over a three-year period, and the studies are underway. According to Dr. Ramon Garcia, manager of Agricultural Research and Development, this is part of 
Allied's expanded program to support fundamental fertilizer re-
search projects in three main areas. The three main thrust areas are fertilizer efficiency, energy con-
servation and breakthrough tech-nology for yield increases. "Foliar fertilizer research proj-ects are included in each area, but are concentrated most heavily in the yield breakthrough technology work," Garcia said. According to agronomist Don Johnson, "Allied Chemical has 
established Folian foliar fertilizer successfully as a commercial ap-plication on turf and some farm crops. "However, basic research questions still need to be an-
swered, and the technology of 
foliar fertilizer use as it relates to 
everyday practices of custom applicators and farmers need to be improved," he said. Dr. John Clapp, of Allied, pointed out that "the principle of foliar application of nutrients dur-ing the seed filling stage has been proven scientifically sound. Con-siderable yield increases have 
been obtained in greenhouse, field and commercial applications. Our goals now include increasing con-sistency." Garcia said an important portion of the "forward research" program 
will be carried out by universities across the country, under grants from Allied Chemical. Studies are currently being discussed with Texas A&M University, the University of Michigan, 
Washington State University, University of Minnesota, Univer-sity of Missouri, Iowa State University, Kansas State Univer-sity and the University of Califor-nia. Other universities will also 
participate. 48 Snow Thrower (not available for diesel) Ł PTO-driven Ł Adjustable chute 60 Rotary Broom (not available for diesel) Ł PTO-driven Ł Long-life Bristles 60", 72" Mower Deck Ł 12-gauge carbon steel Ł Smooth-cutting loll-Over Protection Structure (ROPS) and Cab Ł Weather-proof Ł Meets OSHA requirements RESEARCH New housing starts top 17 million in Seventies A total of 17.7 million new hous-ing units were built in the past decade, according to a Cahners Advertising research report. Fur-ther, 65 percent of all new housing 
units built in the decade were single-family units. Nineteen-seventy-two proved to be the year with the greatest number of total housing starts with 2,356,700; followed by 1971 with 2,052,200; 1973 with 2,045,300; and 1978 with 2,020,300. In all, new single-family homes accounted for 11,420,500 (65 per-cent) of all the new family 
units; multi-family units totaled 5,196,200 (29 percent); and two- to four-family units accounted for 1,051,800 (six percent) of all new housing starts in the decade. The biggest year for both multi-family and two- to four-family units was 1972. FEBRUARY 8-13 ALCA annual meeting set for New Orleans The 1981 Annual Meeting and Trade Exhibit of the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) will offer a wide variety of topics during several sessions and workshops scheduled for the five-day convention in New Or-leans February 8-13. The annual meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans 
Hotel. A major trade exhibit and equipment demonstration will also be featured, and a full social 
program. The theme for the meeting will be "Getting the Right Numbers," according to program chairman Ray Gustin III, Gustin Gardens, Gaithersburg, Md. Keynote speaker for the ALCA convention will be nationally known business economist and management consultant Gunther Klaus. His presentation on "The New Management" will challenge 
attending landscape contractors to 
sharpen their own business man-
agement procedures, and develop "the right numbers in their own operation." A major part of the programm-ing will be devoted to a series of sessions on computers and com-puter applications. There will be two panel programs with industry speakersŠlandscape contractors with experience (both good and bad) working with computers. 
There will also be several outside experts making presentations, in-
cluding Frank Ross of Ross-Payne & Associates, Chicago and Dale 
Saville, computer operations 
manager for the J. P. Stevens Co. A full series of five workshops is scheduled, including one with a panel of landscape contractors debating a panel of landscape architects. Other technically oriented workshops will cover subject matter in the fields of design/build landscaping, land-scape maintenance, interior land-
scape and land reclamation. All of 
the workshops will be followed by 
question/answer "buzz sessions." For further information, contact: ALCA, 1750 Old Meadow Rd., McLean, VA 22102. HOUSING STARTS IN THE 70 s Single Family 2-4 Units Multi-family 5-YEAR 1970 1971 1972 1973 
1974 1975 1976 
1977 1978 
1979 1970-79 % or total 812,900 1,151,000 1,309,000 
1,132,000 881,000 892,800 1,162,900 
1,451,300 
1,433,300 1,194,100 11,420,500 7V\ 84,800 120,300 
141,300 
181,300 68,100 
63,900 
86,100 122,000 
125,000 
122,000 1,051,800 CU I I I (ZZI TOTAL HOUSING STARTS 535,900 
780,900 906,200 
795,000 
381,000 
204,800 
287,700 
413,100 
462,000 429,000 5,196,200 1,433,600 2,052,200 2,356,700 2,045,300 1,330,700 
1,161,500 
1,536,700 1,986,400 2,020,300 1,745,100 17,668,500 100% The Very First Systemic in FLOWABLE Form CLEARY'S 3336-F Fungicide The dawn of a better technology. FLOWABLE. Cleary's 3336 Systemic Fungicide has earned your confidence in the prevention and control of dollar spot and 6 other major diseases. Today W.A. Cleary announces the development of 3336-F, the first systemic in flowable form. Flowables are simpler and safer for the user to handle. Need little agitation. Will not clog spray nozzles. Offer a uniform particle distribution for excellent availability to the plant. Cleary's new 3336-F FLOWABLE. Now available at application cost less than systemic wettable powders. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION SEE YOUR LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR OR CONTACT: © Look for us at booth 404 at PLCAA Show. UNCLEAR Y CHEffllCfiL CORPORATION 1049 Somerset St., Somerset, N.J. 08873 (201) 247-8000 ggSÌ^ « » - ŁŁŁ ŁŁ Ł / . r,,. % '*. - y , Ł Ł, -f.> . , Ł t te':' - - - - , i V V - s.'-VL ŁMan HH^^J^^SÌIìH^Mìbm Mb H»» Hin>mŠ I illŠa" . -a ; \ - * i» - Ł/Ł' ' T- V Long lasting crabgrass control just takes one application. A t Whether for bluegrass, fescue, bentgrass, or Bermudagrass, it's a fact that more turf care 
professionals demand Betasan® herbicide over 
any other brand. The simple reason. Betasan delivers the maxi-mum amount of crabgrass control with a mini-mum amount of effort. Just one application at labelled rates stops crabgrass before it starts. Stops it without hurting 
established turf. And stops it in most of the U.S. 
all season long. That's the furthest man has come in fighting crabgrass. But you don't have to go far for your 
own supply. Just to the distributors listed here. They've all put Betasan into their own herbi-cide products. Because they want to bring turf 
care professionals the ultimate in protection 
against crabgrass. Follow label directions. Stauffer Chemical Company, Agricultural Chemical Division, Westport, CT 06880. ® T.M. of Stauffer Chemical Company. * < à , A Firm Occidental Chemical Co. Lathrop, California PBI Gordon Corp. Kansas City, Kansas Lakeshore Equipment and Supply Co., Inc. Elyria, Ohio Pratt-Gabriel Div. Miller Chemical and 
Fertilizer Co. Robbinsville, New Jersey Brand Name Best 4-E and 12.5-G Betamec-4 Sales Area West Coast 
Southwest National Lescosan National 4-E, 12.5-G and 7-G Pratt 4-E, 12.5-G Northeast Firm Mallinckrodt, Inc. St. Louis, Missouri Rockland Chemical Co. West Caldwell, New Jersey Agway, Inc. Brand Name Pre-San 4-E, 12.5-G and 7-G Rockland 4-E, 12.5-G and 7-G Betasan 7-G Pro-Lawn Products, Inc. Betasan 7-G Betasan No. 1 against crabgrass Sales Area National Northeast Northeast Northeast 10 CHEMICALS > oc H co D Š Z i < u z £ < Overcoming tank mix compatibility problems The mixing of turfgrass chemicals in spray tanks is an integral part of any liquid lawn care operator's program. It is a daily function 
which offers a number of benefits to the lawn care specialist. Mixing pesticides and/or pesticides and fertilizers in spray tanks reduces labor and equipment costs and in some cases, increases the effec-
tiveness of chemicals. Unfortunately, tank mixing also may reduce the effectiveness of some materials or cause damage to the target plant once the chemicals have been applied, according to Dr. Robert Miller, vice-president of ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio. Regardless of its advantages or disadvantages, the process should not be taken lightly. Lawn care businessmen should constantly be wary when mixing pesticides, fer-tilizers, fungicides, herbicides or insecticides in spray tanks. Miller, speaking at the New Jersey Turfgrass Expo, said, "There are no simple guidelines to use in mixing turfgrass chemicals. Good judgement and a great 
amount of caution are the best methods to avoid problems." Compatibility of tank mixtures. If two or more pesticides can be used in combination without im-pairment of toxicity, physical properties or plant safety, then they are considered compatible. If problems develop from using the combination (phytotoxicity, ex-
cessive foaming, sludge forma-
tion, etc.), they are considered incompatible. There are numerous types of incompatibility including physical or chemical, phytotoxic, 
placement and timing. Physical incompatibility. When mixing two or more pesticides reduces the effectiveness of one or all components, the mixture is chemically incompatible. "Most organic fungicides and insec-ticides should not be combined with alkaline compounds with a pH higher than 7.0," Miller said. 
"Alkaline reactions significantly reduce the effectiveness of carba-mate fungicides and the insectici-
dal value of some compounds. "For this reason, lime for the control of algae should not be used with maneb fungicides such as 
Fore, Manzate, Tersan LSR and Dithane M-45," he added. "This is also true for Dyrene, Zineb, Thiram, Captan and most organic insecticides. "Dinocap (Karathane), sug-gested for the control of pow-dery mildew, is also chemically incompatible with Sevin and oil-base sprays." Chemical incompatibility is fre-quently the cause of poor per-
formance by multiple combina-tions of pesticides. Characteristics of chemical incompatibility in-
clude excessive foaming, salting 
out, unstable mixtures and the formation of gelatin like materials. Before combining any pes-ticides, Miller recommends read-ing the label on the package or container. If information on com-patibility is not specified, it is wise to avoid combinations of products until compatibility tests are com-pleted. Phytotoxic incompatibility. When two or more compounds 
used in combination result in 
plant injury, they are incompatible because of phytotoxic effects. For 
example, mixing organic fun-gicides with emulsifiable concen-trates (EC) insecticide formula-
tions with xylene as the solvent, may cause plant injury. A general rule when combining pesticides of unknown compati-Before combining any pesticides, read the la-bel on the package or container. If informa-tion on compatibility is not specified, it is wise to avoid combining pesticide products until compatibility tests are completed. bility is to test the combination on expendable turf areas before using them on large turfgrass areas. Placement incompatibility. In-correct placement of pesticides is 
frequently the reason for poor disease and insect control. Place-ment incompatibility is often over-looked because it is less obvious than other types of incompatibil-ity. When two or more chemicals are used together and applied in one 
operation, each must end up in the proper place if it is to do the job for which it was intended. "Some fungicides are protec-tants and must be uniformly dis-tributed over the leaf surfaces to protect against invasions of patho-gens such as Piricularia (gray leafspot) and Helminthosporium leafspot," Miller said. "Failure to establish a foliar blanket of fun-gicide protection results in poor control of destructive turfgrass diseases." Regarding grub control, insec-ticides must be washed off the grass and into the soil to be effective. "Therefore," Miller said, "a combination of Maneb (Tersan LSR) for the control of leafspot and 
Diazinon for grub control is inef-
fective because of placement in-compatibility. Timing incompatibility. An-other type of incompatibility which is sometimes overlooked is the need to apply each component The faster you can get your customers back in their yards, the happier they are. New SEVIN® SL car-baryl insecticide keeps 
them very happy. Because SEVIN ranks low in toxicity to people, animals, birds and fish, when compared 
to other insecticides. So customers can use treated areas as soon as spray driesŠ without en-during harsh odors. SEVIN SL keeps you happy, too. It's a 
new water-based liguid that's easy to handle, mix there's a SEVIN carbaryl and clean-up. formulation that's right for It may be easy on the job. From new SEVIN you and your customers, SL and new SEVIN 20% 
but SEVIN SL is tough on Bait to a variety of spray-
pests. Especially popular ables, wettable powders, for fleas, SEVIN SL also granules and dusts for stops ants, ticks, chinch special uses, bugs, sod webworms, mos- Contact your pesticide guitoes, and many more supplier for sensible lawn pests. SEVIN. It's pest control Whatever the problem, with peace of mind. SEVIlfls THE ANSWER. UNION CARBIDE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC., 7825 Boymeodows Woy. Jocksonville. Fl 32216 SEVIN is a registered trodemork for corboryl insecticide As with any pesticide, always follow instructions on the label Û : Ł of the mixture at the proper time. An example of this type of incompatibility is the use of pre-emergence herbicide for crabgrass control and an insecticide for grub control. If the herbicide for crab-grass control is applied at the proper time, the insecticide for grub control will not be effective because the application is made too early in the year. Damage potential of mixtures. Treating lawns with a combina-tion of chemicals increases the probability of turfgrass injury compared to using each compo-
nent several days apart. This addi-tive effect occurs whether each 
component is applied individu-ally at one time or if they are applied in a mixture. Remember, chemicals safe to use under good conditions may 
cause injury if used under adverse conditions like high temperature or moisture stress. Compatibility tests. The first step in determining compatibility is to read the label, according to 
Miller. "If the label states that the pesticide should not be mixed, 
discard the idea," he said. "However, the label will not always tell you if it can be mixed with other chemicals. In these 
cases, first make a jar test. Simply make the mixture in a quart jar and observe what happens over the next half hour," he added. "If 
unusual separation or settling out of materials occur, it probably is 
not wise to make the mixture." The second step is to test the mixture on a turf plot before 
applying it to the customer's lawn. "You always should follow this 
procedure when using a mixture for the first time," Miller said. Compatibility charts also serve as valuable aids. However, Miller warns, "It is wise to use the grass test even if the chart shows the mixture to be compatible." Precautions for mixing pes-ticides. There are a number of precautions the lawn care profes-sional should follow when mixing pesticides, according to Miller. These include: Ł Never mix pesticides in concen-trated form. Mix them in a tank already filled with water and with the agitation system running. Ł Do not mix organic fungicides with other pesticides that contain xylene as a solvent. Ł When mixing pesticides of dif-ferent formulation, the order of mixing should be wettable pow-ders followed by flowable prod-ucts, water soluble powders, sur-factants and emulsifiable concen-trates. Ł Do not mix pesticides with materials that cause high tank pH levels without thoroughly inves-tigating compatibility. Ł When using a pesticide mixture for the first time conduct a jar and a 
grass test before using the mixture 
on critical grass areas. Ł When tank mixing pesticides and fertilizers use urea in prefer-ence to other water-soluble nitro-gen sources. Legality of tank mixtures. The Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) has ruled that tank mixtures of pesticides and pesticides and fertilizers are permissible pro-vided: Ł The label of any product in the mixture does not state the pes-ticide should not be used in mix-tures. Ł The use of the mixtures other-wise conforms to all other label restrictions. "The EPA had considered re-quiring a label for tank mixtures," Miller said, "but wisely decided against it because of the inconve-nience and unnecessary expense to consumers. It is likely that tank mixtures will remain legal unless 
problems develop from wide-spread misuse of them. "Some states require that com-mercial applicators label tank mix-tures of chemicals," he added, "however, this process seldom 
involves more than a simple re-porting system in which the applicator registers his intent to use the mixture or mixtures, pays a small registration fee and reports the content of the mixture on the customer invoice." MARKETING IDEA FILE Shopping guide for computers If you are considering purchasing a microcomputerŠand many 
lawn care businessmen across the country are these days Š and don't have the slightest idea where to begin, there is a 72-page 
shopping guide called Microshopper. Including plenty of illustrations and written in nontechnical terms, this guide discusses business systems and software from 100 manufacturers. "Hardware" is the computer equipment itself, "software" is the computer programming. Although the book may not tell you which piece of equipment is the answer to your company's particular problem, it will help you come up with questions to ask the salesman. And it provides a glossary of 
technical jargon microcomputer salesmen are most likely to use. To receive Microshopper for $5 write: P.G.I. Publishing, 1425 W. 12th Place, #106, Tempe, AZ 85281, (602) 894-9247. 9 A a $ Cut mowing costs down to size. EXCEL HUSTLER 261 runs only 63" wide, mows a 60" swath. Why haul extra machines or pay ex-tra hours to mow between trees, markers, and the like? One EXCEL HUSTLER 261 with new 3-way deck set for mulch or rear discharge is only 3" wider overall than its 60" cut! Convert deck to side discharge in moments, without special tools. o uinv DECK The Mower is EXCEL-easy to oper-ate. Dual hydros work only half as hard, yet direct instant pure motion to each drive wheel. A light touch on 
twin hand levers controls both speed and steering. Belt drive runs straight from engine to mowing deck mounted on the same floating plat-form. Short wheel base for smooth cut. Tractor comes with 3-way deck. And More: Edger, Catcher/ Com-
pactor, and Trailer optional. Factory-trained service, genuine EXCEL parts from your EXCEL Distributor. Write for his name and free litera-ture. Or call toll-free (800) 835-3260. In Kansas or Canada call collect (316)327-4911. EXCEL HUSTLER Turf & Grounds Equip-
ment is built right by Excel Indus-tries, Inc., Box 727, Hesston, Kansas 67062. GSA: GS-07S-04916 HUD: OPH (C0)m-2930 Mower and More, the choice of the pros. i EXCEL HUSTLER Turf & Grounds Equipment the grass is greener on your side with Bowie's HYDRO-MULCHER For fast, easy turf establishmentŠthe Bowie Hydro-Mulcher is the answer. The one-step operation of a Bowie Hydro-Mulcher plants, seeds, sprigs, fertilizes, waters, sprays and mulches. And with a Bowie Hydro-Mulcher, you can seed over three acres in fifteen minutes. That saves you valuable time and money! Order the Bowie Hydro-MulcherŠyou'll have the best and greenest Š on your side! write for free catalog pf BOWIE INDUSTRIES, INC. PO. Box 931 Bowie.Texas 76230 Ł (817) 872-2286 Write 104 on reader service card Durwood G. Rorie, Jr., President, United Air Specialists, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. May we provide some for you? Write: Secretary of Commerce U.S. Department of Commerce Industry and Trade Administration, BED-21 Washington, D.C. 20230. A Public Service of Tht« Magazine & 
The Advertising Council O CO OS > o 2 nside the industry D D 2 Z 3 Every chemical lawn care company in the country has just about the same customer program, doesn't it? No. by Don Moreland Associate Editor Stripped of his spotless vehicle, clean-cut image and professional air, the lawn care businessman is left only with his productŠthe lawn care program. And although the customer's initial decision to purchase a lawn service is influenced by these and 
other factors (i.e. advertising, im-
age), the businessman's ability to retain customers is principally determined by the strength of his lawn care program. Put simply, a strong lawn care program does not insure business success, but a shoddy program most certainly insures business failure. But what are the components of a successful lawn care program? LAWN CARE INDUSTRY contacted 
businessmen from across the 
United States and discussed their programs. A description of a 'typi-cal' lawn care program follows, along with a case by case summary of eight programs used in various regions of the country. Almost 40 percent of lawn care companies offer a four application program, according to a recent 
LAWN CARE INDUSTRY survey. 
Further, the survey indicates that 14.1 percent provide three appli-cations per season, 12.6 percent offer six applications and 1.9 per-cent provide seven applications. The number of applications of-fered is largely determined by the length of the lawn care season in various regions of the United States. In the North, where the season runs from mid-March through 
early November, only four applica-tions are required. Whereas, in the South, where the season runs eight or nine weeks longer, six applica-tions are needed. The 'typical' four-part program consists of fertilization, pre-
emergence crabgrass control and broadleaf weed control in the spring; fertilization, broadleaf weed control and surface insect control in the early summer; fer-tilization, weed control and insect control in the summer; and fertili-
zation and broadleaf weed control in the fall. Overall, 93 percent of com-panies surveyed by LAWN CARE INDUSTRY provide weed control, 87 percent provide insect control and 83 percent provide pre-emergence 
crabgrass control. Further, 65 per-
cent of the companies surveyed offer disease control and 55 per-cent provide soil testing services. Seeding (65 percent), liming (57 percent), dethatching (53 percent) and aeration (51 percent) are other services which continue to grow in popularity as lawn care operators attempt to diversify their pro-grams. The 'typical' lawn care program also features a money-back number chemical applications annually per customer Percentage of companies responding Š number of applications Š 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 A recent survey conducted by LAWN CARE INDUSTRY showed that 38 percent of the chemical lawn care companies in the country offer four chemical applications in their typical program. About 20 percent of the company's offer five applications, 14 percent offer three applications, 13 percent offer six applications and nine percent offer two applications. guarantee. The guarantee offered by ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio, is representative of the in-
dustry. It states, "If you ever find that you're not satisfied with 
ChemLawn results, give us a call. We'll keep working until you are 
satisfied. At no additional cost to you. Or we will refund the cost of 
your last application." PERF-A-LAWN CORPORATION Applications: four-six Features: Mole cricket injections 
Add-Ons: None Richard Deering, president of Perf-A-Lawn, New Carlisle, Ohio, developed three very different lawn care programs to meet the specific needs of his branches in the North, mid-South and South. The company's offices in Florida offer six applications per year, spaced five weeks apart. "You can't run over a five week cycle in Florida because the chem-icals leach out of the sand," Deer-ing said. Six applications are also re-quired because insects are so pre-valent in the region. "You have to treat for insects all six applica-
tions," Deering added, "with mole crickets being the key insect prob-lem." Mole crickets are a particularly thorny problem because the insec-ticides which control the pest must be injected into the soil under high pressure to be effec-
tive. Thus, a separate truck with a hydrojet spray unit is required. The lawn care operator's prob-lems are also compounded be-
cause each southern turfgrass in the area (bahiagrass, St. Augus-
tinegrass and bermudagrass) re-quires different treatments. "The basic difference between the programs for the various southern grasses is in the amount of weed killer and micronutrients 
used," Deering said. "You have to adjust the fertilization rate and micronutrients per grass. It's a real nightmare." Deering said it took his company about three years to develop a viable lawn care program for the region. "We just recently ironed out the last of the program's problems," he said. In the mid-South (Georgia to Kentucky), Perf-A-Lawn offers a five application program consist-ing of pre-emergence crabgrass control and fertilization in round one; pre-emergence crabgrass con-trol, weed killer and fertilization in round two; weed control, fertili-zation and insect control in round three; fertilization and insect con-
trol in round four; and an applica-tion of a balanced fertilizer in round five. In the North, Perf-A-Lawn offers a four application program con-
sisting of pre-emergence crabgrass control and fertilization in the spring; insect control, fertilization 
and weed control in the summer; and an application of a balanced 
fertilizer in the fall. "We also offer an optional fungicide service in the North at no additional charge," Deering said. Regarding spraying schedules, Deering said his technicians will start spraying February 1 in the South, February 15 in the mid-South and March 15 in the North. Surprisingly, the price differ-ence per application is less than 20 percent from region to region. Treatment for a 5,000 square foot lawn in the North costs between $20 to $22 per application as compared to $25 to $26 per appli-
cation in the South. "Chemical costs are increased because of the long season in the South," Deering said, "but your fixed overhead costs are reduced because you're running longer." EVERGREEN LAWN CARE Applications: Four Features: Free grub control Add-ons: None Ever-Green Lawn Care, Alexan-dria, Ind., has had excellent cus-tomer response to an optional fifth 
application in the fall. "We have four regular applications and an 
optional fifth treatment for lawns which could use a heavy fertiliza-tion in the fall or which have a definite crabgrass problem," Kevin Kellermeyer, owner of the company, said. "A lot of companies in this area are forcing their customers to take 
five treatments or they don't get any at all," he added, "but we don't feel that five treatments are always necessary. "And I think the customer ap-predates the fact that we actually give them a choice and get them involved in the decision-making process. We don't want to cram it (fifth application) down their throats and make them accept it." The average lawn serviced by Ever-Green measures about 14,000 square feet, according to Keller-meyer. The four application pro-gram for a lawn this size costs ibout $161. Unlike a number of lawn care :ompanies, Ever-Green does not equire a minimum square footage before servicing a lawn. "If a 
customer has two square inches of grass and he wants it sprayed, we'll spray it," Kellermeyer said. 
"We turn down nobody because their lawn is too small." However, Ever-Green does charge a minimum price of $20 per applica-tion. Another interesting feature of Ever-Green's program is free grub and insect control. "Any insect problems that require an addi-tional application are free," Kellermeyer said. The exception is for customers who purchase less than the four application program. "We charge extra for insect control if the 
customer doesn't purchase the whole program." Also, Ever-Green requires their customers to purchase at least two 
applications. "Obviously it bene-fits their lawn if they take the full 
program," Kellermeyer said, "but 
some customers only want two applications. However, we will not guarantee our program if they take anything less than the full program." SPRAY GREEN TREE & LAWN SERVICE Applications: Four Features: Tree service Add-ons: Dethatching Spray Green Tree and Lawn Service, St. Charles, Mo., plans to add a fifth application of lime and 
soil conditioners to their full serv-
ice program in 1981. "Our fifth application was op-tional this year," co-owner John L. 
Cross, said, "but next year it's going to be standard because 
we've had so many people want it automatically this year." Spray-Green's four application program consists of fertilization and weed control in round one; 
fertilization, insect control and weed control in round two; fertili-zation and weed control in round three; and insect control, fertiliza-tion and weed control in round four. Cost for the four application program is $19.50 per application for a 5,000-square-foot lawn. Dis-counts are also available for larger 
turf areas. A 10,000-square-foot lawn costs $30 per application and a 20,000-square-foot lawn runs $52.50 per application. Spray-Green also offers de-thatching ($15 per 1,000 sq/ft), seeding, aeration ($15 per 1,000 
sq/ft) and insect control for trees and shrubs as part of their service. "We've found that we have gotten a lot of business because Do you have a minimum square footage you will service? Yes Š 28.2% No Š71.8% If yes, please specify: other lawn care companies don't spray trees and shrubs," Cross said. "People want one company to take care of all their landscaping needs." GRASSHOPPER LAWNS, INC. Applications: Six to eight Features: Check backs Add-ons: None Grasshopper Lawns, Inc., Water-town, Conn., offers three very different programs to meet the needs of virtually any lawn care customer. Their 'Master Program' is de-signed for turf areas which are in poor condition. It includes aera-tion and rolling fertilization, seed-ing, grub proofing and crabgrass 
control in the spring; fertilization, weed control and insect control in the early summer and summer; and fertilization in the fall. Their 'Master Program' also in-cludes several check-backs throughout the season and comes with a guarantee. Cost is six to 10 cents per square foot. The company's Green Grass Program is designed to maintain 
healthy lawns. Like the Master 
Program it comes with several 
check-backs throughout the sea-son and costs two to three cents per 
square foot. KAPP'S GREEN LAWN Applications: Four Features: Landscaping Add-ons: Shrub trimming The cornerstone of Larry Kapp's business has always been land-scape maintenance, but he has recently discovered a new profit 
center in chemical lawn care. Kapp is owner of Kapp's Green 
Lawn with branches in Fort Wayne, Ind., Munster, Ind. and Pittsburgh, Pa. Kapp's Green Lawn developed out of Kapp's Yard Service, a very successful full service landscape maintenance operation in Fort 
Wayne, Ind. "Our landscape maintenance customers are automatically put on the Kapp's Green Lawn Pro-gram," he said. Kapp describes 
these customers as his "bread and 
butter" accounts. "They are the ones whose bills run two or three thousand dollars each," he said, "and we feel that one of these is worth about 100 
chemical lawn care accounts." The company's four-part lawn A recent survey by LAWN CARE INDUSTRY showed that 39.5 percent of the chemical lawn care companies in the country have set their minimum square footage they will service at between 1,000 and 4,000 square feet, and that 35.5 percent have a minimum of 5,000 to 9,000 square feet. care program includes pre-emergence crabgrass control and 
fertilization in the spring; fertiliza-
tion, insect control and weed con-trol in the early summer; fertiliza-tion and weed control with an insect check in the summer; and fertilization and weed control with 
an insect check in the fall. "We check for insects during the third and fourth applications," Kapp said, "but we do not apply insecticides unless insects are present." AGRILAWN, INC. Applications: Five 
Features: Discount coupons 
Add-ons: Seeding and aeration Robert Habermehl, president of Agri-Lawn, Inc., Owensboro, Ky., recently changed from a four to five application program to avoid 
the problems caused by rapid turf growth in the spring. "Basically, what we did is low-ered our spring rate of nitrogen and added the extra fertilization late in the fall," he said. "We changed our program because we started to get complaints from customers about having to mow too often. We also received some complaints about disease." Unlike some companies, Ag-riLawn does not require its cus-tomers to purchase the complete 
five application service. "If they 
feel they can only afford two 
applications, that's fine," Haber-mehl said. "We just as soon get 
something from them as opposed to nothing." Cost for the five application program is about $140 per year for a 10,000-square-foot lawn. The company also offers aerating and 
seeding services for $150 to $200 per lawn. AGRO-LAWN SYSTEMS, INC. Applications: Five Featurs: Warm season program Add-ons: Seeding, aerating Agro-Lawn Systems, Inc., Land-over, Md., offers three programsŠa premium program, warm season grass program and 
half-acre plus program for large turf areas. The premium program is de-signed to maintain already healthy lawns. It includes fertilization, 
weed control and pre-emergence 
crabgrass control in the spring; fertilization, weed control, insect 
control and fungus control as needed in the early summer; weed 
control, insect control and fungus control as needed in the late 
summer; fertilization and weed control in the fall; and fertilization 
and liming in the winter. The minimum charge is $28 per application which does not in-
clude dethatching or seeding. "Seeding runs from $10 per 1,000 
square feet," company president Theodore Hadeed said, "and de-thatching runs two cents per square foot and up. The cost varies if there is a light thatch or a heavy thatch." Ninety percent of Agro-Lawn's customers are on the pre-
mium program. Agro-Lawn's warm season pro-gram consists of treatments from May through August. "We have quite a few clients with warm season grasses and these types of 
lawns have to be treated differ-ently than bluegrass lawns," Hadeed said. "Warm season grasses have to be fed in the summer months when 
they're growing. You can't treat 
them in the fall or winter." The three-part program consists of fertilization and weed control in 
early May; fertilization, insect con-
trol and weed control in June; and fertilization, weed control and in-
sect control in August. A fourth treatment of lime is optional. The company also offers a half acre plus program for estates and other large turf areas. "The half 
acre plus program is basically 
fertilization and weed control in 
the fall and spring," Hadeed said. "The customer also has a choice of a summer treatment of insect and weed control or a winter treatment 
of fertilization and liming." This to page 14 PROGRAMS from page 13 basic maintenance program costs one-and-one-half cents per square foot. Unlike many lawn care com-panies, Agro-Lawn requires pre-
payment for their services. "We require a down payment for the 
first treatment/' Hadeed said. "Af-
ter the first treatment is completed we give them a bill. The first bill must be paid before we provide a second application. So basically we get paid for the treatments before they are done." Hadeed said the pre-payment policy reduces cash flow problems and eliminates losses due to non-payment. SUPER LAWNS OF WAYNE Applications: Five Features: No charge for fungicides Add-ons: None Super Lawns of Wayne, Fair-field, N.J., tailors their basic pro-gram to meet the specific needs of each customer's lawn, according to Art Kolmodin, president of the company. "You have to keep in mind that there is some variation in our program according to the indi-vidual needs of the lawn," he said. "In other words, we don't just go 
out and hit every lawn with the same treatment." Super Lawns' basic five-application program consists of 
aeration, rolling, seeding, fertiliza-
tion and pesticide treatments from March through November. "If we see there is a fungus problem on a lawn we will put fungicides on at no additional charge," he added. Cost of the program is about four cents per 
square foot. A second, less complete pro-gram is also available from Super Lawns. The second program con-
sists of insect control, weed con-trol and fertilization five times per 
year. It does not include aeration, rolling, seeding or fungus control 
and costs about two-and-one-half to three cents per square foot. "We also have what we call a one time service," Kolmodin said. "That's for the person who wants us to come in during the spring for aeration, rolling and seeding. 
They want us to start things off for them, but they want to take over during the summer." A variety of lawn care programs from across the United States have 
just been reviewed. Each of the programs share a number of similarities, yet each also contains a number of differences. The key to success in the lawn care industry is for the lawn care professional to tailor his programs to meet the unique demands of lawns in his region of the country. This may take the form of exten-sive liming in New Jersey to greater insect control in Florida. But whatever the demands of a particular region, it is the lawn care businessman's responsibility 
to offer the best programs at a reasonable cost. It is often a dif-
ficult task, but his success depends 
on it. INSECTS Controlling grubs in the Southwest White grubs, the larvae of June beetles, inflict heavy damage on 
turfgrasses in Texas and many parts of the South and Southwest. These insect pests feed on the roots of grasses, with severe infes-
tations capable of destroying a 
turfgrass stand in a single season. A recent field study in Dallas compared established stands of a total of 25 varieties of St. 
Augustinegrass, bahiagrass, buf-
falograss, zoysiagrass and ber-mudagrass. Scientists with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station noted that even though each of these plots represented a different grass and had not been fertilized, irrigated, or had disease control for at least two years, the current 
year's grub population accounted for 51 percent of the variability in turf quality. The problem of controlling white grubs is complicated considerably by the difficulty in F^ v. The University of Nebraskas's turf research program recently received a boost from a national manufacturer of turf care equipment when Midwest Toro of Omaha loaned the university a $9,286 industrial mower for one year. Shown with the reel-type mower (from left): Dr. Roy Arnold, director of the Nebraska Agriculture Experiment Station; Dr. Roger Uhlinger, head of the Institute of 
Agriculture and Natural Resources; Robert Finnman, owner Midwest Toro; Dr. Robert Shearman, turf researcher; Kevin g Weidler, president of the Nebraska Turf Foundation; and R. Ed Kinbacher, turf researcher. Photo courtesy of Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. knowing exactly when to apply treatments, says Dr. Robert L. Crocker, entomologist with the Experiment Station at the Dallas Center. It is unwise to treat turfs too early because beetles emerging 
afterward from the surrounding area will lay eggs in the treated grass. Likewise, delaying treat-
ment too long may result in severe damage to the turfgrass root sys-tem. Depending solely on the calendar to indicate when to treat has not proved to be a reliable 
method since each year's emergence schedule is unique. Previous research at Dallas indicated that June beetle flights 
are triggered by rainfall; recent data of 1978 and 1979 tend to confirm this, Dr. Crocker said. A situation often arises where damaging numbers of white grubs are not treated until winter or spring. Considerable turf damage in such a case may already have occurred. And treatment is primarily an attempt to salvage the 
stand. Tests with a number of insecticides in both April and 
December failed to achieve control of large larvae. In all the experiments the plots were thoroughly watered immediately following application of the 
chemicals to insure soil penetration. Of dates tested, best control in Dallas was on Sept. 20 of last year. Of all the materials tested, only 
Diazinon 25E proved effective in white grub control under the test conditions in Dallas. Although addition of the nonionic wetting agent Aqua-Gro did not impart any potency to materials which otherwise ap-
peared to be ineffectual against the grubs, Diazinon 25E at the recommended rate with Aqua Gro gave greater control (100 percent) 
than was achieved by Diazinon alone at the recommended rate. üzn FOR SALE Ready to spray lawns. 1977 Chevrolet C-50. 350 C.I.D. Complete liquid delivery 
system. 4 speed manual with single speed axle. 137" W.B. 800 gallon tank. 
Mechanical agitation system. Hydraulic power. Wanner D-10 pump. Power wind-up reel holds 500' of W' hose. Easy conversion to flat bed. Several units available. Low mileage, good condition. CHEMLAWN CORPORATION A/C 614/888-3572 Phil Cartmille LIQUID or GRANULAR? Finn LawnFeeder® Handles Both. Centrifugal Pump Mechanical Agitation Ł Variable Speed Hydraulic Drive Ł All Steel Construction 800 and 1200 Gallon Models 
Vee, Flood and Hollow Cone Nozzle Patterns Liquid and Granular Products Applied in Slurry Form EQUIPMENT COMPANY 2525 DUCK CREEK RD. Ł CINCINNATI, OHIO 45208 TOLL FREE 800-543-7166 Ł OHIO COLLECT 513-871-2529 DETHATCHING Identification and control of thatch-related turf problems by Randy Bellinger The problem of thatch is an ever-prevalent concern in lawn maintenance today. Whether it be on residential, commercial, or in-
dustrial property, dethatching is becoming more important and a more popular part of our services. We hope that this popularity has come about as a result of an effort to educate the customer as to what 
thatch is, where it comes from, what its effects are, and how to get rid of it. What is thatch? For many years there has been a misconception as 
to what thatch really is. Many 
articles were published describing thatch as a build up of grass clippings. The cureŠbag your 
grass. Thatch is made up primarily of two thingsŠroots and stems. Roots and stems take a long time to degrade or decompose because they contain a large amount of cellulose fiber. Cellulose gives the 
stem and roots a woody tissue, and therefore may take months to de-
compose. The grass plant is con-tinuously producing more and more roots and stems and result in a build up of thatch. Grass clippings, on the other hand, do not really add much in 
the way of thatch build up. Grass clippings are made up of 90 per-
cent water by weight. This leaves 
only 10 percent which is material which must be decomposed. Since grass clippings do not contain a large amount of cellulose and fiberous material, their degrada-tion rate is very rapid. The only 
time in which clippings may con-tribute to thatch build up is if the turf is allowed to grow tall and a large amount of leaf surface is removed Š a hay field affect. What are the effects of thatch? If you walk out across someone's lawn and it feels like you're walk-ing on a sponge, that lawn most likely has a thatch problem. The best way to check for thatch is to use a soil probe or to cut a wedge out with a knife. The thatch layer is a very porous layer which allows great amounts of air to pass through. One of the most recog-nizable symptoms of a thatch lawn 
is its susceptability to drought. The roots and stems will be grow-ing within the thatch layer rather than in the soil. The soil is where 
the greatest amount of water hold-ing capacity is located. However, a crust can sometimes form on the soil just below that thatch layer which will not permit water to penetrate. The result of this condi-tion is drought. Disease and insects are more prevalent in lawns with heavy thatch build up. The thatch layer makes a perfect place for insects and diseases to overwinter and multiply. Thatch will build up a considerable amount of heat which triggers disease earlier and supplies diseases with a longer optimum range in which to pro-duce and sporulate. Temperature and moisture are two key items which diseases and insects require to become active. By eliminating 
thatch we can help reduce chances of survival. Another item of service in which thatch can have effect is weed control. We've heard it time and time againŠorganic matter can tie up the chemicals we use for weed 
control. When we dethatch an area we first have to determine the degree of severity the lawn will have to encounter in order to get it back into shape. We do this by taking core samples of different areas of the lawn. If the thatch is one inch or less we will put the lawn on a fall dethatching program. We feel 
that a lawn should be dethatched once a year, and the best time is in the cool of the fall. Dethatching is a stress to the grass plants, so you 
want to time the dethatching for a period where minimal stress is occurring and which will allow the maximum amount of recovery 
time. If a lawn has more than one inch of thatch we then recommend dethatching in the spring and fall until we can get it under control, and then keep it on a fall program. The equipment we use for small areas such as home lawns and commercial accounts is a Ryan 
Ren-o-Thin followed directly be-hind by two Toro vacuums. We like to have four people on a 
dethatching crew. One person is operating the Ren-o-Thin, one is operating each vacuum, and one person is working as a bag person. Extra bags are used so the machines don't have to stop while the bags are being emptied into large trailers. By using this method, we are able to dethatch a 15,000-20,000 square foot lawn in less than one hour. For industrial areas where large acreages are concerned we prefer to reduce thatch by means of aerification. We will go over the 
acreage in two directions to insure 
adequate coverage. Aeration actu-
ally does two jobs in one. It pulls a core of soil out of the ground 
allowing the crust to be broken, 
and therefore opening new pas-
sages for water and air. This, of course, will help roots to make their way into the soil. The soil core which is thrown on top becomes broken up by mowing or 
rain and settles down into the thatch region. The microor-ganisms in the soil help to speed up the degradation process of the thatch. We are also equipped with a machine this year which is large 
enough to dethatch industrial areas if we should need to do this. This machine will dethatch and pick up all in one motion. When the five cubic yard hopper is full it lifts hydraulically nine feet into the air and empties into our dump 
truck to be hauled away. The equipment and knowledge are here today to do most every-thing, and so it is up to us as professionals to make use of every resource available to further up-
grade our profession. 15 > z n > z a 
c <z> H 50 z o < co 00 O For more information call Barb Š Shell send you a free Lescosan hat (800) 321-5325 (800) 362-7413 Nationwide in Ohio LESC^ PRODUCTS LESCO is the national distributor for the patented Chemlawn gun The Perfect Mix Lescosan with LESCO Sulfur Coated Fertilizers "For greener, cleaner turf, Lescosan and LESCO Sulfur-Coated Fertilizer is a per-fect mix." Ron Giffen Vice President National Sales LESCO Products has combined Lescosan* with high analysis fertilizer to make one appli-cation work twice as hard for you. The most effective pre-emergence crabgrass control on the market, Lescosan, will be available with a mix of immediately available nitrogen and sulfur-coated urea to provide excellent turf response in an evenly spreading granular product. Application of this new product, Lescosan with LESCO Sulfur-Coated Fertilizer, will save you time and labor and allow you to get out early in the spring. 'Lescosan Betasan registered TM Stouffer Chemical Co. Leseo ai 16 CASH FLOW/rom pagel O X O) > O Z > oc H CD D a z i < u z £ < Lawn, Fort Wayne, Ind., has ex-tended his season by offering tree and landscape services to his cus-tomers. "We're able to put in trees and shrubs right up until we close down in December," he said. "We're also raking leaves right up 
until the end of November." Kapp is also owner of Kapp's Yard Service, a successful full service landscape maintenance operation in Fort Wayne, Ind. There are also a number of non-revenue producing ways 
lawn care businessmen can keep the winter months productive. A number of both large and small companies train their personnel during the winter. For example, Davey Lawnscape, Kent, Ohio, 
provides a one-week, 40-hour training course in January and February for new technicians. Further, a LAWN CARE INDUSTRY survey indicates that 77 percent of 
all lawn care companies surveyed utilize in-house training. And many conduct these training ses-sions in the winter. A number of companies also retain their employes during the 
winter to overhaul equipment and 
prepare marketing material for the coming season. "We spend December, January and February getting our equip-ment back together and getting our advertising out," John L. Cross, co-owner of Spray Green Tree & Lawn Service, St. Charles, Mo., said. "That's really the only time our cash flow is down very low," he 
added. However, Paige Fuller, of Full-Care, Inc., Sellersburg, Ind., had the best suggestion for avoiding winter cash flow problems. "Since my husband has a full-time job 
with the phone company, we just 
shut down until spring," she said. "So this isn't our only source of income. If it was we would be starving." rican Pelletizin^Corp * ¿0* 3628 * Des M0'nes. Iowa i Write 102 on reader service card TOOLS,TIPS & TECHNIQUES Satisfying wage and hour standards Satisfying requirements of the federal Wage and Hour Commis-sion can sometimes be difficult for the lawn care businessman who experiences extensive overtime during rush periods of the 
lawn care season, and also slow periods of work. Below is how Jerry Faulring, president of Hydro Lawn, Gaithersburg, Md., does it. He is also president of the Professional Lawn Care Association of America, and told LAWN CARE INDUSTRY: "This is what we implemented last year to satisfy require-ments of the Wage and Hour Commission. Our people are year-round salaried employees which is not the case with all companies. However, those with seasonal help may be able to draw some ideas from the plan. The agreement assumes that total salary meets or exceeds the minimum wage times the straight hours plus overtime hours times IV2 the minimum 
wage. This agreement applies and is required for only non-management or non-supervisory personnel." Here is Faulring's plan: MAXIMUM YEARLY WORKING HOURS 12/15 Š 2/18 3/1 Š 4/30 and 9/1 Š 10/17 5/1 Š 8/31 and 10/7 Š 12/15 WINTER: ROUNDS 1 & 4 WINTER Š 11 weeks Work Day Š 5 Day Work Week ROUNDS 1 & 4 (14 weeks) 6 Day Work Week 8:00-4:30 Lunch 7:00-6:00 Lunch 8.50 hr .50 ROUNDS 2, 3 & 5 (27 weeks) 7:00-6:00 Lunch Work Day Š 5 Day Work Week 8.00 hr 40.00 11.00 hr .50 63.00 hr 11.00 hr 50 10.50 hr 52.50 hr 11 weeks x 40:00 hrs 14 weeks x 63.00 hr ROUNDS 2, 3 & 5 27 weeks x 52.50 hr Total Maximum Yearly Working Hours Total Maximum Over 40 Hours STRAIGHT TIME = 440.00 hr = 882.00 hr = 1417.50 hr = 2739.50 659.50 2080.00 Faulring adds: "2739V2 hours are the maximum number of working hours during a calendar year that employees are allowed to work. Employees working in excess of this number are not compen-sated for their time, and we announce this. Employees working less hours than the maximum, who meet their production quotas and adhere to all other conditions of their employment agreement receive their full annual salary. The pay they receive for hours not actually worked is treated as an incentive bonus for high productivity and efficiency." Łi "We haven't had a minute's down-time since our TORCO sprayer was put in operation" Š Bob Birkholz Š Chem Green, a division of Gloria Landscaping Durability means long life with low maintenance costs, and TORCO sprayers are specifically engineered for the greatest durability records in the lawn care industry. Our low HP. systems not only save energy, they save you money at the gas pump Š and that's just one more reason why customers like Bob Birkholz choose TORCO. TORCO means tough! TORCO Equipment Company Ł 207 Eiler Ave Ł Louisville, Kentucky Ł 40214 (502) 366-1415 EPA Ammonia proposal could hurt industry The Fertilizer Institute has urged the House Appropriations Sub-committee on HUD and Indepen-dent Agencies to reject funding an EPA proposal which would clas-
sify ammonia as a toxic pollutant 
under the Clean Water Act. Ap-proximately 80 percent of all U.S. ammonia is used for nitrogren fertilizer manufacture. The industry already has re-duced ammonia discharge by about 90 percent, according to Ed Wheeler, president of the Fer-tilizer Institute, at a cost of more 
than $100 million. "To remove the 
remaining miniscule amount 
would require industry expendi-
tures of not less than $300 million over the next five years. EPA has totally failed to show any en-vironmental benefits commensu-rate with this sum," Wheeler stated. Ammonia does not fit the con-cept of a "toxic pollutant" under the Federal Clean Water Act, Wheeler added. See us at Professional Lawn Care ShowŠBooth No. 415. UsS)Vertagreen 10% Concentrated Balan* For Professional Use USS Agri-Chemicals announces a Major breakthrough in crabgrass control NEW FORMULATION SAVES $3.00 PER ACRE! Ł More economical than other pre-emergence herbicides. Ł Ideal for liquid spray systems. Ł Only label of its type with EPA approval. Ł 20 pounds of product per acre provides 2 pounds of Balan. Ł Compatible with most N-P-K base fertilizers. Ł Contains special wetting agent for proper tank mixing. Ł Extremely effective in 1980 control tests. Ł Now available in time for 1981 application period. Price delivered anywhere in the continental U.S. fc w (u$S) Agri-Chemicals Division of United States Steel P.O. Box 1685. Atlanta. Georgia 30301 Phone: (404) 572-4132 PER BAG Balan, a product of the Elanco Products Division of Eli Lilly and Company, is the trade name for technical benefin. Clip and mail this coupon today to receive more information on USS Vertagreen 10% Concentrated BalanH For Professional Use. Name. Address. City State Zip. O CO (J) > O 2 > oc H C/3 D Š 2 i < U 2 £ < MEETING DATES National Lawn Care Business Conference, Sheraton Twin Towers, Orlando, Fla., November 10-13. Contact: Erik Madisen, Jr., Box 1936, Appleton, WI 54913, 414-733-2301. New York State Turfgrass Association 
Conference & Trade Show, Rochester War Memorial and Genesee Plaza Holiday Inn, 
Rochester, N.Y., Nov. 11-13. Contact: Ann 
Reilly, executive secretary, NYSTA, 210 Cartwright Blvd., Massapequa Park, NY 11762, 516-541-9034 or 6902. First Professional Lawn Care Association of America Convention, "Lawn Care Busi-ness Management in the 1980's." Com-monwealth Convention Center, Louisville, 
Ky., Nov. 12-14. Contact: Glenn Bostrom, PLCAA, Suite 1717, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, 312-644-0828. VPI & SU Turfgrass Insect Minicourse, Dulles Airport, Washington, D.C., Nov. 12-14. Contact: John R. Hall, extension specialist, VPI & SU, 426 Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 703-961-5797. VPI & SU Landscape Management Minicourse, Turfgrass Research Center, Blacksburg, Va., Nov. 17-19. Contact: John R. Hall, extension specialist, VPI & SU, 426 Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 703-961-5797. VPI & SU Turfgrass Herbicide Minicourse, Turfgrass Research Center, Blacksburg, Va., Nov. 19-21. Contact: John R. Hall, extension specialist, VPI & SU, 426 Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 703-961-5797. Ohio Turfgrass Conference and Show, Ohio Center, Columbus, Ohio, Dec. 2-4. Contact: John R. Street, Cooperative Exten-sion Service, The Ohio State University, 1827 Neil Ave., Columbus, Oh 43210. New Jersey Turfgrass Expo '80, Cherry Hill Hyatt House, Cherry Hill, N.J., Dec. 8-11. Contact: Dr. Henry W. Indyk, general chairman, Soils & Crops Department, P.O. Box 231, Cook College, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, 201-932-9453. VPI & SU Turfgrass Short Course, Turfgrass Research Center, Blacksburg, Va., Dec. 8-12. Contact: John R. Hall, extension specialist, VPI & SU, 426 Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 703-961-5797. VPI & SU Turfgrass Small Engine Repair Minicourse, Turfgrass Research Center, Blacksburg, Va., Dec. 15-17. Contact: John R. Hall, extension specialist, VPI & SU, 426 Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 703-961-5797. 21st Illinois Turfgrass Conference and Regional Show, Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, 111., Dec. 16-18. Con-tact: Illinois Turfgrass Foundation, P.O. Box 501, Urbana, IL 61801. The Institute for Agricultural Irrigation, California State University, Fresno, Calif., Jan. 5-16. Contact: The Irrigation Institute, 13975 Connecticut Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20906, 301-871-1200. Southeastern Pennsylvania Turf School & Trade Show, Westover Country Club, Jef-fersonville, Pa., Jan. 13-14. Contact: Dr. William H. White, Philadelphia County Cooperative Extension Service, SE Corner Broad & Grange Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19141, 215-424-0650. North Carolina Turfgrass Conference, Royal Villa Hotel, Raleigh, N.C., Jan. 13-15. Contact: Leon T. Lucas, Department of Plant Pathology, Box 5397, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27650.27650, 919-737-2751. 27th Rockey Mountain Regional Turfgrass Conference, Lory Student Center, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colo., Jan. 15-16. Contact: D. Butler, Department of Horticulture, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO 80523, 303-491-7070. Virginia Turfgrass Conference & Trade Show, John Marshall Hotel, Richmond, Va., 
Jan. 20-22. Contact: John R. Hall, extension specialist, VPI & SU, 426 Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 703-961-5797. Western Pennsylvania Turf & Grounds Maintenance School & Trade Show, How-ard Johnson Motor Lodge, Monroeville, Pa., Jan. 20-22. Contact: Philip L. Sellers, Allegheny County Cooperative Extension Service, 311 Jones Law Building Annex, 311 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, 412-355-4275, or George Morgan, Wildwood Golf Club, 2195 Sample Road, Allisong Park, PA 15101, 412-487-1234. Turf and Landscape Conference, spon-sored by the New York Turf Landscape 
Association and the Long Island Gardeners Association, in conjunction with the Hud-
son Valley and Long Island Cooperative Extension Service, Tappan Zee Inn, Moun-tain View, Ave., Nyack, N.Y., Jan. 28. Contact: Frank Claps, 136 Laurel Ave., Larchmont, NY 10538, 914-834-6846. ALCA Annual Meeting & Trade Exhibit, Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, La., Feb. 8-13. Contact: John Shaw, executive director, Associated Landscape Contractors of America, 1750 Old Meadow Road, McLean, VA 22101, 703-893-5440. Capital Area Turf & Ornamental School, location to be announced, Feb. 18-19. Contact: Harold E. Stewart, Dauphin County Cooperative Extension Service, 75 South Houcks, St., Suite 101, Harrisburg, PA 17109, 717-652-8460. Connecticut Groundskeepers Association Conference, Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, Conn., Feb. 25. Contact: Glenn S. 
Moore, Connecticut Groundskeepers As-sociation, P.O. Box 3916, Amity Station, New Haven, CN 06525. PROGRAMS High attendance makes field day a big success Over 400 lawn care professionals and members of the press recently attended the 4th annual Field Day sponsored by Lofts Pedigreed Seed Inc., Martinsville, N.J. The day's activities began with an observation of Loft's more than 3,000 research plots, followed by a slide presentation demonstrating the various aspects of seed produc-tion. Following, was a plant dis-ease clinic held by Dr. Noel Jackson of the University of Rhode Island and a demonstration of seeding equipment and practices led by Loft's director of research, Richard Hurley. The program also included a discussion on Fusarium roseum control, with Robert O'Knefski, 
Cooperative Extension Agricul-tural Agent of Nassau County, Dr. Reed Funk, Rutgers University and Dr. Noel Jackson. Introducing FOLIAN®.. the easy-to-use liquid fertilizer that's safe and effective on any kind of turf. FOLIAN is a complete fertilizer. Its special formulation of N-P-K, sulfur and iron gets nutrients directly into grass tissue. And FOLIAN will not cause tip burn when used as directed. Convenient to use FOLIAN is the only turf-builder you'll ever need. It saves you time because there's no mixing or agitation required before using FOLIAN. And FOLIAN can be applied in more concentrated form than most other liquids. As a result, you can service more lawns per truckload with fewer wasted man-hours. A clear solution of the highest quality, FOLIAN won't settle out in your tanks. It's compatible with most pesticides, too. Greens lawns fast Because of its patented formulation and foliar activity, FOLIAN greens up turf quicklyŠfaster than dry fertilizers or suspensions. And at the recommended 
rates, FOLIAN supplies enough residual fertilizer in the soil to keep grass green 
and healthy for many weeks. Good for your business Your customers will love the results FOLIAN gives. And you'll appreciate FOLLAN's convenience. Best of all, FOLIAN makes your lawn care service more valuable. It means repeat business from satisfied customers 
and greater confidence in you. Give FOLIAN a try and discover how it can mean more green for both of you. To find out more about how to get started using FOLIAN, call toll-free 
800-228-2178 Omaha, Neb., 800-446-1841/800-446-1845 Hopewell, Va. 
or write Allied Chemical Corporation, 
Dept. AG, Box 2120, Houston, TX 77001. < Write 101 on reader service card ^êfifSkcai Plant Foods FOLIAN complete liquid fertilizer. TURF OVERVIEW Liming neutralizes acid content of soil The primary reason for liming turf is to neutralize soil acidity. Limes-tone neutralizes acidity because of its carbonate content, not its cal-cium or magnesium content. Therefore, to neutralize acidity, 
you want a limestone that is high in carbonate content. Limestone also has other bene-fits. It is a source of two essential plant nutrients, calcium and mag-
nesium. If your soil needs both calcium and magnesium and if it is also acid and needs to be limed, select a limestone that contains both calcium and magnesium car-
bonate. This is called a dolomitic or high-magnesium limestone. If, however, your soil is very high in magnesium and needs 
only calcium and is not acid, use a limestone that contains only cal-cium carbonate. This is called a 
calcite limestone. INO mixing, no burning, no hassle. PRODUCTS 16 hp tractor with hydrostatic drive Two new models have been added to the 1981 Bolens line of lawn and garden tractorsŠthe H16XT and the G16XT. The Bolens line is manufactured by FMC Corp.'s Outdoor Power Equipment Divi-
sion. Both models are powered by a 16 horsepower, twin cylinder Briggs and Stratton engine for powerful, extra smooth operation. All Bolens 
lawn tractors are ruggedly built and can be fitted for a variety of 
tasks. Other key features include: 
adjustable seat which tilts forward 
to prevent snow and rain accumu-lation; wide rear flotation tires that are easy on operator and lawn; and headlights for day/night operation. The H16XT features the Bolens exclusive foot pedal hydrostatic drive providing variable forward and reverse speeds to meet any need. The G16XT features a rug-
ged gear transmission with four forward speeds and one reverse allowing the operator to match the tractor speed to the job for efficient operation. Write 827 on reader service card New pre-emergence herbicide formulation cuts costs $3/acre The lawn care industry now has an innovative, more economical weapon for its arsenal of crabgrass preventers, it has been announced by USS Agri-Chemicals, a division of United States Steel. Called USS Vertagreen 10% Concentrated Balan for Profes-
sional Use, this advanced material is formulated for liquid spray systems and will reduce costs by 
approximately $3 per acre when compared with other pre-
emergence herbicides. James P. LaGesse, the company's national manager, told LAWN CARE INDUSTRY that the new product carries the only label of its type 
with EPA approval and is being introduced to the lawn care indus-try as rapidly as possible. It is available now, well ahead of the 1981 application period. Offered as a dry material, 20 pounds of USS Vertagreen 10% Concentrated Balan will treat one acre of lawn with two pounds of active herbicide. It is compatible with most N-P-K base fertilizers and contains a special wetting agent to insure proper tank mix-ing. The product was tested during the crabgrass season earlier this year and proved very effective on 
control areas. The results promp-
ted its commercial release at this time. LaGesse said: "The big story is in the economics. With cost sav-ings of $3 per acre, lawn care companies can realize added pro-
fits in the thousands of dollars over 
a single season. USS Vertagreen 10% Concentrated Balan is an advancement in pre-emergence crabgrass prevention that will immediately attract the more pro-
gressive elements of the industry, large and small." Write 828 on reader service card Fertilizer/pesticide line designed for lawn care industry Country Club Turf products from Lebanon Chemical Corp. has pub-
lished a new, four-page brochure that outlines its new full line of products for professional use. The 
product guide features brief de-scriptions of all products and how to use them most effectively. In-cluded are technical specifications 
for each product. New professional products in-clude granular fertilizers with crabgrass control and a new granu-lar fertilizer with insect control. The products were especially de-signed for professional lawn care businessmen. They feature granules for ease of application, 
economy, full weight for even coverage and high nutrient quality which includes micronutrients. Agronomic assistance is available 
to help build grass fertility pro-grams and technical representa-tives will make calls to help solve troublesome problems, the com-pany said. Write 826 on reader service card Computer program designed specifically for lawn businessmen A computerized software program to go with an IBM 5120 mini-com-puter is now available from Con-tinental Software, Inc. The compu-ter package is designed specif-ically for management needs of the lawn care industry, and is being introduced in a booth at the Pro-fessional Lawn Care Association of America Conference and Trade Show this month in Louisville. The computer package is de-signed to handle customer rout-ing, customer route management, accounts receivable, marketing management, custom analysis re-ports, invoicing, receivables ag-ing, pricing analysis, customer past-due reminders, square foot 
profitability analysis and more. The company said that the eco-nomics of the computer package dictate that any lawn care business with 2,000 to 7,000 customers 
would be a candidate for this type of system. It offers flexibility to 
expand a lawn care business with-
out having to expand personnel. 
Detailed further information is 
available. Write 830 on reader service card FMC offers complete line of lawn sprayers A complete line of reliable lawn sprayers is now being offered for sale by FMC Corp. Realizing the potential of the lawn care industry, the company now offers sprayers in 200, 300, 600 and 1,200 gallon sizes. Featuring the reliable Bean high pressure pump, this line of 
sprayers incorporates FMC tanks, hose reels, guns, hose and safety 
equipment. The pump was de-
signed for turf spraying. Featuring raised seats and hardened stain-less steel valves, the pump can reliably handle most lawn care chemicals. FMC's relief valve also allows reliable low-pressure as well as high-pressure spraying. Tanks manufactured by FMC include a 200-gallon cross-linked density polyethylene and 300, 600 to page 20 ¡3 ® *<vo6* ov>r Crabgrass ROCKLAND PROFESSIONAL Betasan Sclcctivc Pre-cmcrgcncc Herbicide ROCKLAND BETASAN now available in a new 8/16 mesh 7% granular plus three different strengths 12.5%G., 3.6%G. and a 4 lb. E.C. (R) Betasan is a registered Trademark of Stauffer Chemical Co. ROCKLAND has a complete line of granular insecticides, herbicides and fungicides for Professional Turf Maintenance. ROCKLAND Fertilizers contain combinations of IBDU, NITROFORM and new SULFUR COATED UREA. Some available formulations Š 25-5-15, 30-2-5 and 20-4-10. All products are formulated with the highest quality ingredients and carriers. ROCKLAND PROFESSIONAL lawn and garden PRODUCTS CATALOG Ask your supplier or write cDdROCKLAND CHEMICAL CO.. INC. d I PASSAIC AVE., WEST CALDWELL, N.J. 07006 Write 120 on reader service card Free from Hypro Sprayer Pump Handbook New Edition! logreen ^ garde HEAVY-DUTY Spray Gun and Hose The Green Garde heavy-duty spray gun easily adjusts from a fine mist to long-distance jet-stream spray. Convenient trigger control locks for continuous spray, provides positive drip-free shutoff. Heavy-duty, 
400-foot long hose is mar-proof chartreuse PVC and 
features strong braid reinforced double tube con-
struction to withstand pressure to 3000 PSI. Easy-to-
handle...only half the weight of a conventional hose. For complete information, write to: Encap Products Company P.O. Box 278, Mt. Prospect, IL. 60056 Phone (312) 593-6464 or Jim F. David, 318 Alta Mesa Dr., So. San Francisco, CA 94080 8 pages of helpful information to help you select and use your pumps better. Hookup diagrams for piston, roller and centrifugal pumps. Graphs of pump outputs, flow through spray nozzles. Data on pump and sprayer component selection plus much more. Send for your free copy now. When you need pumps for sprayers or pressure wash systems make your choice Hypro. !SI A DIVISION OF LEAR SIEGLER. INC 319 Fifth Ave NW. St Paul. MN 55112 Ł (612) 633-9300 PRODUCTS from page 19 and 1,200 gallon fiberglass mod-els. The fiberglass tanks are made utilizing five layers of resin, chop-ped strand and fiberglass mat. Unique drains are molded around the filler opening and a poly-ethylene strainer/mixing basket is 
standard. FMC hose reels feature mechanical or electrical rewind with capacities of up to 500 feet. FMC swivels feature replacable 
seals for a leak-proof system. Guns and hose available for the lawn care industry can be custom-tailored to do the job. Three guns are available and they all feature a stainless steel ball and seat assur-
ing positive on/off. Hose is avail-able in plastic or rubber in V2, 5/s and % inch with lengths from 100 to 500 feet. A water meter is standard on all lawn care units. It is a low-
pressure meter but can be bypas-sed easily for high-pressure opera-tion. This new line of sprayers is featured at the Professional Lawn 
Care Association of America Con-
ference and Trade Show this month in Louisville. Write 825 on reader service card Prevent scalping with new rear-mount mower A gear-driven, rear-mount mower 
with a 'free-floating' hitch suspen-
sion to prevent scalping is avail-able from Woods, a Division of Hesston Corp. The model RM 500 mower fea-tures three blades and blade spin-MONEYWISE Your board of directors Where does the lawn care businessman go for his board of directors? Green industry consultant Warren Purdy says every board of directors should include a banker, lawyer, accountant and insurance executive. "The banker is the most important, because he knows the community, and he knows the people in that community," Purdy told attendees at a seminar sponsored by the Professional Grounds Management Society. He recommends building a line of credit with your banker, and lunching with him twice a year. He also says: "It doesn't take much remuneration to get a good board. And it can have a lot to do with the future of the company." Ł dies with lubricated tapered roller bearings for longer, maintenance-free operation. Write 701 on reader service card White grubs sabotage lawn care programs Infestations of white grubs, which cause damage to turf by feeding on the roots of grass, appear to be on the rise, according to many en-
tomologists. Various species of beetles and chafers lay their eggs in July and 
August in the best grass available, where the young grubs feed until fall, when they burrow deep into the ground to overwinter. They burrow upward to grass roots when spring comes and continue feeding on roots until late May, when they transform into the pupal stage. Adults then emerge from the ground in early July. These pests pose a strong chal-lenge to the lawn care specialist because, unlike other insect pests, grubs do their damage in an area where it is difficult to move many insecticides Š beneath the thatch layer. For years, many golf course superintendents have controlled the grub problem with Proxol 80 SP, an organophosphate insecti-cide which is now being intro-duced to the lawn care market by TUCO, Division of the Upjohn Co. Proxol is particularly effective against grub infestations because of its superior ability to move through thatch layers to where grubs live and do their damage, according to TUCO product man-
ager L. E. Jones. "Studies have shown that Pro-xol has much less tendency to be 
bound to thatch than other organ-
ophosphate insecticides," says Jones. "It provides lawn care specialists with an effective alter-native to chlorinated cyclodiene insecticides, many of which have been banned by the EPA." An added advantage, according to Jones, is that Proxol controls principal damage-causing insects without significantly affecting be-
neficial insects when used at rec-
ommended rates. "Proxol causes no long-term residual buildup," explains Jones. "It offers an additional advantage in that the EPA has approved it for use at reduced application rates to 
control sod webworms, cutworms and armyworms. Proxol's low ef-
fective rates mean economical in-
sect control." Write 831 on reader service card Professional SPRAY EQUIPMENT AT AN ECONOMICAL COST!!! DEPENDABLE ACCURATE Ł ECONOMICAL IMactor anowt yaa to rat* 4. Eladric host raal provides quick chemical« aaa yard at a time raarladiai end proven «arvlca. 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 allows you to mix one product, one lown at a 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 Leasing program available Midjynai is making your year greener Mid Am '81 is cultivating almost four acres of exhibits and moving them closer... closer to your hotel rooms, closer to half a hundred restaurants, and closer to everyt hi ng t here is to enjoy in t he heart of the Windy Citv. The January' 16 18 Mid America Horticultural Trade Show will be replanted in the spacious splen-dor of the Hyatt Regency Chicago, the World's larg est, luxury convention hotel. With a dozen restau rants and pubs, in addition to the more than 2.000 rooms and 200 hospitality suites, vou'd never have to leave this fatastic city within a city. Of course, there are Chicago's Magnificent Mile, the Sears Tower, and t he Art Inst i t ute among t he many at t rae tions within walking distance of the hotel. To further accomodate you, we've scheduled Mid Am '81 over the weekend ... to save Exhibitors overtime setup and tear-down charges and to make it convenient for those of you who'd like to bring the family for a mini-vacation. To be the biggest and most beautifully staged event in the history of the nation's premier horticul-tural show. Mid Am '81 offers Buyers the largest selection of materials and services ever, while offer ing Exhibitors the opportunity to attract the largest number of new Buyers ever. SHOW DATES: January 16-18 For more information contact us Mid-American Trade Show 4300-L Lincoln Avenue Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 312/359-8160 TURF CARE Reducing weed problems with management programs A sensible weed control program should first involve developing a good cultural management pro-gram. A balanced, full season fertilization program, coupled with proper mowing, irrigation, and rootzone management, can result in a strong and healthy turf 
capable of eliminating or reducing weed problems through competi-tion. Then, if it becomes necessary 
to use herbicides, use them judici-ously, follow label directions very carefully, and use them only as an aid to the cultural management program. Herbicides are available which will give very good control of the 
weedy grasses, crabgrass and goosegrass. Effective control of these weeds can be achieved by carefully following label direc-tions for the use of the herbicides 
bensulidine (Betasan), DCPA (Dacthal), benefin (Balan), and siduron (Tupersan). Most broad-leaf weeds can be controlled with the proper use of 2,4-D, MCPA, MCPP, or dicamba. Tri-mixtures of 
2,4-D + Dicamba + MCPP are readily available on the market. Again, careful adherence to labeled directions is important. However, the use of herbicides alone does not solve the problem which allowed weed invasion in A sensible weed con-trol program should first involve developing good cultural management programs. A balanced, full season fertilization program, coupled with proper mowing, irriga-tion and rootzone man-
agement, can result in a strong and healthy turf capable of eliminating or reducing weed prob-lems through competi-tion. the first place. Occurrence of weeds usually can be associated with errors or failures in some aspect of turf management. Mis-
takes commonly made include mower scalping, improper fertili-
zation, poor rootzone soil man-agement, growing non-shade to-lerant species in shady locations, 
injury with pesticides, and many 
more. Correcting these mistakes permits taking advantage of the competitive characteristics which 
allow a grass to succeed as a 
turfgrass. Laymen often employ the simplest and most direct method, herbicides. However, many wide-spread misconceptions exist re-garding herbicides. Turfgrass managers should remember that these chemicals are plant toxins and therefore are injurious to both 
the weed and the turfgrass plant. During recent years the effects of herbicides have become of major concern in the health and survival 
of the root system of turfgrasses. The destructive effects on the root system of translocated, hormone-type chemicals such as 2,4-D, MCPP, and silvex have been well 
documented. Of increasing con-cern is the injury to the root system of turfgrasses by residues of preemergence herbicides. This group of chemicals has been as-
sociated with root degeneration 
and eventual loss of large areas of turfgrass. Investigation by Drs. DiPaola and Beard recently help explain why preemergence herbicides have been implicated in extensive turfgrass sod loss. They showed that the root system of Tifgreen bermudagrass sloughs off during the flush of new foliage growth during the break from dormancy in the spring. A new root system Turfgrass managers should remember that her-bicides are plant toxins and therefore injurious to both the weed and the turfgrass plant. The destruc-tive effects on the root system of translocated, hormone-type chemicals such as 2,4-D, MCPP and silvex have been well documented. Of increasing 
concern is the injury to the root system of turfgrasses by residues of preemergence herbicides. begins forming a few days later following the initiation of new leaf growth. It then becomes under-standable how root degeneration (root pruning) can easily occur since the recommended applica-tion of preemergence-type her-bicides normally coincides with 
the root die-back and new root development period in the spring for turfgrasses. A recent thesis by Seagle showed root tip cellular damage in 
Penncross bentgrass to be severe following treatment with the her-bicides benefin and terbutol (Azak). The herbicides bandane, bensulide, DCPA, and siduron caused slight to moderate injury 
but root tips appeared to recover from this injury. When these same herbicides were exposed to roots of Tifgreen bermudagrass, cell damage was severe with DCPA, siduron and terbutol. Moderate cell injury occurred with bandane 
and bensulide, and slight damage occurred with benefin. 21 > £ z n > g z a c on H Z O < CD 00 o Ł II ïrJ . \ Charles Craig put his career on the line to use Roundup herbicide And he won. When Charles Craig decided to renovate 35 acres of this college campus with Roundup11 herbicide in 1977, he knew that if it didn't work, he'd probably have to "hide under a rock'.' But, fortunately, Charles didn't have to go into hiding because just 7 days after he applied Roundup he was able 
to reseed right into the dying grasses. "Yes, I put my career on the line, but I felt all along that Roundup was going to work',' Charles says. "There was no 
doubt in my mind'.' As horticulturist for Mercer County Community College in Trenton, New Jersey, Charles Craig depended on Roundup for the broad spectrum control ¿y tjmWmà he needed for tough grasses like quackgrass, orchardgrass, tall fescue and others. And since Roundup has no residual 
soil activity, he was able to reseed in a matter of days. "Seed germination was ter-rific, especially with the weather we had',' Charles told us. "Every-one always says it looks nice'.' Charles still uses Roundup for touch up jobs around cracks in the pavement, park-ing lots, buildings, tree bases and flower beds.Taking pre-cautions against spray drift, Charles has no fear of harming surrounding vegetation with Roundup. Charles Craig is convinced that Roundup works, and he has 35 acres of beautiful turf to prove it. Ł : To see how it can work for you, reach for Roundup where 
you buy chemicals. For literature, call 1-800-621-5800, or in Illinois, 1-800-972-5858. MOnSdlltO There's never been a herbicide like this before. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL FOR ROUNDUP. Roundup* is a registered trademark of Monsanto Co. © Monsanto Company 1980. RI-8014D 22 O 00 Oí > O z >« cz H co D Q Z < u z £ < CLASSIFIED When answering ads where box 
number only is given, please address as follows: Box number, % LAWN 
CARE INDUSTRY, 120 W. 2nd St., Duluth, Minnesota 55802. Rates: 35* a word for line ads, 65* 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 publica-tion and be accompanied by cash or money order covering full payment. Mail ad copy to Dawn Anderson, 
LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, 1 E. 1st Street, Duluth, Minnesota 55802. MISCELLANEOUS GREEN PRO EXECUTIVE ACADEMY A: Turf and soil, sales, management for profits weekend of December 19-22, 1980, 4 days. Textbooks, 27 classroom hours, top instructors. First class resort accommodations, Tamiment, Penn-sylvania. Meals, entertainment in-cluded, $475. Call 516-483-0100 for reservations (limited) and informa-
tion. A practical education and guide for those who want to be successful turf-care professionals in today's 
booming market. KELWAY^ SOIL pH TESTER, used by 
professionals everywhere. Direct read-ing, 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, NJ 07015. 201-471-3954. WANT MORE CUSTOMERS? Want 
your customers happier and better 
educated to make your job easier and 
to make more profits? "Garden Tips" is your answer. An inexpensive, pro-ven valuable, monthly newsletter for 
your customers, and prospective cus-tomers. Call 516-538-6444 for a sample and details. Or write Garden Tips, P.O. Box 117, Garden City, New York 11530. CUSTOM BUILT LAWN CARE UNITS: Built to fit your van or pick-up truck. Many different terms and op-tions. Let's get together! Write LCI Box 33. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FRANCHISES AVAILABLE Š Cleve-land area. Let's talk. Excellent oppor-tunity for having your own business. Many options. Write LCI Box 33. TIRED OF PUSHING A LAWN-MOWER? Or digging holes or cutting trees? Want to get into the lucrative lawn care business? Call Green Pro Consulting. We can eet you started economically and guiae you in build-ing a successful business. Call 516-538-6444. HELP WANTED CAREER OPPORTUNITY: Midwest multi-store company needs managers. $16,000 minimum first year, bonus Crogram, sales commissions, excellent enefits. You must: be willing to relocate, have management experi-ence, be turf knowledgeable. Mail 
resume to LCI Box 26. ADVERTISING SALES POSITION AVAILABLE Š Pest Control Magazine is seeking an agressive individual with 
experience in and commitment to the pest control industry, midwest terri-tory. Motivation, creativity and market-ing ability a must. Space sales experi-ence desirable but not required. Salary 
plus commission, all expenses and a good benefit program. Reply to: Cheryl 
C. Lyons, The Harvest Publishing Co., 757 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10017. An equal opportunity employer. GRASS DOES NOT LIVE BY NITROGEN ALONE! OR PHOSPHATE OR POTASH Yes, it takes a balance of all nutrients to grow good turf. Country Club products provide total nutrient feeding. Look to Country Club for all your fertilizer and combination fertilizer-pesticide products. You can rely on Country Club turf products for satisfaction and results. For more information, call 1-800-637-2101 (217-446-0983 in Illinois) LEBANON CHEMICAL CORPORATION P.O. Box 647 P.O. Box 180 Danville, IL 61832 Lebanon, PA 17042 Write 113 on reader service card HELP WANTED Š Looking for qual-ified person who is willing to invest small amount of money and work as partner in landscape maintenance bus-iness located in Virginia. Write LCI 
Box 32. EXPANDING MIDWEST CHEMICAL lawn care company desires branch manager. Excellent salary, bonuses and benefits. Chemical lawn care experience necessary with excellent past employment history. Send re-sume to LCI Box 27. FOR SALE FOR SALE: Lawn maintenance busi-ness. Working partner or buyer wanted for $100,000 gross mowing operation. $10,000 minimum investment. Write LCI Box 30. LAWN SPRAYING BUSINESS. Estab-lished Ohio liquid lawn care business for sale. 5000 accounts. Six figure 
selling price. Owner could assist 
buyer. Write LCI Box 29. CLEVELAND AREA OPPORTUNITY Š Landscape and lawn care business for sale. Turn key operation available with or without property and build-ings. Sales exceeding one million annually. Terms available. Write LCI Box 28. FOR SALE: 10 year old grounds maintenance & landscaping company. Large diversified operation, excellent growth potential, good established customers, total operation; nursery, 
equipment, etc. Owner moving. Sales ot $400,000 per year. Baltimore, MD. Write LCI Box 31. FOR SALE: Lawn spray operation in Baltimore, Maryland area. 2 year old company, 150-200 customers, 1978 Ford F350 with two 300 gallon tanks, two pumps. Good potential and cus-tomer contracts. Call 301-833-0990. Whole business or equipment only. WANTED TO BUY ACQUISITIONS WANTED: Lawn service company seeking growth through acquisition. Seeking firms servicing between 400 and 1,500 cus-tomers. Team up with experience. Key people retained. Smooth transition. Flexible. Write LCI Box 19. ADVERTISERS Allied Chemical Corp 18 American Pelletizing Corp 16 Andersons, The 27 Bowie Industries, Inc 11 ChemLawn Corp 14 Cleary, W. A 7 Cushman Turf 6 Encap Products Co 19 Excell Industries 11 Finn Equipment Company 14 Hypro 19 Lakeshore Equipment and Supply Co 15 Lebanon Chemical Company 11 Lofts Pedigreed Seed Cov. IV Mid-American Hort. Trade Show 20 Monsanto 25 Ohio Turfgrass 26 Professional Turf Specialties ... 20, 21-22 Rockland Chemical Co 19 Rhone-Poulenc Chemical Co 3 Ryan Turf-Care Equipment 5 Sta-Green Plant Food, Inc 4 Stauffer Chemical Co 8, 9 Torco Equipment Co 16 Union Carbide 10 USS Agri-Chemicals 17 BEHIND THIS ISSUE I don't want to miss any letters or phone calls, so I'll start off with the most important information: My new address and phone is: Bob Earley, editor/publisher, LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 757 Third 
Ave., New York, NY 10017, (212) 888-2892. A few new things there; let me take them one at a time. First, I have been named publisher of the magazine. My editorial and sales duties will remain about the same, with 
some added duties dealing with the direction 
of the magazine. I will be working directly with Tom Greney, our new group vice 
president, who is based in Chicago. He will be meeting many of you when he attends the Professional Lawn Care Association of 
America Conference and Trade Show this month in Louisville. Second, my address and phone number have changed. The magazine will now be based in New York, and we have become part of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., of which 
Harvest Publishing Co. is a wholly owned subsidiary. Harcourt is the largest business magazine publisher in the country, with more than 70 magazines. It is the third largest 
business magazine publisher in terms of sales volume. The reason for the move is simple: LAWN CARE INDUSTRY and its sister magazines Š WEEDS TREES & TURF and PEST CON-TROL Š will now be more closely aligned with all of Harcourt's business magazines, and all of the back-up support the company 
has to offer. It will allow us to continue doing 
the job we have been doing with LAWN CARE INDUSTRY since we started the magazine more than three years ago, and it means that we will be able to provide even 
more services for the lawn care industry and its suppliers. I'm excited about the move and about the future. Don't forget to mark down that new address and phone number. ^¿r ^^Y LONG BEACH California landscape show set for March The 1981 Landscape Industry Show, sponsored by the California Landscape Contractors Associa-tion (CLCA) is set for March 26-27 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Show chairman is Robert Baier of Plant Control Corp., Irvine, Calif. He said that a new floor plan for the exposition will allow for 65 more booths to accomodate new exhibitors. In addition, there will be more open space for exhibitors 
of heavy equipment and others 
requiring unobstructed space. The 500-booth exposition at-tracts thousands of landscape and irrigation contractors from throughout California and the western states. Exhibitors at the 1980 show included not only suppliers to the landscape indus-try, but also suppliers of services, materials and equipment for the business operations of contractors from computer services and com-munications systems and legal consultants. Interested exhibitors should contact the show manager at 
CLCA, 1419 21st St., Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 448-2522. COMPANIES Rapid growth prompts HMC plant expansion As part of a major expansion drive, HMC the Green Machine has an-nounced its plan to move to a new manufacturing plant in Long Be-ach, Calif. The new plant will house all of the company's administrative of-fices, engineering, production and warehousing facilities plus inter-
national division. In addition to providing increased capacity, the 
move is designed to centralize various departments now housed at five separate locations in Torr-
ance, Calif. HMC's sales efforts will continue to be handled by its marketing arm headquartered in 
Houston. Because the Job demands success Because the job demands success, The Andersons has devoted 10 years to developing and refining our Tee-Time profes-sional turf-care products. We have now established a network of qualified distributors and can make available to you the quality products we've been supplying to a limited market for many years. The Andersons is a diversified agri-business committed to product quality and service. Our company has enjoyed continuous growth in each of our divisions, accompanied by a widespread reputa-tion for reliability, applied research, and technical innovation. Today we are the nation's sixth largest manufacturer of turf-care fertilizer products. You can switch to The Andersons' products with confidence. If you are a professional turf manager, you're going to be very pleased with the success you can achieve with our diverse line. We supply more than 20 products which can be selectively com-bined according to your particular needs to pro-duce maximum results. Our distributors, backed by our extensive techni-cal knowledge, are quali-fied to assist you in tailoring your programs. Ask if your present supplier carries The Andersons Tee-Time products. If not, call us toll-free or write and we'll give you the name of your nearest distrib-utor. You'll be glad you did. Distributor inquiries welcomed. the professional's partner The^SSS* Andersons Lawn Fertilizer Division P.O. Box 119 Maumee, Ohio 43537 Ohio-800-472-3220 Outside OhioŠ 800-537-3370 Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Inc. Bound Brook, NJ 08805 (201) 356-8700 Lofts/Maryland Lofts/New Yorfc Lofts/New England Great Western Seed Co., Inc. Loft-Kellogg Seed Co., Inc. Landover, MD 20785 Cambridge, NY 12816 Arlington MA 02174 Albany, OR 97321 Milwaukee, Wl 53201 (301) 322-8111 (518) 677-8808 (617) 648-7550 (503) 926-5892 (414) 276-0373 te M LOFTS v J THESE FOUR WOMEN HELP TO PRODUCE, SELL, AND SHIP THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR BLUEGRASS Marie Pompei Agronomist and Research Consultant based at Lofts' headquarters in New Jersey. Evaluates turf performance and responds to customer inquiries. U.S. Plant Patent #3186 Canadian Distributor Sunbelt Seeds, Inc. Oseco Inc. Tucker, GA 30084 Brampton, Ontario L6V2L2 
(404)491-1311 (416)846-5080 Debbie Gutierrez Assistant Manager, Domestic and Inter-national Sales, checks Baron production and distribution from Lofts' Great Western Division in Oregon. Vanessa Jensen Assistant Manager and Golf Course Sales, Lofts/Maryland, administers distribution and customer service in the Mid-Atlantic states. (Shown here calling on Angie Cammarota, Superintendent of Hobbits Glen Golf Course, Columbia, Maryland.) Andrea Landry Executive Sales Coordinator, supervises | Lofts' nationwide customer service, coordinating operations coast to coast. ^ ma^mmammmm oŠin When you ask for world-famous Baron, there's a lot more to it than just writing up your order. From production through distribution to delivery, every single step is accomplished within Lofts' facilities. And because we have complete control over each phase of the operation, we can do it all efficiently ... to give you the best possible service. The women pictured here are only four of the Lofts specialists who work in different ways to ensure your order runs smoothly. Their efforts assure the availability and prompt delivery of a consistent, high quality bluegrass ... Baron. Marie, Debbie, Vanessa and Andrea will be happy to assist you with your next bluegrass order... they recommend Baron and know you'll be glad they did.