DROUGHT Hot, dry weather ravages Texas lawns "It's just burning up here. We haven't had enough rain to get your tongue wet." That's how Robert Vestal, owner of Lawn Doctor of Lewis-ville, Tex. describes the near 50 days of intense heat and drought that continues to ravage the state of Texas, leaving in its wake 
devastated farm crops and dried up lawns. "Lawns are really starting to go downhill now," says Dr. William Knoop, area turfgrass specialist 
with the Texas Agricultural Ex-tension Service. "It's been such a long haul that things are really looking bad. We can judge it by the number of calls, and I've had a tremendous amount of calls in the past two weeks." Most of these calls are the result of a sharp increase in the number of diseases and insects 
that are attacking the turf, 
prompted by the hot, dry weather. Hot weather insects such as bermudagrass mites and chinch bugs are taking their toll, along with rampant weed growth. "We've had a lot more ber-mudagrass mites this year than we've seen before; these are typically hot, dry weather in-sects." Vestal however, says he feels that the mites were already a big 
problem before the drought started. "We anticipated a bad mite problem in this area, but it's funny that some parts of the area 
have got a really bad problem, and some don't have any at all." "We've also had a lot of weeds this year," says Knoop. "Anytime the turf is weakened from things like heat or dryness, you're going to have more weeds coming in. It's also harder to control weeds 
under these high temperatures and low humidity." If the drought has brought any blessings, Knoop adds, one is that 
the area has seen a decrease in the number of grubs this year. "The white grub situation has not nearly been as bad as we an-ticipated and we attribute that to the dry condition, so if there's been any good done, that's it." to pa^e 6 RECESSION-PROOF? Lawn businessmen optimistic despite the sagging economy Lawn Care businessmen are a pretty optimistic bunch. Faced with gas prices that are rising out 
of sight, soaring costs for chemicals and equipment, and laborers who clamor for pay 
raises to help them keep up with the high cost of living, most lawn care companies are feeling the pinch. This industry, however, is almost unique in that it not only continues to weather the crunch, but actually seems to be prosper-ing at a time when the auto and steel industries have been forced to resort to tremendous layoffs and cutbacks which have led to a 
national unemployment rate of 7.8 percent. Although, in many cases, gross receipts have not met the ex-pected 17 percent increase lawn care operators predicted in the 1980 LCI Reader Profile and Pur-chase Study, the industry has experienced some growth during the last year. "The recession has not af-fected my business," says Rich Blakley, president of Blakley Fertilizer Co., Springfield, 111. "In fact, we have had a growth in business. Our accounts receivable are stable compared to last year and we can see that our fall applications will main-tain what they should have from 
the beginning." "As far as getting customers we're as busy as we can be," says 
Glenda Eaton, a representative L4WN f ^ffllServing lawn maintenance Ł and chemical lawn | care professionals. INDUSTRY SEPTEMBER 1980 Ł VOL. 4, NO. 9 Ł A Harvest Publication LIQUID EXPENDITURE HIGHER Nine of 10 lawn businessmen apply dry fertilizer; four of 10 liquid Almost 90 percent of the readers of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY bought dry-applied fertilizer in 1979, spending an average of $8,-331, according to a recent survey conducted by the magazine. The actual percentage of readers was 88.4 percent. More than 35 percefit (35.8) purchased liquid-applied fertilizer during the same period, spending an QUICK STARTS New larvacide could control beetle grubs page 2 Affect of volcanic ash on Northwest soils page 6 Identification of lawn insect problems page 7 Fall lawns susceptible to brown patch page 9 Selecting turfgrass at the lowest cost page 22 MEMOS 2 MEETING DATES 4 TOOLS, TIPS & TECHNIQUES 9 MARKETING IDEA FILE 10 COST CUTTINGS 12 PRODUCTS 25 CLASSIFIEDS 26 average of $9,438. The readership projection for total dry-applied fertilizer expen-ditures is $71 million. For liquid-applied fertilizers, it is $33 million. Experts in the industry estimate that the larger com-panies are predominantly liquid-
based. In the same survey, it was found that 82.1 percent of the readers purchased herbicides in 1979. Average purchase was $2,-447 for a readership projection of 1979 supply purchases of Clark & Morrell Landscaping, Lithonia, Ga. "We have as much business as we could possibly handle." Although lawn care businessmen say they are having relatively little trouble attracting new customers, the increases in the number of new accounts is being offset to some extent by the high costs operators are paying for chemicals and equipment. "Overall, I think business is better than last year but profits are down," says William Shear-man, president of Chem-Troll Lawn Service, Inc., Florida, N.Y. "It's a general tightening all the way around, with the increase in gas, chemicals, the whole bit. You have to be sharper in all areas." Gary Kitchel, president of E-Z Lawn Corp., Richmond, Ind., agrees. "We had the best spring 
we've ever had in terms of volume of customers, but all my costs are up. And even with the increase in volume that I'm getting as far as the number of customers, with the increase in chemical costs and maintenance costs, my margin of profit is 
down. "My gross sales last year amounted to about $160,000," Kitchel continues. "The way things are going this year, I an-
ticipate a gross of approximately to pane 17 $19 million. For insecticides, 77.4 of the magazine's readers purchased an average of $3,158, for an readership projection of $24 million. According to LAWN CARE IN-DUSTRY market research manager Clarence Arnold, the 
results of the survey are based 
upon a 53.6 percent return on 500 questionnaires mailed to readers of the magazine. The survey was 
completed in June. To receive a copy of the sur-vey, contact: Bob Earley, editor/associate publisher, LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44102, or call 216-651-5500. Source: 1980 LCI survey Product Liquid-applied fertilizer Dry-applied fertilizer % sample purchasing average per purchaser projection to LCI readership Foi c _ SIDE THF T* indept1-law feaiai v> nave uoen ùu^gesieo dustry, see IN-íuing series of problems the opics for this Herbicide Insecticide Fungicide Grass Seed a w CO « H CO D D z U a: < u 2 < J ISOFENPHOS New larvacide could control beetle grubs Testing the effect of Japanese beetle larvae in the greenhouse, Thyril L. Ladd, leader of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Japanese Beetle Research Laboratory, at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, learned that two larvae in a six-
inch pot of Kentucky bluegrass 
will reduce growth nearly 50 per-cent by eating away the roots. When he limited the water supply the damage was much worse. Apparently the stress caused by loss of roots in addi-tion to a limited water supply ad-ded up to much less plant growth, or even the death of the plant. "Just one larva in a pot, equal to five larvae per square foot ol soil under field conditions, reduced bluegrass yields as 
much as 30 percent. The research suggests that yield reductions up to 50 percent could occur without visible indications of turf damage or death," he added. "Turf damage is often not ap-parent unless 100 or more larvae are present in 10 square feet oi soil or unless other stress, such as heat or lack of moisture, com-pounds the problem," he said. "Populations of 40 to 80 grubs per square foot are not unusual." Ladd says an experimental lar-vacide, isofenphos, has con-trolled beetle grubs in experi-ments conducted on turf. Both spray and granular treatments were made at two pounds per acre rates during four years ol tests on 11 beetle-infested areas in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Grub counts were effec 
made on treated and untreated plots. Both turf application treat-ments were effective whether 
applied in the spring or fall. 
Granules applied on the surface, 
even when there was no rain for two or three weeks, killed 97 to 100 percent of the beetle larvae 
40 days after rainfall. Popula-tions did not begin to rise again for 200 or more days after ap-plication. Isofenphos is a more effective soil insecticide for control ol Japanese beetle larvae than any currently registered pesticide, according to Kenneth O. Lawrence, former Science and Education Administration research entomologist who did the study at the Wooster laboratory. Isofenphos has not yet been registered for use on turf. MEMOS WWN OtRE INDUSTRY Editor/Associate Publisher: ROBERT EARLEY Assistant Editor: DAN MORELAND, KATHLEEN MILGATE Graphic Director: RAYMOND GIBSON Publishing Director: RICHARD J. W. FOSTER Communications & Promotion: NANCY WILKINSON Research Manager: CLARENCE ARNOLD Advertising Production: CHRIS SIMKO Editorial Secretary: KATHY COAD MARKETING/SALES Circulation Manager: ROSALIE SLUSHER (216) 651-5500 Circulation & List Rental: SHARON JONES (216) 651-5500 Marketing & Merchandising Services: FRAN FRANZAK (216) 651-5500 New York Office: (212) 421-1350 757 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Midwest Office: JEFF DREAZEN (312) 236-9425 333 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60601 Southern Office: DICK GORE (404) 233-1817 3091 Maple Dr., Atlanta, Ga. 30305 Northwest Office: BOB MIEROW (206) 363-2864 1333 N.W. Norcross, Seattle, WA 98177 Classified: DOROTHY LOWE (216) 651-5500 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102 CORPORATE OFFICERS Chairman: JAMES MILHOLLAND JR. President: VAL BRADLEY Senior Vice President: DAYTON MATLICK Senior Vice President: CHARLES QUINDLEN Vice President: RICHARD J. W. FOSTER LAWN CARE INDUSTRY (USPS 397250) is published monthly by The Harvest Publishing Company, a subsidiary of HBJ Communi-cations and Services, Inc., at 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102 (216) 651-5500. Copyright © 1980 by The Harvest Publishing Company. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in whole or in part witnout consent of copyright owner. Controlled circulation postage paid at Cleveland, Ohio. SUBSCRIPTIONS: to Lawn Care Industry are solicited only from owners, managers, operators, buyers, agronomists, technicians, dealers, distributors and manufacturers of products associated with the lawn care and maintenance business. Position and company connection must be indicated on subscription orders. Publisher reserves tne right to approve all subscription requests. Single 
copy cost $1.00 for current issue. All back issues $1.25 eacn. Foreign $1.25. Sub-
scription rates: $12.00 one year, $20.00 two years, $25.00 three years. Group and foreign air mail rates available on request. SUBSCRIBERS: Send change-of-address notices, correspondence regarding subscription service to Fulfillment Manager, Lawn Care Industry, 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102. Change of Address notices should be sent promptly, provide old as well as new address, attach address label from recent issue. Please allow one month for change of address to become effective. POSTMASTER: Please send form 3579 to Fulfillment Manager, Lawn Care In-dustry, 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44102. Harvest Business Publications Division Magazines include: WEEDS TREES & TURF, PEST CONTROL, NPCA Extra, GOLF BUSINESS. Publisher is not liable for delays in delivery and/or non-delivery in the event of Act of God, action by any governmental or quasi-governmental entity, fire, flood, insurrection, riot, explosion, embargo, strikes whether legal or illegal, labor or material shortage, transportation interruption of any kind, work slow-down, or any condition beyond tne control of publisher affecting production or delivery in any manner. HARVEST The "white truck" brigade? The lawn care industry came un-der criticism recently from Dick Morey, publisher of Landscape & Turf. We quote from his editorial in his July/August issue, titled "Opportunists": "... what we are saying is that 'lawncare' per se probably cannot exist as an independent business in most areas of the country simply because it is not a 12-month activity. "While I'm on this subject of iawncare' and the nature of this 'new' service that has developed the past few years after Davey and ChemLawn came along with the idea, I can't help but mention something that's been on my mind since spring. The proliferation of the 'white truck' brigade in the Milwaukee, Wis. area. Coming to my home in Elm Grove were no less than a dozen offers to make my lawn the 'greenest' in my neighborhood. ChemLawn, Davey, The Greenskeeper, Green Magic, Ever Green Lawns, Happy 
Lawn Service, Super Lawn .. . and the Yellow Pages has more. "Sure, we have all read of the accomplishments of ChemLawn in dollar volume (maybe not necessarily profit) and recognize that Davey is certainly a well-established firm in the tree business. But I have to question whether the 'spray-on' business is here to stay and, as Ben Warren, Warren Turf Nurseries, points out. . . how does anyone know whether more than a 'watering' job is being done by some of the operators in the business? At least three of these Milwaukee area 'services' have their 'training depots' in in-
dustrial areas close to our headquarters. I hardly get the im-age of 'trained agronomist' when I see the young people at-tracted by constant 'help wanted' ads run in the local papers. Are these the folks that are going to make my lawn a magic carpet of green? The whole business takes on a 'carnival' at-mosphere." We received a number of calls and letters about this editorial, but perhaps Ronnie Zwiebel, president of Chem-
Care Lawn Service of Alabama, Birmingham, said it best in a letter he sent to Morey. We also sent us a copy, and we quote: "... perhaps I'm confused but I thought our industry was here to beautify America. Rusty, beat up trucks seem to be the standard rather than the exception in the landscape in-dustry. Isn't it refreshing to see someone or some group, or segment as you call us, of an industry that refuses to accept the fact that because we are in the 'Green Industry,' we are limited to driving junk? "It annoyed me that you criticized the help turnover rate of lawn care people. Have you not seen the same thing in the landscape industry? The only difference, at least in my areas, 
is we prefer to think we hire from a more select group and must, from time to time, advertise to approach these people. Plus, the expansion of lawn care requires people. Our growth in Birmingham so far for 1980 has been almost 37 percent. Of the people working for us last August, 69 percent of them are still with us. Additionally, we have created three new posi-tions. You are damn right we have to advertise for help. "Your comments on 'trained agronomists' was also an ob-vious sign of being misinformed. My people receive about 60 to 80 hours of formal training including classroom time and 'on the lawn' observation prior to being allowed to spray their 
first lawn by themselves. Additionally, we have about 40 
hours per year of in-house training sessions for all of our ap-plicators and managers with participation from the state un-iversity, local trade school instructors and chemical company representatives. "I realize there are a few 'fly by night' lawn care com-panies, and I also know there are some companies that do not have the quality programs for training. Davey, ChemLawn and even small companies such as mine have, but through the Professional Lawn Care Association of America we hope to, and have made some progress at, upgrading the quality of the industry in the short time we have been formed. "My last point questions your evaluation of the profitability of the lawn care industry. Since one of the 
primary companies you attacked was ChemLawn, I shall use their financial statement Š a matter of public record. "You infer that the lawn care business cannot survive 'because it is not a 12-month activity.' ChemLawn had a 5.5 
percent profit in 1979, 5.1 percent profit in 1978, and a 4.5 per-
cent profit in 1977. My company, which isn't a matter of public record, was in these same general areas also. I somehow feel these figures speak for themselves." New home sales. A 16 percent jump in new home sales in June indicated the beleaguered housing industry is climbing out of its slump, but industry economists are fretting that the recovery might soon stall. The Commerce Department said that the sales pace for new, single-family homes rose in June to a seasonally ad-justed annual rate of 535,000 units from May's revised 461,000. Short story of great beauty. This little bluegrass came to market from Sweden and became a best seller. Fylking Kentucky bluegrass forms a luxurious, low-growing, fine-textured thick turf. It establishes fast, develops a greater density of rhizomes and roots. Fylking is tough, with improved resistance to many diseases, and better tolerates drought, heat, cold, smog and foot traffic. Greens up early, stays green through summer and late into fall. Great as the backbone bargain for lawn turf seed mixes. Fylking performs well when cut low (even low as one-half inch). Fylking Kentucky bluegrass costs less than most other elite blues. In short, insist that this best seller be included in every lawn seed mix. Fylking Kentucky bluegrass. FYLKING KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS ~ Another fine, quality-controlled product of Jacklin Seed Company. Q« s co > oc H co D Q 2 w o: < u 2 < MEETING DATES Ohio Turf and Landscape Day, Ohio Agri-cultural Research and Development Cen-ter, Wooster, Ohio, Septembei 9. Contact: Dr. Dave Nielsen, OARDC, Wooster, Ohio 44691, 216-264-1021. Northern Michigan Turfgrass Field Day, Michigan State University, Traverse City Golf and Country Club,' Traverse City, Mich., Sept. 9. Contact: Thomas M. Smith, 323 Agricultural Hall, M.S.U.. East Lans-ing, MI 48824, 517-353-4417. Illinois Turfgrass Research Field Day. Ornamental Horticulture Research Cen-ter, University of Illinois, Urbana, 111., Sept. 10. Contact: Dr. David Wehner, Room 10 Horticulture Field Lab, Univer-sity of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801. 1980 Interior Landscape Conference & Trade Show, Fairmont Hotel, Denver, Colo., Sept. 10-13. Contact: Associated Landscape Contractors of America In-terior Landscape Division, 1750 Old Meadow Road, McLean, VA 22102, 703-821-8611. 6th Annual Garden Industry of America Conference & Trade Show. Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Md., Sep-tember 12-14. Contact: GIA Conference & Trade Show, Box 1092, Minneapolis, MN 55440,612-374-5200. VPI & SU Turfgrass Research Field Days. Turfgrass Research Center, Blacksburg, Va., Sept. 16-17. Contact: John R. Hall, ex-tension specialist. VPI & SU, 426 Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 703-961-5797. National Lawn & Garden Distributors Association Annual Convention, Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles, Calif., Septem-ber 16-19. Contact: Nancy S. Irving, ex-ecutive director, NLGDA', 1900 Aren St., Philadelphia, PA 19103. International Franchise Association Tax Seminar, Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Chicago, 111., September 22-24. Contact: IFA, 1025 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 1005, Washington, D.C., 20036, 202-659-0790. Northwest Turfgrass Annual Conference, Sunriver Lodge, Sunriver, Ore., Septem-ber 22-25. Contact: Dr. Roy Goss, ex-ecutive secretary, Northwest Turfgrass Association, Western Washington Research and Extension Center, Puyallup, WA 98371, 206-593-8513. Central Plains Turfgrass Foundation, Kansas State University Turf Conference, KSU Union, Manhattan, Kan., September 30-October 2. Contact: R.N. Carrow, sec-retary/treasurer, Horticulture Depart-ment. Waters Hall, Kansas State Univer-sity. Manhattan. KS 66506, 913-532-6170. IPAA Annual Convention, Sea-Tac Motor Inn, Seattle, Wash., Oct. 1-3. Contact: Bill Harlen, International Pesticide Ap-plicators Association, P.O. Box 681, Kirkland, WA 98033. 16th Annual Turfgrass tion and Si 
stadium and _ 
Oct. 7. Contact: Dr. Henry W. Indyk, ex-
ecutive director, Soils & Crops Depart-ment, P.O. Box 231, Cook College, New 
Brunswick, NJ 08903, 201-932-9453. al Turfgrass Equipment, Irriga-Supplies Field Day, Rutgers id golf course, Piscataway, N.J., Kentucky Turfgrass Conference & Field Day, Eastern Kentucky University, Rich-
mond, Ky., October 7-9. Contact: Kenneth B. Rue, president, Kentucky Turfgrass Council, 3110 Brownsboro Road, Louis-
ville, KY 40206, 502-893-7137. Franchise Management Workshop, Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills, Calif., October 8-9. Contact: International Franchise Association, 1025 Connecticut 
Ave., N.W., Suite 1005, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-659-0790. EXCEL HUSTLER 261 mows a 60"swath while it moves in a 63" path. Compare with any other 50" or 60" mower! It's made to order for landscape maintenance contractors, cemeteries, tree-studded campuses, etc. The Mower: New 3-way deck adjusts to side or rear discharge, or mulch. When set for mulch or rear discharge, the whole mower is only 63" wide. Mows freely between obstacles. Maneuvering is EXCEL-easy. Dual hydros control drive wheels independently Š instant pure motion at a fingertip touch on twin hand levers. Each pump, working only half as hard, lasts many seasons longer. There's Mower: Belt drive runs straight from B&S 2-cylinder engine to mowing deck mounted on the same floating frame. No twists to steal power or wear out belt. Shorter wheel base to mow evenly, reduce scalping. Tractor comes with 3-way deck, full safety group. And More: Optional Edger, Catcher/ Compactor, and Trailer. Factory-trained service, genuine EXCEL parts through your EXCEL Distributor. Write for his name and free literature, or watch for a field demo. GSA: GS-07S-04916 HUD: OPH (C0)m-2930 Ł> ' V ' s wmmm Mower and More, the choice of the pros. EXCEL GSA: GS-07S-04916 HUD: OPH (C0)m-2930 Turf & Grounds Equipment EXfcel Industries, Inc. Ł Box 727 Ł Hesston, Kansas 67062 Ł ("316) 327-4911 Ł (800) 835-3260 Symposium on Turfgrass Insects, Sheraton-Columbus Hotel, Columbus, Ohio. Oct. 14-15. Contact: Dr. B.G. Joyner, Plant Diagnostic Labs, ChemLawn Corp., 6969 Worthington-Galena Road, Suite L, Worthington, OH 43085, 614-885-9588. Southwest Turfgrass Association Conference, New Mexico State Univer-sity, Las Cruces, N.M., October 16-17. Contact: Arden A. Baltensperger, secre-tary/treasurer, Southwest Turfgrass Association, New Mexico State Univer-sity, P.O. Box 3-Q, Las Cruces, NM 88003. Florida Turfgrass 28th Annual Con-ference & Show, University of Florida, Alachua County Fairgrounds and Hilton Hotel, Gainesville, Fla., Oct. 19-22. Con-tact: FT-GA Executive Office, 1520 Edgewater Drive, Suite E, Orlando, FL 32804, 305-425-1581. Second National Irrigation Symposium, 
Nebraska Center for Continuing Educa-
tion, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb., October 20-23. Contact: Dr. Dale Heermann or Dr. Del Fangmeier, Depart-
ment of Soils, Water and Engineering, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ 85721, 602-626-1412. Green Industry Seminar & Trade Show. Turf and Ornamental Programs, Michi-gan State Fair Grounds, Detroit, Mich., Oct. 21-22. Contact: Gregory Patcham. Michigan State University, Cooperative Extension Service, North Office Building, 1200 N. Telegraph, Pontiac, MI 48053, 313-858-0887. Franchise Management Workship, Con-
tinental Plaza, Chicago, 111., October 22-23. Contact: International Franchise 
Association, 1025 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 1005, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-659-0790. Atlantic Seedmen's Association Convention, with the meeting of the Lawn Seed Division of the American Seed Trade Association, Mills House Hotel, Charleston, S. C., Oct. 29-31. Contact: Margaret Herbst, executive secretary, Atlantic Seedsmen's Association, 230 
Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017. 68th Annual Grounds Management Con-ference & Trade Show, sponsored by the Professional Grounds Management Soci-ety, Plaza Hilton Inn. Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 2-6. Contact: PGMS, 7 Church Lane, Pikesville, MD 21208, 301-653-2742. Design/Build Symposium, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 4-7. Contact: Associated Landscape Contractors of America, 1750 Old Meadow Road, McLean, VA 22102, 703-821-8611. Franchise Management Workshop. Old Towne Holiday Inn, Alexandria, Va., Nov. 5-6. Contact: International Franchise Association, 1025 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 1005, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-659-0790. Missouri Lawn and Turf Conference. University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., November 5-7. Contact: Dr. John H. Dunn, professor of horticulture, 1-43 Agricult ure Building, Columbia, MO 65211,314-882-7838. Southern Turfgrass Conference, Bir-mingham Hyatt House. Birmingham, Ala., November 9-12. Contact: Dr. Euel Coats, executive secretary, Southern Turfgrass Association, Drawer CP, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, 601-325-3138. National Institute on Park and Grounds Management 10th Annual Educational 
Conference, Sheraton Twin Towers, 
Orlando, Fla., Nov. 9-13. Contact: 
National Institute, Box 1936, Appleton, WI 54913, 414-733-2301. VPI & SU Golf Course Budgets Minicourse, Dulles Airport, Washington, D.C., Nov. 10-12. Contact: John R. Hall, extension specialist, VPI & SU, 426 Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 703-961-5797. 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 Holi-day Inn, Rochester, N.Y., Nov. 11-13. Con-tact: Ann Reilly, executive secretary, NYSTA, 210 Car'twright Blvd., Massape-qua Park, NY 11762, 516-541-9034 or 6902. First Professional Lawn Care Association of America Convention, "Lawn Care Business Management in the 1980's." Commonwealth 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. SEPTEMBER 1980(Expires in 60 days) reader service card Use this card to obtain more information...fast. A CO UJ >. oí o ID h-< < ID m É CO û ID o ID U-h-Z2-z z> B For the turf you care for: proven protection against nine damaging diseases from America's leading fungicide for turf. Now a 500 gram per liter flowable formulation. Daconil 2787 is the broad-spectrum fungicide that helps you fight such problems as dollar spot, gray leaf spot, large brown patch and red thread. Easy to handle with great flowability. Disperses quickly in the spray tank. Effective even in hot weather. Daconil 
2787 also provides effective disease control on a number of ornamentals. Now in a new 500 g/l formulation. Diamond Shamrock gives you all the help you need for weed problems, too. Dacthal® is the preemergence herbicide that controls more than 20 weeds and unwanted grasses. Stops early and late germinating weeds without affecting healthy, growing turf grasses. Tough weeds like crabgrass and Poa annua can't stand up to Dacthal. Dacamine® gives postemergence control of over 70 broadleaf weeds including dandelion, annual chickweed, knotweedand Canada thistle. Kills'em right down to the roots so they won't come back. Daconate® gives the postemergence herbicide that knocks out nutsedge, chick-weed, wood sorrel, sandbur and other grassy weeds. It's a ready-to-use liquid herbicide with a built-in surfactant for uniform wetting. For beautiful turf and ornamentals, count on the big four from Diamond Shamrock to make your job easier. Diamond Shamrock The resourceful company. See your turf chemicals supplier, or contact the Diamond Shamrock Agricultural Chemicals Division sales office nearest you: Three Commerce Park Square. 23200 Chagrin Blvd., Beachwood, OH 44112 Ł 1760 The Exchange, Suite 100, Atlanta. GA 30339 Ł 5333 Westheimer, Suite 850, Houston, TX 77002 Ł Commerce Plaza Bldg , 2015 Spring Rd , Oakbrook, IL 60521 «617 Veterans Blvd.. Redwood City, CA 94063. Write 119 on reader service card I® DROUGHT from ,>«*«! This situation could change however, if cloudy skies and rain come into the forecast, and lawn care operators are doing what they can to guard against this. "If it starts to rain and the ground gets soft," says Vestal, "they could be more active, but we've already treated most of our lawns on a preventative basis." Lawn care operators feel however, that it is the home-owners themselves who are to blame for many of the increased disease problems, mainly because they are not following the proper watering practices. "All the disease problems that I'm seeing Š more in St. Augustine than bermudaŠcan pretty much be related to overwatering. Especially people with irrigation systems; they seem to want to run those things every night, and that results in a 
disease situation." Tommy Isbell, owner of A-Perm-O-Green Lawn, in Dallas, agrees that the homeowners are to blame for much of this year's disease problem. "We're seeing a lot of leaf spot fungus because people are watering at night. During the heat of the day, they don't want to get out there. Surprisingly, we've had more of a fungus problem this year than we would have in a wet year." In other areas, water shortages combined with increasingly high water bills are discouraging homeowners from watering as much as they need to. "They complain about how much they're spending for water," says Vestal, "but when you go out to check their lawns and you can't even get a moisture probe in the ground, there's no way they can stand there and say, T've been watering that 
spot.' " "We don't go in and browbeat them, 'Hey you turkey, you're not watering your lawn.' We'll tell them, 'Your watering is not ade-quate,' or 'The grass is not doing too well in these spots of your yard and you need to figure out why.' Then we try to counsel them on what type of sprinkler will do the best job and how to measure it; if nothing else, how long to water." One factor that compounds the problem in these watershort areas is the danger of chemical burn. "In certain areas of town, we've adapted our formula," 
says Isbell. "In the areas where it is against the law to water, we're going ahead with just an insec-ticide, and in fact, in some areas we've even gone along behind with a truck and sprayed water because we can get plenty here." For the most part, lawn care businessmen say that homeown-ers are fairly understanding about the weather situation. Of course, there are still those who 
blame the lawn care company for the disease and insect problems they are experiencing this year. "The biggest problem for the lawn care industry is educating the public," says Knoop. "The idea that the public has is that just because they contract with ChemLawn, Lawn Doctor, or whomever, that the company has a magic wand that can keep the lawn green all the time. "I get case after case where, almost literally, just one blade of grass dies in that lawn and they want to sue somebody. I have all the sympathy in the world for lawn care companies." Š Kathleen A. Milgate FALLOUT Volcanic ash will not harm Northwest soils Volcanic ash deposits could create a few isolated salinity problems in drier areas of the Pacific Northwest, but should produce long-term benefits on land in humid areas, said Assis-tant Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environ-ment M. Rupert Cutler. A preliminary study of ash samples from eastern Wash-ington following the eruption of Mount St. Helens revealed no 
higher concentrations of most potentially toxic elements than in ordinary soils, Cutler said. U.S. Department of Agri-culture's national soil survey laboratory found the ash samples contained less lead and cad-mium than most soils, and only small amounts of fluorides, he said. "We were afraid that sulfur in the deposits might produce strong acids," Cutler said, "but the laboratory found that the ash had little elemental sulfur. In-stead, it contained gypsum, or calcium sulfate, possibly produced by sulfur reacting with volcanic glass." Cutler said gypsum is harmless to soils and turf, and that subse-quent wetting of the ash will 
complete the conversion to gyp-sum. The laboratory measured the equivalent of 700 pounds of gyp-sum per acre per inch of vol-canic ash in eastern Washing-ton. Salts equivalent to common table salt have been measured in concentrations as high as 500 pounds per acre per inch of ash, Cutler said. The initial flush of water moving through the salty ash could contain more salts than any of the irrigation water in the region, but the amount of salts is small and should be quickly removed by normal rainfall, he said. "If the higher salt content is widespread," he said, "it could temporarily increase the salinity in small reservoirs and also could change the taste of water from shallow wells while the salts are flushing through the 
system." USDA and other federal and state agencies will continue 
studies in the ash-affected region to discover the presence of any substances potentially hazardous to agriculture and water quality, Cutler said. LOFTS V s Remember* Ł Jamestown is particularly useful where turf conditions are less than perfect. It does very well in non-irrigated and somewhat infertile soils where the turf may be subject to adverse conditions on low maintenance budgets. At last...A fescue that's green enough to match bluegrass, Jamestown Chewings Fescue Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Inc. Bound Brook, N.J. 08805 / (201) 356-8700 Dr. C. Richard Skogley, world renowned turf grass agronomist and researcher at the University of Rhode Island. Worldwide Producers and Marketing Agent m Researchers have long looked for a fine-leafed fescue that has the color and adaptability of modern bluegrasses and that will look well in a seed mixture. Jamestown, a low-growing new variety of chewings fescue, developed at the University of Rhode Island, is the answer for nearly every turf condition required. Jamestown has good ^aiflftn disease resistance, shade tolerance, the darkest green color of any fescue on the market and wide adaptation. Jamestown has been thoroughly researched by universities and independent research groups throughout the United States and Canada. But, most importantly, the low growth and brilliant color are the outstanding virtues landscapers, contractors, sodmen and golf course superintendents count on. Jamestown can be used for prac-tically any turf condition. GENERAL LANDSCAPE... For home lawn use, institutional, parks.. .university studies from Winnipeg, Canada to Maryland have consistently rated Jamestown number one in overall quality for the past five years. Jamestown broadens the adaptation of bluegrasses because of shade tolerance and lower fertility requirements. SOD FARMS... Jamestown is ideally compatible in persistence and color to the new Kentucky Bluegrasses such as Baron and Majestic. It's natural low and dense growth combined with its deep rich color makes Jamestown the number one fescue for use in the sod industry. GOLF COURSES... In the temperate climates Jamestown should be used for seed mixtures on tees, roughs and fairways. While in the Bermuda belt Jamestown | is the best fine leafed fescue for fall overseeding greens. A Clemson University study showed that Jamestown is outstanding at a cutting height as low as 1/8 inch. TURF BASICS Identification, control of lawn insect problems It is important to consider the following factors in order to properly treat an insect problem, according to Jeff Lefton, regional 
agronomist for ChemLawn Corp. 
based in Indianapolis: Ł Identify the insect. Ł Establish the life cycle. Ł Determine the damaging stage. Ł Determine the controllable stage. Speaking at the Midwest Turf Conference earlier this year, Lefton explained the factors for several common lawn insects. Winter grain mite. Recently a few lawns have shown damage as large areas of turf remain brown after the early spring green-up. Individual grass blades have a streaked ap-pearance due to the feeding habit of the mite. The mite itself is olive black with eight red legs. The mite oversummers as eggs which hatch in October. The new A large number of starlings or blackbirds is an indicator of poten-tial sod web worm ac-tivity. mites apparently feed throughout late fall and winter whenever the temperature per-mits. Beginning in March, the mites lay bright orange eggs in the thatch and soil. By late April the egg-laying mites die and no further mites are seen until the following October. Aphid or greenbug. Aphid or greenbug damage on lawns is an increasing problem. The damaged areas usually show a 
distinct orange-brown colora-tion. Many times the damaged area first appears under trees. 
However, lawn damage can ap-pear in the full sun areas as well. The greenbug is a sucking insect damaging the plant by injecting a toxin into the plant and sucking plant juices from the phloem. The greenbug is green and pear-shaped, about one-eighth-inch long. Lawn damage can be ap-
parent from late spring to late fall depending on temperatures. Chinch bug. When tem-peratures warm to 70 or 75 degrees F., chinch bugs emerge from hibernation and begin ex-tracting plant juices from the grass plants. During hot, dry 
weather gradual yellowing of the turf resembling drought could be due to chinch bug. The 
adult chinch bug is about one-eighth inch long, black with white wings. The wings have two black trinagles in the mid-dle of the outer edge of each wing on the adults. The younger 
chinch bugs are red with white 
bands across the back. In general, it takes 20 or more chinch bugs per square foot to cause a problem. With warm, moist weather, the chinch bug is naturally controlled by a fungus, Beavueria, sp. Sod webworm. Brown areas that appear in the turf during hot, dry weather could be due to sod webworms. These worm-like larvae are brownish to grayish 
black, having several black spots 
on their caterpillar bodies. The larvae hide during the day in silken tunnels. They feed at night or during cloudy, rainy weather. To find the sod webworms look at the edge of the dead areas. A large number of starlings or blackbirds is an indicator of potential sod webworm activity. Thatch favors the presence of sod webworms. Billbug. The bluegrass billbug overwinters as an adult. In early April, the adults emerge from hibernation and become active. They lay eggs in the stem of the grass plant in late April and mid-May. Upon emerging from the egg, the larvae feed within the stem moving down to the crown area. The larvae are white with a reddish brown head and hump-back bodies measuring one-half to three-quarters inch long. The larvae are legless. The larvae exit the grass plant and begin chewing on the root system. This 
damage will show in July. It can be confused with the disease 
dollar spot without close 
observation. The larvae pupate and adults emerge for the fall season. Grubs. The main grub problems in the central part of Indiana are due to the northern masked chafer and Japanese beetle grubs. The overwintering stage of these beetles is the older grub stage. The grub is "c" shaped with a grayish white body and brown head. The grub 7 has six legs. After becoming ac-tive in the spring the grub will pupate. From mid-June to mid-July the adult emerges and ^ begins depositing eggs across the z lawns. With the young grubs > chewing on the roots, severe ^ damage can show up in a lawn z 
between mid-August and mid- § 
September. Lefton says that when selecting 5 an insecticide to reduce the in-tensity of a lawn insect problem, consider the following factors: Ł Indentify the target pest. Ł Establish a list of potential insecticides based on university recommendations. Ł Consider the toxicity, hazard potential, precautionary measures and safety equipment needs of each insecticide. Ł In addition, consider the phytotoxicity, compatibility, available formulations and the residual of each insecticide. CT3 m Monsanto Cleaning up a weedy fairway doesn't have to be a slow, messy job for youŠor a hardship for your golfers. Roundup* herbicide helps make renovation fast and efficientŠas Grounds Superintendent Dave Portz discovered last year. "If we had chosen to plow the course under, we would've had to close it',' Dave says. Instead, he applied Roundup on 14 weedy fairways, and reopened the course the same day. While Roundup worked, the members played over the dying turf, with no problems. The membersŠand DaveŠliked that. They were glad, too, that Roundup won't wash, leach or volatilize to injure desirable plants along the fairway. Dave simply took precautions against spray drift. This year, reach for Roundup to control many tough weeds. It can make turf renovation fast and efficient for youŠand leave a lot more playing time for your golfers. For literature, call 1-800-621-5800, or in Illinois, 1-800-972-5858. ALWAYS READ AMD FOLLOW LABEL FOR ROCIMDUP. RI-8011D Roundup* is a registered trademark of Monsanto Co. © Monsanto Company 1980 There's never been a herbicide like this before. When Dave Portz renovated 14 fairways with Roundup", the members played the same day he sprayed. Dave Portz Grounds Superintendent Brookside Country Club Mecungie, Pa. 8 HERBICIDES a u CD Broadleaf weed control in turf grass renovation Turfgrass renovation, or the im-provement of an existing lawn ^ area through overseeding, pre-sents unique problems to the ^ lawn care businessman, among Q which is the selective control of many broadleaved weeds. According to University of u Maryland extension turf ^ specialist Dr. Thomas R. Turner, < in many situations, heavy use in the spring and fall precludes overseeding work until late spring. This can cause a major problem where there is also a 
need for weed control. Label directions for the commonly used selective broadleaved weed chemicals (2,4-D, MCPP and dicamba) generally recommend 
a three to six week waiting period before reseeding as these herbicides can cause seedling in-jury. Bromoxynil, although safe to The lawn care busi-nessman faces a dilem-ma. Should he delay reseeding until the summer months so that broadleaved weeds can 
be controlled, or should reseeding occur during the more favorable late spring period and weed control follow at a later 
date? use in seedling turf, controls a limited spectrum of weeds, and will not control many of the weeds, such as knotweed, com-monly found in areas needing 
renovation work. If the normal waiting period for reseeding af-ter the use of 2,4-D, MCPP 
and/or dicamba is followed, then reseeding often has to occur dur-
ing a period undesirable for turfgrass establishment, the sum-mer months. The lawn care businessman could thus be left in a dilemma. 
Should reseeding be delayed un-til the summer months so that broadleaved weeds can be con-trolled, or should reseeding oc-cur during the more favorable late spring period and 
broadleaved weed control follow 
at a later date? In the former case, the seedlings may fail due to hot, dry weather and the sur-viving new turf will have had less time to mature before the heavy fall use period. In the latter case, however, the advantage of an earlier seeding (and thus more mature turf en-tering the fall) may be negated 
by a poorer stand resulting from 
weed competition. Research conducted at Rhode Island University showed that 
there is a potential solution to the problem of selective broad-leaved weed control during late spring turfgrass renovation. The recommendations for delayed reseeding of areas treated with 2,4-D, MCPP and/or dicamba were based on the formerly stan-dard practice of broadcast set-ting, in which most of the seed 
remains near the soil surface. In recent years, renovation reseeding has commonly been done with a slicer/seeder (such as a jacobsen seeder). Since most 
of the seed is deposited below the soil surface using this method, the researchers at Rhode Island theorized that her-bicides might in these situations 
be safely applied just before or 
after reseeding. Several studies 
were conducted to test their idea. In one of these tests, the effect of herbicides applied before and at seeding with a Jacobsen seeder on a lawn containing knotweed and a small amount of grass was studied. In a second test, the effect of herbicides on 
Kentucky bluegrass seedings 
made with a Jacobsen seeder was determined for applications two weeks before seeding, at seeding, and three weeks after 
seeding. Results from the first study showed that when groove 
seeding was used, there was lit-tle difference in the subsequent 
turfgrass stand whether her-bicides were applied 17 days prior to seeding or on the day of seeding. When herbicides were applied an acceptable turf stand was achieved, ranging from 62 to 72 percent grass cover. However, when no herbicides were ap-plied, the turf was unacceptable, with about 80 percent knotweed 
and only 12 percent grass cover. Results from the second study also showed that herbicides 
could be safely applied at or two weeks prior to the time of groove seeding; however, some reduc-tion in the stand occurred when herbicides were applied three weeks after seeding. The researchers concluded that it appears completely safe to apply the standard broadleaved weed herbicides prior to or just after turfgrass renovation seeding when a slicer/seeder such as the Jacobsen seeder is used. The results from the Rhode Island studies should have an im-portant beneficial effect in turfgrass renovation. The dilemma created when broadleaved weed control was needed where broadcast seeding was to occur can now be avoided. Using the slicer/seeder enables 
the lawn care businessman to avoid having to delay reseeding after herbicide applications. Thus, several weeks for turfgrass establishment can be gained, with a better a more mature turf going into the fall use period resulting. TOOLS,TIPS & TECHNIQUES All about liability insurance Last year, when new state pesticide regulations in Massachusetts made liability insurance a requirement to get an applicator's license or commercial certification, it opened up a can of worms in that state. Some applicators have never had insurance in the past, others have but are discovering that they were not insured for many types of problems that they assumed were part of their coverage. The Department of Entomology at the University of Massachusetts offers the following advice to pesticide applicators: Ł There are two types of possible coverage, general liability and "pesticide or herbicide applicator coverage." General liability is what most people have had in the past. This covers you for only "sudden or accidental discharge" 
problems. For example, if a hose breaks and sprays someone in the eyes and blinds them you would be covered. You would not be covered for "contamination" type claims such 
as chlordane residues in a private well following a termite treatment or if someone contracts a disease and claims it had resulted from exposure to an otherwise normal treatment you hand made. To get such "full" coverage you must ask that the "pesticide or herbicide applicator" clause be added to your general liability coverage. Ł Presently state pesticide regulations in Massachusetts do not require this clause, general liability will do. However, the regulations are likely to be changed soon to make such coverage a requirement. It costs a little more, but it is much better coverage. Ł Your local agent may not be well-informed on this topic. Do not let him confuse you with assurances that general liability is enough to cover "contamination"claims. It isn't. Ł Present regulations in that state call for certain dollar amounts per person, per occurrence and per aggregate. In-
surance companies don't write on a per person basis, so this must be ignored, although the rules are expected to be 
changed. You may have a policy written on a per occurrence basis (no aggregate limit) or per occurrence with a lid value 
for per aggregate. The second is cheaper and meets the state requirements. It is also less coverage. If claims exceed the 
per aggregate lid you would be stuck for the extra claims 
yourself. Ł If the "bodily" and "property" parts of your coverage are combined they must be equal to the sum of the two values 
cited separately in the state regulations, not just the higher. These sums would be $300,000 for licensed applicators and $600,000 for certified commercial applicators. > ? Z n > » en Z a 
c CO H PC CO 
en wThe church board voted unanimously to get aJohn Deere because its the best tractor for the money. With my blessings? / / Father John Poerio, ^^ # * St. Lawrence Parish, Raymond, LA ^^ S St. Lawrence parish has a lot of grass to mow (over 12 acres), but not a lot of money to spend on mowing equipment. So when the time came to buy a tractor, Father Poerio and the church board considered the alternatives very carefully. They decided to get a John Deere 22-PTO-hp 850. "Being a John Deere, we knew it would be powerful enough to handle a big mowing job'/ said Father Poerio. "And being a diesel, we figured it would be economical 
to operate, too'.' Not too big, not too small. Which, of course, is what John Deere 'little-big' tractors are all about. The 22-PTO-hp 850,27-PTO-hp 950 and the new 33-PTO-hp* 1050 are simple, reliable tractors at an affordable price. Big enoueh to handle mow-ing jobs for schools, parks, cem-eteries, golf courses, churches and the like. Yet not so big that you're paying for more tractor than you really need. Big tractor features. 'Little-big' tractors have features you usually find on much larger tractors. Like a water-cooled diesel engine with power enough to run a rotary mower day after day, year after year. A well-spaced 8-speed trans-mission that matches up to just about any job you need to do. A differential lock. Cate-gory 1 3-point hitch. 540-RPM rear power takeoff. And variable wheel spacing. Plus a family of more than 20 tractor-matched implement options. And your choice of either bar or turf-type tires. Tractors you can believe in. Of course, like all John Deere products, 'little-big' tractors are built to last. "All you have to do is look at how long John Deere Tractors hold their resale value/ says 
Father Poerio, "and you know they've got to be good'.' Ask your John Deere dealer for a demonstration. Feel for yourself how solidly they're built. Listen to how smoothly 
they run. We think you'll see why Father Poerio and the church board decided on a John Deere. Nothing runs like a Deere For more information, write John Deere, Dept. 63, Moline, Illinois 61265. *Maximum PTO horsepower at 2600 engine rpm for the 850 and 2400 engine rpm for the 950 and 1050 by official test. Leasing availableŠlohn Deere Tractors, Skid-Steer Loaders and ^ matching equipment may be leased for commercial or agricultural use. For details, see your John Deere Consumer 
Products Dealer. The little-big tractors from John Deere TURF Fall lawns susceptible to brown patch disease Brown patch, one of the most prevalent lawn diseases in the South, can be especially severe in the fall on St. Augustine grass. The disease-causing fungus at-tacks almost all species of grasses, but is more serious on bentgrass, bluegrass, centipede and St. Augustine grasses, Dr. Walter Walla, plant pathologist with the Texas Agricultural Ex-tension Service, said. "Turf is very susceptible to brown patch after an excessive 
application of nitrogen fertilizer, 
because a lush growth is readily attacked," he said. Prolonged wet periods and late evening watering also contribute to the development of the dis-ease. Walla points out that a 
buildup of grass and plant debris (thatch) in the root and crown area further creates a favorable 
environment for the brown patch fungi. Walla said prevention is the best method of controlling the disease. This includes using grasses adapted to the area and practicing recommended water-ing, fertilization and mowing 
procedures. Steps should be taken to avoid thatch buildup, and fall nitrogen fertilization should be limited if brown patch has been a problem in the past. ACQUISITIONS Diamond Shamrock buys Fallek Chemical Diamond Shamrock Corp., Dallas, has acquired Fallek Chemical Corp. through an ex-change of more than 2.5 million shares of Diamond Shamrock common valued at about $70.7 million. In acquiring Fallek, a privately held, New York-based chemical trading and manufacturing con-cern, Diamond Shamrock said it will receive "substantial" liquid 
assets, a manufacturing business 
and the remaining 50 percent of a 
herbicide company, Fallek 
Lankro Corp., of which Diamond 
Shamrock already owns 50 per-
cent. COMPANIES Toro's sales up, but earnings are down The Toro Co., Minneapolis, Minn., recently reported net ear-nings of $47,000 on record sales of $112,534,000 for the third quar-ter ending April 39,1980. Per share earnings were $.01 compared with $.77 reported in the third quarter a year ago. Third quarter sales the previous year were $100.1 million, and net earnings were $4.4 million. The company reported a pre-tax loss of $1.7 million in the ear-nings from international markets combined with earnings from the Toro Credit Co., resulted in $47,-000 of net earnings. Toro Chairman David T. McLaughlin said the earnings decline, which followed a 5.6 percent earnings drop in the second quarter, reflects "the im-pact of a relatively snowless win-ter across much of the United States, historically high short-term interest rates, inflationary material cost pressures and a cautious retail market. "We believe that Toro is well situated with its strong market position to continue its earning growth as soon as we move through the current economic 
trough and achieve a reasonable balance of field inventories," he 
added. "In the short term, how-ever, we would expect un-favorable earnings comparisons for the next two to three quar-
ters." For the first nine months of the fiscal year, sales of $338 million are 34.5 percent ahead of last 
year's $251.3 million. Net earn-ings of $10.5 million are down 23.2 percent from $13.6 million, and fully diluted earnings per share of $1.85 are down 23.9 per-cent from $2.43. MARKETING IDEA FILE Quality turf equals quality tenants Well-maintained turf is one of the key ingredients for main-taining high occupancy and developing a good tenant profile, whether it be office buildings or apartments or con-
dominiums. You know this, but perhaps some of these statistics put together by Jim Owen, an associate of Hegg Companies, Inc., Sioux Falls, S.D. can help you sell your next mowing/main-tenance job. Until recently, when he took on new responsibilities as a commercial investment broker for Hegg, Owen was a manager in the property management division of the com-
pany, it was reported by Sally McGovern in Turf and 
Grounds Manager, published by O.M. Scott & Sons, 
Marysville, Ohio. Owen received a 65 percent return on 200 questionnaires he circulated to tenants who had been living in Hegg-managed apartments for about a month. Of the 65 percent who responded, 83 percent said the single most motivating factor in choosing to live where they did was the external ap-pearance of the property. There just isn't another sod cutter built like Ryan's. This is the Ryan® Jr. Sod Cutter. The latest in a line that started 24 years ago. Naturally, we've made quite a few improvements since then, but today's Jr. Sod Cutter delivers the same, everyday dependability and 
reliable performance that made our first 
model so popular. Here's why. (1) It has simple, one-man operation; (2) Hand lever heavy-duty gear box is 
built to last year after year; (6) Self-propelled action lets you cut up to 135 feet of sod per minute. With operating costs getting higher all the time, you need to get 
the most out of every hour's wage you pay. That takes a depend-able crew, using depend-
able equipment. Like the controls set the cutting depth up to (3) A rugged 7-hp engine delivers plenty of 
power; (4) You can choose 12" or 18" width models; (5) Its Ryan Jr. Sod Cutter. Ask your Ryan dealer for a demonstration, and see for yourself 
how we build a sod cutter. 80-CUR-5 Ł The ^ Jr. Sod 38 Cutter RYAN TURF-CARE EQUIPMENT Day-In, Day-Out Performance. 402-435-7208 3057 Cushman P.O. Box 82409 Lincoln. NE 68501 NEW SPRAY NOZZLES and ACCESSORIES From SPRAYING SYSTEMS CO. NEWŠ Qwd'.frr Nozzle Assemblies A unique new system of quickly inter-changeable self-aligning spray nozzles and spray tips. To provide choice of spray droplet 
size, in full cone, hollow cone and flat spray patterns. W NPT (M) inlet conn. Write for 
Bulletin 195. NEWŠ Model 146 DirectoVdlvr. For remote "on-off" control of spray nozzles and booms from operator s location. Oper-ates on 12 VDC system Pressure range from 0 to 65 psi. VA" NPT (F) spray line con-nection. Write for Data Sheet 16108. NEWŠ Model 244 Electrical Regulating Valve For remote pressure control in agricultural spray applications. %" NPT (F) inlet and out-let conn. Operates on a 12 VDC system. Pres-sures to 100 psi. Write for Data Sheet 16994. NEWŠ 3A" and 1" Nylon Liquid Strainers Strainer head and bowl made of reinforced Nylon material for pressures to 75 psi. Threaded bowl can be easily unscrewed by hand. Write for Data Sheet 15353. SPRAYING SYSTEMS CO. North Ave. at Schmale Rd., Wheaton, IL 60187 Telephone: 312 665-5000 / Telex No. 72-8409 Write 116 on reader service card Custom-made binder easily holds entire years copies of LCI magazine. Green binder with logo protects your magazines and gives your library a neat appearance. Magazines can be inserted as they are received....send check or money order to: (Add $1 25 per Binder Shipping Chg.) Allow 6-8 Weeks Delivery. LAWN CARE INDUSTRY 9800 Detroit Ave. Ł Cleveland, Ohio 44102 DIRECTORY Publication lists landscape contractors The 1980/81 Who's Who in Landscape Contracting, containing over 800 listings for commercial landscape contrac-tors throughout the United States, has been published for distribution by the Associated Landscape Contractor's of 
America. The directory, listing the mem-bers of ALCA, provides the full name, address and phone num-ber for each contractor, as well 
as the name of the principle con-tact person. Additionally, each listing contains a size index and the specialties for that contrac-
tor. The directory is crossin-dexed geographically (by state), 
as well as by individuals' names. Distributed to all members of the association, the directory is also available on request. Persons interested in receiving a copy should write on their letterhead to: ALCA, 1750 Old Meadow Rd., McLean, VA 22102, and enclose $3.00 to cover 
postage and handling. turf book brochure featuring the most popular references available on turf care and maintenance. Popular because they're written by experts, designed to use for years to come 
as field guides and refresher texts. Available only through Harvest Business Publications. Book Department 9800 Detroit Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 44102. oA Widely Tested and Highly Rated Superior New Kentucky cBluegrass At a wide variety of locations, in comprehensive trials, Merit Kentucky Bluegrass has proven itself one of the better new varieties on numerous counts. Merit consistently rated high in disease-resistance, turf quality and color. Merit produces a dense, dark green, high quality turf, and has also shown good resistance to leaf and dollar spot. Merit was also lauded for its excellent spring color in tests at several locations. J-fere's How ¡Merit Has Performed ŁNE-57 TESTS IN 1972 Š Overall, Merit's rating was superior to that of Pennstar, Fylking, 
Geronimo, Nugget, Park and Glade. Five-year New Jersey trial Š Merit out-ranked Baron, Nugget, Kenblue, Park, Delft, Windsor and Geronimo. Ł New York trial Š Merit ranked above Baron, Kenblue and Park. Ł Three-year Ohio trial (two locations) Š Location # 1, Merit rated above Nugget, Fylking and Kenblue. Location # 2, Merit's ratings superior to Baron, Nugget, Kenblue and Fylking. Ł Four-year Missouri trial Š in season-long turf-quality ratings, Merit highest in a field which included Baron, Bristol, Fylking, Nugget, and Bonnieblue. 9MERIT KENTUCKYcBLL/EGRASS... ...IT'S WORTH LOOKING INTO A Product of " inTERnnnonnb SEEDS, inc. PO. Box 168, Halsey, Oregon 97348 Telephone (503) 369-2251 TWX 510/590-0765 INDUSTRY OVERVIEW Underground buildings a new market for turf industry A new and expanding market for the turfgrass industry is develop-ing as businesses and homes go 
underground. Instead of shingles and asphalt, dazzling green tur-grass tops one of the newest buildings in the Northwest. Working with architects and the building owner, contractors helped launch a new era in grass seed usage with Eclipse Ken-tucky bluegrass covering three sides and the roof of Central Pre-Mix's new corporate offices in Spokane, Wash. The two-story concrete building is almost entirely 
covered with one foot of earth and topped with turfgrass. The 
company expects to save 33 per-cent in heating costs and, because of the earth's 40 to 60 
degree temperature range, the building requires no air con-ditioning. Further, a sprinkler system buried in the turf is auto-matically controlled by humidity 
requirements of the grass roots. The turfgrass selected (Eclipse) to cover the structure is a new turfgrass released by Turf Cultivars Associates. It was developed by Drs. C. Reed Funk 
and Henry W. Indyk of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station of Rutgers University. Eclipse is characterized as having fast germination, and con-sistently better shade tolerance in both East and West Coast shade test trials. It also features excellent stem rust resistance and improved 
resistance to Fusarium and dollar spot. TURF TYPE PERENNIAL RYEGRASS "" , There's a reason whiy Fiesta has become one of the most popular varieties in such a short time. To find out why ask your local seed dealer or write: pickseed PICKSEED WEST, Inc. ŁŁON 8M. TANGENT. OREGON 97389 (503) 928888« Write 114 on free information card Get the right pressure at the nozzle... Go Hypro all the way! Big jobs or small jobs you need steady, reliable pressure at the nozzle. You get it with Hypro sprayer pumps and accessories: pressure for long discharge lines, for compact portable units, for fine spray or steady stream. That means time savings and applica-tion precision that can help you make more money. And Hypro dependability keeps your sprayer on the job, season after season. Get the facts. See your Hypro dis-tributor or write us today. Hypro High Speed Centrifugal Pumps. Belt driven Models available for hydraulic, gear or engine drive, too Capacities to 130 gpm Pressures to 170 psi. Speeds to 6000 rpm Hypro Piston Pumps. The Series 5900 20 gpm at 500 psi-plenty of output for proper agitation. Other Hypro piston pumps with capacities J^to 25 gpm. Hypro offers a complete selection of sprayer accessories: gauges, 
strainers, agitators, ball valves and 
couplings, and a full line of valves 
and fittings. Send for your free Hypro catalog now. A DIVISION OF LEAR SIEGLER INC 319 Fifth Ave NW. St. Paul, MN 56112 Ł (612) 633-9300 Concrete, dirt and Eclipse Kentucky bluegrass tops the new office building of Central Pre-Mix of Spokane, Wash. Cited as the design of the future, the south side of the building utilizes solar heat through window areas, while the top and the north, east and west sides are covered by turf. The building is designed to save considerable amounts of energy in both summer and winter. Phosphate and potash shipments slacken Unusually heavy producer ship-ments of nitrogen products highlighted fertilizer movement data for April 1980, according to a spokesman for The Fertilizer Institute. Edwin M. Wheeler, Institute president, said, "Nitrogen domestic disappearance in-creased 18 percent in April 1980 
over April 1979. In this group of products, anhydrous ammonia 
and nitrogen solutions were the 
leaders. "Although shipments of phosphate and potash products slackened noticeably in April," he added, "domestic dis-appearance for each was above 
last year's levels for the July-April period." During this 10-month period, phosphates in-creased one percent in dis-appearance, potash products 11 percent and nitrogen products 13 
percent, above a year ago. MONEY-BACK The Andersons offer fertilizer guarantee The Andersons Lawn Fertilizer Division, Maumee, Ohio, has an-
nounced the introduction of a satisfaction-gauranteed, money-back program on their Tee Time product line, in what they call a first in the lawn care industry. To qualify for the program,a side-by-side comparison is made between the current product in use and Tee Time. "If the customer is not satisfied that Tee Time gives results that are as good or better than the product presently in use, we will refund the cost of the Tee Time 
products," Roger Brown, national sales manager, said. An agribusiness and retailing partnership, The Andersons has facilities in Toledo and Maumee, Ohio; Delphi, Ind.; and Cham-paign, 111. For information on the Tee Time program and the name of a nearby distributor, contact Roger 
Brown toll-free at 1-800-472-3220 inside Ohio or 1-800537-3370 out-side of Ohio. LESC^ PRODUCTS LESCO OF EAST MICHIGAN Howard Altman (800)321-5325 LESCO NURSERY SALES Gary Avery (800)321-5325 LESCO OF HUDSON VALLEY Cliff Belden (800) 321-5325 LESCO OF UPPER NEW YORK Jim Commisso (800)321-5325 LESCO OF EAST CAROLINAS Galen Decker (800) 321-5325 LESCO OF LAKE ERIE Don Friihauf (800) 362-7413 or (800) 321-5325 LESCO OF WEST FLORIDA 
Rich Gardner (800)321-5325 See us at Florida Turfgrass Show Booths 410,411 LESCO OF WEST CAROLINAS Earl Griffith (800)321-5325 LESCO OF OHIO Les Guedel (800) 362-7413 LESCO OF MICHIGAN-INDIANA Mike Horvath (800) 321-5325 LESCO OF EAST FLORIDA Keith Longshore (800)321-5325 See us at Florida Turfgrass Show Booths 410,411 LESCO OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA Roger Widrig (800)321-5325 See us at Florida Turfgrass Show Booths 410,411 LESCO OF CENTRAL/SOUTHWEST OHIO Ed Williams (800) 362-7413 LESCO OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA Randy Zidik (800)321-5325 LESCO OF ILLINOIS-INDIANA and WISCONSIN Dave Zimmerman (800)321-5325 LESCO NURSERY PRODUCTS Mark Sligar (800)321-5325 LESCO NURSERY PRODUCTS Tom Gartner (800) 362-7413 LESCO NURSERY PRODUCTS Dan Brunetti (800) 321-5325 LESCO OF THE NORTHEAST Frank Downey (800)321-5325 LESCO OF EAST CENTRAL US Bob Miller (800)321-5325 LESCO Lawn care Products Ron Giffen Glen Lessing Herb Cole Art Wick Harry Podvia Bill Tanner Phone: 800-321-5325 Write 104 on reader service card We've told you about our LESCOSAN, about our 100% Sulfur-Coated Fertilizers, about Lesco CBS Certified Ryegrass Blend and our complete turf-line. You know our products get to know our people. I ho" - 'les^J'r od" ,0i * H* 'r'r 8.c r<* tecosan — : : Con». 1,0* I lor od " Ł" '¿COS'» 41 -II "" 4-E TURF, ornamentals and ground covpp5 iHCMlDUNl: Conu.nf 4 Pound. ERj «-SSS?«»-N tott % Q f* Vftl Q. PŠ "VHFaSSSmtS pUp^ocMfwo.«.) ol SspIIV: STi^fi-«N.Si Ł»«oner mom timm..»>.... ¿dak HOME OF LES*I Lakeshore is proud of its personalized service. You get that service over the counter and on the phone with people like Jimmy Cochran and Joe Winland. In the accounting department you get that service from Ron Gore and from Dan Dunstan. Lakeshore Sells Lescosan (Betasan *) and Lescosan has been selling itself to you for years. On lawns and on golf courses, Lescosan has proven itself a highly effective, efficient and economical pre-emergence control for crabgrass and Poa annua. If you know Lescosan, you know about Lake-shore Equipment & Supply Co. We sell Lescosan and a complete line of high quality turf products, but our most important product is SERVICE. Ł (Betasan Š registered trademark of the Stauffer Chemical Company). IN OHIO 800-362-7413 Persi service 1 Lakeshore carries a complete horticulture line Š chemicals, seed, fertilizer, golf course accessories Š as well as irrigation systems and parts. Bob Hobar and Jack Bruns discuss sprinkler refinements here. Bob and Skip Burkhardt work to design an individualized system. Meet part of our Meet the Lawn Care Team Š Herb Cole, Ron Giffen, Bill Tanner, Art Wick, Harry Fodvia, Lescosan and other LESCO Products including LESCO Sulfur-
Coated Fertilizers. PRODUCTS onal teeps /ing. LESCO Trucks make regular sales and delivery visits to over 3,000 golf courses and nurseries from Florida to Michigan. Although LESCO salesman Ed Williams is usually on the road with LESCO service, he stops back at the main office to restock and to discuss customer needs with Gene Probasco. us Personal service keeps us growing. Lakeshore began 17 years ago as a small Ohio company. Now our Lescosan, our LESCO and other brand-name products are marketed nationwide. At Lakeshore we take pride in our products, in our turf knowledge and in our ability to serve the needs of our customers. Need some Lescosan, a ChemLawn gun, some fertilizer, or a bedknife? Call us today. At Lakeshore we sell more than Lescosan. At Lakeshore we sell service. NATIONWIDE 800-321-5325 +-A home office staff. Please mark 55 on the Reader Service Card for more information. You know our products. If you don't know our people, get to know them Š I think you'll like them. PRODUCTS Divisori of Lakeshore Equipment & Supply Co. 300 South Abbe Road, Elyria, Ohio 44035 Ł (216) 323-7544 Paul Morgan knows the accurate alignment and durability of bedknives is important. He works to improve the quality of Lakeshore's bedknives and replacement parts. Call Lakeshore and ask for Barb. She will direct you to a turf specialist who can give you the answers you need. Lakeshore is the turf company that got big by acting small. Started 17 years ago, Lakeshore now carries over 1,000 chemicals, grass seeds, replace-ment parts and golf course accessories. 
But a company is more than its product line. A company is the knowledge of 
the industry and products. A company is the attention of a salesman in tailor-ing a program to meet your needs. At Lakeshore we believe a company is as ff UTILIZER good as its service and its people. At Lakeshore we have good service and 
good people. Ask our 10,000 customers. You know the quality you can expect from Lescosan (Betasan*). That's the quality everyone at Lakeshore strives to put into each product we handle. & Supply Co.) Ron Smith and Dick 
Coleman formulate LESCO Sulfur-Coated Fertilizers with Lescosan at the 
Columbia, Alabama, facility. Facilities like our fertilizer plant in Columbia, Alabama, and our new ware-ÙI I I I Í 1 house planned for Wellington, Ohio, 
help make our service better. Ła«'* ¿.V* Warehouse employees like Chuck Douglas make certain the products get from the warehouse to you. Supervisors like Ag Industries Mfg.'s (a subsidiary of Lakeshore Equipment Phil Gardner, a former golf course superintendent, studies his customers' needs carefully before recommending specific products. Phil is proud to be marketing LESCO Fertilizers and CBS Certified Ryegrass Blend. Lakeshore supplies Lescosan, re-placement parts, tee and green acces-sories and LESCO turf and horticulture supplies across the continental United 
States and even in Hawaii and Australia. 
And we believe each customer deserves personalized service. Lakeshore Š a name you can count on for quality... quality products, quality service. Please mark 55 on the Reader Service Card for more information. Inside the industri What recession? Lawn businessmen optimistic despite the sagging economy RECESSION from pagel $185,000 to $190,000, so I've main-tained our volume, but again, all our costs are up so I don't look for as good a profit picture as I had last year." Still, profit margins do not tell the whole story. Why, in this time of recession, are lawn care businessmen so successful in at-tracting new customers? "There are a lot of wealthy people out there," a representative of Agro-Lawn, W. Springfield, Va., said. "We're not dealing with the blue collar workers," says Rich Blakley. It's going to have to get pretty rough before it hits the white collar man." Indeed, the majority of people who subscribe to a lawn care ser-
vice seem to fall into the middle to upper middle income bracket. They view having a lush, green lawn as a necessity rather than a 
luxury and are willing to spend the money to achieve it. The residential landscaping end of the lawn care business seems to be doing especially well this year, as people are taking discretionary income that in the past might have been spent on vacations and the like, and in-vesting it in their homes. "I'm amazed at how people will put in a pool with $5,000 or $6,000 worth of landscaping," says Glenda 
Eaton. "They don't think 
anything of it. "People are not taking as many vacations, they're putting in pools and landscaping them so they can entertain at home," Eaton continues. "It all goes back to those that have it get richer, and those that don't never will. The ones that have it will still have their homes landscaped and their pools put in." Commercial landscaping is not faring so well, however. "That's where big companies are cutting," says Pam Chesna of 
Ches-Gro Inc., Hickory Hill, 111. "They'd rather hire a kid with a lawnmower than have a 
professional company do it 
because it's more cost effective." The commercial and residen-tial lawn spraying areas seem to be those hardest hit by the current economic downturn, and lawn care businessmen mention 
a number of factors that con-tribute to this problem as well as attempts they have made to 
correct it. Ł Purchasing & pricing. As the prices businessmen pay for 
chemicals and equipment con-tinue to rise, lawn care operators are faced with a choice: either pass these added costs on to the 
customer, or find other ways oi cutting operating costs. "I see some of these price in-creases that we were hit with, on 
some of our fertilizer and crabgrass control products," says 
William Harrigan, president ol Green Life Lawn Service & Tree Care, Frederick, Md. "One product had a 40 percent increase in one season; 
somebody's making a lot ol money. We have a hard time getting a six or seven percent in-crease from our clients and when they give us a 40 percent in-crease, that's kind of stiff." Harrigan eased the problem to some extent by eliminating some of the services that used to be 
standard in the program and passed the savings on to his 
customers in this way. These ser-vices are now available to customers on an optional basis. "We thought that was viable way 
this year of preventing a major increase for our customers." Because many of the develop-ments in our area have put down selves, even if it's only by a dollar or two." A logical step toward cutting costs for most operators would 
be to cut down on their purchases of equipment, but this is something that is not always easy to do. "We think more about buying big equipment even though we need it," says Glenda Eaton. "We could use another truck, but we're trying to do without it. The more jobs you take on, the more 
people you need to hire, and the more people you hire, the more equipment you need; it's a vicious circle." "I'm trying to be much more concious as far as price is concer-ned, regardless of many other 
factors," says Harrigan. "Time used to be, if a product was a 
couple cents more, but your sup-plier was local and you knew he supplied you really well you would buy it, but as your volume goes up, five cents per thousand i "The recession has not af-fected my business. In fact, we have had a growth in busi-ness. Our accounts receivable are stable compared to last year and we can see that our fall applications will maintain what they should have from the beginning. " milky spore (for grub control) in 1976, we feel that after checking 
with the entomologist at the Un-iversity of Maryland, that in 1980 we don't have to put down grub control, so we have eliminated 
our standard program and il is now an option." It is not always easy to keep prices down in any case, and most lawn care businessmen say that they have either increased 
their charges for services this year, or plan to do so next 
season. "We have to increase our prices every year, often much more than we'd like to," says Pam Chesna. "You still like to try and hold down the amount you 
increase your customers to not more than 10 percent per year, 
but that all hinges on how much gasoline is going to go up, how much we pay for fertilizer, etc. It's still cheaper for our customers than doing it them-square foot is significant. We all have to be more penny con-scious." Ł Wages and employment practice. It is not likely that you will find too many lawn care laborers standing in the already 
overcrowded unemployment lines Š at least during the lawn 
care season Š since this is prob-ably the last area in which lawn care businessmen are willing to make cutbacks. In most cases, there is still plenty of work to 
keep employees busy. "We're still as busy as we have been in the past," says Gary Kitchel. "When you finish one round on spraying you want to get started on the next round." In the case of E-Z Lawn, the hot dry summer that Indiana is experi-encing has actually led to more 
work than in past seasons. "I'm finding that we're having a lot of weed control calls and I'm running into more insect problems than usual. Therefore, I'm having to keep my service trucks a lot busier than I have in the past. I really can't afford to lay anyone off at this point in time." Pam Chesna agrees, saying that although Ches-Gro did not hire any new people this season, there was plenty of work to keep the company's employees busy. 
"There are only two people that do all our spraying and it keeps them busy six days a week. For us it was fine; our business in-
creased, but with liquid fertilizer you can do so many people per day without having to hire any 
other employees." This is not a year for large wage increases in any industry, 
however, and the lawn care business is really no exception. "We have to hold the line," says Shearman. "Where we may have given a little bit another year, here again, everything that everybody gets has to be earned. Just because a guy gives you a sob story doesn't mean he's going to get an increase." Ł Advertising. Whether or not to step up advertising efforts is a difficult decision for many lawn 
care companies, especially 
smaller operations. Most small companies are unable or unwill-ing to engage in the large news-paper and even television cam-
paigns that are common practice for larger companies. Small com-
panies are limited to using the Yellow Pages, sending out mail-ers, or perhaps an occasional newspaper ad, and indeed many feel that wide scale advertising 
campaigns would not suit their type of business. "Increased advertising wouldn't help," says John Cruse, president of Easy Lawn Corp. in Piqua, Ohio. "We tried it in a few isolated areas and they're no bet-ter off than areas in which we did none or very little. The market is pretty saturated." Kitchel disagrees, saying that his spring advertising campaign contributed to making this the 
best spring in the company's 
history. "I decided that I was go-ing to advertise more this spring so I went with some different avenues. I went with some 
billboard advertising this year in about five locations for 60 days 
and I really think that it has helped the business." Pam Chesna feels that Ches-Gro's advertising campaign was the prime factor in the unbeliev-
able increase they have experi-enced this year. "Our business is up from last year mainly because we promoted more. We have at least 50 percent more business." Of course as consumers become even more price con-scious, increased advertising may become a necessity for many lawn care companies as they compete for the elusive con-sumer dollar. "I see people are making a lot more comparisons," says Harrigan. "I'm going to a lot more properties where people are saying, 'We're comparing prices,' or 'We had another lawn service company out and he says his price is $4.35 less than you.' Maybe in mature market areas these things happen anyway, but in our area it is unique." Green 
Life Lawn Services covers a fairly rural area just outside Washington, D.C. Ł Streamlined application plans. One avenue currently be-
ing explored by some lawn care 
companies is the practice of of-
fering the customer a streamlined plan, where they have the choice of taking two, three or maybe only one treat-ment, as opposed to signing up 
for the full program of treat-ments. Harrigan says such option plans lead to "haphazard results" in treatment programs. "In the past, people have said that they wanted only part of the work done and not all of the work, and we told them that we can only effectively do a good job by doing it in a systematic, 
professional manner, and that means a complete job, not a 
halfway job. We've stuck with 
our program on the small ac-counts because when you get a 
lawn going, if you're going to guarantee it, you've got to be able to do what should be done at the right time." Kitchel currently follows a plan which allows his customers to skip treatments at their re-quest, but some problems with the system may lead him to 
reevaluate his program next season, changing to a plan which 
will require his customers to sign up for consecutive treatments rather than skipping treatments during the season. "I'm going to let them take all four, or take three, or take two, 
but they have to be consecutive. I'm running into problems where a customer will take two treat-ments, skip the third and take the 
fourth, and then he'll have an in-sect problem or a weed problem 
between the second and fourth, and expect us to take care of it at no extra charge." There are advantages to using such a streamlined program, "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 H P. 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 Write 141 on reader service card Kitchel says. "We have an awful lot of elderly customers that are on fixed incomes and are satisfied with just one or two ap-plications." Of course it is often difficult for small companies to offer such 
programs and still maintain the 
level of profit they get with a 
four application program. "Customers would accept streamlined programs, but they 
would be counterproductive in the long run," says John Cruse. 
"Half your customers would be getting one application per year, which would probably be worse than not having them from a 
profit standpoint, unless you raised the price accordingly, and they'd end up paying as much for one as they would for two." Ł Cancellations. This is the one telling factor in any recession story. Although the number of customers who have cancelled lawn care services this year is not extremely high, the real ef-
fects of the recession may not be 
felt until next season. "One thing I've been surprised at is the low rate of cancella-tions," says Kitchel, "but there could be a reason for that. If a customer's lawn doesn't look real good and he's not satisfied, 1 think' he's more reluctant to can-
cel until we get the situation straightened out. There could be a lot of customers out there that 
aren't at all happy, but will stay with us just to see if we can get their weeds under control better 
after this dry weather. "One thing that frightens me about next year is that this has not been the ideal weather for 
lawn care. When a customer starts weighing where he wants to spend his money, and he had insect or weed problems this 
year that were difficult to con-trol, he may be more reluctant to spend the money next year." Blakley agrees that it may ac-tually be too soon to tell if the state of the economy has had any to page 23 AQUA-GRQ FOR GROUNDS Irregular growth ot turt in stratified soil when maintained with plain water Recovery of same area in two weeks when maintained with Aqua-Gro and water Ł Compensates for poor soil mixtures and soil stratification Ł Helps eliminate hot spots Ł Allows for the rewett,ngofB&B stock and the establishment of sod. Eliminates seed floating. reducing drought, heat stress, and disease. Increases fertilizer and pesticide performance. Ł Provides for improved plant establishment and growth. JL- AQUATROLS CORPORATION lai OF AMERICA, INC. S ÜBSCRIBE TODAY! If you're one of our thousands of 'pass along' readers, consider ordering your own personal subscription ... Begin building your personal reference library of valuable technical and professional information today! Mame Title Š Company M ame_ Address City Ł 1 yr. $12.00 Ł 2 yrs. $20.00 " Ł Bill me 
- Ł Payment enclosed ŁForeign prices slightly higher Zip-State Business/Industry Description: (Such as lawn service, cemetery, PCO, I etc.) J Send to: Rosalie Slusher/Circulation Manager L4WN GARE INDUSTRY , 9800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44102 I ARE YOU PLANNING TO EXHIBIT AT THE FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW OF THE PROFESSIONAL LAWN CARE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA? Commonwealth Convention Center Louisville, Kentucky November 12-14, 1980 «i 99 LAWN CARE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT IN THE 80's Here's why you should exhibit: Ł Buyers from all parts of the country will be there. You will get national exposure. Ł You will see them at the time they are making decisions on orders for 1981. Ł Buyers can see what they are buying. Ł This will be the first major exhibit of the season. Ł You can show your equipment in operation, out of doors, on November 14. Ł You get one-on-one sales contact with the industry's decision makers. Ł You get the opportunity to view the "competition" drawn from many areas of the industry: Mowing equipment, liquid application equipment, dry application equipment, pesticides, fertilizers, enginesŠdiesel and gas, seed supplies, 
office equipment, computer software suppliers, direct mail, allied equipment suppliers, printing firms, tractors, trailers, merchandising aids. You will be participating in a major activity of the first national association devoted to the needs of the lawn care industry! A prospectus has been mailed to potential exhibitors. If you haven't received one, write now to Association headquarters. ^ Professional Lawn Care Association of America 435 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1717 Chicago, Illinois 60611 YES, I am interested in exhibiting at the First Annual Convention and Trade Show. Please send me a copy of your prospectus, with complete exhibitor information. Signed Company Address City/State/Zip IF THERE'S ATSHADY Sabre is the new domestic variety of Poa trivialis which is a legendary performer in the shade. In actual use and on test plots it has proven itself superior in the shade to the fine fescues. And that's saying something. Sabre is also one of the prettiest turf grasses you've ever seen. Deep green, it is fine-bladed and its mowing qualities are truly superior. As a shade tolerant variety, it should be sown only in shady areas. It may be mixed with the fine fescues such as Highlight, Ensylva or Pennlawn, or bluegrasses such as 
Baron, A-34, Glade, Merit or Nugget, or used in a mixture which includes 20% turf-type perennial ryegrass such as Derby, Yorktown or Pennfine, or it may be sown alone. When mixed with other fine turf grasses in a winter overseeding mixture in the Southern U.S., it can dramatic-ally cut seeding rates. The addition of 20% Sabre (by weight) will cut the seeding rate of a fine fescue or ryegrass 
mixture by 50%. While its normal cutting height is 1 Vi inches, it will pros-per at lesser heights including 3/16 on a putting green. Free of Poa annua, Sabre is also a disease-resistant turf grass. IIITERRRTIDRRb SEEDS, IÍ1C. P.O. Box 168, Halsey, Oregon 97348 Telephone: (503) 369-2251 Ł TWX 510/590-0765 WEED CONTROL Pre-emergence herbicides studied in New Jersey tests A study of factors related to ef-fectiveness of pre-emergence crabgrass herbicides on Ken-tucky bluegrass turf conducted last year at Rutgers University in New Jersey yielded the following 
results: Ł At recommended rates for granular preparations, bensulide and oxadiazon were most effec-tive in 1979, which was a wetter season than normal. Ł Application of pre-emergence herbicides on April 20 and May 17 gave similar results except for DCPA and siduron which were better with 
April application. Ł Comparison of formulas showed 3.6, 7.0 and 12.5 percent concentrations of granular ben-sulide gave equivalent crabgrass control. On previous occasions there has been some small loss of control with the more concen-trated preparations. Thus, it seems bensulide formulations can be prepared in higher con-
centrations of active ingredient 
with small or no loss in ef-
ficiency. Ł Oxadiazon and bensulide can be applied in a water spray without serious loss of ef-ficiency. Previous testing, also, has indicated these chemicals can be applied effectively as a 
spray. Ł Three different levels of dethatching prior to DCPA or benefin application caused no significant effect on pre-emergence crabgrass control. It seems dethatching can be used just prior to DCPA or benefin treatment without serious loss of control. Ł Repeat applications over a three-year period of benefin, bensulide, butralin and DCPA did not show a major carryover 
effect into the next year. The work was done by Dr. Ralph E. Engel, Rutgers research professor, and head technician C.W. Bussey. Their work was reported at the New Jersey Turfgrass Expo in Cherry Hill. " Reviewing pre-emergence herbicide treatments for crabgrass control in turf shows the best long-term averages often fall in the range of 70 to 80 per-cent," Dr. Engel said. "If more 
complete control can be obtained 
consistently, this would greatly 
increase the value of the treat-ments and lead to a lower fre-quency of annual usage of these herbicides. The purpose of this study was to obtain more infor-mation on such factors as for-mulation, date of treatment and dethatching as they might in-fluence control." The test site for the one-year test had a mixed turf of Kentucky bluegrasses that had been es-Finally, An Aid For Teaching Turfgrass Superintendents. Contractors, Lawn Care Managers. New. On-the-Job Reference. The Turf Managers' Handbook is a compre-hensive, organized approach to turfgrass science and care. It has been designed and written by leading turf specialists from Purdue. Dr. William Daniel and Dr. Ray Freeborg, for on-the-job reference and as a text for students. The book contains 150 illustrations and 96 color photographs. Data includes 240 tables and forms. Included are specifications for rootzones, employment, calculations for chemical applications, and extensive metric-imperial conversion. Business and technical aspects of turfgrass management are covered in this 424-page book. Planning, purchasing, hiring. construction, and plant selection are put together for easy on-the-job reference. Markets covered include lawn care, sod production, golf course nanagement, cemeteries, athletic fields, .nd low maintenance areas. If it concerns turf, it's in the Turf Managers* Handbook. TU mana' Hann' BOOK Ordering Information Please send _ - copies of the hardback ($18.95 ea ) . copies of the paperback ($14.95 ea ) Signature Name (Print)-Address A shipping charge of $1.25 per book must be added A check or money order for is enclosed Please charge to my VISA or MASTER CHARGE (circle one) account no. . expiration date City-I understand that delivery may take six to eight weeks Quantity and bookstore rates available upon request Send fo. Books Department Business Publications Division Harvest Publishing Company 9800 Detroit Ave Cleveland. OH 44102 tablished for about 10 years. The test site had a previous history of modest crabgrass infestation and it was overseeded with this weed three weeks prior to herbicide treatment. The soil had a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 and a 50 to 60 percent sand content. The turf received 22 pounds of nitrogen per acre from an ac-tivated sludge with the applica-
tion of the crabgrass seed. 
Dicamba was applied at a rate of one-quarter pound per acre in May to control clover. Irrigation was not used to en-courage crabgrass germination or turfgrass growth because of the abundance of rainfall 
through the season. The entire site received a ver-tical mowing treatment before herbicide application except on those plots designated no-dethatch. Several treatments, as designated, received a double vertical mowing treatment. The amount of surface residue was 
classed as moderate before treat-ment. The test area was mowed to three-quarter inch at three- to 
seven-day intervals with a reel-type mower. Clippings were removed. The chemicals used were benefin, DCPA, oxadiazon and 
siduron. Application dates were 
April 20, May 17, June 4 and July 5. Granular herbicide applica-tions were made with two or 
more passes of a drop spreader. 
Liquid applications were applied with water through a fan-type nozzle at 30 pounds pressure and 40 gallons of solution per acre. Crabgrass became apparent in early June. The treatments were rated for crabgrass control on July 30. All treatments had three 
replications arranged in random-
ized block design. Check borders surrounded all plots. For the three-year test, condi-tions were similar, except the following: The chemical series 
included benefin, bensulide, DCPA and butralin. Each was ap-plied as a one-year treatment in 1977, a repeat treatment of two years in 1977 and 1978 and as a 
repeat treatment of three years in 1977-78-79. The test site was 
overseeded with crabgrass in 1977 and was not overseeded in 1978 and 1979 as crabgrass oc-curred generously through the 
continuous check borders. A good stand of crabgrass ger-minated on all untreated areas during June and crabgrass ratings were taken on July 30. The mid-to-late summer rainfall was generous and the crabgrass 
cover increased beyond the amount that developed after the spring treatment. Among the best performance for granulars at standard rates were bensulide at 
7.5 pounds per acre and ox-adiazon at three pounds per acre, which gave 99 and 90 per-
cent control, respectively. Tem-porary discoloration of turf oc-curred with oxadiazon 2E. Otherwise, no significant turf in-jury occurred. Benefin at the recommended rate of two pounds per acre gave 84 and 81 percent crabgrass control when applied in April and May, respectively. Benefin applied at the 2x rate of four 
pounds per acre gave 97 and 93 percent control on the respective 
dates. No significant turf injury occurred with the high rates, but this is a hazardous level and above the recommended rate. DCPA at a 10 pound per acre rate in April gave 68 percent crabgrass control. Siduron at a 12 pound per acre rate in April gave 63 percent control. Comparison of pre-emergence formulations showed 3.6, 7.0 and 12.5 percent granular prepara-tions of concentrations gave similar crabgrass control. Ben-sulide as 3.6G and 4E prepara-tions gave equivalent results for 
the respective dry and spray ap-plications. Also, oxadiazon preparations of 2G and 2E at three pounds per acre gave similar results for the respective dry and spray treatments. A four pound per acre applica-tion of benefin was compared with the same total applied in a 
split application. The treatment date comparisons were: (1) Single application on April 20 versus a split application with treatment on April 20 and May 17; (2) Single application on May 
17 versus a split application with treatments on May 17 and June 4; 
and (3) A single application on 
June 4 versus a split application with treatments on June 4 and July 5. The April 20 and May 17 single applications gave control which was equivalent to the split applications. The June 4 single 
application of four pounds per 
acre was better than the split ap-plication counterpart. Application on April 20 or May 17 gave similar results for all her-bicides except for DCPA and siduron which were better with April application. A June 4 ap-plication of two pounds benefin per acre gave 58 percent less con-trol than the May 17 counterpart. At four pounds per acre the May treatment of benefin gave 19 per-cent more control than the June 4 equivalent. Treatment with DCPA on June 4 gave no 
crabgrass control. A vertical mower was used for dethatching just prior to applica-tion with benefin and DCPA. Treatments of one or two passes with the vertical mower com-pared with zero dethatch treat-
ment caused no significant change in crabgrass control. This suggests the removal of grass residue and increased exposure of soil had no significant effect on action of the pre-emergence or germination of crabgrass seed. Benefin, bensulide (at 20 pounds per year), DCPA and 
butralin applied in 1977, gave very good crabgrass control for the first year of treatment in the 
three year tests. Repeating two of 
the three 1977 treatments for each herbicide in 1978 gave very good control with bensulide and butralin. Crabgrass control with 
repeat treatments of benefin and 
DCPA was less effective. 
Repeating one of the three treat-
ments for the third season in 1979 gave excellent results for butralin only. "I'm really proud of our Lescosan team. They're here to serve you with our early order and early delivery program. Herb Cole A Glenn Lessig Bill Tanner Ron Giffen They'll take your orders for Lescosan, for Lescopar, Lescopex, Lesco A 4-D and other products in our complete turfline. LESCf PRODUCTS Division of Lakeshore Equipment & Supply Co. 300 South Abbe Road, Elyria, Ohio 44035 (216)323-7544 Call Collect A Family off Fino Products Lescosan 12.5GŠLescoreneŠLesco 4ŠLescoborŠ LescoparŠLescopexŠLesco Non-Selective HerbicideŠLesco MSMAŠLesco Thiram 75WŠLescozyme ŠLakeshore Chinch Bug & Sod Webworm Control. NATIONWIDE (800) 321.5325 IN OHIO (800) 362.7413 > ? z n > po m Z a c en H 50 CD m 
"O CALL BARB Before selecting a turfgrass for a particu-lar area , one needs to consider climate, soil characteristics, light 
availability and a num-ber of other factors. ŁŁMHHI portion of the cool-humid region. Some of the cold-tolerant hybrid bermudagrasses are working their way into turf use in the southern portions of the cool-humid region. Managing turf in areas where soils are sandy and have low ca-tion exchange capacity and 
moisture-holding ability 
necessitates the selection of a 
drought-tolerant turf. The cool-season turfgrasses most often recommended in dry shade areas are creeping red fescue or tall fescue. If a green turf is necessary for the entire season, summer irrigation will be necessary. It is important not to select a turf species which re-quires higher maintenance than the budget can accommodate. Important in the selection of type of grass is the use to be 
made of the turf as well as the peak season of traffic. In many situations the time of planting is determined by factors outside the control of the individuals 
responsible for the establish-ment. In these cases, it is impor-tant to consider when seeding is 
most likely to occur. Every individual has a personal prefer-ence with regard to the texture 
and color of turfgrass. Obvi-ously this is an important deter-mining factor in the final selection. In order to have a good un-Selecting the hi turfgrass at the The production of turfgrass is complexed by variable climates, which include extremes of hot and cold weather, often in the presence of limited or excessive soil moisture. Insect and disease activity interact to increase the 
difficulty of selecting grasses that have a potential for produc-ing the highest quality turfgrass 
at the lowest cost. According to Dr. John R. Hall III, extension turf specialist at Virginia Tech, in selecting any turfgrass for a particular area, one needs to consider climate, soil characteristics, light availability, irrigation facility, 
maintenance capability, use, season of planting and personal preference. The cool-season turfgrasses are best-adapted to climates similar to those found in the northeastern and north central 
United States. Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, creeping red fescue and tall 
fescue are the most popular cool-season grasses in the cool-humid region. Tall fescue has its greatest use in the drought- and heat-prone areas in the southern ghest quality lowest cost derstanding of the competitive dynamics of any seed mixture it is important to understand the individual strengths and 
weaknesses of components of the mixture. Kentucky bluegrass has 
a pleasing texture and dark, 
blue-green color. It has vigorous rhizome activity and a perennial root system. This extensive rhizome system provides it with 
maximum recuperative poten-tial. Kentucky bluegrass exhibits greater low temperature har-diness than tall fescue or peren-nial ryegrass and will tolerate 
moderately wet soils. It 
reproduces apomictically, which means that the female parent can fertilize herself and produce Kentucky bluegrass reproduces apomictically, which means the female parent can fertilize her-self and produce genetically identical offspring. This reproductive process provides more uniformity in Kentucky bluegrass turf than is 
available in other grasses, such as tall fescue, rye-grass and bentgrass. genetically identical offspring. This reproductive process provides more uniformity in Kentucky bluegrass turf than is 
available in other grasses, such as tall fescue, ryegrass and bentgrass. Weaknesses of the Kentucky bluegrasses would have to in-clude their slow germination and establishment rate. Successful germination of bluegrasses nor-mally requires 14 to 28 days. Under 
limited summer moisture the Ken-tucky bluegrasses tend to go dor-mant and turn brown. In this condition they can withstand more severe droughts than perennial ryegrass or tall fescue and regener-ate from the crown and rhizomes. Under short-term drought con-ditions, better green color will be provided by perennial ryegrass and tall fescue because they do 
not tend to go into dormancy. 
Kentucky bluegrass will generally survive a serious lo page 27 How to choose the RECESSION from page 19 real detrimental affect on the lawn care industry. "The question is, how many people who are unemployed are in financial trouble and have not cancelled their turf agreement. That could be 15 percent of my accounts receivable." For this reason, most lawn care companies have adopted fairly strict policies regarding collec-tions, just to stay on top of the situation. "Our normal pay period is 15 days," says Harrigan, "because we got burned a couple times in the past. We figure, the phone company and electric company want you to pay in 15 days, why not us?" Even more important to insur-ing a successful season next year 
is educating the consumer con-cerning the proper way to main-tain his lawn, so that he will not be so quick to blame the lawn 
care company when he develops weed or insect problems. Consumer education is an important factor in Kitchel's mind when it comes to pre-dicting success in these shaky times. "I think there's still a great deal of misunderstanding of what the customer's part is as far 
as having a nice lawn. A lot of people get on a program and think their problems are answered. They don't under-stand the importance of proper watering and mowing, and dethatching periodically." Of course, these are not the ideal times for any business, but the lawn care profession, along with other industries related to home improvement will probably fare better than most, as the decline in housing starts combined with the decreasing 
amount of discretionary income, lead consumers to invest in 
developing and maintaining the properties they now own. In the case of lawn care, one saving factor will be the amount of flexibility within the industry itself. "There's always that fear of the economy," says Kitchel, "but I feel that there are a lot of dif-ferent avenues that you can get into in lawn care such as total vegetation kill, dethatching and reseeding if the regular program we provide starts to falter." In any case, it looks as though consumers will continue to in-vest a portion of their money in maintaining and improving their lawns, a factor that will con-tribute to the continued success of lawn care operators such as Bill Harrigan. "Some people tell us that they have other items that are more important as far as expenses are 
concerned. On the other hand, people realize the value of their 
property, so we are experiencing an increase. When we come out 
of the recession, I'd like to think it will be better. Only time will tell." Kathleen A. Milgate Choosing the right golf club is a serious matter. You need one that's just right for the shot you have to make.You should take into account the distance, wind, lie, and obstacles. At Kubota, we feel that you should devote the same careful attention to choosing a tractor. VOU U10ULDI1 T TEE OFF I1IITH n BASEBALL BBT. And you wouldn't want to get the wrong tractor for the jobs you have to do. Whether you take care of a golf course, an estate, a campus, a park, or do roadside maintenance, you want a tractor that's versatile. Can it handle a mid-mount mower? A gang mower? Can it move dirt? Dig a hole? Kubotas can do all these things. Every Kubota has rear PTO and a 3-point hitch that can accom-
modate a wide variety of implements. You don't want a tractor so specialized it can do only one job. Another thing you don't want is a tractor that's too big or too small. KUBOTA. THE miD-SIZE TRACTOR. Our tractors range from 12 to 81 horsepower. Small enough for economy, large enough for heavy-duty jobs. It's wasteful to use 100 horses for some mow-ing. And it's impossible for 10 horses to 
do heavy moving or hauling. DIE5EL5. H KUBOTA 5PE[MLTV. At Kubota, we've been making diesel engines for 30 years. In fact, all our engines are diesels. Rear-mount mowers or rotary cutters are available for all Kubota tractors. Diesel engines are rugged and durable.They have no electric ignition system, so they never need a tune-up. And running a Kubota diesel engine costs a lot less than running a comparable gasoline engine. With many models to choose from, we have a tractor that's just right for the maintenance job you have to do. So see your Kubota dealer today. He'll help you get hold of the right iron, i 1 UNIT! ] want more information on all vour t mid-size Kubotas. Please send me a free copy of your latest brochure. I Mail to: Advertising Department | Kubota Tractor Corporation, 550 W. Artesia Blvd. P. O. Box 7020, Compton, CA 90224 NAME ADDRESS CITY COUNTY STATE ZIP AREA CODE L TELEPHONE NUMBER LCI 9 ^KUBOTH We're looking for work. 01980 Kubota Tractor Corporation MEETINGS N.Y. group to hold show in Rochester The New York State Turfgrass Association will hold its annual conference and trade show Nov. 11-13, at the Rochester War Memorial with the Genesee Plaza Holiday Inn as the host 
hotel. Following a successful show last year in Syracuse, NYSTA once again plans on an expanded trade show with much floor space devoted to the display of heavy equipment, along with ex-hibitors representing all facets of turfgrass management. Along with the trade show, the conference offers three days of educational sessions with presentations on various aspects of turfgrass research and management for those in golf course, parks, landscaping, athletic fields, sod growing, cemetery, seed, supply and educational fields. Credit will be given for Pesticide Recertifica-tion and a special pesticide train-ing course will be offered. Booths measuring nine feet by 10 feet are available at $135 each; multiple booths at a discounted rate. For complete information on the trade show contact: Janet Dudones, Ed Worthington Corp., 50 Petrova Ave., Saranac Lake, N.Y. 12983, 518-891-1830. For 
other information relating to the conference contact: Ann Reilly, 
executive secretary, 210 
Cartwright Blvd., Massapequa Park, N.Y. 11762, 516-5419034 or 6902. SEMINARS Irrigation Association offers short courses The Irrigation Association is of-fering two courses that should be of interest to the lawn care in-dustry, as part of this year's Short Course Program. The first, Turf Irrigation-Principles & Practices, will be held Jan. 6-7-8, 1981, in Rochelle Park, N.J. Beginning with an in-depth study of soil types through system programming of multiple controller systems, this course 
will assist the architect, specifier, installer and dealer in the proper design of large turf installations. The second course, to be held Jan. 20-21-22, 1981, in Kansas City, Mo., is titled Pumps & Pump 
Controls. This course covers all types of pumps, as well as the various means of controlling the 
operation of the irrigation pump-
ing plant. Both courses will be three days in length with registration fees of $175 for members and $200 for non-members. For more details, including an informative brochure describing the complete Short Course Pro-gram contact: Irrigation Associa-tion, 13975 Connecticut Ave., Silver Spring, Md., 20906, 301-871-1200. Individual course regis-tration brochures will be available approximately two months prior to each course. mm U.S. Plant Patent 3151 KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS o© â z o 8 8 Ł Ł> I ÖD û O C J 3 <2. S ® 5 w © CA CA 8 8 S rS <o o «< Mail To: Company Name Your Title First Initial Š Š Š Š Middle Initial Š Š Š Š -Š Š Š Š -Š Š 3 £ © Š -Š Š CQ Š « Š -Š Š Š -Š Š PO PO PO PO PO Š -» Š» PO Ł>» CT> <_T -U CD OO -O Ł ŁŁ Ł ŁŁ£> SEPTEMBER 1980 (Expires in 60 days) reader service card Use this card to obtain more information...fast. c I III 8 oc ï co 1 CO a LU z co 3 CÛ a) > < <D D O o 00 o O Osi o Tí-.c o "O c JÇO a> > 0 D PRODUCTS Trade your engine for an energy-saving diesel A complete engine adapter kit to convert Gravely L, 500 and 800 Series tractors for Wisconsin Diesel power is available from Abernathy Engineering Co. This kit includes all hardware 
necessary to install a Model WDI-430 or larger Wisconsin Diesel in place of the tractor's existing engine. The single-cylinder, air-cooled diesel engine offers high torque, with operation between 1800 and 
3000 rpm and a maximum of 9.6 h.p. The engine conversion will pay for itself in fuel saving and long-life, the manufacturer claims. Write 917 on reader service card Lures control pests, cause no bait shyness Two new Rozol (chlorophaci-none) products available from Chempar Chemical Co., Inc., effectively control ground squir-rels and gophers and do not cause bait shyness, according to the manufacturer. Rozol ground squirrel bait is a paraffinized pellet formulation for use in vineyards and nur-series, while Rozol pocket gopher bait is a coarse grain bait for use where holes made by burrowing gophers can be hazardous. Write 915 on reader service card Full diesel tractor line ideal for landscaper For the landscaper, Kubota Trac-tor Corp. markets a complete line of small-but-tough, B-Series diesel-powered tractors, easily distinguished by their bright 
orange colors. The B-5100 Series is powered by a 12 h.p., two-cylinder diesel 
engine and is ideal for grass cut-ting and general estate mainte-
nance. Not a riding mower, but a real tractor, the B-5100 comes complete with a category I hy-
draulic threepoint hitch, stan-dard rear PTO and six forward 
and two reverse speeds. The B-6100 is slightly larger in size and features a 14 h.p., three-cylinder diesel for more pulling power. The B-7100DT is 
available with four-wheel drive and comes with a 16 h.p., three-
cylinder engine. New for 1980 is 
a hydrostatic drive option for this model. The company markets a wide variety of optional implements for its B-Series tractors, in-cluding mid- or rear-mounted mowers, a rotary tiller, front or 
rear blade, trencher, front end 
loader, snow blower and more. Write 905 on reader service card Gas-powered trimmer From Echo, Inc. comes the HC-200 commercial quality, gas hedge trimmer, which weighs less than 12 pounds and has many fine features such as a 30-inch cutting blade, electronic ignition, a dependable auto-matic rewind starter system and a quality air-cooled, two-stroke single cycle gasoline engine. The trimmer blade has a double-reciprocating cutter for positive cutting action, and the left handle features patented anti-vibration mounting. Write 908 on reader service card 25 n > S Z n > x m z a c CD H pa Kees adds slim 32-inch model to its mower line F.D. Kees has added a new 32-inch power mower to its line of professional lawn and turf care equipment. The mower is equipped with an 11 h.p. syn-chrobalanced engine and fea-tures a baffle frame, individual drum-type wheel brakes, pro-tective V-flanged front deflec-tors and extralarge caster wheels. Write 916 on reader service card CD m THREEYEARS HARD LABOR. Faced with a life of hard labor, freezing temperatures, batterings and abuses, this Stihl® chain saw has managed to survive for v three long years. But that's no surprise.We expect every Stihl power tool to last that long. And longer. You see, Stihl puts only the finest quality into its tools. From the precise engi-neering to the most durable metal alloys. And every tool is test run and inspected to satisfy one of the strictest n * quality-control programs in the industry Is it worth a little more money for a tool that can stand a lot v * more labor? You be the judge. For sales and service, see the Yellow Pages under saws For more information write Stihl Inc. Dept 1215.536 Viking Drive .Virginia Beach. Virginia 23452 vV ma à 11 ÜI^Ü CLASSIFIED When answering ads where box number only is given, please address as follows: Box number, % LAWN CARE IN-
DUSTRY, Dorothy Lowe. Box 6951, Cleveland, Ohio 44101. FOR SALE 10 YEAR OLD established lawn ser-vice company in Washington, D.C. area. Mainly residential accounts. Excellent potential. Please call: 703 369-0327. FOR SALE: Complete landscape and lawn maintenance company. Located in beautiful Hudson valley area, in New York state. Excellent 
equipment and customers. A real beautiful business in a growing area. 
Call 914 469-9526. ESTABLISHED LAWN MAINTE-NANCE business, all equipment, satisfied accounts, employees. Un-limited growth potential. Owner go-ing into research. Contact: Jim Drake, 914 Maple Avenue, Zanes-ville, Ohio 43701. Phone 614 454-1684. MISCELLANEOUS KELWAY SOIL® pH TESTER, used by professionals everywhere. Direct reading, longlasting, portable, 
lightweight, no power source. Model HB-2 reads moisture too. Available through local distributors or contact Kel Instruments Co., Inc., Dept. L, P.O. Box 1869, Clifton, N.J. 07015. 201 471-3954. USED EQUIPMENT 1,980 TRAC'N COMBO lawn unit mounted on 14 hp economy Jim-Dandy tractor. Both used only a few weeks. Lawn business not for me. $4,000 for both. 516 265-7923. LELY TURFSHAPER SEEDER, 5' wide has tiller, scarifier, leveler, pulverizer wheel, seed box and cultipacker in 1 machine. Gives very good results, well maintained. We are discontinuing seeding work. Call Carl 301 329-6791, evenings. TANKER. Chevy 1976 C-50, 1200 
gallon Bean 20-20 pump, 2 Hannay reels, hose and guns. Ready to spray. 
Excellent condition. Reasonable. 301 728-5885. HELP WANTED ADVERTISING SALES POSITION AVAILABLE Š Pest Control magazine is seeking an aggressive in-dividual with experience in and commitment to the pest control in-
dustry, midwest territory. Motiva-tion, creativity and marketing ability a must. Space sales experience 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 opportun-ity employer. LAWN CARE MANAGER in trainingŠAn exceptional opportun-ity for a self-starting, ambitious, hard 
worker with a young but prominent lawn care company. Training will be intensive and thorough as you assist 
in managing our company owned 
outlet serving Chi cagol ana's south 
western suburbs. Witnin a year or two there is a possibility of trans-ferring to another city to manage the supervision and servicing of our franchises in that area. The ideal 
candidate will have supervisory ex-erience and a good working nowledge of lawn and tree care. A person an le manner and well-developed communication skills are a must. Competitive salary and 
benefits. Send resume and salary 
history/requirements in confidence to: Spring-Green Lawn Care Corpo-
ration, P.O. Box 908, Naperville, Il-linois 60540. WANTED TO BUY WANTED TO PURCHASE, granular 
lawn care companies in Midwest 
and South serving primarily residen-tial accounts, present management may stay, principals only, confiden-
tial replys to Box 18, Lawn Care, Box 6951, Cleveland, Ohio 44101. ACQUISITIONS WANTED: Lawn 
service company seeking growth through acquisition. Seeking firms servicing between 400 ana 1,500 customers. Team up with experi-ence. Key people retained. Smooth transition. Flexible. Write Box 19, Lawn Care, Box 6951, Cleveland, 
Ohio 44101. WANTED TO PURCHASE, lawn care companies located in middle Atlantic coast region with up to ap-proximately 2000 accounts. In ab-solute confidence, mail (11 brief history of growth with numbers of accounts and sales volume for year 1 to current (2) promotion literature (3) perception of company's appro-ximate value (4) brief discussion of company's position in market (5) and description of operating strategies; i.e. liquid or dry, number of treat-ments, etc. We are seriously seeking 
acquisitions and will respond imme-
diately. Write only if you are ready to act. Terms are flexible up to ana including all cash deal. Write Box 24, Lawn Care, Box 6951, Cleveland, 
Ohio 44101. ADVERTISERS Aquatrols 18 Boots Hercules 26,27 Diamond Shamrock 5 Excel Industries 4 Hypro 12 International Seeds 11,20 Jacklin Seed 3,24 John Deere 8,9 Kubota 22,23 Lakeshore Equipment & Supply 12-16,21 Loft's 6,28 Monsanto 7 Pickseed 12 PLCAA 9 Ryan Turf Equipment 10 Spraying Systems 10 Stihl, Inc 25 Torco 18 i i 
BEHIND THIS ISSUE We recently received a copy of a letter Ken-neth R. Mays, president of Scientific Plant Service, Inc., Cockeysville, Md. sent to one of his area competitors. The reason he sent it was to "express my displeasure with 
some of the tactics employed by some com-panies in the lawn care industry. He wrote to his competitor: "On July 14, 1980, my office received a phone call from a prospective customer requesting detailed information about our 
company, its services and prices. The conversation was ended by taking this per-
son's name and address and promising to mail him, which he requested, a brochure 
detailing our spraying programs for trees and shrubs. After doing a little investiga-tion, it was discovered that the name given was false and the address was that X com-pany, located in Y, Maryland. The next day I followed up this phone call by calling on Z at his office at which time he admitted he was the caller. He said he was working on 'orders' from his superiors to 'get informa-tion' on the competition and what they have 
to offer. "If this is what you have to do to keep up with your competition, I feel sorry for you. Has lust for the almighty buck gone that 
far? BOOTS HERCULES Nitroform from ti&OR Ł POWDER BLUE FEEDS THE ROOTS WHILE AVOIDING FLUSH TOP GROWTH You can feed the roots of grass while you feed the tops Š and still avoid excess top growth. With Nitroform from Boots Hercules. Quick release nitrogen primarily feeds the top, resulting in too much top growth and little or no root growth. Nitroform Powder Blue is the sensible release nitrogen. It will not 
burn or streak It can also be mixed and applied with insecticides and fungicides. It helps grass maintain a BOOTS HERCULES ouocga BOOTS HERCULES AGROCHEMICALS CO. WILMINGTON, DELAWARE 19803 302/575-7850 good green color between feedings. Use Nitroform Powder Blue in your lawn sprays Š or Blue Chip for dry application. Write direct for additional information. If your fertilizer isn't lasting long enough, it doesn't contain Nitroform. NOTE: Ask about Deltic, the new insecticide to eliminate ticks and fleas in lawns. Ideal for the lawn care operator who wants to enlarge his business. "In my 14 years in the lawn care indus-try, I have never lowered myself to 'spy' or even worry about any other companies than my own and I take it as an insult to have to tolerate such actions. "In the future, if you want to know any-thing about your competitors, why not con-front them face-to-face? I would be glad to talk to you, perhaps we would help each other. That's what it is all about. I have always believed that it is not always what you do that counts, but how you do it." We couldn't agree more. U Uy r* > ? Z O > m Z a c CD H TO < CD m BLENDS from page 22 drought better than tall fescue or perennial ryegrass being main-tained under similar turf management conditions. The Kentucky bluegrasses have a slower green-up rate in the spring than perennial ryegrass and lack shade tolerance. Attempts to take Kentucky bluegrass below a one-inch mow-ing height in the more southern portions of the cool-humid region 
requires additional management expertise to include the applica-tion of fungicides and extensive irrigation. The improved peren-nial ryegrasses appear to be bet-ter able to survive lower mowing heights than Kentucky bluegrass if disease pressure is reduced. 
Thatch buildup on some Ken-tucky bluegrass varieties under fertilization programs providing three to five pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year has been noticed. Tall fescue is a good turf if medium quality appearance is 
acceptable. It is strong in that it has a relatively quick germina-tion rate of 10 to 14 days. It has an extensive, deep root system and 
can provide acceptable green color during short droughts. Tall fescue is adaptable to a wide range of soil types and does per-
sist under low intensity manage-ment. It is popular on home lawns where a coarser texture is not objectionable. It has ex-hibited limited shade tolerance in situations where medium light levels are available and the microclimate is relatively dry. It 
will not provide good shade turf in poorly drained areas. A primary weakness in tall fescue turf has been the dif-ficulty of maintaining a fine-textured leaf blade after seeding. The fine-textured appearance is obtained with high seeding rates from up to 200 to 350 pounds per acre. However, after three to five years, the blades tend to broaden and become less desirable. Fre-
quent mowing and periodic renovation by overseeding helps maintain the fine texture desired 
in Kentucky 31 tall fescue. Ken-tucky 31 and Rebel are two com-mercially available varieties of tall fescue that have performed well in our trials. KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS The only way to Improve barcih was to lower the price. 'Gold Tag (sod quality) is available at $1.59 per pound. Prices slightly higher in Canada. These new crop prices available September 1, 1960. we did! Now, no matter how much (or how little) Baron you buy, you'll pay Vb less than before. It's our way to thank you for making Baron the world's largest selling bluegrass. It's possible because, unlike other elite bluegrasses, Baron consistently produces large quantities of seed. And that means Baron is always available. It's still the same great Baron .. .with the same quick germination, dense growth and rich color that looks great in sun or shade. It resists diseases and requires minimal fertilization. And, of course, it's certified and free of both Poa annua and bentgrass. Baron is still the same. * Only the price is lower! | /1K Lofts Pedigreed Seed, Inc. Bound Brook, NJ 08805/(201) 356-8700 (800) 526-3890 Lofts/New England Arlington, MA 02174 (617) 648-7550 Great Western Seed Co., Albany, OR 97321 (503) 926-5892 Inc. Loft/Kellogg Seed Co., Inc. Milwaukee, Wl 53201 (414) 276-0373 Lofts/New York Lofts/Maryland Sunbelt Seeds, Inc. Cambridge, NY 12816 Landover, MD 20785 Tucker, GA 30084 (518) 677-8808 (301) 322-8111 (404) 491-1311 Oseco, Inc. Brampton, Ontario L6V2L2 (416) 846-5080