'SPACE INVADERS?' Detroit paper takes aim at chemical lawn industry "... someone dressed like a space invader your neighborhood with a tank truck, everything in sight?" /uuciiivuuc;i came into tank truck, spraying Detroit-area chemical lawn care businessmen Š already beset with problems stemming from auto worker layoffs Š had some ex-plaining to do to customers after publication of an article in late May in the Detroit News. The article, which ran on the front page of the May 19 edition on Michigan's largest newspaper, 
was entitled "Sprays Called Hazards." Above the headline were the words "Agent Green," 
and below the headline was the phrase "Group Charges Lawn Chemicals Cause Cancer." The use of the words "Agent Green" was an obvious reference 
to "Agent Orange," the defoliation herbicide used in Vietnam which 
has come under fire recently be-cause of charges claiming it causes cancer in former soldiers. The article quoted 2,4-D de-tractors who: Ł Criticized the "green lawn mentality" many homeowners have. Ł Suggested that organic lawn care methods should be used for weed control. Ł Criticized the casual attitude taken in ads promoting chemical lawn care treatments. Ł Characterized lawn care applicators as persons dressed as 
"space invaders . . . spraying 
everything in sight." There were quotes in the article from one lawn care businessman and one extension agent who explained that 2,4-D is not a dangerous chemical when used 
properly. Staff writer Douglas Ilka began his article by writing: to page 29 RE Volume 5, Number 7 JULY 1981 Serving lawn maintenance and chemical lawn care professionals DROUGHT BACKLASH Customer retention down, new sales up, lawn businessmen say Economists say that there is an "invisible hand" that guides the life of business and finance. This hand either shoves or shelters a market according to a formula of supply and demand. And the lawn care market is no exception Š but the hand is a fist. Reports from around the indus-try suggest that new sales in 1981 are as strong as ever, with reten-
tion of old accounts holding 
steady. The exceptions are areas hit last year by drought, disease, and insect activity, where first-
year customers seeing slow or poor green-up have chosen either to stop service all together or just shop around. The trend has been offset by a surge of new sales in the West and 
South Š areas traditionally un-spoiled by drought or water short-ages. "Our business is way up," said Dale Jones, co-owner of High Country Lawns in Grand Junction, Colorado. "And we maintained a little over 90 percent of our first year customers." Although High Country Lawns is the only lawn care business in Grand Junction, their track record is no less significant. Denver has been the capitol of the lawn care industry in Colorado, but as the 
industry percolates away from re-gional centers, it has begun to establish itself in "new-money" centers. On the other hand, companies operating in the East and Midwest 
have felt a slight drop-off in sales retention percentages. "I think it's the first-time lawn service users," 
said Neal Katz, owner of Hydro-Green Lawn Service in Warmins-QUICK STARTS Mowing/maintenance company profile . 6 Avoiding name infringement lawsuits . 8 
Lehr on labor law 12 ChemLawn's renovation program 13 Keeping employes motivated 14 Yellow Pages go color 20 Upfront 4 Moneywise 8 Marketing Idea File 20 
Meeting Dates 20 Products 22 Tools, Tips 8r Techniques 26 Cost Cuttings 27 Memos 30 ter, Pennsylvania. "They bought the service but didn't see much for their money." Katz doesn't believe it's an over-all trend, however, but more of a weather-related phenomenon. Since its inception, the lawn care industry has had to cope with customers who fail to understand that chemical treatment is a sup-plement and not a replacement for natural controls. And this is espe-cially true of first-year customers. Accepted as a needed service But Hydro-Green's overall sales portfolio was up this year and Katz attributes it in part to the indus-try's growing public acceptance. "The industry is building," he said, "and is becoming accepted as 
a needed service. When you have the (name) companies like Sears and ChemLawn in the market, you further the industry's visibility." Since rainfall in the Pennsyl-vania area has been adequate so far 
this year, Katz feels that his first-year sign-ups will stay with him. "It's becoming easier to sign-up to page 28 EQUIPMENT INVENTORY MOWING/MAINTENANCE Average reader has seven walk-behinds The average reader of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY who handles mowing/maintenance jobs owns about seven walk-behind mowers, a recent survey by the magazine shows. About four out of five readers of the magazine (78.8 percent) own an average of 6.8 rotary walk-behind mowers, the survey indi-cated. About 30 percent (29.4) own an average of 3.6 walk-behind reel mowers. For rotary riding mowers, 55.5 percent of the readers said they own an average of two units. For reel riding mowers, 15.2 percent 
said they own an average of 1.4 
units. For tractors, 26.2 percent of the readers said they own an average 
of two units less than 10 horse-power. The largest percentage, 44.7 percent, said they own an average of 1.5 units between 10 
and 20 horsepower. For tractors between 21 and 30 horsepower, 20.1 percent of the readers said they own an average 
of 1.5 units. For tractors between 
31 and 50 horsepower, 25.3 per-cent of the readers said they own an average of 2.1 units. And for 
tractors larger than 50 horsepower, 19.9 percent of the readers said to page 29 Equipment % readers owning number per owner projection to LCI readership Walk-behind mowers, rotary 78.8% 6.8 50,000 Walk-behind mowers, reel 29.4 3.6 10,000 Riding mowers, rotary 55.5 2.0 10,000 Riding mowers, reel 15.2 1.4 2,000 Next month: The top 50 lawn care markets September: Mowers/tractors, seed outlook October: Louisville PLCAA Show Previe Tractors Less than 10 h.p. 10-20 h.p. 26.2 44.7 o-4 or» u « TEAR0010239-NW-8801 CA1 FVE REED RES ASST * AS A F M UNI V It E CROP SCIENCE 0EPT ALLEGE STATION TY 2.0 1.5 
1.5 2.1 -DH2.3 5,000 6,500 
2,800 5,000 4,300 77843 BEARD COLLECIIO\ s STRONG. HELPS KEEP BUGS FROM COMING BACK BEFORE YOU DO INSECI*** Long-lasting DURSBAN* brand insecticide is good insurance for your customer list. It can last up to 
8 weeksŠnot just 3 or 4. If the insects get back to your customer before you do, it's goodbye good customer. That's why you'll want the insecticide that gives long-lasting protection to your business reputation! DURSBAN brand insecticide. Whether you use the 2E or the double-strength 4E concentrations, you get longer residual control than with any other leading turf insecticide. And best of all, DURSBAN insecticides even cost less to use than many others. So for sod webworms, chinch bugs, billbugs, ants, grubsŠyou name itŠwhy not use the insec-ticides that keep running strong. And long. Get DURSBAN brand insecticides. Just be sure to read and follow all label directions and precautions. Agricultural Products Department, Midland, Michigan 48640. DOW CHEMICAL U.S.A. ŁTrademark of The Dow Chemical Company 51981. The Dow Chemical Company ^ * I | Circle No. 108 on Reader Inquiry Card UPFRONT S < U Agent Green? Space invaders? Last month we had "Confessions of An Ex-Lawn Sprayer," an article that ran in a New York newspaper. This month we have "Agent 
Green: Sprays Called Hazards; Group Charges Lawn Chemicals 
Cause Cancers," which ran re-cently in the Detroit News, Michi-gan's largest newspaper. Question: When will it all end? Answer: It probably won't. As long 
as lawn care companies are using the necessary pesticides to control weeds, insects and diseases in lawns, as long as there are com-munity groups and environmental groups who oppose use of these pesticides, and as long as spokes-men for these groups can pick up the telephone and whisper in the ear of a newspaper reporter look-ing for a front-page story, there are going to be stories like the Detroit 
one that carried quotes like this: Ł "The 'green lawn mentality' of chemically ridding your lawn of 
weeds may be hazardous to your health. ..." Ł "The herbicides most com-monly used in lawn sprays can L4WN GIRE INDUSTRY ROBERT EARLEY, Editor/Publisher PAUL McCLOSKEY, Assistant Editor CANDY MANKOWSKI, Production Manager MARILYN MacDONALD, Production Supervisor DENISE JOHNSON, Graphic Design JOAN SMITH, Circulation Supervisor MARKETING/SALES New York Office: ROBERT EARLEY (212) 888-2892 757 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017 Midwest Office: KIMBERLY CORRY (312) 938-2312 111 E. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60601 Southern Office: DICK GORE (404) 233-1817 3091 Maple Dr., Atlanta, GA 30305 Northwest Office: BOB MIEROW (206) 363-2864 1333 N.W. Norcross, Seattle, WA 98177 Classified: DAWN ANDERSON (218) 727-8511 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802 Please send advertising materials to: LAWN CARE INDUSTRY 120 W. Second St. Duluth, MN 55802 218-727-8511 HARCOURT BRACE JOVANOVICH PUBLICATIONS (HBJ ROBERT L. EDGELL, Chairman RICHARD MOELLER, President 
LARS FLADMARK, Executive Vice President 
ARLAND HIRMAN, Treasurer THOMAS GRENEY, Group Vice President EZRA PINCUS, Group Vice President LAWRENCE WITCHEL, Group Vice President JOE BILDERBACH, Vice President JAMES GHERNA, Vice President GEORGE GLENN, Vice President HARRY RAMALEY, Vice President LAWN CARE INDUSTRY (USPS 397250) is published monthly by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publications. Corporate and Editorial offices: 757 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10017. Advertising offices: 757 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10017, 111 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601 and 3091 Maple Drive, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30305. Accounting, Advertising Production and Circulation offices: 1 East First Street, Duluth, Minnesota 55802. Subscription rates: $15 per 
year in the United States and Canada. All other countries: $40. Single copies: $2 in the United States and Canada; all other countries: $4.50. Second Class postage paid at Duluth, Minnesota 55806 and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 1981 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, P.O. Box 6017, Duluth, Minnesota 55806. cause cancer, birth defects and nerve damage. ..." Ł "You don't need a herbicide of that strength to kill off a few dandelions. ..." Ł "What upsets . . . is . . . the casual attitude taken in ads prom-
oting chemical lawn treatments." Ł " . . . someone dressed like a space invader came into your neighborhood with a tank truck, spraying everything in sight." It is not the newspaper reporter's fault in cases like this. In fact, for the most part, the Detroit News reporter in this case did a fairly 
objective job of reporting both sides of the story. But the point is, newspaper reporters should not 
have to go out of their way to hear both sides of the story. It is up to each and every lawn care businessman who is applying pesticides to make the facts 
known about the chemicals he is using in his lawn program. With that in mind, a group of manufacturers and users of pes-ticides met in Chicago recently to form a "coalition for a reasonable policy on 2,4-D." Dr. Robert Miller 
of ChemLawn Corp., Columbus, Ohio is pro tern chairman of this group which was organized in large part by Dow Chemical Co., 
Midland, Mich. As he told a group of lawn care businessmen re-
cently, "Pesticides are now a political issue." Membership is open to anyone who uses 2,4-D, including profes-
sionals in the turf, forestry, wheat and commercial applicator areas, 
formulators, farm cooperatives and associations, in addition to major manufacturers. Objectives of the newly formed group will be to cultivate congres-sional "friends," invest in a public 
relations effort, print a newsletter and literature on pesticide use and cultivate and provide background 
on the issues for newspaper re-porters across the country. These efforts, plus those of the National Agricultural Chemicals 
Association 2,4-D Task Force, hopefully will begin to put a more realistic perspective on use of the herbicide 2,4-D and other pes-ticides. These efforts will help on a broad-scale basis, but what can 
you do in the meantime? John Davidson, Dow's expert on reg-
ulatory affairs, told another group 
of lawn care businessmen re-
cently: "2,4-D is coming under attack by those opposed to pesticides. To prevent a sudden loss of the 
product as occurred with silvex in 1979, all users should have a few facts readily available for those who inquire about its properties. A positive response documented by recognized experts will do much 
to allay the concerns of those who make inquiry about the safety of 2,4-D." The Chicago-based Professional Lawn Care Association of America has such information on file, that is available to members and non-members alike. In addition to the front-page piece on the Detroit News article, 
page one of this issue of LAWN CARE INDUSTRY carries a story 
by assistant editor Paul McCloskey on retention of customers this spring by lawn care companies. Cancellations are up, to be sure, but many lawn care businessmen feel that many of these cancella-
tions are people who were first-users last year. And, because of drought and heat stress problems across much of the country, many of these first-users were left with less-than-desirable lawns in some instances. So they cancelled. But many lawn care business-men are also saying that new sales are up, perhaps because of more aggressive marketing, and perhaps because some of last year's first-users are moving to 
another company. McCloskey re-ports that new sales seem to be up even greater percentages away 
from the major metropolitan areas. McCloskey has two other major stories in this issue. Around the office, we have been calling the first one the "name game." 
Around the industry, there has been a rash of law suits to get a company name registered to pro-tect a lawn company from one of these law suits. He reports that most name infringement is not 
malicious, but that the law suits come from simple ignorance of the correct way to get your company name registered. He also traveled to Winston-Salem, N.C. to interview 
mowing/maintenance business-
man Abron Griffin. As Paul said, "Abron is an example of a self-starter, what one has to be to get ahead in the lawn care industry. And he is also a good example of the fact that you don't have to be 
big to be professional." Another part of professionalisn is personnel management. And that is the topic that Birmingham, 
Ala. lawn care businessman Ron-nie Zwiebel tackles in this month's "Inside the Industry." Ronnie says: "Perhaps a better word than 'management' would be 'motivation.' Because it has al-ways been my contention that is a 
person is properly motivated, the management will fall easily into place." Dates to remember: National Fertilizer Solutions Association 
Roundup, Indianapolis, July 7-9; Alabama Turfgrass Conference, Auburn, September 14-15; Chem-Lawn Corp. Turfgrass Weed Sym-posium, Columbus, Ohio, October 14-15; Missouri Lawn/Turf Con-ference, Columbia, November 3-4; 
Professional Lawn Care Associa-
tion of America Conference and 
Trade Show, Commonwealth Convention Center, Louisville, Kentucky, November 18-20. U My All premium perennial ryegrasses aren't alike. Here's the Regal difference. While a select few turf-type perennial ryegrasses are rated as "premium" varieties. Regal is a standout on several counts. For example, Regal is one of the darkest of all ryegrasses. That's why it is often mixed with the improved bluegrasses and fine fescues to pro-duce a rich, uniform turf. Most turf experts agree that Regal has better heat and humidity tolerance than any other turf-type perennial ryegrass. It was the best in this regard in trials at Beltsville, Maryland and Arkansas. Regal also demonstrates good overall disease-resistance to the major ryegrass diseases as well as the numerous diseases which often plague some bluegrass varieties. To top it off, Regal germinates in a matter of 5-7 days, quickly develops a strong root system and holds its color during the chill days of 
winter. Regal Š it's the turf-type perennial ryegrass that's different. P.V.P. Application No. 7700110 iniERnnuonnb SEEDS, inc. P.O. Box 168, Halsey, Oregon 97348 U.S.A. Telephone (503) 369-2251 TWX 510/590-0765 MOWING AND MAINTENANCE The Grass Cutter: A small pro thrives in North Carolina It was the military life that might have convinced Abron Griffin he should go into the lawn care business. Writing reports, fol-lowing orders, long days of metal and dust Š and a platoon sergeant who had an interest in horticul-ture. Now his days are still long and the paperwork keeps mounting, but these days Abron Griffin takes orders from customers only: about 35 of them in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina area where his The Grass Cutter' offers mowing and maintenance, pruning, and in-stallation services. Griffin started The Grass Cutter after taking a two-year associate degree in horticulture from nearby Forsyth College. He now employs a crew of four men (a couple of them ex-service men like himself), has four E. J. Smith & Sons push mowers, one Gravely and one Gilson riding mower. "They call that Gravely the Cadillac of riding mowers," he said. One of the things that strikes you about Griffin is how much he 
enjoys his work. On the job at 
seven, giving instructions, making runs for nursery products, lunch en route to the next job Š it's all part of his typical mid-season day. "I'm in the business simply be-
cause I like the work and being 
outdoors," he said. "And I always have." The Grass Cutter can be de-scribed as an all-purpose mechanical maintenance com-The Grass Cutters: Abron Griffin (left), Phillip (P.J.) Jeffrey (right), Ben Stevenson (kneeling), and Wayne W. Young (not pictured.) 99 T.M "ALL YOU NEED FOR SUMMER FEED IS (ormoUne 30-0-2 LIQUID LOW-BURN FERTILIZER FOR LAWN CARE PROFESSIONALS FORMOLENE Clear Liquid Fertilizer contains a high pro-portion of low-burn Methylene and Methylol Ureas plus low salt index PotassiumŠYour safest source of liquid N & K for hot weather lawn applications. Proven through intensive evaluation at leading Turfgrass Research Insti-tutions. Just add 1 part FORMOLENE to 3 to 10 parts waterŠand put it on! Order FORMOLENE Fertilizer from these authorized dealers: ALPINE PLANT FOODS LTD. New Hamburg, Ontario NOB 2G0 Canada (519) 662-2352 GREAT PLAINS ASSOCIATES, LTD. Niles, Ml 49120 (616) 683-7463 MOYER AND SON INCORPORATED Souderton, PA 18964 (215) 723-6001 AUSTIN FERTILIZER & CHEMICAL CO. Lake Placid. FL 33852 (813) 465-5203 Sanford, FL 32771 (305) 322-0443 GROWER'S AG SERVICE Kearney, NB 68847 (308) 234-2124 NICE'N GREEN PLANT FOODS, INC. Lisle, IL 60532 (312) 963-3328 FLO-LIZER INCORPORATED Kingston, OH 45644 (614) 642-3001 MORRAL CHEMICAL COMPANY Morral, OH 43337 (614) 465-3251 OLD FOX CHEMICAL COMPANY Enfield, CT 06082 (203) 749-8339 SAALE BROTHERS FARM & GRAIN CO. West Alton, M0 63386 (314) 899-0933 VOGEL SEED AND FERTILIZER Jackson, Wl 53037 (414) 677-2273 NOTE: Inquiries invited from Dealers to supply FORMOLENE to the Minneapolis - St. Paul, Kansas City and Atlanta markets. HA WKEYE > CHEMICAL COMPANY Clinton, Iowa 52732 (319) 243-5800 pany. While most of the jobs involve mowing and edging, Grif-fin's crew also prunes to specifi-cation, applies spot weed control, handles landscaping and design jobs, and in the fall offers a full renovation program: dethatching, 
aeration, granular fertilization, liming, and re-seeding. "And that's when we really get strung out," says Griffin. "If we get rained-in for two days and have to 
handle 30 or 35 jobs by the end of the week, we'll work Tound the clock and on Saturday too." A stitch in time. One of the risks of running a small mowing and 
maintenance business like The Grass Cutter is the cost of time and labor. When jobs are big and the staff is small, every man-hour counts. And because the relative labor contribution of each worker is so great, a run to the nursery or a 
mid-morning sales call can be expensive Š especially when the side trip doesn't pan out. And then there's the unavoida-ble time that slips by with custom-ers who just want to chat and prattle Š the elderly or widowed who have a lot to talk about. "We call them Abron's girls," said Ben Stevenson, who's worked with Griffin since the start of The Grass 
Cutter over three years ago. Griffin shakes his head and says, "The public relation's a part of business that eats up a lot of time." But that's in the nature of a small business. Much of a company's organization is fixed in the mind of the manager or owner, and with 
the exception of bookkeeping necessities, is not processed through difficult accounting for-mulas or complicated ledgers. Griffin is labor and management, sales representative, PR man, ac-countant, comrade, and cost-cutter. And he has to be. Benefit planning. The term 'small business' can be deceptive, 
however. It should really refer to the size and not the needs of the company. Griffin is about to ar-range for his workers to be able to receive benefits, for example, and it will naturally end up costing him money. But he believes in it. "I know I'd want some benefits for myself if I were in their shoes," he said. "You've got to have some incen-tive for them to stay with the company. And, I'm very interested in the man that's working for me." Employe turnover plagues mowing and mechanical mainte-nance companies throughout the 
industry, and The Grass Cutter is 
no exception. Last year Griffin 
hired 17 different people and 
many of them were gone in a matter of weeks or even days. In a few cases he was stuck with the unemployment insurance re-ceipts. Employe benefits will help to offset this trend. "I realize I have to 
have benefits for the guys and workman's compensation for my-
self. Now, it's just a matter of time." Griffin pays his crew by the hour and will pay them in the event of downtime. It's a fair policy that rewards the crew for time they could have spent earning wages. 
"It averages out," says Griffin. "We may lose some money by the hour if we work very hard, but I'll 
still pay them if it rains and we 
can't cut grass." On the other hand, Griffin says that if the work week has been disrupted in the case of rain, he expects his men to come out on a Saturday Š something he usually tries to avoid Š in order to keep to done right, you really don't have to use a catcher, and when I've got the catcher on, the job can take 
twice as long to finish." But you have to give in a little to customer notions. Griffin would like to solve the problem by adding a Bobcat 1700 self-propelled mower to his inventory. With a 48 You can tell that The Grass Cutter will someday be a bigger and even more diverse operation. The profes-sionalism is there - and the grist of good business sense. their schedule. The give and take. Sometimes a customer's attitude about how a job should be done can lead to adaptations in his standard mow-ing procedures. Griffin says for instance that most customers be-lieve that clippings should always be bagged during mowing. "If it's inch cut and an extra wide deck, the cutter could hold up to two or three bushels of clippings and save the company the valuable time it takes to unhitch, empty, and re-hitch a standard mower's catcher. That's a short-term goal. When he looks further down the road, however, Griffin sees changes in his business that are better suited to both his company's needs and his personal interests. Now he works out of his home, but someday he'd like to have a shop where he can abide his interest in horticulture. "I envi-
sion a shop where I can propagate some plants and maybe run a small nursery. I'd also like to do more design work on paper and then be able to go out and do the job." You can tell that The Grass Catcher will someday be a bigger and even more diverse operation. 
The professionalism is there Š and 
the grist of good business sense. "Yea, looks like we're going to be really strung out come Thurs-day and Friday," he said, eyeing 
some mowers gummy from use. "This rain's a mixed blessing, but 
it gives us time to pop the blades on these cutters and get 'em 
clean." Well Š time is money. Š Paul McCloskey £ z n > z a c C/5 >< "5 tr Waiting out the rain: "I'm in business simply because I like the work and being outdoors," says Griffin. The Grass Cutter's inventory includes four E.J. Smith & Son's cutters, one Gravely and one Gilson riding mower. Free from Hypro Sprayer Pump Handbook * New Edition! BanvelT 2,4-D = Turf (minus 29 of the toughest kinds of weeds) All it takes is one application, and your weed control job is done for the season. And so are 29 of the hardest-to-kill varie-ties of broadleafs. BANVEL plus 2,4-D is a versatile com-bination you use anytime from early spring to late fall. It kills by penetrating both leaves and roots, so weeds can't come 
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Chemical Corporation, 341 E. Ohio Street, Chicago, IL 60611. Before using any pesticide, read the label QVelsicol ©Velsicol Chemical Corp., 1981 Circle No. 120 on Reader Inquiry Card Advances in Turfgrass Pathology published by HARCOURT BRACE JOVANOVICH PUBLICATIONS In cooperation with Dr. B. G. Joyner, Dr. P. O. Larsen and Chemlawn Corporation ! ADVANCES IN TURFGRASS PATHOLOGY only $27.95* hardcover only $18.95* paperback A compilation of more than 23 reports and discussions by the nation's leading pathology authorities. This one-of-a-kind volume extensively explores the diseases of turfgrasses and what the industry can do to combat these diseases. One of the most comprehensive, timely books available on turfgrass problemsŠsure to become an industry reference "standard'' ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY! Return this coupon to: Book Sales Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publica-tions One East First Street, Duluth, MN 55802 YES! Please send me--copy(ies) of ADVANCES IN TURFGRASS PATHOLOGY. My payment is enclosed. $27.95* hardcover $18.95* paperback Quantity rates available on request *Please add $2.50 per order, and if ordering multiple copies, also add 25c per additional copy for postage and handling costs. Name Add ress-City Signature--State--Zip-_Date_ Phone Number-Scheduled for publication January 30, 1981. Order will be ful-filled within 60 days of the date of order. LC, 8 pages of helpful information to help you select and use your pumps better. Hookup diagrams for piston, roller and centrifugal pumps. Graphs of pump outputs, flow through spray nozzles. Data on pump and sprayer component selection plus much more. Send for your free copy now. When you need pumps for sprayers or pressure wash systems, make your choice Hypro A DIVISION OF LEAR SIEGLER. INC 319 Fifth Ave NW. St Paul. MN 55112 Ł (612) 633-9300 8 TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT j >« DC H c/3 D < U 2 £ < J The name game: Register yours before someone else does A competitive fission is taking place in the lawn care industry. Companies once small and enter-prising are expanding, dividing, and subdividing Š and in the process are entering the business orbits of other, less active lawn care markets. All in all this is a good thing. Business expansion helps carry new marketing ideas to the indus-try. It fosters creativity in adver-tising and makes for an aggressive market. But when this fission becomes too hot Š watch out Š you may be subject to trademark 
violation, the "big bang" of stiff competition. There are currently a number of so-called "misappropriation" suits being decided within the 
lawn care industry. The most common example of it is when a company, in most cases unaware 
of another company's registered trademark, goes ahead and mar-kets its service under a similar or 
even remotely similar handle. When this happens, the offend-ing company can stand to lose not 
only its trade name, but thousands 
of dollars in legal fees. "It doesn't make business sense," says Thomas Collin, an attorney with 
the Cleveland law firm of Thompson, Hine & Flory. "You should take the proper steps to 
legal protection." MONEYWISE Checking out your general partner Over a tenth of all lawn care businesses in 1979 were forged through a handshake between committed partners. The partner-ship usually includes a 'limited' partner Š one who puts up a major block of capital Š and a 'general' partner whose role is managerial. Depending upon the level of trust and combined experience of the principals, a partnership can run quite smoothly. But beware the general partner whose tracks are too well covered. While it is impossible to ensure that a partnership will be profitable, careful choice of the general partner can at least stack the chips more favorably. Because of their access to funds, honesty and integrity are the prime character traits to look for in a general partner. To sound him out, ask for names of previous investors. They can tell you how much they invested, what 
returns were (compared to what was promised), how promptly the general partner provided financial statements, and whether 
the partnership was investigated by state agencies or the IRS. "An amazing number of people will put up thousands of dollars before taking a few hours to see what they're getting into," says Ray Jeffrey Cohen, a Chicago attorney with Ray Jeffrey Cohen & Associates. Caution is the key. If you're about to start a lawn care business of your own, it is important to choose a name that won't lead to confusion when it comes to name identification. So 
here's a list of procedures to go through in order that you can provide yourself with legal pro-tection. Ł First, choose a name that is as unconventional as possible. "Kodak is a classic example of that kind of trademark," says Collin. "It's become associated with a particular product and has no significance beyond that." Under normal circumstances, you're not going to run into some-
one else that has a similar mark. If you do, chances are they've bor-
rowed it from you. That's called 
misappropriation and under nor-mal circumstances, it's legally wrongful. Ł But even before selecting a distinctive name, it's important to registered. Virtually all states have provi-sions for registration of trademarks and service marks. Once you've passed that hurdle, you should next check with the United States Patent and Trademark office. "There are different ways to do this," said Collin. "One way is to go to the public library and look up a book called the Register of Trademarks. The United States Patent and Trademark office puts this out once a year and it lists all 
the patents and trademarks under different categories of goods and 
services." "Look under Class 42, which is Miscellaneous Services to see if anybody else has already regis-
tered the name you've selected. It would also be appropriate to look under some additional classes to make sure that the mark hasn't been registered under a trademark for a particular product, like fer-tilizer for instance." Ł After doing all that and if you've convinced yourself that you haven't found anyone that's got a name that is either identical 
or so close as to be confusingly similar to another name, then you may as well go ahead and start using that name. "It might be a good idea to keep a When this happens, the offending company can stand to lose not only its trade name, but thousands of dollars in legal fees. "It doesn't make business sense/' says Thomas Collin, a Cleveland attorney. "You should take the proper steps to legal protection." know whether or not any one else 
is using it. So you pull the name 
out of the air and hopefully, it's fanciful enough or sufficiently distinctive to be entitled to trade-mark protection. Before you start painting your name on all your trucks or spend thousands of dollars on advertis-ing, call the Secretary of State's 
office and inquire whether they have any record of that name being incorporated or whether they have that trademark or service mark To improve your lawn care business, justadd water. You've got a grow-ing business, we've got a growing business. Why not combine them? Installing under-ground automatic sprinkler systems is easy and profitable. And with quality controllers, heads and valves from Rain Bird, rainmakers to the world since 1933, your customer is assured the best 
system available. His lawn stays healthier and so do you. For more information on this money-making opportunity, contact your nearest Rain Bird distributor. Or write to us at the address below. We'll show you how easy it is to make more green while you make more green. Pji/A&BlfiD Bringing new ideas to life. 7045 N. Grand Avenue, Glendora, CA 91740 * Rain Bird is a registered trademanc of Rain Bird Sprinkler Mtg Corp Glendora California c 1978 Ram Bird Sprinkler Mfg Corp record of your investigation," said Collin. "After you've satisfied yourself that you've got a perfectly good mark you can use, then you can go ahead and start using the name on your trucks and adver-tisements. Then go ahead and 
register it with the Secretary of 
State's office in the state in which you reside." This may cost 20 or 25 dollars depending on the state you're in. Also, enclose a sample of your promotional material along with your application for registration. Ł If your business reaches the stage where it's operating in more than one state, then an application 
to register the trademark can be 
filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. There, the 
examiner will compare the mark 
and make a determination about whether or not it can be registered. "If it's sufficiently distinctive," said Collin, "the examiner will permit it to be registered in the trademark office. But because of 
the backlog of applications, it may take as long as a year or two. You simply have to be prepared to wait for that." At the end of that period a certificate of registration will be 
issued. This will give you the right to exclusive use of that particular mark nationwide and it's your strongest protection. "But it's not 
going to enable you to go back and eliminate small businesses in various parts of the country which were unknown to you when you began to use your name." "Your trademark operates pros-pectively," says Collin. It's not an 
infallible protection against legal 
suits, but it is proof and record of your good intention to follow up the letter of the law. the Reader Service numbers of those items of interest to you. Inquiries serviced for 90 days from date of issue. For those countries outside the U.S., please apply appropriate postage before mailing. READER SERVICE INFORMATION CARD 7-81 1 For more Information on products or services mentioned in this issue, circle the corresponding numbers below, fill in appropriate information and mail today. 101 108 115 122 129 136 143 150 157 164 171 178 185 192 199 206 213 220 227 234 102 109 116 123 130 137 144 151 158 165 172 179 186 193 200 207 214 221 228 235 103 110 117 124 131 138 145 152 159 166 173 180 187 194 201 208 215 222 229 236 104 111 118 125 132 139 146 153 160 167 174 181 188 195 202 209 216 223 230 237 105 112 119 126 133 140 147 154 161 168 175 182 189 196 203 210 217 224 231 238 106 113 120 127 134 141 148 155 162 169 176 183 190 197 204 211 218 225 232 239 107 114 121 128 135 142 149 156 163 170 177 184 191 198 205 212 219 226 233 240 PLEASE CHECK BELOW YOUR PRIMARY BUSINESS AT THIS LOCATION A CONTRACTOR OR SERVICES: ŁLawn care service business involved primarily with fertilization. weed. and insect control Please specify method of application: 10 Ł Liquid 11 DDry 12 DBoth 20 ŁPrimarily mowing/maintenance service 30 t landscape contractor/lawn service company 40 [ 1 Nursery or garden center/lawn service company 50 UPest control/lawn service company 60 nirrigation contractor/lawn service company B GROUNDS CARE/MAINTENANCE AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FACILITIES: 110 ŁPrivate or public estate 120 130 140 150 190 ŁSchool, college, university, hospital, or similar facility ŁCondominium housing development or industrial park 
ŁGovernment grounds: parks, around municipal buildings, military facilities C Cemetery or memonal garden ŁOther (please specify) C SUPPLIER 210 ŁChemical dealer or distributor 
220 : ] Equipment dealer or distributor 230 DSeed broker/dealer 240 DSod grower NAME BUSINESS NAME _ CITY _STATE_ .TITLE .ADDRESS. _TELEPH0NE_L ) AREA CODE I WISH TO RECEIVE (CONTINUE RECEIVING) LAWN CARE INDUSTRY EACH MONTH Ł YES Ł NO SIGNATURE DATE NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY CARD FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 665 DULUTH, MINNESOTA POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE READER SERVICE DEPARTMENT L4WN GIRE INDUSTRY POST OFFICE BOX 6200 DULUTH, MINNESOTA 55806 USEMTROFORM ® IN YOUR SPRAYS TO AVOID There are more acres of ornamental turf in many states than any other "crop." Because of that, overapplication of water-soluble nitrogen may constitute a major source of nitrates in groundwater. You can avoid the problem by using slow-release, water insoluble formulations containing 38% Powder BlueMNitroform.® Nitroform ureaform nitrogen is ecologically responsible. There is little or no leaching. No salt build-up, and it helps grass maintain good, green color between feedings. You can feed the roots while you feed the tops and still avoid flush top growth. Quick-release nitrogens feed the tops, resulting in too much top growth, with little or no root growth. Nitroform Powder Blue does not burn or streak. It can be mixed and applied with insect-icides and fungicides. Be environmentally responsible. Use Nitroform 38% nitrogen in your lawn sprays. If you prefer a dry product, specify Blue Chip\ Call your turf supplier or write for more information. NITROFORHf THE LONGEST FEEDING Ł Ł Ł Ł Ł FBC Chemicals, Inc. 4311 Lancaster Pike, Post Office Box 2867, Wilmington, Delaware 19805 © 1981 Š FBC Chemicals, Inc. 12 >* j LEHR ON LABOR LAW C/D D Q 2 < U z £ Subminimum wage unlikely under present congress The past month was an active one in the wage and hour and occupa-tional safety and health areas. In wage and hour matters, it is a "good news, bad news" situation. The bad news is that it is unlikely that this Congress will pass a youth subminimum wage. The good news is that is is also unlikely that the minimum salary levels for the administrative, executive and professional exemptions from the minimum wage and overtime requirements will be raised during this Con-gress. Additionally, the EEOC person-nel will be reduced in response to budget cuts, all of which means greater difficulty in the agency's ability to enforce various equal employment statutes. Finally, in a new Occupational Safety and Health Act develop-
ment, courts are requiring more information before issuing an OSHA inspector a warrant to search an employer's place of business. Not before '83. The Reagan administration has cautiously en-dorsed the concept of a youth subminimum wage, but it has not 
endorsed one of the three sub-minimum wage bills currently before the Senate. Senator Orrin Hatch has proposed a 75 percent wage differential payable to indi-viduals under 20 years of age for six months. Senator Percy proposes an 85 percent differential, and Senator Nickles proposes to exempt those under 18 years of age from all minimum wage provisions of the 
Fair Labor Standards Act. The difficulty that inhibits the Reagan administration from en-dorsing a specific legislative pro-
posal is that there does not appear to be evidence that a minimum wage differential would have much of an impact on youth 
unemployment or on inflation. 
Without this economic base for revising the minimum wage 
standard, it is unlikely that the 
Reagan administration would give its full support to this type of legislation. Salary tests dubious. It is un-likely that the Reagan adminis-tration will permit the Department of Labor to increase the salary tests for executive, administrative, and professional exemptions to the 
minimum wage and overtime pro-visions. Currently, if a non-exempt employe works 40 hours a week at the minimun wage, he will earn $140.00. The minimum salary level for the "long test" exemption 
for executive and administrative employes is $155.00, and $170.00 a week or more for professional employes. The "short test" is $250.00 a week or more for all executive, administrative and professional 
employes. Thus, there is only a $150.00 difference in the minimum salary level for the 
exemption compared to the minimum wage multiplied over a 40 hour work week. Historically, the minimum sal-ary levels for the exemptions have 
usually been twice the minimum wage for a 40 hour work week. 
Employers are getting a fair deal from the Department of Labor on 
the salary levels. On the other hand, more complaints are made to the Department of Labor re-garding an improper claim of the 
executive, administrative, or pro-
fessional exemption. In sum, though it is likely that lawn care employes will have at least two years to claim these exemptions at the low salary levels, lawn care employers should critically analyze the other factors which are required for 
these exemptions. OSHA Developments. If an in-spector from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration knocks on a lawn care employer's door, the lawn care employer has 
every legal right to ask the in-spector to get a warrant from a 
United States magistrate. The amount of time it takes an OSHA inspector to get the warrant may 
make the difference between the lawn care employer identifying a potential violation and remedying it before the OSHA inspector re-turns. A recent case discussed the amount of information an OSHA inspector must submit to the magistrate for the magistrate to issue a warrant. A federal magis-trate issued a warrant on the basis of a written affidavit, which re-ported complaints about respira-tory equipment, safety belts, hard hats, and faulty tires at the Horn Seed Company of Oklahoma City. The OSHA inspector could not identify the complainants as 
employes and was not certain who from OSHA received the initial 
telephone complaint. The court held that although the standard for issuing a warrant in OSHA cases is not the same "prob-able cause" standard as in criminal 
cases, "there must be some knowl-edge of the facts surrounding the 
receipt of a complaint by the 
affiant, and showing of the stand-ing of the complainant as an employe or employe representa-tive of respondant employer." In essence, a lawn care employer who requests the OSHA inspector to obtain a warrant is not going through a fruitless motion. Such a request will force the OSHA in-spector to disclose enough infor-mation to a United States magis-trate so that the magistrate deter-mines that a warrant is appropriate before the OSHA inspector in-trudes into the lawn care employer's business. Some \ Any turfgrass seed works KENTUCKY BUIEGRASS IS DESIGNED TO WORK IN THE REAL WORLD. TURF MAINTENANCE ChemLawn begins renovation program to halt mounting damage employer's have asked whether or not it is a better strategy to try and accomodate the OSHA inspector, instead of asking him to get a warrant. Remember that the OSHA inspector who shows up at the 
lawn employer's work place is not there to help the lawn care employer. Furthermore, if there is 
a possibility that the OSHA in-spector does not have a justified legal basis for searching the lawn care employer's place of business, 
then why should the lawn care employer permit an inspection 
without a warrant? In next month's issue, we will discuss what a lawn care employer should do if he sees the Teamsters 
or another union passing out au-
thorization cards or literature in front of his door as he arrives at the shop or office in the morning. -Richard Lehr is an attorney with the Birmingham Jaw firm of Sirote, Per-mutt, Friend, Friedman, Held & Apolinsky and a frequent contributor to Lawn Care Industry. While the lawn care industry con-tinues to grow at an annual rate of 15 to 20 percent, ChemLawn of Columbus, Ohio, has turned an innovative approach and an un-conditional guarantee into a 42 percent growth rate and a nation-wide clientele of more than 800,000 homeowners. One of the strongest con-tributors to ChemLawn's success has been its interest in spe-cialization. The firm's lawn care 
specialists do not mow, seed, or perform any of the more labor 
intensive lawn care jobs. Rather, 
they concentrate their time and energies on doing the best possible 
job of herbicide, fertilizer and insecticide application. " A good looking lawn is our best advertisement," says Jack Van 
Fossen, ChemLawn's 41 year-old president. "We are willing to stand behind all the work we do and will go to any expense to insure the satisfaction of our customers. I think the fact that we are well-
established and willing to stand behind our work has played a large part in our success and growth," he said. ChemLawn has research centers in Columbus, Atlanta, and Boyn-ton Beach, Florida to provide support for their regional ag-ronomists. These agronomists rep-
resent the company's quality con-trol and are themselves highly qualified. Gary Custis, St. Louis i' well with constant attention. RUGBY KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS. IT DOESN'T NEED CODDLING TO LOOK GREAT As a turf professional, you know all the tricks to making grass look terrific. You lavish water and fertilizer on it, overseed, apply herbicides, and take great care in mowing. But times are changing. Increasingly you're finding yourself pinched by escalating costs for materials and labor. And there's a growing movement among environmentalists to lessen depend-
ence on fertilizers. Rugby Kentucky Bluegrass answers these problems. YEARS OF TESTING. Rugby is a new Kentucky bluegrass. But it's not unproven. 
Before it was ready to be introduced to you, years of extensive testing were performed under a broad range of climatic and soil conditions. Test sites were located not only in the United States, but Canada as well. The results? Our testing has shown Rugby to be unique. It's a truly different variety from anything else on the market, with superior performance. How is it superior? Read on. A TRUE LOW-MAINTENANCE TURF. The most singular advantage of Rugby is its ability to provide high-quality dark green turf when maintained at low nitrogen fertility and restricted moisture levels. Most improved Kentucky bluegrass varieties are not low-fertility types. You may be told they performed well in turf trials. Unfortunately, 
you're not told that those trials are 
often conducted using optimum nitrogen levels. So it's no wonder you have to fertilize the heck out of these varieties to get good results. Not so with Rugby. You can actually get better results with Rugby than with other Kentucky bluegrass varieties while using less nitrogen fertilizer. And you'll also save on the labor it would take to apply that extra fertilizer and to do the extra mowing. A HIGH-QUALITY TURF. But no matter how much we tell you about the low-maintenance aspects of Rugby, ultimately you look for Š and demand Š superior turf. Your i)rofessional standards wouldn't settle 
or anything less. And we wouldn't want it any other way. Rugby has a rapid spring green-up rate and excellent fall color. And it also displays sustained growth during the mid-summer heat stress period, even under low nitrogen fertility and restricted moisture. Moreover; Rugby possesses a high level of resistance to most of the common and current turfgrass 
diseases. This is another factor which may well result in significant savings in turf management costs. THE ENVIRONMENTALIST'S GRASS. Using less water and fertilizer means potential dollar savings for you, of course. But you can also take satisfaction in the fact you'll be using fewer natural resources. By now you're well aware of the increasing social consciousness among the population in this regard. And by making available a Kentucky bluegrass that fits the world of the '80's, we believe we're fulfilling an important need. For more information on Rugby, write Rugby Kentucky Bluegrass, RO. Box 923, Minneapolis, MN 55440. KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS For low maintenance turf regional agronomist, for example, holds degrees in both Agricultural 
Engineering and Plant Science from the University of Delaware and a M.S. degree in Agronomy from Virginia Tech. A good understanding. Along with his formal education, Custis spent a year "on the truck" as one 
of the company's lawn specialists before settling into his office. "That year out in the field gave me 
an understanding of our custom-
ers' problens and needs," Custis 
said. "It gave me a good sense of 
how I would be applying what I 
had learned." Custis's region covers St. Louis, Kansas City, Topeka, Quad Cities, 
Springfield, Lincoln and Omaha, and a large part of his job is working with lawn specialists to help insure that their programs meet the specific needs of each 
area and each customer. "In the St. Louis area, we go with two well-established programs, a warm season program and a cool 
season grass program," he said, adding that weather conditions, grass variety, and other variables are considered carefully in choosing correct chemical appli-
cation rates and timing. The spring program is a preemergence appli-
cation of Betasan and Dacthal for annual grass control. Like all other chemicals, the Betasan and Dact-hal are applied from either an 800 or 1,200 gallon tank. Combined with a complete ap-plication of fertilizer, viewed by the company as the "backbone" of good lawn care, is a tank mix of 2,4-D and dicamba for dandelion and broadleaf control. In late May or early June, another fertilizer application is made, this time 
mixed with Dursban for control of sod web worms, cutworms and armyworms. ChemLawn's applicators also apply Diazinon 
for grub control on an as-needed 
basis. In early fall, another complete fertilizer application made in combination with 2,4-D and Di-
camba for broadleaf control kicks off the program. A follow-up ap-plication of fertilizer is then made as late in the fall as possible to 
complete ChemLawn's eight month season, lasting from April through December. Educating the customer. Ac-cording to Custis, most customers contact them due to problems with weeds. "As a result, they are usually pleased with us the first 
year when there's a dramatic re-duction in their weed problem," he comments. "But, it becomes harder to show them results year after year. We have to educate our 
customers," he said. "Lawn care is an ongoing maintenance effort. It's when we stop doing it that they 
really see the difference." One perhaps more visible serv-ice that certainly holds great pro-mise for the company's future growth is turf renovation. "We are 
stressing either spot or complete renovation for many of our cus-tomers," says Custis. "The idea is 
to provide them with a grass that is better suited to this area than what they might be having trouble with now." In most cases, Custis recom-mends a tall fescue in place of the to page 30 INSIDE THE INDUSTRY > a C/3 D Q g i < U Keeping employees motivated by Ronnie L. Zwiebel, President Chem-Care Lawn Service of Alabama Birmingham, Alabama Personnel management is perhaps the most difficult aspect of managing a lawn care company. But perhaps a better word than management would be motivation. It has always been my contention that if a person is properly motivated, the management will fall easily into place. What motivates people? In a recent survey at my company, these items were mentioned, in order of importance: Ł Money 
Ł Job satisfaction Ł Job security 
Ł Position or title Ł Hours to work 
Ł Chances for advancement Ł Benefits 
Ł Retirement program Money was the big leader of this group. This of course brings us to our next point. How do we pay our people? Without getting into great detail, let's outline some of the options available. Four pay systems Basically, you can pay one of four ways: (1) by the hour; (2) on a salary system; (3) on a commission based on productivity; or (4) a 
hybrid combination of two or more of these 
options. How do each of these systems work? The hourly rate is the easiest for the employe to 
understand. They are paid a set figure for each hour they work up to 40 hours per week, and then IV2 times that rate for each hour over 40 hours. For 1981, the minimum wage is $3.35 per hour for regular hours. Although this is a positive pay system for hours spent at work, it offers no incentive for increased or 
improved productivity other than raises in the future, based on the employer's decisions. The salary type of pay can be divided into two types Š a flat salary such as most owners and managers are paid and the fluctuating work week. We all know about the flat salary, but what is a fluctuating work week? Let's assume for a minute that Sam Sprayer is paid $200 per week on a fluctuating work week 
program. This means Sam will be paid $200 for all hours up to and including 40 each week. He earns a regularly hourly rate of $5 per hour based on 40 hours. Fluctuating pay system But last week it rained several days and poor Sam could only work 20 hours. On the fluctuating system, he must still be paid the same $200. This applies even if he only works one hour. Next week if the weather is good Sam will need to work overtime to catch up. He has to work 50 hours. Now how is he paid? The $200 is for regular hourly pay. That means $200 divided by 50 equals $4 per hour, regular time for all 50 hours. Since Sam worked over 40 hours in a given week, he must be paid half time for overtime only. His hourly rate was $4. Thus, $4 divided by two or times one-half equals $2 per hour half time still owed. Two dollars times 10 hours overtime means Sam will be paid an additional $20 for the week he 
worked 50 hours. With this system, the computed regular hourly rate must not fall below minimum wage. If it does, the minimum rate would apply. The fluctuating work week provides better budgeting stability. The hourly rate is easier for employes to understand and the flat 
salary in some instances is not allowed by the 
Department of Labor. Increasing scale of commission pay I can't say one method is better than another, but I can relate to you what happened at Chem-Care. We were having many problems with our applicators until about four years ago. We went to our people 
and said that we only had X amount of dollars 
that could be paid out for work levels. Then we asked them what method of pay they wanted, and how we could make it serve as an incentive to do more and better production. We came up with an increasing scale of commission pay based on monthly prod-
uctivity. The way it works is the more production a worker does, the higher the 
percentage the worker is paid for each level of 
productivity. Thus, he and the weatherman have almost complete control over how much 
he sprays and more importantly, how much 
he earns. The one problem we have experienced is that it is difficult to get the applicator interested in generating and making truck sales. Some of them feel our bonus system for truck sales does not adequately compensate 
for lost production Š while others are adding much to their income through selling new accounts. Health and life insurance Another lawn care businessman I know has an agreement that states a guaranteed salary based on so many hours of work per week plus a small percentage of production done by the applicator. These employes have two ways to increase their income. One is by 
spraying more and the other way is through 
an increased base level by job quality, length of time employed, experience, etc. What are the nore common benefits being provided by employe-concerned companies? Health insurance would seem to head the list. Some companies allow access to and provide administration of group plans only, while others have a cost-sharing progran. Some 
companies such as ours elect to pay 100 percent of the expense in an effort to increase the non-taxed job benefits and not reduce the after-tax value of the employe's income. Along these same lines, and usually on the same insurance policy, falls life insurance. The amount of insurance is usually a flat rate per employe, or a flat rate based on the level of responsibility, or a rate based on the income level of the employe. At Chem-Care our program allows for up to four different levels of insurance coverage with the coverage 
being based on a level that is approximately each group's average salaries. Intangible factors What about all of the intangible factors that affect the personnel who are responsible for managing? I think that it is interesting to note that in our survey, job satisfaction and job 
security were important considerations of a job. The important point to remember is that a good attitude must start at the top and work its way down through the ranks. What is it that makes a good attitude important? The best example of a person with a good attitude is a person with pride. Pride in himself first Š 
pride in the way he looks, pride in his work, 
pride in his equipment and pride in his company. Look around you. Aren't the people that come in every morning on time, that are fresh-looking and ready-to-go the people that you have the least problems with with poor 
quality work and probably have the least 
equipment breakdowns. It has always been my observation in our type of business that a person who has a sloppy truck will usually do poor quality work. Compensation based on merit If he takes pride in his equipment, he will care for it. It will function better, thus increasing his production, thus increasing his income, thus increasing his job satisfac-tion, thus increasing his pride Š well, you get the picture. That same person is the one that usually has the least service calls and complaints for human errors such as missed areas or leaving the gate open or stupid things like that. Let's face it, the intangible things and the way you as a manager handle them, is what is going to make or break you as a supervisor. What can you do to encourage the development of these intangibles such as job satisfaction, job 
security and personal pride in your fellow 
workers? Employes should know that you the lawn care employer is sincerely committed to making the company a good place to work. This commitment emphasizes working to-gether as a company to prosper, initiate programs and resolve disputes. Com-
municating with them is a key part of the 
overall plan. Salaries and wages are important in this area also. Equally significant is favoritism in Circle No. 115 on Reader Inquiry Card Now, one-shot white grub control. One application controls white grubs from season-to-season. OFTANOL delivers unparal-leled residual control of white grubs. In fact, you can expect one application of OFTANOL at the highest recommended rate to control white grubs until about the same time next year. OFTANOL also offers these additional advantages compared to present white 
grub materials: Ł OFTANOL does not require watering-in. Ł OFTANOL does not tie-up in thatch. Ł OFTANOL does not require critical application timing. One application. Once a year. That's the OFTANOL one-shot advantage. orrANOLtt OrtnJm Hwctoa. «Sr.SJtob'S^ _ Š New, ¡¡¡¡g one-shot ^r white grub control. Mobay Chemical Corporation Agricultural Chemicals Division Specialty Chemicals Group Box 4913, Kansas City, MO 64120 There's only one insecticide that controls white grubs from season-to-season. New OFTANOL insecticide from Mobay. OFTANOL also controls these major turf insects. OFTANOL has been proven effective for control of sod webworm, Hyper-odes weevil, billbugs and chinch bugs. Consult the product label for the proper timing for control of these pests. New OFTANOL. For one-shot white grub control and in-season control of other pests. Available from many leading turf chemical suppliers. The use of OFTANOL for turf pest control is registered in many states. Check with your 
state extension office for details. SOD WEBWORM BILLBUG Ä Mobay Chemical Corporation Agricultural Chemicals Division Specialty Chemicals Group Box 4913, Kansas City, MO 64120 OFTANOL and BAYLETON are Reg. TM s of the Parent Company of Farbenfabriken Bayer GmbH. Leverkusen. CHINCH BUG HYPERODES WEEVIL MAIL TO: Mobay Chemical Corporation Agricultural Chemicals Division Specialty Chemicals Group Box 4913, Kansas City, MO 64120 Send the new OFTANOL Fact Sheet to: Name Company Address _ City What are your major turf pests? . State _ .ZIP What are your major turf diseases? Who is your turf chemical distributor? Ł Yes. I would like to receive the ^BAYLETON Turf Fungicide Fact Book. OFTANOL Fact Sheet To learn more about OFTANOL, just fill out this card and mail it today. We'll send you the all-new OFTANOL Fact Sheet by return mail. 8181 Printed in U.S.A. compensation, which gnaws at employe morale. Salary differences should be based on the objective factors of merit, productivity or seniority, but not favoritism. Employes com-pare pay stubs. Make sure you don't have any surprises waiting for them. Supervisors as the good guys Many employes today generally project poor morale and a low feeling of self-worth. Many employes feel that they are replaceable and unimportant as individuals. To begin reversing this negative mindset, lawn care 
employers should let employes know about 
their essential contributions to the overall success of the lawn care business. If an enploye does something extra-ordinary, recognize him for that with a small bonus. The combination of the recognition, money and attention expressed to an employe 
in that situation is worth more dollars in the future by either inspiring greater employe productivity or by reinforcing that employe's company loyalty. If a bonus is awarded, the supervisor should make the presentation. Too often, supervisors are perceived as carriers of bad news, such as disciplining or layoffs. A supervisor who gives a bonus will contribute to good relations with those 
employes. What can you as a manager of a company do to encourage good attitudes? At Chem-Care we take two major approaches and a bunch of little steps to show our employes that we respect them as individuals and want to encourage them to better themselves within 
our organization. Four days each year, two in the fall and two in the spring, are set aside for classroom training. We pack up our projectors, slides, people and notes and head for the Holiday Inn meeting room and get down to some serious learning. We have invited people 
from local trade schools, the Extension Service and chemical representatives to par-ticipate and offer their views on varying subjects from insects and disease to safe pesticide handling procedures. Promotion from within We also encourage all of our employes to give at least one 15-minute talk on subjects 
such as rebuilding a pressure relief valve or trouble-shooting a pumping system, in a 
session. We have found a better-trained 
employe is more enthusiastic and in many cases, more efficient because he can save 
another person a trip to the lawn because he is able to answer questions for a customer that he might otherwise have been unable to do. In addition to this, we provide each employe, when he starts, with a Chem-Care training manual. We make an effort to promote from within our ranks rather than just hiring middle management positions from college graduate ranks. As many of you know, based on the number of graduates, getting a quality graduate is next to impossible. With this in mind, the training program is a two-fold program. It gives our people the opportunity to participate and improve themselves, plus it gives the company a better-trained base to expand from. Salt on the wounds During our spring session we show our employes our cash flow projections for the upcoming year. This serves two purposes. It lets them realize what is expected of each of them and makes them realize their salary is not the only expense to come out of the dollars of production they bring in. Sometimes our applicators lose sight of the fact that just because they may bring in $10-11,000 in one month's production and only take home $1,200-1,400, the other 
$9,500 or so is not being used just to fatten the boss's wallet. Truck expense, chemicals, other people's salaries are just a few of the major expenses. Periodically on rainy days, we try to update our people as to what was projected to date Personnel management 'Zwiebelisms' Salary differentials should not be based on favoritism. Employes compare pay stubs. Don't surprise them. If an employe does something extraordinary, recognize him with a small bonus. This will pay for itself by inspiring greater productivity. Competition among applica-tors is encouraged by a posted chart comparing quotas and actual production. We show our employes cash flow projections for the year. It lets them know what is ex-pected, and shows them that their salary is not the only expense coming out of pro-duction dollars. and what has actually been spent in each category. This gives them and us an opportu-
nity to see our shortcoming either in prod-uctivity or as in projections of expense and shows all of us where adjustments are needed to make projections more accurate. Competition among applicators is encour-aged through the use of a chart showing how 
much production is expected of each 
applicator to date and how much he actually 
has done for the month. A chart is also posted showing the company goal and progress to date. Most of the applicators don't particu-
larly like being behind the "to-date" amount for the month but hate to be behind some of 
the other applicators. Since our applicators' pay system is based on a commission system, at the end of the month, to further throw salt on the wound, we note each applicator's gross pay for that month on the chart for all to see. In addition, each day an applicator works after reaching 
his personal monthly goal, he will receive a winter day off with pay as encouragement to exceed the goal. 'Spray, Gypsy, Spray' To reduce the "Spray, Gypsy, Spray," attitude, each applicator is responsible for 
correcting his errors such as missed areas or sloppy applications and customers that question whether they got the application or not are handled by the applicator. Good personnel management should start before these points. Before filling out an 
employment application, an applicant 
should be given a job description that includes hours, duties and responsibilities. A 
salesman should know his job requirements, hours and where and what he will sell. Production employes should know their 
conditions of work, such as long hours during the hot summer. Job descriptions are essential 
because some individuals will eliminate 
themselves from consideration before filling 
out an application. This way, potentially dissatisfied employes do not even enter the work force. Pre-hire screening Assuming that an individual still wants to apply for a job, the application must solicit information for making a non-discriminatory employment decision. The use of objective factors must also be job-related. That is, the 
factor of a college education, while objective, must be absolutely unrelated to one's ability to work as a general laborer. An employment application should re-quest only that information which is relevant to successfully performing the job. For example, applicator job-related questions for production personnel may include their past driving record, and drinking and driving related offenses, etc. Remember, this would not be an acceptable question to ask a potential secretary, since driving will not be part of her job-related responsibilities. Other job-related questions on an applica-tion include what duties were performed at 
the last job, the number of days absent or late at the last job, and why the applicant is applying for the production job. Let employe know what to expect Once the decision has been made to hire an individual, the personnel policy should be explained to him. The individual should sign a slip that is attached to the policy which states he has read the policy and understands its terms. At this point, the personnel file will 
include the employment application, tax withholding information, and the slip. Look at the person before he is hired. Look at the image and attitudes you and your company project. Does the potential employe know what is expected of him prior to accepting the job? Does he know and under-
stand what he or she can expect fron the 
company? Does the applicant possess the mental capabilities to do the job you will be expecting of him? The pre-employment introduction does not have to be lengthy and detailed but it must be complete. We have pre-employment intro-duction to Chem-Care that covers 18 different points in paragraphs covering topics such as working schedule, including Saturdays, tools furnished by employes, paid holidays and vacation, all the way through our position on 
jury duty. The point is that they are covered 
and misunderstandings have been greatly 
reduced. Nobody likes bad surprises Š 
neither the employe or the employer. This has 
helped us. >« S > oc H CO ZJ Q g i < u 2 £ MEETING DATES Ohio State Research Field Day, Ohio State University Turfgrass Research Field Facil-ity, Columbus, OH, August 4. Contact: Dr. Keith J. Karnok, 1827 Neil Avenue, Colum-bus, OH 43210, 614-422-2591. University of Missouri Turf Field Day, University of Missouri South Farms, Au-gust 4. Contact: John H. Dunn, Horticulture Department, University of Missouri, Col-umbia, MO 65211 University of Nebraska Turf Field Day and Equipment Show, Mead, August 4. Contact: Dr. Robert Shearman, University of Neb-raska, 377 Plant Science Building, Lincoln, NE 68503, 402-472-1143. Central Plains Turf Foundation/Kansas State University Turf Field Day, Manhat-tan, August 12. Contact: Dr. Robert Carrow, Kansas State University, Dept. of Horticul-ture, Waters Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, 913-532-6170. Garden and Outdoor Living Division of the 1981 National Hardware Show, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, August 17-20. Contact: Samuel Black, Ted Black, Inc., 535 N. Fifth Street, Reading, PA 19601, 215-373-4267. University of Rhode Island Turfgrass Field Day, Kingston, August 26. Contact: Dr. C. Richard Skogley, Agronomy Dept., Univer-
sity of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881. 1981 Garden Industry of America Confer-ence and Trade Show, Sept. 10-11-12, 
Pittsburgh Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA. Annual Alabama Turfgrass Conference, Auburn, AL, September 14, 15. Contact: K. M. Sheffer, Extention Hall, Auburn Univer-sity, AL 36849, 205-826-4985. Virginia Tech Turfgrass Field Days, BlacKsburg, Sept. 15-17. Contact: Dr. Jonn R. Hall, 421 Smyth Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 703-961-5797. National Lawn and Garden Distributors Association Annual Conference, Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 15-18. Con-tact: Nancy S. Irving, NLGDA, 1900 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, 215-564-3484. Pacific Horticultural Trade Show, spon-sored by the California Association of Nurserymen, September 23-25, Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CA; Con-
tact: Richard Staples, manager, Pacific Horticultural Trade Show, 1419 21st Street, Sacramento, CA 94814, (916) 443-7373. Symposium on Turfgrass Weeds Š 1981, Sheraton-Columbus Hotel, Columbus, OH, October 14, 15. Contact: Dr. B. G. Joyner, Plant Diagnostic Labs, ChemLawn Corp., 
6969 Worthington-Galena Rd., Suite L, Worthington, OH 43085, 614-885-9588. 1981 Chemlawn Turf Symposium, Oct. 14-15; Contact: Dr. B. G. Joyner, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Chemlawn Corporation, 6969 Worthington-Galena Road, Suite L, 
Worthington, Ohio 43085. Florida Turf-Grass Association Confer-ence and Show, Orlando, Oct. 18-21. 
Contact: Nona Murphy, Florida Turf-Grass Association, 1520 Edgewater Dr., Suite E, 
Orlando, FL 32804, 305-425-1581. Professional Grounds Management Soci-ety Annual Conference and Trade Show, 
Portland Marriott Hotel, Portland, OR, November 3, 4. Contact Allan Shulder, Executive Director, PGMS, 7 Church Lane, 
Pikesville, MD 21208, 301-653-2742. 21st Annual Missouri Lawn and Turf Conference, Ramada Inn, Columbia, Mis-souri, November 3, 4. Contact: Nicholas Palo or Cathy Martin, Conference and Short Courses, 344 Hearnes Bldg., University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. National Institute on Park and Grounds 
Management Educational Conference and Trade Show, Muehlebach Hotel and Con-vention Center, Kansas City, MO. Contact: National Institute on Park and Grounds 
Management, P.O. Box 1936, Appleton, WI 54913, 414-733-2301. Atlantic Seedsmen's Association Conven-tion, Biltmore Plaza, Providence, R.I., November 4, 5,6. Contact: Margaret Herbst, 
Executive Secretary, ASA, 230 Park Av-
enue, New York, N.Y. 10017. New York Turfgrass Conference and Trade 
Show, Empire State Plaza, Albany, N.Y., Nov. 16-19. Contact: Ann Reilly, 210 Cartwright Blvd., Massapequa Park, NY 11762, 516-541-6902. Professional Lawn Care Association of America Conference and Trade Show, Commonwealth Convention Center, Louis-ville, Ky., Nov. 18-20. Contact: Jane Stecker, PLCAA, Suite 1717, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, 312-644-0828. Ohio Turfgrass Conference and Show, Columbus Hyatt House, Dec. 1-3. Contact: Dr. John Street, 1827 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, 614-422-2592. Texas Turfgrass Conference, College Sta-tion, Texas, Dec. 7-9. Contact: Dr. Richard L. Duble, 349 Soil & Crop Science Center, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, 713-845-4826. Nebraska Turfgrass Foundation Confer-
ence & Trade Show, Holiday Inn Conven-tion Center, Omaha, January 12-14, 1982. Contact: Paul Bergman, 2428 W. 11th, Hastings, Nebraska 68901; (402) 463-5055. 1982 A.L.C. A. Trade Exhibit, Riviera Hotel, Palm Springs, CA, Jan. 26, 1982. Contact ALCA Exhibit Manager, 1750 Old Meadow Road, McLean, VA 22102. H They should have used Sulfate of Potash." Lawn burn! A result of high summer temperatures and too much chloride. That's why you should fertilize with GSL's Sulfate of Potash. Sulfate of Potash is nearly chloride free and has a salt index of 0.85 vs. 1.94 for Muriate of Potash so there is far less chance of burning lawns and gardens if mistakenly over applied or spread unevenly. That means you avoid expensive, time consuming customer call backs. The safest and the most effective potash money can buy! In addition to its low salt index, GSL's Sulfate of Potash contains 18% sulfur. This means better disease resistance to Fusarium Patch, Ophrobolus Patch, Dollar Spot Fungus and Powdery Mildew. It is also effective in supressing Poa Annua. And it's excellent potassium sulfur ratio increases grass response to nitrogen, phosphate and other nutrients. Build your business and add to your profits by keeping your customers satisfied. Use GSL's Sulfate of Potash in any of several grades for solutions, 
granulated, blended or suspension products. Call or write us for complete agronomic information. Great Salt Lake Minerals & Chemicals Corp. P.O. Box 1190 Ł Ogden, Utah 84402 Ł (801) 731-3100 Western Office: P.O. Box 14761, Spokane, Wa. 99214 Ł (509) 928-2747 Northeast Office: 880 Rosedale Ave., Marion, Oh. 43302 Ł (614) 382-5304 Southeast Office: P.O. Box 1102, Smyrna, Ga. 30081 Ł (404) 977-2322 A subsidiary of Gulf Resources & Chemical Corporation Ł Houston Circle No. 122 on Reader Inquiry Card EXCELS economical new HUS-TLER 261 with 60" deck offers un-paralleled performance with a sur-prisingly low price tag. Superior engineering also gives the 261 fea-tures that keep productivity up and 
operating costs down. The HUSTLER'S exclusive, dual-hydrostatic system powers both drive wheels independently. Twin levers, 
one actuating each drive wheel, con-
trol forward, reverse, ground speed, turning and braking action to give the operator one-hand control to move 
the unit at infinite speeds, in any direc-tion. This infinite maneuverability plus the floating action of the 3-way deck 
and short wheelbase lets you cut trimming time around any obstacle. Designed for year round produc-tivity, 261 attachments include 60" 3-way deck, edger, 60" dozer blade, V-blade, utility scoop, rotary broom, tilt-deck trailer and more. There's four season productivity with the 261. Call toll free 1-800-835-3260, or write for the name of your EXCEL distributor and free literature. He'll be 
glad to set up an EXCEL HUSTLER field demonstration for you. Infinite maneuverability within its own radius with total control in the palm of one hand! The choice of the Pros. EXCEL Turf & Grounds Equipment GM-5-181 Circle No. 109 on Reader Inquiry Card sS5£r low Pr,cC' Ł ..Vf' PHI Another fine, quality-controlled product of 
Jacklin Seed Company. Glade grows in up to 60% shade What's your problemŠtrees with only a straggle of grass? Near sides of build-ings with bleak tufts of pale green? Maybe Glade can help! Sow it under trees and beside buildings. Glade will grow in up to 60% shade because of improved resistance to powdery mildew. Glade has a better-than-average resist-ance to Fusarium blight, making it a prime ingredient in professional turf-
grass mixes. and in 100% sun. Open sunny stretches are equally perfect for Glade's deep green turf. Glade's rhizome and root system form a deep, close-knitted sod. Low-growing, Glade germi-nates and establishes quickly. A Rutgers selection (tested as P-29), Glade Kentucky bluegrass is your guarantee of physically pure and genetically true seeds. Ask for Glade at your local wholesale seed distributor. Kentucky bluegrass U.S. Plant Patent 3151 Circle No. 112 on Reader Inquiry Card PRODUCTS Lawn care irrigation equipment Irrigation without removing soil or turf The Pipe-Piper Model 180 from Turfco Sod Master simplifies the installation of sprinkling systems. Trenches, backfilling and lawn repair are a thing of the past 
because the Pipe-Piper buries flexible and semi-flexible pipe as large as one and three-quarter inches in a single operation. One man can do the complete job, burying pipe at speeds up to 75 feet per minute. The Pipe Piper is easily maneuvered around trees, 
shrubs, walks, and other obstacles 
Š thus eliminating a great deal of splicing. The Pipe Piper burying method, employing an oscillating tunnel-ing element, pulls the pipe under-ground. No turf or earth is re-moved. Only a barely noticeable slit in the turf remains after the pipe is buried, which usually disappears in a few days. Circle No. 150 on Reader Inquiry Card Program your irrigation needs The 900 series controller from Batrow Inc. contains the features to satisfy all your irrigation re-quirements: Individual station control Š timing in unlimited combinations of watering dura-tions Š 0-60 minimum per station Š terminal strip for ease of instal-lation Š circuit breaker Š master valve Š pump circuit Š new program started every hour. Circle No. 151 on Reader Inquiry Card Spray jet irrigates areas at low volume A new low-volume spray jet is now available from Olson Irrigation Systems. The Geor-Jet operates at low pressures ranging from five to 30 psi, distributing water in a 300 degree spray which minimizes 
water on tree trunks and foliage 
while covering a wide surface area. Output capacities range from 1.4 to 27.1 gph. The Geor-Jet features one-piece nylon construction which elimi-nates assembly labor and possible problems with "popped tops." Its threaded stem provides quick, positive attachment to tubing or pipe. Circle No. 152 on Reader Inquiry Card Battery operated solenoid systems A new battery or electric solenoid system that can automate any manufacturer's irrigation valves is being marketed by Dayni Controls for the lawn care businessman. The Dayni Solenoid system can automate from one to five valves ranging in size from 3A to 24 inch at 
a reasonable cost. It has solid state 
reliability and is easy to install. The system features advanced technology and offers versatile irrigation capabilities. It can be easily incorporated into existing irrigation systems. Circle No. 153 on Reader Inquiry Card Deliver your water on time Time-A-Matic from Melnor In-dustries is an automatic discharge timer for lawn sprinklers which will help you beat the water shortage problem facing much of the industry today. The new Time-A-Matic line in-cludes the #101 improved water timer that offers more features at a lower cost. It has 48 settings, each an exact amount measurement of water and delivers up to 1600 gallons in a single setting. It includes a continuous flow setting 
when a non-timed water delivery is needed, so it never has to be removed from the faucet. On this setting, flow rate can be adjusted from high to low. The #101 is sold alone and in combination packages where it's paired with Melnor's best selling oscillators. Two pulsator WE'RE GROWING! Building and maintaining a business on a profitable basis depends upon KNOWLEDGE and EXPERIENCE. PLCAA can give you that knowledge and experience. Grow with us! Ł Attend Regional Seminars and Conven-tionsŠwhere small groups get together to exchange ideas and share experiences. Re-ports are that members attending these seminars "find out what does and does not work." Ł Control your Business CostsŠMembers now have PLCAA's Standard Chart of Ac-counts for better accounting to control costs. Accountants can adapt their records to allow for comparison of members' operating expenses with those of the in-dustry average. Ł Put Industry Technical Resource Informa-tion to Good UseŠPLCAA is now com-pleting a reference manual which will in-clude valuable material covering: ŠGlossary of Terms ŠRegulatory Contacts ŠTurf Contacts ŠWaste Control ŠPesticide Safety 
ŠHandling and Storage of Pesticides Ł Participate in PLCAA's Insurance Plans Š Our casualty and workmen's compensation plans alone can save you many dollars. Ł Add your Voice to IndustryŠwhen regu-latory matters at federal, state and local level impinge on members' operations. The more members, the stronger the voice! Don't stand alone. Participating in your trade association's growth can save you valuable time and money. Invest now and be one of the top profitable businesses in the lawn care market. Grow with us! ARE T0U? Tell me more. The Professional Lawn Care Association is growing! Together we can make things happen. Grow with us. Complete this application for further information and mail it today. NAME. .TITLE _ COMPANY-STREET CITY-.STATE. -ZIP-Mail to: PLCAA, Suite 1717 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611 I Professional Lawn Care Association of America to page 25 Circle the Reader Service numbers of those items of interest to you. Inquiries serviced for 90 days from date of issue. For those countries outside the U.S., please apply appropriate postage before mailing. READER SERVICE INFORMATION CARD 7-81 2 For more information on products or services mentioned in this issue, circle the corresponding numbers below, fill in appropriate information and mail today. 101 108 115 122 129 136 143 150 157 164 171 178 185 192 199 206 213 220 227 234 102 109 116 123 130 137 144 151 158 165 172 179 186 193 200 207 214 221 228 235 103 110 117 124 131 138 145 152 159 166 173 180 187 194 201 208 215 222 229 236 104 111 118 125 132 139 146 153 160 167 174 181 188 195 202 209 216 223 230 237 105 112 119 126 133 140 147 154 161 168 175 182 189 196 203 210 217 224 231 238 106 113 120 127 134 141 148 155 162 169 176 183 190 197 204 211 218 225 232 239 107 114 121 128 135 142 149 156 163 170 177 184 191 198 205 212 219 226 233 240 PLEASE CHECK BELOW YOUR PRIMARY BUSINESS AT THIS LOCATION: A. CONTRACTOR OR SERVICES: ŁLawn care service business involved primarily with fertilization, weed, and insect control. Please specify method of application: 10 Ł Liquid 11 DDry 12 DBoth 20 GPrimarily mowing/maintenance service 30 U Landscape contractor/lawn service company 40 DNursery or garden center/lawn service company 50 DPest control/lawn service company 60 Ł Irrigation contractor/lawn service company B GROUNDS CARE/MAINTENANCE AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FACILITIES 110 DPrivate or public estate 120 130 140 150 190 Ł School, college, university, hospital, or similar facility ŁCondominium housing development or industrial park 
ŁGovernment grounds, parks, around municipal buildings, military facilities Ł Cemetery or memorial garden 
ŁOther (please specify) C. SUPPLIER 210 ŁChemical dealer or distributor 220 Ł Equipment dealer or distributor 
230 DSeed broker/dealer 240 QSod grower NAME BUSINESS NAME_ CITY _STATE_ _TITLE . .ADDRESS. _TELEPHONE_L ) AREA CODE I WISH TO RECEIVE (CONTINUE RECEIVING) LAWN CARE INDUSTRY EACH MONTH Ł YES Ł NO SIGNATURE DATE NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY CARD FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO. 665 DULUTH, MINNESOTA POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE READER SERVICE DEPARTMENT L4WN GIRE INDUSTRY POST OFFICE BOX 6200 DULUTH, MINNESOTA 55806 Soil amendments for turf PRODUCTS from page 22 sprinklers and three revolving sprinklers form the heart of the new Time-A-Matic line with all the features of the 101 timer built in. Circle No. 154 on Reader Inquiry Card Handlebar and trencher in one Ditch Witch has introduced the Model 1810, a compact riding trencher for the lawn care businessman that falls in a cate-gory between handlebar machines 
and 18 horsepower-class tren-chers. It offers the compactness of a handlebar and the convenience of a riding trencher. A hydraulic backfill blade is available as an option. The 1810 is built on a rigid one-piece frame. It has hydrostatic ground drive to all four wheels, including a 20,000 pound test digging chain and will dig trench to depths of five feet and to widths of 12 inches. Circle No. 155 on Reader Inquiry Card Pump fertilizer through your lines Turf N' Jector injector pumps are used for injecting fertilizers and other materials into the water on 
irrigated turf grasses. Manufac-tured by Inject-O-Meter Man-ufacturing Company, Inc., the Turf 
N' Jector is a valuable management tool for concerned and responsible 
turfgrass managers. The unit is available with vari-ous power drive options as well as being constructed of 316 stainless steel on the wetted pump parts. Circle No. 156 on Reader Inquiry Card Solid state water controller Irri-Trol Manufacturing, Inc. of-fers an advanced line of solid state controllers for the lawn care and irrigation industry. The control-lers come in four, eight, 12,18, 24, 
30, and 36 station configurations with many features not normally available. Meter senses turf and plant water needs The Irrometer Irrigation Control System from the Irrometer Com-pany operates by sensing soil moisture and signaling the lawn care businessman when irrigation is necessary. The simple probes 
allow the manager to set his 
controller once and after that, the Irrometer System allows needed irrigations to take place with un-necessary irrigations being elimi-
nated. Circle No. 158 on Reader Inquiry Card Clean your tubes with Lakos Separators Protecting all types of water sys-
tems from the abrasive and damaging effects of sand and grit, Lakos Separators from the Claude Laval Corporation are popularly 
chosen to protect irrigation sprinklers and center pviot noz-
zles from excessive wear. Circle No. 159 on Reader Inquiry Card Turf penetration with new wetting agent As part of a lawn care program, 
Aqua-Gro from the Aquatrols Cor-poration of America, Inc. compen-
sates for the variations in soil type, compaction, thatch, undulations and irregular irrigation that exists from lawn to lawn. Aqua-Gro is a 100 percent active non-ionic wetting agent that is effective on all soils, has a re-sidual, and is available in liquid concentrate or spreadable granu-lar. Aqua-Gro works as a soil wetting agent ensuring rapid and uniform dispersion of water throughout the rootzone area, thus distributing nutrients and pes-ticides uniformly in the rootzone. Aqua-Gro can be used as a very effective spreader to ensure uni-form coverage of foliage rather 
than a beaded effect. And Aqua-
Gro works as an activator by improving penetration of foliar applied materials into the turf blade. Circle No. 160 on Reader Inquiry Card Gypsum works like millions of tiny hoes SoPN-Soil lawn gypsum from the United States Gypsum Company, effectively and econonically aids 
plant growth by loosening and to page 26 fftLCON PVP applied for New turf-type tall fescue of the 80's You'll like this new, fine-textured variety with higher density than most of the currently available tall fescues. Falcon is a leafy, moderately low growing turf-type variety with pleasing green color and tolerance to heat and drought. It's a good performer under minimum maintenance programs, too. Throughout its area of adaptation, mature stands of Falcon have shown tolerance to wear and moderate shade which makes it useful for home lawns and play areas such as athletic fields and parks. Contact us for more information. E. F BURLINGHAM & SONS R0. Box 217- Forest Grove, OR 97116 (503) 357-2141 Ł Telex: 36-0274 Cable: Burlingham 26 00 05 TOOLS,TIPS,TECHNIQUES Paying attention to your cut The conventional "flush cut and paint" method of pruning may leave trees and shrubbery defenseless against internal disease, according to Dr. Alex Shigo, research pathologist, US Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, Durham, NH. Dr. Shigo's research has revealed that at the base of every branch there is a collar or chemical zone that blocks the spread of decay into the trunk. Once branch decay reaches this collar it stops, the branch falls, and callus is formed. But if the collar is cut during pruning, the chances of infection by decay and canker bearing microorganisms are greatly increased. To prevent this from happening, Shigo suggests the following steps should be taken: Ł When making a cut, place the saw or shears in front of branch bark ridge in the branch crotch. Ł Cut down and out slightly from the outer portion of the ridge to prevent injury to or removal of the collar. Ł Do not paint the wood, except for cosmetic reasons, and then only use a thin coat. Ł Always use sharp shears and never leave stubs. PRODUCTS from page 25 improving soil structure. It is 
particularly effective in alkali and 
heavy clay soils. It breaks down hard-packed soil to allow air, water and nutrients to reach grass and plant roots. This improved soil permeability allows more efficient application of fertilizers and water, and ena-bles root systems to grow deeper Š an especially important benefit during drought conditions. Circle No. 161 on Reader Inquiry Card Stunning tone-up with turf colorants Two turf colorants from Mal-linckrodt, Inc. have different 
properties and uses. Auragreen is a short-lasting dye which can be used as an indicator dye in a spray tank mixture or to tone up off-color 
turf on a temporary basis. The 
color from Auragreen will fade in 
two to three days. Auragreen is a soluble green powder available in Bookstore TURF MANAGER'S HANDBOOK by Dr. William Daniel & Dr. Ray Freeborg This specially designed manual by leading turf specialists is a comprehensive, organized approach to turfgrass science and care. An easy-on-the-job reference for planning, purchasing, hiring, construction and plant selection. $18.95 hardback $14.95 paperback Pascal P Pirone DISEASES & PESTS OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS by Pascal Pirone This standard reference discusses diagnosis and treatment of diseases and organisms affecting nearly 500 varieties of ornamental plants grown outdoors, under glass or in the home. Easy to 
understand explanations of when and how to use the most effective fungicides, insecticides and other control methods. $26.50 *mc 7* hut ra» ox INSECTS THAT FEED ON TREES AND SHRUBS 
by Johnson and Lyon Essential information for identifying more than 650 insect pests and the injuries they cause. More than 200 color illustrations. $38.50 DISEASES OF SHADE TREES by Terry Tattar Because shade trees require specialized maintenance rarely used in the forest, this text seeks to aid the arborist in providing necessary care to maintain vigor and prevent shade tree diseases. An in depth look at infectious and non-infectious tree diseases. Plant pathology not necessary. $23.50 WSfñSlSOf SIlflDf TRftS iHrirtUt* TREE MAINTENANCE Pascal Pirone The fourth edition of this guide for anyone involved in the care and treatment of trees. Special sections on tree abnormalities, diagnosing tree troubles, non-parasitic injuries and assessing the suitability of different trees. $27.50 ttrf irrigator manua TURF IRRIGATION MANUAL by James Watkins A guidebook for engineers, architects, designers and contractors. Keeps pace with the latest developments in turf and landscape irrigation. Specific chapters devoted to rotary sprinkler 
design systems, golf course design systems and expanded engineering and reference material. $19.50 rain Business TREE FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 
by James Vardaman A guide to help you increase profits from tree 
farming. Major problems confronting large and small tree farms and how to meet them including recommendations for seeking out accountants, lawyers and other professionals. $20.50 GUIDE TO TREES by Simon & Schuster Beginner and experts reference to 300 trees with 350 full-color illustrations. This authoritative guide supplies you with a full description of size, color, shape, leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds; information on habitat, propagation and growth conditions PLUS a hardiness zone maps, glossary and index. $19.95 hardback $8.95 paperback ADDITIONAL TITLES TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT - $16.95 TURFGRASS SCIENCE & CULTURE - $22.95 WESTCOTT'S PLANT DISEASE HANDBOOK - $32.50 WYMAN'S GARDENING ENCYCLOPEDIA - $25.00 
GARDENING IN SMALL PLACES Ł $7.95 HOW TO GROW HEALTHY HOUSEPLANTS - $5.95 
FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE - $25.95 GREENHOUSE OPERATION & MANAGEMENT - $17.95 HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE - $22.00 
PLANT PROPAGATION Ł $21.95 
HORTUS THIRD - $99.50 TREE CARE - $9.00 SOILS AND OTHER GROWTH MEDIA $12.00 EXOTIC PLANT MANUAL - $37.50 HANDBOOK OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION - $48.50 SOILS & SOIL FERTILITY Ł $24.95 
THE GREENHOUSE ENVIRONMENT - $28.95 FUNDAMENTALS OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT PATHOLOGY - $21.00 MODERN WEED CONTROL $16.00 
DISEASES OF TURFGRASS Ł $27.00 TREE SURGERY - $17.00 
TREE IDENTIFICATION Ł $9.00 WESTERN HOME LANDSCAPING - $5.95 SHRUB IDENTIFICATION - $8.00 MANUAL OF WOODY LANDSCAPE PLANTS - $19.00 WEED SCIENCE $24.00 HOME LANDSCAPE $16.00 THE PRUNING MANUAL - $12.95 Mail this coupon to: Book Sales Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publications One East First Street, Duluth, MN 55802 Name Address. City . State. Signature _ . Zip. Date. Please send me the following books. I have enclosed a check* for the total amount. Title Quantity Price Total Price * Please add $2.50 per order, and if ordering multiple copies, also add 25$ per additional copy for postage and handling costs. (postage & handling) Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Total Enclosed one and five pound containers. Vitalon is a long-lasting vinyl acrylic preparation designed to provide a natural green color to the off-color or dormant turf. Vitalon is a highly concentrated material 
which can be diluted with up to 70 
parts water depending on the color desired. Mallinckrodt, Inc. also 
markets Aqua-Gro, a turf wetting agent, in association with Aquat-
rols Corporation. Circle No. 162 on Reader Inquiry Card Anti-transpirants offer total protection Wilt-Pruf anti-transpirant from Nursery Specialty Products acts as a protective coating which sub-stantially reduces water loss dur-ing periods when excessive evap-oration occurs. Wilt-Pruf protects against plant damage due to winter kill, transplant shock, wind burn, and drought. Available in pints, quarts, gallons, five-gallon pails, 30-gallon drums, and 55-
gallon drums, Wilt-Pruf is pre-dicted to 1:10, ready to apply. Circle No. 163 on Reader Inquiry Card Treat your turf with Acid Iron Plus Acid Iron Plus from the Soil Products Development Company is a naturally occuring deposit of sulfur and iron used to correct improper soil chemical conditions ACID IRON PUIS and mineral deficiencies for the lawn care businessman. LCI Acid Iron Plus has proven effec-tive in correcting alkaline soils, calcareous (high lime) soils, and sodic or alkali soils. Circle No. 164 on Reader Inquiry Card Easy spreading granular limestone Easy Spread from the Limestone Products Corporation provides the perfect balance of calcium and magnesium along with 29 trace e"ySprw9d "MESTONE materials to improve your soil structure. It reduces soil acidity to "un-lock" plant nutrients which make fertilizer more effective. Since 
Easy Spread is 90 percent dust free and free flowing, application is 
easy with a standard spreader. Circle No. 165 on Reader Inquiry Card TURF SCIENCE 1980 season provides clues to 1981 growth One way to find out how the '81 turf growing season will turn out, according to Dr. J. E. Kaufmann of the Michigan State Crop and Soil Science Department, is to review 
the 1980 growing season carefully. The weather during the summer of 1980, says Kaufmann, can be 
characterized as very unusual, but then, what weather has been nor-mal? Temperatures were well above normal with several periods where night temperatures were above 70-75 degrees for much of the lower Michigan peninsula, and rainfall was above normal. The three month period from June 1 to September 1 is usually six to seven inches below the one inch per week required by turfgrasses. This year, however, many areas of 
the state averaged well over one inch of water per week. Many golf courses and other intensively maintained turf areas required only two to three short periods of irrigation throughout the summer. In many areas, intense storms resulted in heavy wind damage. Trees were heavily damaged often altering the appearance and use of the areas. In addition to high rainfall, the humidity was higher than normal. Since there were few drying days, thatch and other debris in the understory did not dry out. This was a prime micro environment for disease develop-ment. Soils on many turfgrass areas were saturated for a long period during the summer. This resulted in low oxygen levels and loss of rooting. Areas inadequately drained became apparent due to loss of turf and from soil displace-ment due to vehicle traffic. Total solar radiation was very low for the summer due to cloudy days, cool season grasses are quite well biologically adapted to re-
duced levels of solar radiation, 
however, compared to warm sea-son grasses, and should not suffer ill effects from low light intensity alone. Low, wet areas became pro-nounced on several courses. In efforts to keep the courses open, traffic was directed away from 
these areas. These conditions throughout the summer give rise to a number of problems. The Aphodius and Atacnius beetles became a problem farther north in Michigan turf than previ-ously reported. Superintendents in the Saginaw Valley area were reporting problems. Beyond in-sects and diseases, injury occured due to scald where turfgrass plants covered with water were heated to intolerable levels. People became aware of a yel-lowing problem on turfgrass areas COST CUTTINGS Starting your computer handbook library Computers are beginning to streamline lawn care ledgers, 
timetables, and accounts. But for many, the tyranny of the 
transistor is still a mystery. Here are three new books designed to help you buy and understand your first computer. So You Are Thinking about a Small Business Computer (Canning Publications; 100 pp., $12.50), a large-format paper-back, emphasizes consumer education in software and hardware systems so the would-be user learns what to expect from a complete setup and how to go about acquiring the right one. A 
modest glossary and listing of major suppliers is included. The Small Computer in Small Business (The Stephen Greene Press; 143 pp., $12.50) offers a more detailed but still intelligible review of how data processing works, leading to specific descriptions of various software applications within a typical business: accounts receivable, inventory control, payroll, word processing, and so on. Omits brand names. Understanding Computers (John Wiley Pr Sons; 266 pp., $21.95) patiently lays out the A's to Z's of computer language. The business manager will be rewarded with a solid grounding in the whys and wherefores of computers. in 1980. While the problem was more pronounced in 1980, it has been described over the past sev-eral growing seasons. Known causes of yellowing in the turfgrass plant include nut-rient deficiency, root anozia, light exclusion and scalping. Yellowing 
can be described in another way. Growth problems associated with poor growth, and those associated with too rapid growth. The yellowing problem is likely associated with too rapid growth 
rather than too little. Thus scalp-ing and light exclusion are of prime consideration. Having many cloudy days cer-tainly has resulted in a loss of solar radiation. However, only in a few 
cases has the problem found to be more severe in shady areas that 
obviously receive even less light. It is more likely that the problem is associated with scalping. Turf-grass growth is very fast when 
moisture and nutrients are con-
stantly available. Grass growth often gets ahead of mowing during rainy conditions. 
Wet wilt and limp, succulent leaf tissue will also occur frequently at 
these times. Thus traffic over long, wilted grass will result in uneven mowing, and in grasses growing too fast in recovery of a close mowing. Another factor that likely inter-acts in the problem is growth 
occuring fast enough to cause an internal micronutrient deficiency. High soil moisture conditions, shallow rooting, low, but not nor-mally deficient soil micronutrient 
levels and rapid growth could combine to cause the yellowing problem. Will the problem occur in 1981? It's difficult to predict. However, if you have the problem, be sure to analyze it as carefully as possible. Remember, healthy turfgrass is the 
result of the well-considered analysis of growth and soil condi-tions on a year-to-year basis, not just the result of quick controls. The tdller the grass ...the higher we pop! From residential to light commercial turf installations, Champion has a pop-up to do the job! When you compare the cost, precision construc-tion ond performance, you'll buy Champion. The 18HP (2" pop-up), 
the P180 (21/2w pop-up) and the 6178 Impulse pop-up ore just three 
of over one-hundred fifty sprinklers, volves, controllers ond accessories featured in the new Champion, full-color catalog. Ask for your free copy. CHAMPION SPRINKLER EQUIPMENT 1460 N. Noud St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 221-2108/(213) 223-1545 Circle No. 107 on Reader Inquiry Card wtm PWEfm^Tw AQUA-GRO YOUR KEY TO MORE SATISFIED CUSTOMERS Irregular growth ol turf in stratified soil when maintained with plain water AS. ' - Recover of same area in two weeks when maintained with 
Aqua-Gro and water Aqua-Gro eliminates hard-to-wet areas like banks, slopes, hard spots Ł Compensates for variations in soil mixtures, soil stratification and lawn contours Ł Enhances the response to all chemicals, reducing chemical costs Ł Allows for the rewetting of B & B stock and the 
establishment of sod Ł Eliminates seed floating Ł Reduces heat and drought stress Ł Reduces 
disease Ł Complete water management for a more uniform lawn care program. AQUA-GRO is available in liquid concentrate or spreadable granular. For free illustrated brochure call toll free 800-257-7797 or write to: ^fli AQUATROLS CORPORATION Sfr1+ OF AMERICA, INC. 1432 Union Ave., Pennsauken, New Jersey 08110(609) 665-1130 IŠ] 28 RETENTION /rom page 1 new customers," he said. "We no longer are a suspicious industry and are knocking down those bad images." And the indications from one of the brand-name lawn care com-panies like Montgomery Wards is equally positive. Bill Fell, who operates the Montgomery Wards lawn care division in Baltimore, Maryland is bullish: "We started about two years ago in the Balti-more area and practically the only people that stopped service where those who died." Now that may be hyperbole, but it does point to a curious twist to lawn care marketing Š that turf 
stress from climatic conditions can often rebound to the industry's advantage. "The drought we did 
experience did help us in a lot of ways," said Fell. "We had no way to go but up." Just as some customers may stop service due to poor color or dessi-oc H CO D Q 2 2 £ 3 cation, others may be convinced of the need to stem turf degradation 
by turning to a lawn care company in times of drought. What 
Montgomery Wards has done to keep a sizeable working base dur-
ing such times is to lower their 
minimum area requirements to 
2,500 square feet in order to garner those middle and lower income range customers. Drought boosts sales "It's turned us right around," said Fell. "Since then we've had very few cancellations." One of the ways that a big department store 
can keep up their working base is by letting customers pay for the service with their credit cards. 
And it might be something to 
consider for other, unaligned lawn care companies. "People will set-tle a lot quicker if they can just charge it," says Fell. Most agree, however, that last year's drought and water shortages have given this year's sales cam-paign an added boost. "About 60 percent of our calls for new work have come from people who al-
ready had another lawn care serv-ice and were just shopping around," says Jim Hoder of Liqui-Green Lawn Care-DuPage in 
Wheaton, Illinois. "And roughly 40 percent were from people who were doing new service shop-ping." Hoder brings up a point that may also be the effect of last year's bad weather Š that those who may 
have cancelled their program with one company are not necessarily abandoning the idea of lawn care, 
but are just moving to another company. In this way the market doesn't leak away, but just redis-tributes itself. "We experienced a rush of new work we hadn't expected," he 
said. "We could hardly handle it." 
He attributes some of the rush to the fact that last year's early spring put many lawns in a stress situa-CLASSIFIED RATES: 40* per word (minimum charge, $15). Bold face words or words in all capital letters charged at 60* per word. Boxed or display ads charged at $40 per column inch (one inch minimum). Agency commissions will be given only when camera-ready art is provided by agency. For ads using blind box number, add $5 to total cost of ad. Send ad copy with payment to Dawn Anderson, LAWN CARE IN-DUSTRY, 1 East First Street, Duluth, 
MN 55802. BOX NUMBER REPLIES: Mail box number replies to: LAWN CARE IN-DUSTRY, Classified Ad Department, 120 W. 2nd St., Duluth, MN 55802. Please include box number in address. FOR SALE Grasshopper 60" front running mower 1 year old, electric start, hydrostatic drive. Excellent condition $2200. Yazoo 60" mower, good condition $2100. 216-357-8400. 9/8i Electric Auger. Excellent for loading 
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new, $125. 219-747-2096 or 219-747-5203. 8/8i WANTED TO BUY Wanted: Used Stainless Steel Com-bines, that aerates, rolls, sprays liquid, as formerly used by Lawn-A-Mat deal-ers. Write: Conestoga Golf & Country Club, Conestogo, Ontario Canada NOB 1NO or call (1-519) 664-2234. 9/si SERVICES Increase your profits this year with "Garden Tips", the monthly customer newsletter with your company name/ phone. Proven response . . . cements customer relations, gets them to spend more, opens new doors expertly in new expansion areas. Low cost, effec-tive profit building. Call today 516-538-6444, we'll send complete infor-
mation or write: Garden Tips, Box 117, Garden City, NY 11530. TF HELP IS AVAILABLE! Have you con-sidered joining the only national soci-ety that is devoted to helping you Š the Grounds Manager? Our name says it all! The Professional Grounds Man-
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Dept. LCI, 7 Church Lane, Pikesville, MD 21208. 7/81 Glaucoma. You don't feel a thing. After a while, you can't see a thing. Right now there are some 1 million unsuspecting victims. That's be-cause you can be losing your sight to glaucoma and not realize it. Especially if you are 35 years plus. So be smart. Get your eyes tested at least every two years. For more in-formation about this leading cause of blindness, write the National 
Society for the Prevention of Blindness, 79 Madison Avenue, 
New York, NY 10016. PREVENT BUNONESS. ADVERTISERS Allied Chemical 29 The Andersons 22, 7 Aquatrols Corp 27 BFC Chemical 11 Burlingham & Sons 25 Champion Brass 27 Dow Chemical 2, 3 Excel Industries 20 Hawkeye Chemical 6 Hypro Div 7 International Seeds 5 Jacklin Seed 21, 32 Jacobsen Div 31 Lawn Care Industry 26 Mobay Chemical 15-18 
Monsanto Co 30 PLCAA 22 Rainbird Sprinklers 8 Rugby Kentucky Bluegrass ... 12, 13 Velsicol Chemical 7 HELP WANTED BRANCH MANAGER Chemical Lawn Care firm is accepting applications for Managerial position. Must be experi-enced in route and service type busi-ness, responsible for sales personnel and administration. Must be willing to relocate in Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky areas. Write LCI Box 52. n/si xpe cellent opportunity for person experi-enced in chemical lawn care. New company with growing pains. Excel-lent promotion possibilities. Salary, bonus, benefits. Send resume and salary requirements for further infor-mation. All inquiries held in complete 
confidence. Tuckahoe Lawn Care, P.O. Box 27, Slocum, RI 02877. TF Major granular lawn service company 
needs an experienced manager to 
operate lawn service business in Cleveland, OH. Position includes ex-cellent salary & growth potential plus 
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benefits. Send resume to LCI Box 53. All inquiries kept strictly confidential. tion and that the extended fall made the turf susceptible to dis-ease. And this may help the in-dustry's image as a defender rather than a promoter of healthy turf. But an analysis of cancellations versus new sales within the in-dustry has to take into account the statistical void that holds when a company receives a spate of calls 
for new service in a given season, but doesn't have the resources to handle any new accounts. In other words, when the demand outstrips 
supply. The point was brought up by P. J. Lenihan, owner of Lawn Medic of 
the Triad in Winston-Salem, North 
Carolina. "A company may look smaller than another because it 
handles fewer accounts," he said, 
"but you really don't know for sure 
unless you consider the income he's getting." But as an indication of the demand for lawn care services Š 
what the market will bear Š the signal is positive. Charles Austin, who runs Liqui-Lawn in Hygiene, Colorado says that although his cancellation rate ran to about 20 percent last year, his new sales received more than compensated. "We probably lost 400 of our 1,800 customers," says Austin. "But we increased up and over that about 30 percent. We now have about 2,400 customers this year." Austin says that most of his cancellations were due to the 
rough winter in his area last year and the fact that they experienced a lot of winter-kill. "Better than 90 percent of them were first year 
customers. Also it has been a funny year in terms of the economy, but our overall gain of 10 percent was normal for the kind of year we had." Even with a winter in which the turf suffered, the demand for lawn care service is gaining overall. It is likely that although some com-
panies may lose accounts over a 
particularly rough season, the overall business volume within the industry has continued to rise. Some of the redistribution has been caused not by drought or weather related stress, but through channels of competition within 
certain area markets. This was particularly true in the Richmond, Indiana area where Gary Kitchel 
operates the E-Z Lawn Corpora-tion. When Kitchell started his busi-ness, the Richmond market was 
wide open for him. But a year later ChemLawn began canvassing the area and decided to run crews over 
from nearby Dayton. When this happened, the combined increase in prices, in addition to the insect damage that has traditionally afflicted Indiana, drove off some 200 of his accounts. Since that time the market has become steadier, but Kitchell finds 
that his new sales have not been booming. "It's not up a lot," he said. "We're now going into our seventh year, and over a period of time the people just weren't that happy with the results. Luckily, this year we've had a tremendous amount of rain and are quite optimistic." So it seems that although there are still trouble spots within the industry Š mostly associated with unusually bad weather over the past couple of years Š most areas report sales are up. - Paul McCloskey This seems to be associated in part with the expanded profile the industry has received since com-
ing into its own in the past few 
years. Also, lawn care is develop-ing into new markets away from 
the larger metropolitan centers. Eventually, the marketing linkage 
between rural and metropolitan areas will give the industry even more visibility. Cancellations seem to be up a bit in most of the areas hit by drought and water shortages. But this for 
the most part seems to be the result of new customers overestimating the technology of lawn care. Few long term customers have stopped 
service on this account. All in all, the market seems lively Š lawn care in 1981 rooted 
and aggressive. But the year is only half over and markets are fickle instruments of change. Hopefully the balance of the season will prove as vigorous as the first half. Š Paul McCloskey DETROIT from page 1 "The 'green lawn mentality' of chemically ridding your lawn of weeds may be hazardous to your health, warns a Detroit group of ecology-ninded homeowners. The herbicide most commonly used in lawn sprays can cause cancer, birth defects and nerve damage, charge members of the Grass Roots Organization (GRO) formed in the city's northern subdivisions and Greenacres and Sherwood Forest. "At issue is the use of broadleaf weed control herbicides that con-tain 2,4-D, a chemical compound 
similar to 2,4,5-T, the active ingre-dient in Agent Orange, a jungle spray used to defoliate guerilla strongholds in Vietnam and now 
subject to charges that it causes cancer in former soldiers and birth defects in their children. The use of 2,4-D is banned in and near Paw Paw because of its threat to grape vines and the subsequent liveli-hood of the state's main wine-producing area. A member of GRO who favors using organic lawn care methods, Mrs. Jeannine Cohen was quoted in the article as saying, "You don't need a herbicide of that strength to 
kill off a few dandelions." Casual advertising attitude Ilka went on to write: "Profes-sional lawn care specialists, a business that blossomed in the last 10 years, insist their products and application methods are safe, with 
the exception of some damage that might occur to more sensitive 
plants such as tomatoes, grape leaves and flowers. "What upsets GRO, a coalition of young professionals, attorneys and teachers, is what the group regards as the casual attitude taken 
in ads promoting chemical lawn treatments. They are also con-
cerned about the lack of legal regulations and the hazards faced by children, pets and people who might inhale fumes from commer-
cially applied sprays carried by winds as much as 50 miles away. "But state extension experts and landscapers say GRO exaggerates the dangers of the sprays. Bill Olsen, owner of Green World Lawn Spray in Ferndale, said: The 
health fears are blown way out of proportion. When properly used, "It's a case of the suburban green lawn mentality and that value system that keeps the chemical sprayers in business. A green lawn is considered a status symbol" there is no danger. Most people don't like dandelions on their lawn. There is no substitute as good as 2,4-D for broadleaf weed 
control.' "Mrs. Cohen is particularly upset with a television ad showing happy children playing near a short-sleeved worker who is dousing a patch of dandelions with a nationally franchised chemical lawn treatment spray. The State Agriculture Department 
recommends that sprayers wear 
goggles, respirators, hats, boots and long-sleeve shirts,' she says. "But what would be the reaction if someone dressed like a space invader came into your neighbor-
hood with a tank truck, spraying everything in sight? It would put them out of business because people would see that there is a hazard.' " Paul Tombolian, a chemistry professor at Oakland University, 
said in the article that potential exposure to chemicals sprayed on lawns can come in two forms: Ingestion through wind drift and food or water contamination. He said: "These chemicals do not have a long lifetime, so the main worry 
would be for little children or pets." He said in the article that using chemicals to cure one prob-lem, such as weeds, creates an ecologically unstable lawn that will require continued use of chemicals to maintain a lush green growth. He said: "It's a case of the suburban green lawn mentality and that value system that keeps the chemical sprayers in business. A green lawn 
is considered a status symbol. But you can have that simply by keeping after it with labor rather than chemicals." The article said that GRO was formed a year ago after a neighbor-hood potluck supper turned into a serious debate about chemical lawn sprays and the lack of infor-
mation provided to members by 
commercial operators. Š Bob Earley SURVEY from page 1 they own an average of 2.3 units. For a copy of the complete report, contact: Bob Earley, Editor/Publisher, LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, 757 Third Ave., New 
York, NY 10017. £ z 5 c C/3 H 73 r No mixing, no burning, no hassle. Introducing FOLIAN... the easy-to-use liquid fertilizer that's safe and effective on any kind of turf. FOLIAN is a complete fertilizer. Its special formulation of N-P-K, sulfur and iron gets nutrients directly into grass tissue. And FOLIAN will not cause tip 
burn when used as directed. Convenient to use FOLIAN is the only fertilizer you'll ever need. It saves you time because there's no mixing or agitation required before using FOLIAN. And FOLIAN can 
be applied in more concentrated form than most other liquids. As a result, you can service more lawns per truckload with fewer wasted man-hours. A clear solution of the highest quality, FOLIAN won't settle out in your tanks. It's compatible with most pesticides, too. Greens lawns fast Because of its patented formulation and foliar activity, FOLIAN greens up turf quicklyŠfaster than dry fertilizers or suspensions. And at the recommended rates, FOLIAN supplies enough residual fertilizer in the soil to keep grass green and healthy for many weeks. Good for your business Your customers will love the results FOLIAN gives. And you'll appreciate 
FOLLAN's convenience. Best of all, FOLIAN makes your lawn care service more valuable. It means repeat business from satisfied customers and greater confidence in you. Give FOLIAN a try and discover how it can mean more green for both of you. To find out more about how to get started using FOLIAN, call toll-free 800-228-2178 Omaha, Neb., 
800-446-1841/800-446-1845 Hopewell, Va. or write Allied Chemical, .... . po. Box iooor Alliea. Morristown, Chemical N.J. 07960. An ^XIED Company FOLIAN complete liquid fertilizer. licensing of spray applicators. "Personally, I try to stay away from them (pesticides)," Mike Randolph, owner of Bethesda Lawn Service, told the Post. "I value my health more than using highly toxic substances." "The chemicals we use in pest control are not harmful," said Mike Kiser of ChemLawn. "They can be bought at most hardware stores." "A lot of people are getting ripped off with unnecessary appli-
cations of pesticides," said Nick Raimes, owner of Georgetown Lawn and Yard Maintenance. "We 
stay away from it." "Everything we use is passed by EPA," said Bob DeKraft of Lawn Doctor. "We tell the homeowner 
how to water the lawn after we've applied pesticides." And so it goes: Readers are lead They spray insects, don't they? An article in the April 19 issue of The Washington Post entitled, "The Bugs in Lawn Care Services" carried this venturesome lead: "Many area homeowners have unwittingly hired unlicensed lawn services to spray toxic pes-ticides on their yards." The piece goes on Š in some-what wildcat fashion Š to com-pare the attitudes among lawn care managers in the Washington, D.C. area to pesticide use, its impact on the environment, and the proper Roundup makes him a one man army to fight weeds. One man with Roundup in a backpack sprayer can handle many weed control jobs that once took several people. General weed control. Edging. Trimming. Small renovation jobs. Roundupherbicide helps make all of these a one man job. Sprayed on the foliage of tough, actively growing weeds, Roundup goes right down to the roots, controlling the entire plant. Treated weeds won't grow back. So there is less need for repeat treatments, mowing and hand weeding. One man can do the work of several, and in less time. This can mean a savings for you in time, labor and maintenance costs. Reach for Roundup today, and put your own one man army to work. Monsanto Nothing works like Roundup. FOR LITERATURE CALL TOLL-FREE 1-800-621-5800 In Illinois, 1-800-972-5858. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL FOR ROUNDUP. Roundup* is a registered trademark of Monsanto Co. RUP-SP1-114D C Monsanto Co. 1981 to believe that out of respect for the environment mowing and maintenance companies steer clear of toxic pesticides, while chemical care companies mas-
sacre insects at the expense of public health. Both views damage the industry as a whole. Chemical and mowing/maintenance companies would do well to present a com-mon front when expressing views 
in advertising and public relations releases. The two sides of the industry are compatible and can help boost each other's receipts. Removing the 'bug' of misinfor-mation from lawn care companies can only benefit both ends of the industry. fLjp ^CJiL RENOVATION from page 13 common bluegrass in the St. Louis and Kansas City markets. "Reno-vations are a pretty new line of service for us," Custis explains. 
"The only reason we have gotten into it is because we found a chemical that makes it a manage-able operation." In case of a lawn requiring total renovation, ChemLawn usually recommends a two percent solu-tion of Roundup herbicide applied to the entire lawn. The client is then advised to wait two weeks before de-thatching and re-seeding to allow the chemical to "translocate" down through the 
emerged grass and into the under-ground root systems. "This as-sures optimum weed control, ideal 
for renovation," Custis says. "We didn't want to get into renovation because we were con-cerned about working with chemi-cals that had soil activity and might leach into desirable areas," Custis said. "And, that's precisely why we feel Roundup is excellent for renovation work. It allows 
renovation of the existing lawn without our having to worry about 
spraying on slopes above desirable grasses. Since the chemical doesn't leach, and has no soil residual activity we can even spray right around the bases of trees." ChemLawn specialists have also applied Roundup selectively with a hand-held wick applicator to control tall fescue grass protrud-ing above zoysia. "The wick ab-sorbs the Roundup and brushes it selectively onto the fescue without affecting the zoysia," Custis said. Renovations are just one of the new areas ChemLawn is explor-ing. The company is also currently providing a service called ChemScape, which sprays trees and plants for an additional fee. In addition, they have begun to enter the commercial and industrial markets in Atlanta and In-dianapolis and have instituted a farmer service called Ag-Vantage that offers a full range of services 
for total crop managenent. See page 22 for New Products in the Lawn Care Industry. can't buy a better rotary It's been proven time and again, day after day, acre after acre. You just 
can't buy a better cutting rotary mower. For a very convincing demonstration, call your Jacobsen Distributor. à TEXTRON Jacobsen Division of Textron Inc. Jacobsen: You just can't buy any better. If you watch figures a lot, when it comes to the bottom line, Fylking keeps costs under control two ways. First, it's priced lower than most elite bluegrass seed. Second, it's an inexpensive beauty to maintain Š a diet delight compared to other bluegrass needs for water and fertilizer. It's low growing, can be mowed as low as one-half inch and has the great body you want for seed mixtures. Fylking. A very nice spread with very appealing figures. Ask for Fylking Kentucky bluegrass at your local wholesale seed or sod distributor. KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS U.S. Plant Patent 2887 Another fine, quality-con-trolled product of Jacklin Seech Company. mmm 1 J y V Circle No 11J 00 Reade, inqji y Card