P U B L I S H ED F I VE T I M ES Y E A R LY BY O . M . S C O TT & S O NS C O ., M A R Y S V I L L E, O H IO D I S T R I B U T ED F R EE TO L O V E RS OF B E A U T I F UL T U RF September 1938 E L E V E N TH Y E AR Number 52 W I LD G A R L IC (Allium Vineale) THIS weed is a perennial introduced from Europe. Other names by which it is known are Wild Onion and Crow Garlic. inhabits moist, sandy loam soils and may be found almost anywhere from Massa- chusetts to South Carolina and west to the Missouri River. It ordinarily Here is another weed which has in recent years been moving in from the country to take up residence in town and city lawns. As a country v/eed it has been especially objectionable in fields and pastures be- cause the flavor it imparts not only ruins the sala- bility of milk but actually permeates the flesh of ani- mals. This weed also in- flicts a heavy loss to grain, especially wheat, from which it is said to exact a million dollars annually. So obviously, Wild Gar- lic or Wild Onion, which it is frequently called, has been blacklisted as a nox- ious weed in most states that it infests. The same persistence which makes this weed troublesome in fields and pastures makes it equally pestiferous in lawns. While not as yet a com- mon visitor in many sec- tions, it bears watching. in the flowers having Full grown plants of Wild Garlic are from one to three feet tall. They spring from small, membranous-coated bulbs resembling onions. The leaves are slim, deep green and tubular. There is a bloom as shown illustration, consisting of a dense cluster of small, pinkish-purple six pointed stems or segments. Below the flower-head are two papery pointed leaves which soon fall away. As the flow- ers wither, their places are taken by aerial bulbs, each about the size of a wheat kernel and tipped with a whisker nearly an inch long. The number of aerial bulbs in a seed-head varies from twenty-five to a hundred. Below the ground there are secondary bulbs or "cloves." These develop at the base of the old bulb and in the fall form thick tufts of young plants which remain green all winter, ready to repeat the cycle of growth in the spring. When kept at lawn length, it is quite possible the aerial bulbs may never have an opportunity to develop but the weed propogates itself by means of the secondary bulbs, a feature which makes it trouble- some in lawns. that A fully ripened plant of Wild Garlic. Note the several fea- tures mentioned in the de- scription. C O P Y R I G H T. 1 9 3 8. BY O M. S C O TT & S O NS C O. Prevalence During the past two years more speci- mens of Wild Onion have come in for identification than during the previous ten, which would indicate that this weed is gaining a foothold in lawns. It seems most common at present in the territory between Missouri and Mary- land. Infestations, of course, may be found north of that line but a strip through the mid-section of the country seems to be most frequently visited. Means of Control Hand pulling just at flowering time is a good control measure if the plants are not too numerous. The ground must be very soft and care taken not to leave any of the ground bulbs. Quicker and more effective is the use of crude Car- bolic Acid applied with a common ma- chine oil can; a few drops on a plant or a sprinkle on the tuft will kill it. The acid should be very little if at all diluted. An infestation of Wild Garlic in a Pennsylva- nia farm lawn. Rapid growth puts this weed far ahead of the turf it infests. This treatment is especially effective if given before the grass has started or even before the ground thaws in the spring. Feeding and liming (if the soil is very acid) will also prove helpful in enabling desirable grasses to crowd out this weed. In recent experiments the Green Sec- tion of the U. S. Golf Association has employed tear gas (Chloro-picrin) in fighting the Wild Garlic pest in lawns. A few drops of this potent liquid are placed by means of an eye dropper or similar instrument on each tuft of the weed early in the spring. The "mob-quelling" gas usually out- smarts this highly odoriferous plant and a cleaner turf results. Such an offensive should not be attempted unless a gas mask in good working order is avail- able. * Super Abundance of Trefoil Th is Year TN THE summer of 1932 Yellow Tre- A foil flourished. So many specimens were received for identification that this rather attractive little weed was fea- tured in "Lawn Care." This year it has played a return engagement. There has seldom been a day when the mail has not brought a section of Trefoil with the question "What is it?" Trefoil may be considered a poor rela- tive of the Clover family, which may readily account for its abundance this year. Clover has flourished as it fre- quently does in what is termed a Clover year. Hard seeds, which do not germi- nate readily, have had enough mois- ture this summer to soften them. As a result many lawns are showing a heavy growth of Clover where none has been sown for years. If Clover is not consid- ered objectionable, a heavy seeding of it will usually get the better of Trefoil. Spraying with Iron Sulfate solution as for Dandelions and Chickweed has also been found effective. If the infes- tation is not too heavy, however, we suggest hand pulling while the ground is soft and before the plants reseed. Simplifies Gathering Leaves "I so often observe people gathering leaves with baskets, carts, or what have you, and each time I am tempted to stop and tell them how much less trou- ble it is to use a sheet of light canvas about twelve feet square upon which you can rake the leaves, pick up the four corners and pull it off the lawn. I thought others might be interested and that you could at some time write it up in 'Lawn Care'."—C. W. Turner, Pea- cock Ice Cream Co., Evanston, Illinois. m Camomile Lawns CERTAIN horticultural publica- tions have set many folks agog lately with articles about Camomile, Turfing Daisy, Trefoil and the like, as substitutes for grass lawns. While this is very old stuff, it bobs up occasionally and creates a mild furore until another generation of homemakers has learned the facts. Since these turfing plants pre- sent the same general case, we shall con- fine these few remarks to Camomile since it is an oldtimer. Back in the days of the Louis', Camomile lawns were quite the thing in France. Seed of the plant is available there for something in the neighbor- hood of $16 a pound ($1.50 per ounce). These lawns were also used long ago in England but they have been superseded by lawns of grass. Today the turf pub- lications those countries where Camomile lawns were once common are making no mention of them at all. Home owners are more particular about their lawns now. The modern lawn in its perfect state must be both weedless and flowerless. in To save readers of " Lawn Care" any costly mistakes, we are gathering all the available data on Camomile and other turfing plants and will present them for your guidance before the planting sea- son next spring. Meanwhile, we repeat a bit of advice on which no home owner can go wrong. Your State Experiment Station and the Department of Agriculture in Washington are either making tests of turf or are in constant contact with all such projects. Any practical advance- ment in the realm of fine lawns is most apt to originate at these authoritative sources. 9 Effect of Lime Lingers Sixteen Years "I lived at Erie, Penna., sixteen years ago. At that time there was a sub- division at the western edge of the city that had a stream running through one corner of it, above which was a steep hill. The land company, realizing what a natural advertising feature they had, since the hill was visible from a very busy highway, employed a sign painter to whitewash the name of the sub- division in fifteen foot letters on the hillside. The letters stayed white for some time, but even to this day the let- tering is still readable because of the effect the lime had on the growth and color of the grass. I have watched this from year to year and am inclined to believe the sign will be visible for years to come."—A. B. Post, Port Arthur Gardens, North Girard, Penna. Brand New Use for Vacuum Sweepers "My vacuum cleaner can be made to blow out as well as to 'inhale,' so I fill the spray container with the poison to to be used and turn it into the ant hills. They get a thorough penetration and I am sure the plan is going to be much more effective than anything I have yet tried. Of course, this treatment calls for a lot of extension cord but I think we have something."—H. P. Hoser, Cortland, N. Y. Home-Made Mole Maul Gets Results lawns were "Our gardens and in- fested with moles. My best weapon is a home-made fork constructed as fol- lows: Two half-inch boards 4 inches by 6 inches with a hole bored in the center large enough to hold a broom handle securely. Through one board, nine five- inch nails were driven, placed irregu- larly and close enough to prevent the mole from wriggling through. The two boards are nailed the handle fitted in place. With one thrust of this weapon I caught two last Sat- urday. And one mid-afternoon late last December I caught the largest mole I've ever seen. Open country all around makes it difficult to best these destruc- tive 'boosters'."—A Lawn Care Reader. together with Two Great Seasons for Crabgrass THE summer of 1937 was a boon to Crabgrass, but 1938 has been still better. The seeds of this pest may lie dormant in the soil for many years awaiting a suitable combination of heat and moisture to promote germination. Crabgrass could not ask for a better break than it has received these past two years and it has responded mag- nificently. Thousands upon thousands of lawns are simply alive with it and, unfortunately, a good share of them will be allowed to reseed, thus insuring the alarming spread of a weed which ruins the appearance of much other- wise good turf. While the desirable grass is still pres- ent, a heavy Crabgrass growth appears to dominate so completely that many people feel their lawns are gone. As a matter of fact, the Crabgrass has simply grown faster and those wiry seed heads appeared in such profusion that the grass beneath is for the moment over- whelmed. Some perspiration is needed right here. Even if it requires several mowings, all Crabgrass which has gone to seed should be cut and the clippings lawn should then be removed. The raked vigorously, fed and reseeded. Without this constant vigilance, an in- festation of Crabgrass gains more and more of a foothold each year. As yet, the control of this pest by chemical sprays has many limitations. The complete story about Crabgrass appears in the April 1935 (Vol. 8, No. 3) issue of "Lawn Care." Copies are available for the asking. "Here is a scheme I use when putting a stimulant on our lawn. Take a 50- gallon (or smaller) steel drum and at- tach a hose to the outlet top for intake, and another hose to the outlet at the end of the drum for sprinklers. Put fertilizer in through the bung hole and put the bung in tight; then sprinkle. The cross current of water keeps the fertilizer in solution. The drum will stand 100 pounds of water pressure. The heads may bulge but that is all."— E. A. Earle, 34 Morton St., Bloomfield, New Jersey. Scott Literature Lawn Care—This issue is Number 52. If your file is not complete it will pay you to send for the missing issues. A full set of bul- letins in stiff paper binding will be sent for 25c and in imitation leather binding for $1, both postage paid. Bent Lawns—A practical discussion of the most beautiful of all grasses. Tells how to plant with either seed or stolons. Many natu- ral color illustrations. Free. Good Lawns—The amateur gardener's guide to better lawns. Condensed but very complete information on building new lawns and reno- vating old ones. Free. O. M. SCOTT 8c S O NS CO. M A R YS V I LLE, O H IO FOR YOUR PROTECTION THIS TRADE MARK APPEARS ON EVERY PACKAGE OF SCOTTS LAWN SEED [ 4]