P U B L I S H ED IN F E B R U A R Y, M A R C H, APRIL, A U G U ST A ND SEPTEMBER BY O. M. SCOTT & SONS CO., MARYSVILLE, OHIO August 1941 F O U R T E E N TH YEAR Number 66 REG. U.S. PAT.OFF. FALL SEEDING CONTROLS WEEDS W h en TRIGGING weeds out by hand isn't necessarily the best method of hav- ing a clean, all-grass lawn. There are always more weed seeds in the soil, waiting to make their presence known whenever the opportunity permits. Furthermore, new weed growth may result from root particles remaining in the ground. The easiest and most suc- cessful strategy is to provide con- ditions favorable to a strong turf which will keep down weeds by eliminating con- ditions favorable to their growth. f o l ks ask the best way to a w e e d f r ee lawn, the sound- est advice they can be g i v en is not how to k i ll weeds but h ow to m a ke grass thick and healthy. W e e ds seldom, if ever are the cause of poor turf; they are the result They first make their en- trance only after weak, vulnerable spots show up in a lawn. Then a single in- vader being given a chance will start its fifth column activity scattering seed prolifically and sending out spreading roots. The thin grass will not be strong enough to resist the attack. «Learn to love 'em, Probably no lawns give less trouble than those planted in late summer and those that are maintained by regular feeding. After a summer of baking sun, shriveling drought and destructive in- sects, Nature gives us an ideal season to repair the damage and build a lawn that won't retreat the following year. is then In the fall lawn weeds cease their vigorous growth. It that the most effec- tive war can be waged a g a i n st them. Cooling rains begin to fall in a soft, de- liberate manner that a l l o ws the ground to drink its fill. Days are warm, nights are cool, a combinar tion that makes f or o p t i m um grass seed ger- mination as well as strong, spread- ing turf develop- ment. Result is a solid weed resist- ant sod instead of a weak, spindly one, inviting weeds. A further evidence of the wonders of Nature is the fact that grass started in the fall develops a more spreading, deeply anchored root system. Presum- ably this is in preparation for the rigors of winter which lie ahead with its heav- eh? Not Crabgrass!" C O P Y R I G HT 1941, BY O. M. S C O TT & S O NS C O. ing frost that plays havoc with shallow rooted plants. All of these are advantages that shouldn't be passed up in the weeks from mid-August to late October. It's an opportunity for a decisive offensive against weeds and a chance to have the thickest, greenest lawn obtainable. Feeding Equally Important Good lawn practice encompasses feeding just as much as seeding. A sound rule to follow is to precede every seeding with an application of a com- plete grass food. There may be enough natural plant nutrients in the soil to get the new grass plants started, but will there be enough to keep them growing vigorously long au- tumn? Feeding grass now will enable it to take advantage of the full fall growing season. throughout the "Good Lawns" for New Homes It would be well for owners of new homes under construction to plan an early start for their lawns. The future occupants should turn their thoughts lawnward and plan the seeding even though the interior of the house is not completed. By moving-in time a weed- free lawn can be established, thereby re- ducing the tracking of mud or dust into the new dwelling. To insure its success and permanence the new lawn should be planted on a deeply prepared seedbed, fortified with a lasting supply of grass food. (New home owners may have a copy of "Good Lawns" for the asking. It tells a complete but con- densed story about building new lawns and improving old ones.) Turf Diseases Rampant trials This past summer has been one bringing great to established lawns. Weather has been fickle to an extreme. After an abnormally dry spring there was an overabundance of rainfall in June, followed closely by ex- tremely high temperatures. These con- ditions gave rise to turf diseases which have not been so prevalent for several years. Grass in its present condition would be most susceptible to winter in- jury and weed invasion next spring. All lawns should receive careful attention during this fall season when so much can be done toward strengthening and preserving them. Further Lawn Care References Controlling Crabgrass Fall Planting Advice Feeding Lawns No. 35 No. 56 No. 64 Tobacco Dust Stops Squirrels Sirs: Here's a sure cure for those who have beau- tiful lawns dug up by squirrels. Make small pouches about the size of a thimble and fill with tobacco dust. (I have taken old canvas gloves and made the pouches by cutting off the fingers.) Plant these small pouches about four inches deep and about every eight or ten feet apart in the sections where the squirrels have been in the habit of digging. The dust seems to permeate the earth and your troubles are over. Everyone who has tried this remedy says it has worked wonders. I, myself, have nine huge virgin trees in my lawn and for several years the squirrels almost ruined my lawn, yet I didn't want to kill or harm them. This simple method has entirely eliminated the trouble. I repeat the operation each year. Tobacco dust is usually obtainable at all drug stores and the treatment of the soil as described will not harm the turf or kill new grass. Interesting facts were The writer, who lives in Indiana, asked that his name be withheld. Squir- rels commanded space in a previous LAWN CARE bulletin, April 1 9 37 (No. 45). there brought to light. For instance it was noted that Olney, Illinois, is the home of the much prized White Squirrel of which there are some 700 enjoying the hospitality of that city. In the same bulletin it will be noted that Nicotine Sulfate had been found by others to be an effective repellent for squirrels as well as for dogs, a subject upon which we receive much inquiry. ® W e e ds Chased Sirs: May I join your ranks in the war against to weeds and add my humble experiences them? I noticed in an early issue (August 1931) that one of your readers advocates cutting out the weeds with a chisel and treating it with a small pinch of Iron Sulfate. Well, I don't think the weeds in my lawn have gotten that tough just yet, but they are pretty bad. That is, they were a week ago, until I tried this gentleman's method. I tried using an ordinary full-length weeder, which can be bought at any hardware or gar- den store for not more than 25 cents. I dipped this into a very strong solution of Iron Sulfate and pierced the root with it. In a few days, the weeds completely. This method, while it takes longer, is much more effective than spraying. disappeared I advise Iron Sulfate for this, for if Sul- furic Acid or any strong acid is used, it will harm the grass if it comes in contact with it. There is less danger of personal harm, also. It must be cautioned, however, that Iron Sul- fate, if it comes in contact with the hands, will make them sore and red for a few days. This method can be used to good effect on Dandelions, Garlic, Crabgrass, and many other pests. The weeds just call it quits and die soon after the application. WILLIAM HEFFNER Baltimore, Maryland. Sirs: I want to add my endorsement to Mr. De- kay's method of controlling dandelions and crabgrass. (LAWN CARE No. 57, September 1939.) I have successfully used his idea on an area of about 3000 square feet. After the first year it is not difficult to keep such weeds un- der control. WILL A. BURTON Franklin, Indiana. Those having their file of bulletins at hand will notice that Mr. Dekay em- ployed school children in the neighbor- hood to handpull his weeds. On a com- paratively small lawn this method is, of course, practical. On a very large area the use of chemical spray or dry spotting involves less hand labor. Chinch Bugs Banished Along the Atlantic Seaboard is the principal Chinch Bug camping ground. Some years find this bug doing consid- erable damage to lawns so in the April 1938 (No. 50) issue of LAWN CARE we dwelt at some length upon the most ef- fective methods of freeing lawns of such infestation. Sirs: This year my lawn has suffered an attack of Chinch Bugs and had it not been for L A WN CARE I would not have had a blade of grass by the end of the summer. I would like to say, however, that the solu- tion you prescribe for a 4 0% nicotine sulfate treatment isn't strong enough. I caught some bugs and dipped them in the one pint to one hundred gallon solution. To all appearances they died, but at the end of about four hours they revived and were crawling around as strong as ever. I next used a solu- tion at the rate of one and one-half pints per hundred gallons and the bugs stayed dead. Two applications of this stronger solution several days apart on good hot days have brought excellent results. The brown spots are disappearing rapidly and by the first week in September I anticipate the complete disappear- ance of any trace of yellow. RALPH B. WILKINS Shoreham, New York. m to Poison Ivy Breaks Out Again No LAWN CARE item of recent years has provoked such wide-spread and heated comment as the discourse on Poison Ivy (No. 57). Letters are still being received in which those very sus- ceptible ivy poisoning unburden themselves. Many offer remedies, some of them quite unique, while others sug- gest means of getting rid of the plants themselves. Several stories of how the Indians themselves have been received and at least a dozen other readers have sent clippings from their local papers which had taken up the crusade. immunized We are inclined to believe that our featuring of this subject has led to a fresh outbreak of propaganda against the weed for which all who dread its presence will be deeply grateful. From the nation's capital comes this recent comment: Sirs: A farmer out near our land tells me that he has always been troubled with poison ivy, but had never found a satisfactory cure for it until three years ago. Then someone told him to use paint remover! He says this dries it up in a day or so. I forgot to ask him if he had ever tried sodium perborate in cold cream, and I must tell him about this as a preventive some day. I am wondering what a professional derma- tologist would say to the use of paint remover? Anyhow, it occurs to me that this might be a good note for your publication, L A WN CARE. You might, though, want first to check with a couple of dermatologists to make sure that the suggestion would not be a dangerous thing to people, maybe as dangerous as the poison ivy itself. TROY M. RODLUM Washington, D. C. We humbly submit this case to our medical profession readers of whom there are several thousand. Lawn Care Joins Army For some years these bulletins have been much in demand by directors of CCC camps. Binders have been placed in scores of them and many boys have made inquiry concerning turf prob- lems. Recent calls have come from army camps where young men who possibly expect to become landscape gardeners are preparing themselves for some peaceful pursuit after discharge. A branch of the service giving special attention to turf matters is the air corps. We have been frequently consulted on the subject of airports, soil preparation, seed selection, fertilization and general maintenance. LAWN CARE attempts to cover a wide field and ever welcomes opportunities to increase its usefulness. Lawn Care—Subjects The Scott Publications featured previous bulletins include: 1928 Plantain, Sodium Chlorate. 1929 Compost, Moss, Web Worms, in Iron Sulphate, Buckhorn. 1930 Ground Ivy, Yarrow, Earth- worms, Heal-All, Ants. 1931 Speedwell, Creeping Buttercup, Moles, Knotweed. 1932 Sheep Sorrel, Quackgrass, Spurge, Trefoil, Goosegrass. 1933 Nimble Will, Knawel, Terraces, Shepherd's Purse, Ground Covers. 1934 Sedge, Shade, Purslane. 1935 Peppergrass, Shade, Crabgrass, Summer Injury. 1936 Clover, Poa Annua, Henbit, Fall Seeding, Foxtail. 1937 Honeycombed Soil, Grub worms, Orchard Grass, Soils, Injury from Excess Moisture. 1938 Liming, Dandelions, Chinch Bugs, Burlap Cover, Wild Garlic. 1939 Chick weed, Mowing, Dandelions, Fall Seeding, Poison Ivy. 1940 Spring Program, Organic Matter, Watering, Vitamins. 1941 Winter Affects Grass, Fertilizing, Moneywort. Binder—An attractive A full set of bulletins with index, in stiff paper binding, will be sent for 25c. loose leaf binder which contains all LAWN CARE bulletins, with ample room for future issues—$1.00 postage paid. Good Lawns—The amateur garden- er's guide to better lawns. Contains a complete outline for building new lawns and improving old ones. Free. Bent Lawns—Illustrated new edition. Tells about the most beautiful of all lawn grasses—Scotts Creeping Bent. Free upon request. O. M. SCOTT & SONS CO. EVERY PACKAGE OF SCOTTS LAWN SEED BEARS THIS TRADE-MARK AND IS SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION M A R Y S V I L LE • • O H IO