27th Year No 132 Kentucky Bluegrass ~ Pioneer Extraordinary HISTORY AND SCIENCE seem to concur that Kentucky bluegrass is native to northern Europe and cooler parts of Asia. Today it grows throughout temperate North Amer- ica, and its empire includes Mexico, South Africa, Australia, and many far-flung lands. It was scientifically named Poa pratensis, Poa the meadow, in Sweden, but even the Greeks had a word for it — the pua of Eubulus or the poa of later Greeks. This Poa of the meadow was familiar in the pastures of Europe long before discovery of the New World. of How did Poa pratensis, lawn-grass- to-be, get to the New World — to spread so widely and achieve renown as Kentucky Bluegrass? No one really knows, but probably it was just a chance passenger on the early ships bringing colonists and supplies to the newly discovered lands of the West. Of these first landings in eastern America there is much of derring-do, but again no thought of record for an ordinary pasture grass. Who would send Sir Walter Raleigh a prosaic report on stockfeed, rather than the romance of a new continent beset with "savages" and treasure? Yet, Capt. Barlowe, reporting to Raleigh on discovering Virginia in 1584, mentions trial planting to test the soil. Even then might bluegrass have been introduced — as weed seed in the crop, or in old shipboard straw thrown out upon the land. In 1586 the governor of Sir Richard Gren- ville's colony in Virginia reported to Raleigh: " — we had sown enough grain fields to give us food for a year." Certainly bluegrass might have been among these small grains, especially in a day of hand threshing and care- less winnowing. Perhaps already was it working westward to its destiny in Kentucky? Migration of this pioneer grass could proceed with giant strides only as colonization felled the forest and turned the land. Grasses don't flourish in the heavy forest, and except for infrequent Indian clearings all eastern North America was a solid blanket of forest at the time of Raleigh. But by 1620 the inexorable nibblings at the seemingly limitless forests were well under way. Capt. John Smith reports: "James Towne is yet their chiefe seat most of the wood destroyed, little corne there planted, but all converted into pasture and gardens; wherein doth grow all manner of herbs and roots we have in England in abun- dance and as good grasse as can be— William Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and the few New World botanists of the day, all noted in their writings the ready invasion of cleared lands by bluegrass and fellow pasture migrants. By Revolu- tionary times there was no doubt of bluegrass being widely spread through all of settled America. Thomas Penn, The latter half of the 18th century was marked by adventurous Virgin- ians crossing the mountains and found- ing a few settlements west of the Alleghenies. Daniel Boone and other explorers reported parts of Kentucky a veritable sea of grass. And strangely, at least in the Ohio Valley, the open land was already conquered by white man's Old World partner in exploita- tion, bluegrass. Bluegrass seems to have beaten Boone to the West! It is unlikely that bluegrass worked its own way westward through the forests, or that the very early ex- plorers and Indian traders would have dispersed bluegrass seed. Yet here was bluegrass, reliably reported, in the wilderness of Ohio, Indiana, and Ken- tucky, ahead of settlement! and LaSalle, The most reasonable surmise is that bluegrass slipped around the moun- tains, via the St. Lawrence Valley and the Great Lakes country, with the French. Marquette in 1672 and 1682, had opened missions in the Illinois country. Forts and settlements were established at Kas- kaskia, 111., and Vincennes on the Wabash by 1700 and 1702. These were reported flourishing when Char- levoix visited the area in 1721. The French missionaries were noted for ability to live and work with the In- dians, and part of their program in- cluded distribution of seeds. The noted Seed Prices — Whew Go v e r n m e nt figures have been released placing the 1953 harvest of Bluegrass seed at 7 mil- lion pounds. We are now able more than ever to understand the reason f or upped costs, since the a v e r a ge consumption of seed in this country is 24 million pounds. Seven million n o r m a l ly p o u n ds f r om a c r e a ge yielding several this, means times per pound price has to increase—it costs as much to h a r v e st and clean as w h en yields are normal. Unlike is no en- some commodities, t i r e ly s a t i s f a c t o ry s u b s t i t u te f or Kentucky Bluegrass. there this year, If there is a normal demand f or there Scotts L a wn Seed will not be enough Bluegrass to supply it, so cautious use and eco- nomical sowing is advised—making e v e ry pound count. People are un- derstanding and early orders indi- cate the wise acceptance of the oft repeated phrase "use the best" A f ew h a ve boiled over about the price and we don't blame them. Even though we may only turn up with about 6 0% of Scotts L a wn the Seed needed same premium that has made leader f or 35 years. f o r m u la less of it the this spring, it's traveler Per Kalm had commented in 1749 on the luxuriant bluegrass pas- tures of French Canada, and it seems reasonable to suppose bluegrass intro- duction to the Ohio Valley by the missionaries, a good half century be- fore Boone ever saw Kentucky. Birk- beck, in Letters from Illinois, 1818, writes: " — Where the little caravans have encamped as they crossed the prairies, and have given their cattle hay made of these perennial grasses, there remains ever after a spot of green turf for the instruction and en- couragement of future improvers —" What, then, of the epochal meeting of colonists from Virginia and blue- grass from the west, in Kentucky dur- the 19th century? Levering, relating Indiana history, states: "Soldiers who fought under Gov. Harrison in the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, discov- ered the superior qualities of bluegrass — on return home they carried seed and sowed 'this grass which has made Kentucky famous'!" There is no exact instant bluegrass became known for Kentucky. Early plant collectors writing from 1813 to 1833 list Poa pratensis, but do not mention Kentucky bluegrass among its common names. Yet Wells Year- for 1855-6 states: book of Agriculture " — In Kentucky it is called Ken- tucky bluegrass — succeeds far better — than it does in any part of Europe where it is native". The adaptability of bluegrass, and its ability to live with man, made possible this joint venture in a new land. Today Kentucky Bluegrass is very much at home in most of America. It becomes by adoption and descent as full-fledged an American as any family tree can claim. Starting as a pasture grass, bluegrass has risen to its greatest glory as America's number one lawn ex- grass. Kentucky traordinary, lawns as is steel is as basic industry. bluegrass, to fine pioneer to in the Anteroom. Therapy "You were so thoughtful as to forward me an excellent loose-leaf binder contain- ing the various lawn p u b l i c a t i o ns by Scotts, for my recep- tion room at the of- fice. It has had a very soothing effect on some of my im- patient visitors in waiting; and they have darn near worn it out, passing it back and forth. I suspect that some of them have been coming in just to read up on their lawns." (A District Doctor) of Columbia for and Interest Electric in better lawns Western some ciated Bell System Companies to order copies Care through Services telephone coast to These will their Employee at hundreds their of a special book. central coast. employees reprint of of this prompted asso- its spring 200,000 the Lawn distributed Rack and from be Booklet of office, factory office locations Out T w i g s, "ToVO's" MAR/JPR/I Feeding T U RF BUILDER at nor- mal rates for any lawn not re- cently fed. If a late winter feeding slipped by, it's doubly important to hurry for the handy Scotts Spreader, with an insouciant "bet- ter late than never" smile. Raking leaves, dragged-in debris or other such grass-smother and mowing harass- ments, need removing. For deluxe lawns brush up winter-browned grass blades before mowing, and rake out all matted material so seed can sift through to soil. Seeding Time for seeding over the established lawn as well as new lawns. Scott Lawn Seed or Bentgrass for deluxe lawns. Scotts "Special" and Haven for quick take and rugged turf on utility lawns. Clover provides quick re- inforcement to any lawn. Lawn Pests If grubs are active in your areas, fattening on grass roots in the safety of the soil, an insect killer will be called for. Lawn & Turf Pest Control contains chlor- dane, effective against ants and other pests as well as grubs. Mowing For the lawn's sake you should have started cool season mowing if your grass has put on any growth since winter. Keep the mower sharp, in good repair—and enjoy the privilege of mowing a fine lawn frequently. For the deluxe lawn the mower may be set at about one inch through the cool of spring, higher later. Mow utility lawns at to 2 inches. Jersey. Headquarters f or Scotts in the East is Cranbury, now in a spanking new plant at C o r r e s p o n d e n ce a nd Soil New samples f or the Eastern office should no longer be addressed to Ridgefield, but in- stead to O M Scott Co., Cranbury, N. J. Soil Test Service If you are concerned about ability of your soil to produce a satisfactory lawn, Scotts offers an analysis service. A pre- vious issue of L a wn Care, available upon request, discusses soil testing in detail. In short, here's w h at you do. to about 5 inches down, Collect several "cores" of soil f r om the surface f r om scattered locations on the lawn. These can be dug with trowel or knife. Unless the cores appear markedly unlike, thoroughly mix them together, and package about one pint in a tight, w a t e r p r o of container. M a il this to Scotts, and by separate advise w h at samples are being sent, including troubles noted. letter remittance letter: you will be billed a f t er Handling charges are one dollar f or the fifty cents f or each first sample analyzed, time. additional sample sent at the same with your explan- Do not mail the atory is completed. Samples should be analysis New sent to: O M Scott Co., Cranbury, if you live east of Ohio or in J ap Jersey, Beetle quarantine zones (your post office can tell y o u ), otherwise to: O M Scott Co., Marysville, Ohio. Grandpa's C o m m e nt r7 don't know why SCOTTS SPREADERS I couldn't have for my one 80th of those birthday." P S — He got it. Complete LAWN CARE Set Back chapters, in sturdy loose leaf ring binder that will accommodate fu- ture Lawn Care issues too, available at $1.00 postpaid. Just mail remit- tance to O M Scott & Sons, Marys- ville, Ohio. You'll get complete instructions for making and maintain- ing the lawn. Seasonally pertinent, separate bulle- tins from Lawn Care can be had for the asking: mention which topic you are interested in, viz. — Grass Proper Tree Spring Program New Lawns Lawn Feeding in Shade Mowing Feeding The Lawn Care digest chapters and bantam recent issues are also available in pocket book size at 25c. Seed Germination May Be Slow Germination of seeds usually re- quires consistent moisture and mod- erate temperatures. Even then some types of seeds take longer to send up green sprouts than do others. By and large the perennial grasses are slower to sprout than the coarse an- nuals. Nature perhaps affords a par- allel in trees, where it seems the quickest growing species are usually the weakest — the ones to break first in high wind or ice. Don't be impatient if early or re- cently seeded grass has not yet car- peted your lawn. Better lawn seed blends contain a high percentage of perennial, slow-to-start grasses. You made no mistake if you sowed them in late winter on the firm footing of frozen ground. Chances are the seed is still lodged in frost crevices, ready to grow as moist soil warms. Institute Bulletin A Research out that a dollar saved is more dollar earned. A $6,000 bracket man has after-tax pay with which done around the house. points than a f a m i ly to have $200 of job to make $302 to hire a to W i th reference the same thing an acquaintance of ours tells that he makes $10 an hour by working on his lawn. Here's h o w: If he paid $2.50 an hour to hire it done, it costs him $5 of income as he is in a 5 0% he wasn't working on the l a wn he'd be out spending $2.50 an hour at the club and that too would cost him $5 of income. So he's ahead $ 10 an hour when he stays home tax bracket. Then, and gets his recreation if I just want you to know germinate lawn that Fairview as predicted is the envy of the Park, O that seed did and now I have a neighborhood. HA DOWELL O M SCOTT & SONS CO. c S c & t &F M AR YSVILLE • - OHIO M C - 57 3 2 54 ^ ^ B B P P^ <£) EVERY PACKAGE OF SCOTTS LAWN CARE PRODUCTS BEARS THIS TRADE - MARK AND IS SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION