A discussion of the vital problems of lawn making and maintenance PUBLISHED SEVERAL TIMES YEARLY BY O. M, SCOTT a SONS COMPANY - SEEDSMEN - MARYS VILLE, OHIO August 1932 No. 4 ONCE USED IN L A WN MIXTURES. While Trefoil is not considered a nox- ious weed it does n't belong in a lawn. Yet it is surprising to learn that Trefoil seed has in years past been used in lawn mix- tures as a substitute for White Clover. Perhaps that is where this weed got its first start in lawns. At present it is found most frequently in the seed of farm crops such as Alfalfa, Sweet Clover and Red Y E L L OW TREFOIL Medicago lupulina, L Vol V YELLOW TREFOIL Not a Bad Weed, But Out of Place in a Lawn MOST weeds have flourished this season but Yellow Trefoil or Black Medick has outdone itself. Speci- mens of this weed have come in for iden- tification from almost every northern state and v/e are informed by several ex- periment stations that they have had the same experience, One authority says, "Yel- low Trefoil seems to be prevalent all over the country this sea- son. In 1928 we no- ticed it growing in our golf course fairways and this is the first year since that time it has put in its appear- Clover. Stock does not object to it so on the farm Trefoil causes very little concern. YELLOW BLOSSOM EASILY IDENTIFIES IT. The illustration is handicapped because of not being able to show the small clover-shaped yellow blooms. They make this weed very easy to identify. Trefoil is a member of the clover family and the small blossom, except for the color, is a miniature of White Clover. It is an an- nual and would be easy to destroy before the plants go to seed except that they grow very flat on the ground and the mower is apt to miss them. Its range is through- out the world in all temperate climates. The plant itself branches out and spreads in creeping fashion. The leaves are finely haired, rounded and slightly toothed at the tips. The pods containing the seeds are thin skinned, kidney shaped and slightly twisted. Each pod contains just one seed. SEEDS RESEMBLE ALFALFA. The seeds themselves are yellow and very much resemble alfalfa and sweet clover seeds. When found in these seeds it is very difficult to remove as well as to recognize. We recall having once seen an almost perfect stand of Trefoil in an athletic field which had shortly before been sowed with a grass mixture. There was no accounting for the weed because Trefoil seed is not found in the grasses. Later it was discovered that several inches of topsoil had been brought in from bot- tom ground along a river. This soil was fairly alive with the seeds of Trefoil. They needed only cultivation to arouse them to activity. ACCOUNTING FOR PRESENT PREVALENCE. One of the best known seed analysts in the country volunteers this comment: "I think likely soil conditions may have had something to do with its devel- opment. Undoubtedly the lack of mois- ture affects Trefoil and makes it more noticeable, because other grasses die out and this plant, having a deeper rootstalk, subsists. We have had an insufficient amount of rainfall the past five years. The plant may therefore have had an advantage over less deeply rooted plants and has obtained a good foothold. We have noticed the increase in the growth of this weed in lawns of this area" [New Jersey]. METHODS OF CONTROL. A large area badly infested with Tre- foil should be rebuilt or, if there is no objection to White Clover, a heavy seed- ing of it will usually crowd the Trefoil out. When once discouraged by the crowding method, other grasses may be introduced since clover is not liked by many good lawn enthusiasts. Small patches of Trefoil may be removed by hand when the ground is wet. This should not be delayed until after the plants have gone to seed. Cornell Uni- versity, in one of its bulletins, advocates killing Trefoil by spraying with an iron sulfate solution, the same as for dande- lions. Because Trefoil is not unsightly it is sometimes disregarded in a lawn until it becomes so wide spread that its eradica- tion is a serious problem. We advise be- ing on the lookout for this weed and sup- pressing it before it becomes too ambi- tious. Vital Facts on Mowing THE general practice of mowing lawns closely is harmful to the turf. Except in the case of Creeping Bent, any grass will be much stronger and healthier if a growth of 1 J4 or 2 inches remains after clipping. Higher cutting of grass enables it to better withstand drouth because such grass has a more extensive root system which can reach the reserve moisture abundant at greater depths. Then, too, surface evaporation is reduced because the grass acts as a sort of mulch. Close mowing favors the encroachment of weeds. It leaves the grass weak and thin so that it cannot compete with dan- delions, crab grass, chickweed, etc. It is also more subject to injury by grubs and sod web worms as weak roots are unable to withstand attacks of these pests. Agricultural authorities agree that grass should be cut at a height not less than 1 }4 inches and preferably 2 inches. One difficulty encountered in following this practice is to secure suitable high cutting lawn mowers. Many mowers can be adjusted to cut this high or extension brackets can be obtained to lower the wooden roller. If this is not feasible the old rollers can be replaced by larger ones which will raise the knife the proper amount. The importance of high cutting can- not be over-emphasized. It is most im- portant during the summer months and again in late fall. Grass is less apt to winterkill if it goes into the winter with a growth of two or three inches. Fail Planting Best AY man-of-all-work evidently IV 1» seized the psychological moment for planting the seed received from you the last of August. Within five days after planting there was a beautiful green velvet with an inch pile where bare ground had been. Now it is several inches long and brilliant green in color. I am hoping I have converted the man to fall p l a n t i n g . " — D R. HOPE SHERMAN, 2915 Coleridge Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio. LAWN CARE men tions in several pre- vious issues the advantages of fall sow- ing of grass seed. Each year brings ad- ditional proof of the wisdom of this practice. Our customers are now begin- ning to express themselves. Dr. Sherman has found out probably at some expense that fall sowing is best. Rid Your Lawn of Crab IN AN eastern newspaper, Wm. Stroh, Grass by Mowing Jr., of Orange, New Jersey, noted the following article on Crab Grass control. It is similar to suggestions which have previously appeared in LAWN CARE, but well worth reprinting because of its time- liness: "Crab Grass is a lawn weed which is usually routed out only by being dug up plant by plant. In large lawns, however, this painstaking method is sometimes im- possible. "One gardener with huge lawns to care for has rid them of crab grass by a care- ful process of mowing. Crab Grass, he explained, is an annual which dies down after one season. The reason that it per- sists year after year, and spreads is that it goes to seed each year before it dies, and thereby reproduces itself. Being a flat grass, it is not usually clipped in the ordinary process of mowing. "The method which this gardener used was to mow the lawn once in the ordinary fashion. Then he carefully raked the lawn, lifting the leaves of the Crab Grass up so that they would be clipped. Then he mowed the lawn again in the reverse direction. By doing this each time he mowed his lawn throughout the sum- mer, he kept the Crab Grass from going to seed. It therefore did not spread, and the old plants died naturally. "It may take two or three years of this treatment, he said, to rid your lawn com- pletely of the weed." Tiling Helped "I have tried for eight years to get grass and failed until last fall. I dug up the soil and laid a system of drain tiling about ten or twelve inches deep, and turned the down spout from my porch into this and also left an opening so that I could turn the hose into it and flush during dry weather. I ordered seed from you and asked for the best grade of shady seed and sowed this on Labor Day. I used plenty of fertilizer. I got the most wonderful catch that I have ever seen and strangers as well as neigh- bors ask me what kind of seed I sowed and why I got such wonderful results. I fed this lawn again in March. I also fed it again early in June with your fer- tilizer which my neighbor divided with me."—F„ E. GOLDSBERRY, Athens, Ohio. TURF BUILDER A ND BINDER APPLAUDED. "Wish to take this opportunity to tell of the wonderful results obtained from Scott's Turf Builder. "My binder is well worn, as I find it a source of information. I only hope everyone on your mailing list derives as much benefit as the writer."—W. F. RIPLEY, 1441 N. Erie St., Toledo, O. W " \ Y /E Red Ants Banished a re bothered in this locality just at this time with the big red ants which give us considerable worry, and about the best remedy to rid ourselves of them (the price taken into account) is to pour about a quart of gasoline into their lairs, cover the entire outlet over with paper, and then in turn cover the paper, edges and all, with earth. The next morning the entire colony is nil."—C. B, MITCHELL, Land- scape Architect, Garden City, Kans. —»2«— T Weh Worms in Georgia Ci A S you suggested, I took up some / A. of the turf in the brown patches and die covered what appeared to be the sod web worm working. Following in- structions given in LAWN CARE, I dusted Arsenate of Lead over the lawn and hope I have remedied the trouble. The grass is already coming through in the brown spots and within a short time I think these spots will not be noticeable at all. "My entire lawn would surely have gone within two or three weeks if I had not used the poison and I certainly ap- preciate your interest in helping me to discover the trouble and remedy it."— J. W. CHAPPEL, Georgia Marble Co., Tate, Georgia. Are there other recurrences of the sod web worm this year? This Bent Laivn Stops Passersby AST year we planted your Creep- 1—' ing Bent stolons and were re- warded with a fine lawn and this season, with the aid of Scott's Turf Builder, we have a perfect Velvet carpet.' We are very well pleased with the re- sults and .more gratifying is the fact that almost daily we are getting at least a half dozen inquiries about it from pass- ers-by who stop to marvel at what they call *the most perfect lawn in this vicini- ty.' Our tiny garden is now becoming a rendezvous for lovers of good lawns and we are told that folks are riding out this way just to see our lawn and find out about it."—G. C. DAVIS, Carlstadt, N. J. NOTE: The best time of the entire year for planting Creeping Bent is fall. Scott Publications Lawns, a small booklet of condensed facts about the making of a new lawn and the improvement of an old one. Bent Lawns, an illustrated booklet which tells how to make and maintain a Creeping Bent lawn. Converting to Creeping Bent, folder explaining four methods of remaking and improving an old lawn by using Bent. Lawn Making and Maintenance. Six- ty pages of specific information that will be especially helpful in the building or care of large areas. The Putting Green. An illustrated book telling how to construct and main- tain grass greens. Gratis to greens chair- men, greenkeepers, or any golf club offi- cers. To others at actual cost of 25 cents. There have been twenty-one previous issues of Lawn Care and the following lawn pests have been discussed: Plantain, Crab Grass, Dandelions, Moss, Grubs and Beetles, Chickweed, Buckhorn, Ground Ivy, Yarrow, Earthworms, Heal- all, Ants, Speedwell, Creeping Butter- cup, Sod Web-Worms, Moles, Knot- Grass, Sorrel, Quack-Grass, and Spotted Spurge. Binders for Lawn Care, made of imi- tation leather and capable of holding fifty bulletins, are furnished at actual cost of 50c, postage paid. Each binder contains a complete set of bulletins.