A discussion of the vital problems of lawn making and maintenance P U B L I S H ED S E V E R AL TIMES Y E A R LY BY - SEEDSMEN June-July 1932 - MARYSVILLE. O H IO No. 3 O. M. SCOTT a S O NS C O M P A NY Easy to Identify Vol. V SPOTTED SPURGE ONE of the lawn weeds most fre- quently sent in for identification last summer was Spotted Spurge. With the belief that it may be equally preva- lent this year we selected it to feature this issue of L A WN C A R E. Spotted Spurge is readily recognizable. As the illustration shov/s the plant forms somewhat of a mat because of the radial basal branches which usually lie flat. Stems are slender, somewhat reddish on top, green underneath. Leaves, small, opposite, usu- ally oblong, often blotch in the center. Has long, branching fibrous system with many fine feed- ing rootlets. root F O U ND IN DRY SOILS. Other common names for Spotted Spurge are Creeping Spurge, Milk Purs- lane, and Spotted Matweed. It is an an- nual, propagates by seeds, and blooms between June and October. Its range is throughout America except in the ex- treme north. In dry soils of low fertility Spurge is most frequently found. The reason is easily explained. In the thick, fleshy stems there is enough fluid to keep the plant alive when other types of vegeta- tion are suffering. PREVENT SEEDING. . This lawn weed may be kept in subjection if the plants are pre- vented from going to seed. If noticed in midsummer and early fall the plants should be pulled up when the ground is wet or on a large area may be cut out with a hoe. Iron sulfate has also been found to have a e f f e ct discouraging upon Spurge and may subdue plants which have not become too healthy and vigorous. IN IMPURE SEED. It is possible to get an infestation of Spurge in poorly cleaned seed although it is more likely to be found in clovers than among the seeds of turf grasses. SPOTTED S P U R G E. Euphorbia maculata—L. Every part of this weed exudes a poison- ous milky juice which will irritate the skin to a red rash or even blister it. Nothing eats this pest. Even insects leave it untouched. Spotted Spurge is very hardy and adaptable. It is frequently seen in cracks of flagstone walks and other places where it is subject to trampling. the March-April Dandelion Killers IN Now Abundant issue we told about using gasoline to control dan- delions and spoke of the need for a good implement that could be used to apply the gasoline. Our suggestion was soon answered, for within a few days we re- ceived descriptions of at least a dozen different tools that were already on the market. Not all of these appealed to us. The weak point in most weed guns is the valve. It either fails to function at all after short usage or leaks so that some of the gasoline or other liquid is spilled on the grass. Most of these killers or guns are made so that a person can use them from a standing position. The liquid is released by downward pressure on the gun which opens the valve at the bottom and permits the escape of the liquid into or upon the weed. Some are made so the plunger at the bottom pierces or bruises the weed and the liquid actually gets into the root. We are describing here a few repre- sentative types of guns. In most in- stances they can be purchased direct from the manufacturer. The prices quoted are approximately right but we suggest that you write the company named for specific information. Tracy Weed Killer. Made specifically to use gasoline which is placed in a pint bottle. (Adjustable so various types of bottles may be used.) Has steel plunger which fits into brass valve. Plunger so constructed that it bruises weed. Allows liquid to flow down outside of plunger and thence into the injured root or crown. Price $1.25 f. o. b. Seattle. Weight about one pound. Manufactured by L. R. Tracy, 5421 36th St. S. W., Seattle, Wash. Dolge Erado. A sturdy gun made from a steel tube with a good brass valve and plunger. Plunger is J4 inch plain cylindrical rod. Liquid flows outside of plunger and over crown of weed. May kill some grass if used on small weeds nestled in thick turf. Price $3.00. C. B. Dolge Co., West- port, Conn. Root Weed Killer. Consists of a hol- low steel cylinder which is charged with dry ammonium sulfate. Will discharge small amount of sulfate on crown of weed. Theory is that this will kill weed and surplus sulfate will wash out and feed surrounding grass. Works well on small weeds. See " ^Spotting' Method of Weed Control," L A WN CARE, August, 1931, Vol. IV, No. 4, Page 3. Price $1.50. The Root Manufacturing Co., 1051 Power Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. Rosselot Weed Gun. A small light gun which uses sulphuric acid. Spring valve enables one to place a few drops on crown of weed. Price $1.00. Louis F. Rosselot, 324 Packard Avenue, Fort Wayne, Ind. Noxem Dandelion Killer. A hollow %-inch brass tube which is filled with naphtha or crude sulphuric acid. Has a pointed plunger about the size of an eight penny nail. By placing plunger on weed and exerting slight pressure the fluid runs down into weed. Price $1.00. John H. Graham & Co., 113 Chambers St., New York City, N.Y. — ^— The George Washington Masonic Me- morial at Alexandria, Virginia, recently dedicated, stands on a high hill overlook- ing several acres of beautiful lawn. The architect, unsolicited, specified Scott's Regular Lawn Mixture and the contrac- tor, the Cranford Company of Washing- ton, D. C., did a first class job of sowing it. A colorful photograph of the Memo- rial will be distributed with the next issue of L A WN CARE. Scott's Creeping Bent Intrigues Scotchman A GENTLEMAN by the name of McClintock, Customs House In- spector at the Port of New York and not long in this country, saw an uncom- monly pretty lawn as he drove through Ridgewood, New Jersey. He passed it again. It looked still better. He inquired who lived there. It proved to be Dr. H. A. Bonynge, to whom Mr. McClintock addressed the following letter: "Kindly excuse my temerity but I have been struck by the excellence of your lawn. It is the best I have seen in the United States. Would you be so good as to tell me the name of the grass and where it may be obtained?" Through the kindness of Dr. Bonynge the letter came to us. We looked up our sales records and found that the lawn in question (7,500 square feet) was planted in the fall of 1929 with Scott's Creeping Bent stolons. It has been through a ter- rifically hot summer, a season of Japa- nese beetle activity, and survived the ravages of the sod web worm last July. According to Mr. McClintock, it must still be quite a lawn. We hope to be able to reproduce it in the next edition of Bent Lawns. This booklet, by the way, was reprinted in the spring and contains some very beautiful photo- graphs of Creeping Bent lawns. It also furnishes full planting and maintenance directions. Copies will be sent for the asking. * Interesting experiences in the war on weeds and other pests have just been re- ceived from several ingenious individu- als. Space will not permit telling about these cures in this issue. Watch for them in August. Watch for Web Worms SOD web worms did a terrific amount of damage to lawns and putting greens last fall. These small grayish worms, the caterpillars of white and yellowish brown moths, eat off grass just at the crown. Brown dead spots then appear in the turf. (See L A WN C A R E, August, 1931, Vol. IV, No. 4, Pages 1 and 2.) While the infestation was very severe in 1931, no one can tell whether there will be any trouble in 1932. This will depend upon weather conditions and upon the prevalence of parasites which ordinarily keep web worms in check. Our suggestion is to watch your lawn carefully during June, July and August for the appearance of small brown dead spots. If these are observed, surrounding areas should be scrutinized closely to de- termine if any of the worms are present. It is difficult to find the worms as they move swiftly and they are hard to see because of their dirty-grayish color. CONTROL MEASURES. Arsenate of Lead. Dust on infested turf at rate of 6 or 7 pounds per 1,000 square feet. A hand dusting machine or a rotating fan duster is best although arsenate can be put on by placing it in a coarse burlap sack and shaking the sack up and down with a quick jerky motion. After the lead has been distributed it should be worked down into the ground by sweeping the lawn with a floor brush or broom. Following this it should be thoroughly washed off the grass blades by a heavy stream from a hose. A me- chanical sprinkler is not satisfactory, but a heavy, coarse stream of water should be applied direct from a nozzle. Pyrethrum Extracts. These are sold under trade names of Evergreen and Red Arrow. One is more expensive than "the other but appears to be more concen- trated so less material is needed. The dilution of the better material is 1 fluid ounce to 5 gallons of water, the other 1 ounce to 4 gallons. It is necessary to use freshly opened stock of the extract and to apply the solution immediately after making it. The rate of application should be 1 gallon of solution to 1 square yard of lawn (112 gallons per 1,000 square feet). Ordinary sprinkling cans may be used for applying. Within a minute or two the worms should appear on the surface where they will wriggle about for a while but all will die within a few hours. If used as directed grass will not be damaged. Such treatments are quite expensive. The material cost alone will be between four and five cents per square yard of lawn, depending upon the quantity of extract purchased. Kerosene Emulsion. The cheapest treatment is to make a kerosene emulsion but there is considerable danger incident to using it. There is a fire hazard in making it, and if improperly made it may injure turf. The Bureau of Entomology of the United States Department of Agricul- ture recommends the following proced- ure in making a kerosene emulsion: "Dissolve 1 pound of laundry soap in 1 gallon of boiling water; remove from fire, add l/i gallon of kerosene; stir rap- idly until a creamy emulsion is obtained. This stirring may be accomplished by pumping the mixture into itself through a spray pump or by churning it in an in- expensive household butter churn. Small quantities have been prepared with an egg beater. For use as a spray, 1 part of this stock emulsion should be mixed with 50 parts of water and this mixture ap- plied to the infested turf at the rate of about 1 gallon to a square yard (112 gallons to 1,000 square feet). Apply with a sprinkling can." The material cost is about one-sixth of a cent per square yard. * * * It is possible that other successful treatments may be found. If so they will be reported through subsequent is- sues of L A WN C A R E. 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, a folder which explains four methods of remak- ing 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 lawn 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 previous is- sues 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, Kndt Grass, Sorrel, and Quack-Grass. Binders for Lawn Care, made of imi- tation leather and capable of holding the next ten years' bulletins, are furnished at actual cost of 50c, postage paid. Each binder sent out contains a complete set of L A WN C A RE bulletins.