P U B L I S H ED F I VE T I M ES Y E A R LY A ND 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 Vol. VI No. 1 NIMBLE WILL Other Names—Drop Wire Grass. Perennial—Propagates by rooting at the joints. Seed Grass, by seeds and Seed Time—September to October. Range—From Maine to Minnesota and southward to the Gulf. Habitat—Lawns, both in open areas and in woods or in shady places around buildings. February 1933 tened, usually prostrate at the base and often rooting at the lower joints and from these joints flowering stalks are erected. The leaves are very narrow be- ing no more than an eighth of an inch wide and rough to the touch. The pani- cle (irregular flower cluster where the seeds ripen) is very slender, weak and bending. DIFFICULT TO ERADICATE. By its very na- ture of growth, Nimble Will quali- fies as a trouble- some lawn pest. It is hard to eradi- cate because of its re-seeding habit. Comparatively few people who have this weed in their lawns know it by name but they are familiar with it by sight. Nimble Will is particularly un- sightly when dor- mant during late winter and early spring. Its brown, dead looking growth has an appearance similar to dead crab grass. However, it need not be confused with the latter, since Nimble Will does not flatten against the ground like crab grass, and, in addition, the plants are much more leafy. This weed is a creeping type of low growing, slen- der stemmed, small leafed grass. It has underground stems and spreads freely in lawns. Its tough, interlacing, fibrous roots make a sod which is very diffi- cult to break up. A single plant may in time completely oc- cupy as much as a square foot of sur- face. Because of its spreading, branching and creeping nature, Nimble Will makes a thick growth which is often mistaken for a desirable lawn variety. LEAVES LONG AND SLENDER. The stems of Nimble Will are ten inches to two feet long, somewhat flat- N I M B LE W I L L, Muhlenbergia Di jus sa. MEANS OF CONTROL. Where Nimble Will appears in fields that can be cultivated its suppression is not difficult. In lawns, however, it is a pest for which there is no control method except hand-digging. Of course it is im- portant to remove the maturing plants before the seeds ripen. As in the case of Crab Grass, Nimble Will may be smoth- ered out by covering an infested area with boards or tarred paper. Topdressing Compost for Lawn EVERY golf course that makes any pretense of having good greens keeps a supply of compost for use in topdressing them several times during the year. The purpose of this treatment is to maintain an even surface by work- ing this material into the low, uneven places, and to provide a surface of new soil for the grass roots. WHAT COMPOST IS. Compost is an intimate mixture of humus-forming materials with soil and sand. After mixing, it is allowed to de- compose for a period of time so that weed seeds are destroyed and the num- ber of friendly soil bacteria increased. A good compost, containing a liberal quan- tity of organic matter, is not only favor- able for the multiplication of bacteria, which liberate plant food to grass, but also promotes aération of the soil. MAKING COMPOST. The humus-forming materials for a compost pile may consist of animal ma- nures, peat moss, or other partially de- cayed vegetable matter. The actual compost pile is built up in alternate layers of soil, manure or sub- stitute organic materials and sand. The proportions will vary according to the quality of soil used in the pile. If it is a good garden loam equal parts of soil and manure with one-fourth part coarse sand should give good results. If the soil tends toward a heavy clay as much as two parts manure and one part sand may be necessary. With real sandy soils, ordi- nary clay should be substituted for sand and at least two parts of manure used to one of the native sandy soil. As the alternate layers are being placed commercial fertilizer should be mixed into the mass, using about one-half pound to a cubic yard. ONE YEAR NEEDED. A compost pile may be built up of 8 or 10 layers of these various materials. It should be kept moist, and turned over every two or three months. This aids the decomposition process and insures a complete mixture of soil and organic mat- ter. At least a year is needed for thor- ough decomposition and destruction of weed seeds. This latter is most important as there are sure to be many weeds in the materials used for compost. After the compost is ready it should be screened through a quarter inch mesh screen following which it is ready for use as a topdressing material. The coarse material should be saved and incorpo- rated into the next pile. If possible a new compost pile should be started every year so that a continuous supply of top- dressing is available. DISTRIBUTING TOPDRESSING. Probably the easiest way to topdress a lawn, without purchasing special equip- ment, is to dump the material in small piles and then spread it out over the turf using the back of an iron rake. It can be worked down into the turf with the same implement or with a stiff straw push broom. Sometimes a flexible metal door mat is used. For the average lawn, top- dressing should be at least one-fourth inch deep. If the surface is very uneven as much as a half inch can be applied without smothering the grass. To cover a lawn area of 1000 square feet to a depth of a quarter inch about one cubic yard of compost is needed. SEEDING AND FERTILIZING. Seeding the lawn before topdressing is an excellent practice. The compost makes a fine covering and bed for the seed. A lawn can also be fertilized at the same time by mixing the proper amount of commercial plant food into the topdress- ing material. Mixing should be thorough. USE OF LEAVES IN COMPOST. While it is possible to incorporate ma- nures and peat directly into the compost pile, leaves or other decomposed matter should be allowed to rot at least a year. These materials should be placed where they will be kept moist at all times and stirred occasionally. Decomposition will be faster if a complete mineral fertilizer is incorporated into the mass at the rate of about one pound to every cubic yard of composting material. A sprinkling of lime is also beneficial. — H ow to Kill Toadstools DURING moist, warm, muggy weather Toadstools frequently ap- pear in lawns. They are more apt to develop in soil that is rich in organic matter. The ordinary process of mowing will sometimes destroy them but the use of a chemical may be necessary to con- trol persistent infestations. Here is the formula recommended by the Depart- ment of Agriculture at Washington: "Soak the ground thoroughly with Sulfate of Copper or Bordeaux Mix- ture. Another method is to loosen the soil and soak with Iron Sulfate using one pound to ll/2 gallons of water. The Bordeaux Mixture is preferred as it does little or no damage to the grass." The following is a little more compli- cated but is suggested by Edward C. Vick, garden editor of the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph: "Dissolve one pound of copper sul- fate in an earthen or wooden vessel. Per- mit this to soak for a day to enable it to dissolve. In another vessel, when the copper sulfate is ready for use, dissolve a pound of quicklime. Add the limewater to the copper sulfate and water to make six gallons. Make holes in the lawn by using a garden fork over that area which is infested with toadstools and for two feet in advance of the direction in which they are extending. Apply the solution four times at intervals of one week." Earthworms Die By Capital great fisherman, or at Punishment " A FRIEND of mine who is a least spends lots of time at the sport, con- ceived the idea of getting angle worms by soldering a three foot iron rod to the "hot" side of a socket of a long exten- sion cord. He bored a hole in a stick of dry wood for a handle and pushed the rod through, using the wood for a han- dle and insulator at the same time. He then wet the lawn and got every worm— big and little—as fast as his son could pick them up. They came up so fast they were almost entirely out of the ground before falling into a prone position. Try this method and see for yourself how a lawn can be denuded of worms. Forgot to say that the rod must be pushed quite a ways and the wetter you have the lawn the easier it is to push the rod in and the more effect the electricity will have. Be sure to wear good rubbers over your shoes and work fast as your meter will be working overtime while the rod is in the wet ground."—EARL WEITZEL, 403 S. Division St., Ann Arbor, Mich. When the above item was received we thought someone might be trying to have a little fun with us. Putting earthworms "on the spot" seemed more like a gag than a practical method of warfare. But we tried the electrocution idea and are glad to report that the results exceeded our fondest hopes. The worms began to arrive at the surface a few seconds after the "juice" was turned on and the circle affected was probably two feet in diame- ter. With this experiment so successfully completed the thought came to us that here was an opportunity for someone to put a gadget on the market which would not only "de-worm" a lawn but provide fishermen with bait in abundance. Like a lot of good ideas this one got away, for behold in the catalog of Marshall Field and Company is listed a worm catcher for fishermen and it is operated on the same principle as that explained by Mr. Weitzel. What an age! — for Weeders Runway " TN August, 1932, L A WN CARE, Mr. ^ Hindle mentions that getting after plantain and dandelions is a back break- ing job. It will not be if you work it this way. Get 4, 6, or 8 inch spike nails and two long pieces of old rope or string. Then make a loop at the ends of each piece and after pushing two spikes into the ground 1 to 2 feet apart to make a runway. Commence at one end and work down so you will not miss any weeds. If you do not use a runway of this kind you are inclined to wander all around the lawn where you happen to see a weed. You can sit down to the job when you work by my method."—H. G. BARNES, 41 Franklin Street, Boston, Mass. Tack Fuller Joins Weeding Weapons Another weapon to be used in weed control has been proposed for use by the attacking army. For this suggestion we are indebted to John A. Kunz of Hunt- ington, Pa.: "The comments on the last page of the current issue of L A WN CARE concern- ing weeding tools are very interesting. My favorite weapon is a hand tack puller which may be purchased in any hardware or variety store for ten cents. The curve of the shaft and the broad blade with the notch in it make it both easy to handle and irresistible to the weeds, cut- ting off the roots several inches below the surface, and not injuring the sur- rounding grass." 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. Sixty pages of specific information that will be especially helpful in the building or care of large areas. Lawn Making and Maintenance. 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-three 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, Spotted Spurge, Yellow Trefoil, and Goose Grass. For the complete series please allow 10 cents to cover mailing cost.