UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION M i d - C o n t i n e nt T u r f l e t t er MID-WESTERN DISTRICT R O OM 2 4 1, L A S A L LE H O T EL C H I C A GO 2, I L L I N O IS T E L E P H O N E: S T A TE 2 - 7 4 83 SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT T E X AS A h M C O L L E GE C O L L E GE S T A T I O N, T E X AS T E L E P H O N E: V I C T OR 6 - 5 2 10 No. 5 October - 1960 DR. MARVIN H. FERGUSON M I D - C O N T I N E NT D I R E C T OR N A T I O N AL R E S E A R CH C O O R D I N A T OR JAMES L. HOLMES M I D - W E S T E RN A G R O N O M I ST W. WAYNE A L L EN S O U T H W E S T E RN A G R O N O M I ST RECENT TURFGRASS CONFERENCES New Mexico - The New Mexico Turfgrass Conference got underway Monday morning October 3 at University Park, New Mexico, after nearly fifty registrants had signed in. Public Grounds Landscape Planning was presented Monday morning. That afternoon the group toured the New Mexico State University campus and some grassed and landscaped areas in the El Paso area. The program on Tuesday was devoted to talks relevant to several areas of turf management. These included "Recent Developments in Turf Disease Control," "Theory and Practice of Automatic Sprinkler Controls," "Report on Turf Conditions in New Mexico during 1960," "Trees for the Arid Climate," "Putting Green Construction Methods," and "Turf Roundup - 1960." Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Conference and Equipment Show - This con- ference began on Thursday, October 6, in the Student Union of Colorado State University. Topics discussed included "Who Has the Answers?", "What We Learned Judging 1,000 Lawns," "Lawn Problems in the Denver Area," "Turfgrass Soil Mixtures" and "Special Problems in Turfgrass Management for Athletic Fields5" and "Turf Roundup - 1960." Other topics were "Financing Golf and Country Clubs," "Open Discussion of Golf (burse Construction," Inter- relation of Aeration, Herbicides and Fertilizers in Turfgrass Management," "Armchair Diagnosis of Turfgrass Problems." a weed identification contest. Also included in the program was St. Louis Field Day - About 125 gathered for the St. Louis Field Day. Ray Freeborg conducted a tour around the grounds of Link's Nursery where several demonstration experiments had been conducted. Several strains of bermudagrass, preplanting soil sterilization for weed control, fungicides applied at different rates, intervals and in several mixtures (fertilizer was also introduced in the fungicide plot) were some of the demonstrations observed. Demonstration plots established on the Westwood Country Club included pre- and post-emergence herbicidal applications. The enthusiastic group held its banquet that evening at Westwood. Dr. Mike Britton discussed turf problems, primarily those of disease, and showed some excellent slides; Dr. F. W. Went discussed the value of applied research and the dire need for basic research. The trends in putting green soils and methods of construction were discussed during the evening program also. INTERESTING READING Colorado Turfgrasses - Basic facts about Grasses and a Key for Identification is the title of Circular 201-A published by the Colorado State University Extension Service at Ft. Collins, Colorado. This booklet was written by Dr. J. L. Fults, who is Head of the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Colorado State. Dr. Fults discusses the parts of a grass plant and their variations. He then uses these variations in the construction of a key for identifying grasses by vegetative characteristics. Chemical Control of Diseases Affecting Turf of Golf Greens by D. F. Wadsworth has been published by the Oklahoma State University Experiment Station. This booklet^is a progress report of experimental work on turf diseases at Oklahoma. The author discusses the combinations as well as single products which have provided satisfactory disease control in experimental plots. The bulletin is designated Processed Series P-340, February, 1960. SEED SUPPLIES Redtop seed promises to be in good supply if one may judge from seed production forecasts. The 1960 crop is estimated at 5,990,000 lbs. This is 23 per cent more than last year's crop and 12 per cent above the average. The production of bentgrass seed (this includes Seaside and all strains of Colonial bent) together with the carry-over from last year will amount to a total supply of about 7,984,000 lbs. This is 21 per cent less than the supply on hand a year ago but it is about 40 per cent above the average for the last 10 years. TURFGRASS MEETINGS OF INTEREST October 19-20-21 November 17-18 Kansas State Turfgrass Conference Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas Arizona Turf Conference University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona November 30-December 2..•Oklahoma Turfgrass Conference December 5-9 December 12-14 Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla. American Society of Agronomy Meetings Morrison Hotel, Chicago, 111. Texas Turfgrass Conference Texas A. & n. College, College Station, Texas CONSIDER THE SERVICES OF THE GREEN SECTION The Green Section Visiting Service is available to all USGA member clubs. As a subscriber your club will receive several benefits. Scheduled half-day visits by the agronomist serving your area, a second visit if requested, subscription to the IBGA Journal and Turf Management and two subscriptions to the USGA Regional Turfletter are some of the services provided by the Green Section. Assistance by telephone and correspondence is also available. What does it cost? Less than 18 holes - $100; 18 to 27 holes - $125; 36 holes - $150; per regulation course in addition to 36 holes - $40. These annual fees cover all services and expenses with no charge for travel. Think about it then you will likely want to subscribe. As of January 30, 1960 there were 749 subscribing clubs. 4BHBHHHHHHHBKHH5-.. In the Wèstern Turfletter of July-August I960, Bill Bengeyfierld, Western Director of the Green Section, used an article entitled "The Credit Belongs to—-". With the thought in mind that this passage is universally applicable, it is reprinted here for the benefit of our readers2 After three months of heavy play, high temperatures and hard work, the Golf Course Superintendent is entitled to his reflections. He has been buffeted by the weather, criticized by some of his employers and frequently confronted with an indifferent work crew. Whether his program was a successful one or not, he knows the summer has been a rugged and testing one. Dick Haskell, Director of Golf for the Seattle Park Department and USGA Green Section Committeeman, recently recalled a statement of Teddy Roosevelt's that is equal to this mood. With some justification, it would seem to be a fine credo for all superintendents. "The Credit Belongs t o - —" is the title: It is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man actually in the arena. Whose face is marred with dust and sweat and blood. Who strives valiantly and comes short again and again. Who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy Who, in the end, knows the triumph of cause. high achievement5 and if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." Mid-Continent Turf letter USGA GREEN SECTION Drf J* H # Watson, Jr. Chief Agronomist Toro Mfg* Corporation Minneapolis 6, Minn»