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 No. 1 February - 1961 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 ALLEN S O U T H W E S T E RN A G R O N O M I ST 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 & 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 BE READY - SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER During the next few weeks much can be accomplished that will ease the pressure during the rush season soon to follow. Many of these "winter jobs" have been done already« However, a second close analysis is justified. Tree planting must be finished very soon. Late pruning and cleaning up of broken or diseased trees and shrubs may still be done, but time is short. Mixing of topdressing, overhauling of machinery, and the repair of small tools may be done later if necessary, but the necessity for doing these jobs during the busy season causes delay and aggravation. Check your supply of chemicals so that unnecessary delays in disease and insect controls can be avoided. Get your samples for soil tests into the laboratories soon and avoid the rush when farmers are getting their tests made. These jobs are ones with which we are all familiar but a second thought given to them is most timely. The busy season is approaching. Being ready for it will go a long way toward making it a successful season. INTERESTING READING "Trees For The Golf Course" is an interesting article by Dr. V. T. Stoutemyer and appeared in the January issue of California Turforass Culture, Not only did Dr. Stoutemyer point out many of the considerations vital to proper selection of trees but he also listed several books which deal with trees for California. Recommended rates of chemical applications vary a great deal. Rates are based upon the nature of the active ingredient, the mode of action of the chemical, and the purpose of its application. Insecticides act as contact poisons, stomach poisons, or respiratory poisons. Herbicides may be of the contact or the systemic type. In the case of fungi- cides, contact is essential, but the fungus may be active on leaf surfaces or in the crown and root zone. The amount of water needed is different, depending upon the location of the infection. If insects or diseases attack leaves, small amounts of water are usually sufficient. With burrowing insects or with crown rotting fungi, the amounts of water must be greater. The sod webworm is a good example. He lives beneath the sod and is very hard to kill even with a drench of contact insecticide. However, he comes up at night to feed on grass leaves so that a relatively light rate of insecticide sprayed on the leaves will control him. However, each problem must be met individually. FUNGICIDES FOR FUSARIUM PATCH Fusarium patch caused by Fusarium sp.. which attacks practically all species of turfgrass and can be severely destructive to bermudagrasses and bentgrasses, can be expected in the Midwest before too long. Fusarium attacks are usually most severe in the Midwest during spring and early summer when temperatures are between 40° and 60° F. and where abundant moisture is available in shaded areas. Characteristics of this disease are reddish spots usually about the size of a dollar that have distinct borders of a reddish or pinkish hue. The most effective fungicides for positive control of Fusarium patch appear to be phenyl mercuric acetate (10%) and inorganic mercury compounds. Because Fusarium is most destructive when free moisture is present fungicides are washed from grass leaves and are rendered less effective. For this reason applications every 7 to 14 days may be required. GREEN SECTION EDUCATIONAL MEETING The 1961 Green Section Educational Meeting which was held in New York on January 27 was a success in every way. Despite bad weather which kept some people away, there were 198 registrants. The general topic for discussion was "The Golf Course Worker - Training and Direction." Individual talks will be published in the USGA Journal in April and June. One of the highlights of the meeting was the presentation of the first Green Section Award for outstanding contributions to golf through turfgrass work. Dr. John Monteith, Jr., former director of the USGA Green Section from 1928 to 1942, was the recipient. THE GREEN SECTION VISITING SERVICE As of November 30, 1960 there were 810 courses subscribing to the Visiting Service. These courses received a total of 1245 visits by Green Section staff members last year. Ch-the-spot assistance is not the only benefit obtained by subscribing to the Visiting Service. Benefits such as assistance by correspondence and telephone, as well as discussions at local meetings and regional turf conferences, are helpful to subscribers. times a year, and one subscription to the USGA Journal and Turf Management, publish- ed seven times a year, are two other benefits. Two subscriptions to a USGA Regional Turfletter, published six The cost is reasonable enough, as noted here; Less than 18 holes•• 18 to 27 holes More than 27 holes: 36 holes Per regulation course in addition to 36 holes.... $100 125 150 40 Is your club taking advantage of this source of unbiased information; if not, it should be. For additional information and application forms write to the U. S. Golf Association, 40 East 38th Street, New York, or to one of the Regional offices. COMING EVENTS March 6-7-8 March 8-9-10. March 14-15-16 March 27-28-29 Midwest Regional Turf Conference Memorial Center, Purdue University Lafayette, Indiana cMichigan Turfgrass Conference Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan Iowa Turfgrass Conference Student Union Building Iowa State University Ames, Iowa Wisconsin Turfgrass Conference University of Wisconsin Madison, T&sconsin Continent Turf letter USGA GREEN SECTION BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE P A ID College Station, Texas Permit No. 80 T * T * Taylor ifortheastern Agronomist Lipman Hall, Rìitgers Uni New Brunswick, N*J*