Sponsored by the

PROCEEDINGS OF THE
1975
M I D W E S T REGIONAL TURF

FOUNDATION
O. Lee Redman
W . H. Daniel
Fred V . Grau
Fred V, Grau

Page
3
3
4
8

Walter Weber
Jim L. Windle
Warren Bidwell
J. R. Watson

14
16
20
23

L. Art Spomer
L. Art Spomer
David E. Bingaman
Gordon V . Johnson
John Roberts
K. S. McWhirter
W . H . Daniel
Melvin Robey
Ray Freeborg

28
34
35
36
42
44
46

A . R. Hilst
Scott Street

53
54

Our Story
PAT Information
The Pat System.

Virgil G. Miller
W . H . Daniel
M e l Robey

55
58
58

Shall We Start a Business?
Our Success w i t h Lawn Care - Big City
Pumps, Nozzles and Solutions
The Expanding Challenge of Products

J. E. Carter
Elton J. Mellum
B. C. Brandenburg
Charles Schmidt

60
62
64
67

The
President's Report
Secretary's Report
Defining Success with Turf
Just Reflections
Interpreting the Misinterpreted about Pesticides
The Nobody-Gives-A-Damn Syndrome
A Tour of Turf - Africa and Spain
Energy and Its Relation to Turf Management
Principles of Soil Physical Amendment
Soil Containers are Different
What Do You Think About Sand?
Underground Barriers With Rootzones
Loosening Soils Under Turf
Turfgrass Culture for Lawn Bowls in Australia
Rootzone Systems for Natural Turf

Purdue Increases Student Loads
A Student
Comments

The 46 talks included in these Proceedings are condensations of
talks by speakers before sections and divisions of the 1975 M.R.T.F.
Conference.
We appreciated the willingness of the speakers to participate and prepare material for your reading.
Proceedings of each annual
Conference since 1948 have been prepared.
A limited number of 1970,
1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974 Proceedings are available at $ 2.00 per copy.
A copy of these Proceedings were mailed

to:

The 748 attending the 1975 Midwest Turf Conference
One person of each member organization within the Midwest
Regional Turf Foundation not represented at the Conference
List of those in educational activities.
Additional copies are available at $ 2.00 each

from:

W . H. Daniel, Executive Secretary
Midwest Regional Turf Foundation
Department of Agronomy, Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
47907

Page
Fertilization - It's a Matter of Balance
Ureaforms - Nitroform
Scott's Program and Products Give Success
IBDU and Products
IBDU in Sprayers
Organiform - A New Concept
Sewage Effluent and Turf Uses
Nitrogen Sources

B. D. Pfleiderer
George Osborn
Dick Gray
Cliff Helwig
Cliff Helwig
A . H . Bowers
Gordon V . Johnson
Paul Granger

67
69
71
72
74
75
78
84

Clyde Lyons
J. R. Watson
J. R. Watson
Carl G. Hopphan

85
88
92
94

R. P. Freeborg
W . H . Daniel

96

Harry D. Niemczyk

99

Dudley Smith

104

W . E. Sieveking
W . E. Sieveking
Jay Hager

107
110
111

Metropolitan Golf and Success
Carol McCue
A Day in the Life of a Golf Course Superintendent...Harry Murray
Success Means Ideas and Action
Carl Schwartzkopf
Where Success Lives
Andy Bertoni

112
113
114
116

Improving our Golf Course
Role of Equipment in Today's Economy
Design for Success in Mowing
A Successful Fairway Program, 1967 On
Poa annua Control Aided by Soil Analysis for
Arsenic
Principles of Successful Insect Control for
Golf Course Turf
Women We Have Known
Seed and Sod in Canada
Classification of Turfgrass Sod for Ontario
Major Grass Seed Growing in the Northwest

For Lawns - first see articles starting on pages 14, 28, 35, 42, 62, 64, 67, 71, 72, 74, 75, 78, 84, 96, 99, 110,

For Sod Production - first see pages 14, 28, 36, 64, 67, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 84, 96, 99, 107, 110,

For Golf Courses - all
Soils

14-46

including
Management

64-99

111

111

PRESIDENT'S

REPORT

O. Lee Redman/ Supt., Bellerive Country
Creve Coeur, Missouri

Club

The Purdue Turf Conference is a good way to keep abreast of
the heartbeat of the rapidly changing turf industry.
Our attendance has b e e n over 700 these past few years, but yet about onefourth of the attendance each year continues to be new faces.
Before the conference I read over the Proceedings from twenty years ago and then compared the topics with the many various subjects we will have discussed on this program.
The story is
obviously told in the fact that there were 15 different speakers
twenty years ago, and at this conference in 1975 we have 52 speakers
scheduled.
More people, yes, but the variety of subject matter says
that we are interested in the many facited profession of growing
finer turf.
The most provoking problem in our immediate future appears to
be with the spiraling cost of most everything.
As in past years,
many cost saving advancements have b e e n developed through research,
such as we h e l p to support here at Purdue.
The Midwest Regional Turf
Foundation has b e e n one of the leaders in the advancement.
I urge
you as members to promote the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation whenever the opportunity arises.
A sincere thanks to Dr. Bill Daniel and his staff who are always willing to help us solve any of our arising problems.
To the
Board of Directors, a special vote of thanks for they have contributed not only the chairing of the programs during the conference, but
in discussing the development of programs and maintaining of contact
w i t h i n their local areas.
It has been an honor and privilege to have
served the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation as its President this
past year.

SECRETARY'S NOTES
W . H. Daniel,

Purdue

Your Executive Secretary wishes to express appreciation for the
fine work of Jo Horn, who has taken Kaye House's secretarial position.
She's made it a smooth transfer of responsibilities.
Bob Seager w i l l be retiring as technician by 31 May '75.
His
willing and enthusiastic w o r k during the 17 years with the turf program has endeared him to all w h o know h i m . His dependable assistance
w i l l be much missed by Ray Freeborg and myself.
Our student enrollment in our four year turf program has reached
over 50. Fifteen are graduating in '74-'75.
So, our time for teaching has expanded.
In current curriculum a sophomore course, a senior
course, a seminar each spring and special senior projects give a good

turf polish to a strong science b a s e .
Your support in membership and in attendance is appreciated.
The local association's sending surplus or available dollars greatly
helps our support and training of students through student labor.
Our policy has b e e n any turf major can w o r k in our research projects.
It has meant 13 were actively working during the last semester.
It
tries our planning, but it helps the students.

DEFINING SUCCESS W I T H TURF
Fred V . Grau, President, Musser International Turf Foundation
College Park, M d .

Bill called me last night and said, "You're going on tomorrow in
the place of Harold Glissmann. What I did is just write down a few
words.
I've known Harold a long time.
I knew his father, Henry Glissmann; I know his brothers.
I helped his father, Henry, get started
in the Zoysia business in Omaha.
I visited Henry and went over to see
one Arlington bent green w h e n he was superintendent, so I've known the
Glissmann family a long time.
So, it's really an honor to take Harold
Glissman's place.
I am going to give you a few of my thoughts about
success in turf. But first, I think all of you should look at last
year's MRTF Proceedings and read Harold's message.
I read it again
last night, and it's just full of good,sound, basic philosophy.
The first word that I have under "Success in Turf" is attitude.
Unless you have the proper attitude you're not going to go very far.
You've got to want to succeed. You've got to want to do something so
badly, so desperately that you're going to make it succeed. And then,
dedication.
Turf is not a nine to five job.
It's overtime.
I've
known men, who at the stroke of five quit, went home, had a drink,
something.
But, the dedicated persons stayed there if something extra had to be done.
Now, that's dedication.
Observation.
Many people can see perfectly, but they don't see
that they're seeing.
If you get what I mean.
I trained under a man
in Nebraska, Dr. Keim, one of the greatest teachers of men I've ever
known. And Dr. Glenn Burton, whom I visited on the way up from Florida, says exactly the same thing. He was not a great research man,
but he was a dedicated man and one who motivated people. He motivated me. He motivated Dr. Burton, Dr. Gerald Mott, and many others.
And, he taught me to see things.
Called it a "windshield survey."
Driving through the sand hills of Nebraska in a Model T Ford, 15 mph,
"What's that plant, Fred?"
"I don't know."
Well, that's ?soledego
something or other." A few miles farther, "What's that plant?"
But,
the third time I knew that plant and never forgot it. Now, that's
seeing what you're seeing.
The inquiring mind. Asking questions. Harold Glissmann dwelled
a e r a s t year. A s k questions.
Don't be afraid to
ask/people who know are complimented that you ask, and they w i l l take
the time to answer, or they will help you find the answer. My father

on beciSs4 n h i s

PP

l

never finished the sixth grade, yet he was one of the best educated
men I've ever known because he asked questions and he read, and he
trained himself.
He had an inquiring mind.
Helpfulness.
Lend a hand.
I had the pleasure of sitting next to
one of the students at lunch this noon, and we had a fine conversation.
And I could lend a hand to that b o y . After lunch I talked to someone
who needed a helping hand on some problems hewtsn't quite able to cope
with because he didn't have the answers.
That's what we of the older
generation are here for. We want to extend the experience that we've
had and help the younger, the next generation.
Involvement. Be involved in things.
I just learned about the
formation of the Kentucky Turfgrass Council. As you heard, I am Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council, a life member
of the Virginia Turfgrass Council, a member of the Maryland Turfgrass
Council, and well, I think you get the impression that I like to be
involved.
But I saw involvement in New Orleans and I was very proud.
It was a Penn State alumni club.
There are some 420 turfgrass students who have earned their degrees, either two year or four year at
Penn State and they have become organized.
They have dues, and what's
left over, after minimal expenses are met, are sent to Penn State for
research.
Every single one of these young men is involved.
And itwas a wonderful thing to see.
Now, w h e n you h e l p somebody, go the
second mile if it's necessary.
I w a l k with a walker.
I can get along
by myself, but it's sure fun to have somebody helping me. And this,
believe me, is tremendously appreciated.
So, when one of your fellow
men needs help, go the second mile.
I have seen Bill Lyons do that he's a tremendous man.
Tell someone you love him.
Nobody is going to criticize you for
telling another person you love him - you make him feel appreciated. I
have a friend who came down from Alaska to New Orleans.
I was so glad
to see him that instinctively I kissed his cheek - I love h i m .
He's
a great person.
I started working w i t h him in 1935 in Pennsylvania,
and we have had a lot of laughs about our experiences there. When you
like somebody real well don't hesitate to tell h i m .
Continue to learn.
Continue to learn from others.
Get the experience of others.
I've quoted this many times from a b o o k of quotations.
"Don't be afraid to make mistakes, and learn from others' mistakes because you'll never live long enough to make them all yourself."
I've
made some mistakes and they have been dillies, but I've learned from
them.
Read. A man in New Orleans said, "I've been reading your articles
in Golfdom."
I said, "I don't write for Golfdom any more." He said,
"Well, I'm reading your articles from three and four years ago.
I
just got around to them.
I have a stack of articles like that, and I'm
going through them systematically."
So, apparently some of the stuff
we've written in years past still holds.
There have b e e n changes, of
course.
Don't be afraid to write.
I get some of your newsletters
from around the United States and Canada and I see in them the constant
plea - please send in something to the newsletter.
Why are so many of
you so afraid to write something?
Are you afraid you can't write, put
your thoughts into words?
Well, write somebody a card.
I get post cards from Bill Lyons,
and it's w o n d e r f u l to hear from people.
I get a little disappointed
w i t h some directors of our Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council.
I write

to them but they don't write b a c k .
But I keep on writing to them in the first place I like to write, maybe I can get a message across
to them, and maybe some day they w i l l sit down and write me a note.
Study history.
This is all part of success in turf. M e l Robey
was sitting on my left at lunch today, and going back into history
of aerification, and I was telling the graduate student on my right
about the early days when I was an Extension Agronomist in Pennsylvania.
Every spring the greenskeepers would use a w h e e l barrow seeder
to sow on top of the ground common Kentucky bluegrass without aerification because we did not have it then, without fertilization because
they did not even know what to use.
The ground was hard and compact,
and if one seed out of 10,000 grew into a plant they would still have
lousy turf because crabgrass predominated in the summer.
But this is part of history, and there is so much in the b a c k ground that I think every student should know if he's going to become
a success in turf. He ought to know what was the beginning of this
particular machine, or this particular practice, or this particular
grass.
See, I've been in this business almost fifty years.
I started
out in 1927 working on turf.
There have been so many changes that if
you start from right now and don't know what went on before you're not
fully informed.
Share with others. My goodness I Do you remember the day when
every greenskeeper held all his secrets closely guarded because he did
not want anyone else to find out h o w he topdressed his greens, or what
he put into h i s compost mixture?
He was afraid to share, afraid somebody would steal his secrets.
Today we are more gregarious, we share
broadly because of the training we've been given.
People like Bill
Daniel, Jim Beard, right on down the line. We've learned to share.
I
certainly learned it in Extension, probably to my financial distress
because I learned to give things away. Well, I'm going to keep right
on doing it just as long as I'm around.
Be a good listener. Be attentive.
I have been in meetings, I know
one person who will be leaning over talking half the time, even when
I'm talking.
I glare at him - it doesn't do much good - he just keeps
right on talking. He is not attentive, and as a result he has not come
a long w a y .
Now, I don't know the exact quotation, but it c o m e g p ^ r o m
an Indian, and an Indian wouldn't criticize another Indian because ^ d
do that I'd have to talk a mile in his shoes.
Put yourself in the
other fellow's place and find out what his problems have b e e n .
If you
would criticize anybody first w a l k a mile in his shoes.
You've got to be a doer. And take notes.
The late Professor
Musser used to ask me, "Fred, what in the hell are you going to do with
all those notes you take?"
"Well," I said, "I'm going to put them away
and some day I'll read them again."
And I h a v e !
I've been going
through some of my notes that I took 40 years ago.
It's surprising what
I learned from them.
I don't have to say to you, attend conferences!
learn.

You're here to

And again, make something happen.
This, to me, is part of the
real success in turf. Y o u people are making something happen.
I've
been following the success story of the PAT System for athletic fields,
and I am glad that at one time I had a little bit of a hand in helping

Bill Daniel get started in his career.
And he has made a tremendous
success of it. B a c k in 1946 I had a hand in getting Jim Watson
started under Professor Musser for his Ph.D. degree studying how to
water grass.
Nobody had ever done it b e f o r e .
Look at the success Jim
Watson made of his career!
These are the things that makes one real
proud
to have helped somebody become a success in turf and in life.
Turf isn't everything - turf is people.
So, success in turf is success
with your fellow man.
And last, nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
This morning during registration I stood and talked with Dave Bingaman,
Lou Miller and several others, and the enthusiasm in those boys was
just tremendous.
It made me kind of glow with pride just to know people
who can emote with such enthusiasm.
They're enthused with their work,
their friends, their lives, everything.
I'm awfully glad to be asked to take Harold Glissmannfe place.
sorry that he couldn't be here.

I'm

JUST REFLECTIONS
Fred V . Grau, College Park, Maryland
The word "reflections" carries me b a c k to New Orleans a few
short days ago w h e n Bill Daniel, Ray Gerber and I received the GCSAA
Distinguished Service Award.
I remarked that in the polished face of
the plaque I would henceforth see the faces of my turf friends reflected back at me. Here today I w i l l reflect briefly on some of the
outstanding recollections of events and people who have helped me on
the road to success.
First, my mother, who impressed upon us six children the value
of an education.
She was a school teacher on the Sisseton Indian
Reservation in South Dakota.
The use of good English was a must in
our h o m e .
Next, my father, who w a s a fanatic on quality. We won many
prizes at county and state fairs with our exhibits of corn, small
grain, vegetables and wild grasses that we collected along Nebraska
roadsides.
The grasses had to be perfect, neatly bunched, and tied
with a purple ribbon.
The lessons that I had in quality never w i l l
leave me.
Dr. Howard Sprague was working for his Ph.D. degree at the University of Nebraska in 1919 when I finished 12th grades at the old
School of Agriculture on the Ag campus. Howard was my first teacher
and a good one because he had trained under the foremost of Ag teachers,
the renowned Dr. F. D. Keim. Many w i l l remember Dr. Sprague from his
turf work at Rutgers where he and Dr. Glenn Burton published a bulletin on Poa annua in 1930.
It was so good (quality again) that very
little new has been added since.
Dr. Keim motivated many young men and helped to guide them into brilliant careers.
Some of his students were Sprague, Burton, Mott,
Engel, Skrdla and Grau.
I w a s privileged to be one who baby-sat with
the Keim children.
Dr. W a y n Keim, their youngest, is here o n the Purdue campus, training young m e n in the fine tradition of his father.
Part of my education was taking care of the unique Living
Plant M u s e u m .
It covered several acres and was devoted to raising
every economic and exotic crop that could be grown in that climate.
It was my job to plant and cultivate the rod rows of crops, then harvest them at the right state of maturity, store and label them, and
ship them worldwide for crops judging teams. We had speltz, einkhorn, emmer, pod corn, cotton, peanuts, milo, sorghum and so on, ad
infinitum.
It was a tremendous education based on hard w o r k and
preservation of the highest quality in every thing.
Dr. John Monteith was another who had a hand in shaping my future.
In 1927, as Director of the U. S. Golf Association Green Section, he established a $300-a-year grant with Dr. Keim for work on
turf.
I was chosen to mow and take care of the plots, apply the
cotton-seed meal, bone meal and sulfate of ammonia, and to dig and
weigh the weeds to see which fertilizer produced the smallest weight
of green weeds.
He helped me to secure a fellowship at the University
of Rhode Island.
I w a s scheduled to start my Master's work in the fall

of 1931.
That summer, after being graduated, I was asked to help
with the turf plots at the Midwest Turf Gardens on the A . D. Lasker
estate.
After a month I was called to Washington, D.C., to help
edit the Green Section Bulletin.
At that time, the Arlington Turf
Gardens were on the bank of the Potomac where now the Pentagon stands.
Kenneth Weiton was a Green Section employee then. We played
golf together quite a b i t .
He was one who put together the Purdue
Golf Course.
Dr. Mary Reid was another w i t h whom I was privileged to w o r k .
She determined that turfgrasses grew as w e l l at pH 4.5 as at pH 8.5
so long as they received adequate nutrients.
This w a s the era when
the influence of day length on flowering was just beginning to be
known and appreciated.
Dr. Arnold Dahl and I used to roll the lumps out of calomel and
bichloride of mercury, then mix them with sand for spreading on greens
for disease control.
We determined that evening watering encouraged
more brown-patch than morning w a t e r i n g .
In the meantime I was busy applying sodium arsenite and other
chemicals for weed control at the Arlington Gardens and on the campus of the University of Maryland.
At that time the campus was
separated from U.S. 1 highway by a cruddy b a r b wire fence. The great
depression hit just as I was about to embark on my Ph.D. studies.
With the help of Dr. R. P. Thomas and Dr. Jacob Metzger, and by living free in a greenhouse headhouse for taking care of the plants, I
struggled through doctorate w o r k .
A Model A roadster carried me to
every county in Maryland studying pastures, soils, vegetation and related aspects of agriculture.
To analyze my soil samples I had to
establish a soil testing system, the first in Maryland —
still in
use today, with improvements. My thesis was a station bulletin.
Getting a Ph.D. w i t h no money wasn't easy.
I even had to wear a
second-hand suit to graduation exercises.
It was of good quality
cloth, but too long in the legs — w h i c h had to be rolled up.
Charles Hallowell, Marshall Farnham and Joe Valentine had been
calling on the "brass" at Penn State and had persuaded them to hire
an extension agronomist for w o r k in turf.
I got the call and started
w o r k February 15, 1935.
Thus it was that I became the first extension agronomist in turf in the United States.
Because of my background, I worked w i t h farmers' pastures in addition to visiting nearly
all the golf courses, many lawns, athletic fields, cemeteries and
highways.
With C. N. (Doc) Keyser we put together a "Rube Goldberg"
machine for grinding and mixing soil, lime, organic matter, seed and
fertilizer.
I termed the mixture "floss."
We rigged up a Gunite
machine to spray the dry mix and a stream of water out of two adjacent nozzles.
Thus, we became the first to hydroseed slopes.
This
was on the original section of the old Pennsylvania Turnpike between
Carlisle and Sideling M o u n t a i n .
It worked!
I was responsible for
specifying the seed and fertilizer for the Turnpike slopes.
I neglected to say that, b e t w e e n h i g h school and college (six
years) I spent half the time growing corn on rented land.
The proceeds purchased my first insurance policy and a Model T.
The rest of
the time I helped to build highways in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.
We
graveled the last 10-mile stretch of the Lincoln Highway b e t w e e n

Gibbon and Grand Island, laid the first concrete pavement in Kansas just west of Perry, and helped get Iowa out of the mud.
During
the winter of 1926-27 the Mississippi froze over solid. We were
then hauling gravel out of a wet pit. When the trucks reached the
dumping area, at 10 b e l o w zero, they had a solid five-ton block of
gravel that had to be chipped out of the b e d .
The company lost its
shirt and I lost my job and all the money that my truck drivers had
borrowed from me.
Fortunately I was drawn on the jury at District
Court in Omaha and there I visited daily w i t h Earl G. Maxwell,
Douglas County Agent, who had been a good friend of our family for
years.
It was he who persuaded me to enter college and, since I had
no money, to work my way through.
That is just that I did starting
in June, 1927.
The most notable happening in 1935, my first year at Penn
State, was my discovery of crownvetch on the farm of Robert Gift near
Virginville, Pa.
I am still convinced that it was divine guidance
that led me to the spot.
I was traveling from Allentown to Reading
and had an hour to spare.
I came to the intersection at Moselem
Springs and elected to play hooky.
Had I turned left I would have
missed my destiny, but I turned right.
In about a mile there was a
fork in the road, so I turned right again.
As I crossed Maiden
Creek, another fork said "turn left."
There, up a steep winding
hill, was a steep shale slope ablaze with blossoms of a plant I did
not know.
I was entranced.
I stopped and hunted up the farmer, Mr.
Gift, who called it "dot veed" because it interferred with his
method of farming.
In the fall I went b a c k to hand-harvest some of
the seeds of the plant that, by now, we know as crownvetch.
Dr.
Stanley Cobb helped me to run it down in a botanical key. More on
this later.
In 1937 there was excitement over the fourth International
Grasslands Congress to be held in England, Wales, the Scandanavian
countries and on the Continent, mostly in France and Germany.
Both
crossings were made from Montreal in the Empress of Britain, which
Dr. Monteith and I played on some of
later was sunk by the Germans.
the most famous courses in Scotland and England, sometimes where the
grass was mowed by sheep.
That fall, Eberhard Steiniger and I traveled south from Pittsburgh down to Mobile Bay, through Louisiana and on to Texas, playing
golf every day. We shot about the same in those days and it was fun.
In Texas we laid the foundation for future developments in turf, then
went on through Oklahoma and Kansas to spend the holidays w i t h my
family in Nebraska.
We attended the A A A S meetings in Indianapolis on
the way home, tarrying for New Year's Eve celebration in Zanesville,
Ohio.
But that is another story.
The year 1938 was a significant one.
Prof. Frank Fagan at Penn
State shared my enthusiasm for crownvetch, he for his orchards, I for
erosion control.
He had a daughter, Anne, who became Mrs. Grau in
December, 1938.
She, too, shared my love for crownvetch, never
realizing what she was getting into.
When I failed to convince
farmers that they should plant crownvetch (I knew it had a future),
Anne and I bought two run-down, worn-out farms and started to grow it
on our own.
It was uphill work with no guidelines.
On every hand
our fellow-workers would try to discourage us saying, "If it was any
good, someone else would have done it - already, " and "cows won't eat it

and i t f s poisonous so it's no good for cattle feed." We kept on
and six years after we planted the seed we harvested a small crop
(1946).
Then we didn't know what to do w i t h it.
There was no market and the seed had to be processed.
We got some help from Prof.
Musser, who subsequently published a bulletin.
When we finally had
some seed to sell, the state and federal agencies said, "We can't
buy from you because you have a monopoly."
So we had to set up our
own compe t it ion.
It wasn't easy keeping the farms going, holding down a job so
that we could afford the "luxury" of founding a new agricultural industry, and keeping the family going.
During the war I worked with Dr. Monteith and Prof. Musser on
dust and erosion control on airfields and other military establishments.
These were not easy times either. We had an infant daughter
and wartime life on a farm wasn't easy for Anne.
After the war it
wasn't long until the U.S. Golf Association b e g a n to look around for
a director of their Green Section which, by now, had located with
the USDA at Beltsville, M d .
They chose me and, on August 1, 1945,we
moved to Greeribelt in temporary housing until we could find a home.
Now travel began in earnest in the U . S. and Canada.
W h e n I started to look around at Beltsville, several very important people sprang into prominence regarding two highly significant projects that were to leave a permanent impression on all turf
everywhere.
Mitchell and Marth had started experiments on 2,4-D
along with Dr. Fanny-Fern Davis, who was then acting director of the
Green Section.
Their work was widely publicized and we don't have
to be reminded of the value of 2,4-D for turf.
Dr. Davis was given
the USGA Green Section award this year in New Y o r k at the USGA
annual meeting.
The other project was under the guidance of Dr. K. G. Clarke,
who was the "father" of ureaform.
After a series of greenhouse tests
I was privileged to be the first to apply UF on alta fescue turf on
the front lawn of the Plant Industry Station.
Later on I was to have
a hand in telling people about the advantages of UF on turf.
Two people who were largely responsible for my becoming engaged
in national turf affairs were Fielding Wallace, a true Southern gentleman, and Dick Tufts of Pinehurst.
Both were chairmen of the USGA
Green Section Committee, and true friends they were.
Tom and Tony Mascaro came to visit me at Beltsville in the fall
of 1945 and there the basics of soil cultivation were outlined and a
crude drawing of the "spoon" was made.
This was the start of aerification as we know it today.
The FG Aerifier was built and tested in
1947, and a great day for turf it w a s .
1945 saw the start of the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation and I was on the original Board of
Directors.
Meanwhile, I had b e e n busy writing letters to every turf-minded
worker in the country, asking for support for a turf committee in the
American Society of Agronomy.
The letters were overwhelmingly favorable and we were granted a tentative place in the ASA.
I was named
chairman, a position I held for eight years.
In 1946, at the Fontanelle Hotel in Omaha, the turf commitee held its first official pro-

gram. As you know, turf has become an integral part of the
Society.
This recognition gave turf a standing among Land Grant
Colleges and we were accepted as part of agriculture.
In 1946 saw another memorable development.
Dr. O.S. Aamodt,
USDA at Beltsville, and I drove to Florida to talk turf and, on the
way back, we stopped at Tifton, Ga., to see Dr. Glenn Burton.
The
upshot was that b o t h of us made a modest grant of money and Burton
was given permission to devote part of his time to turf.
That was
the start of something great for the South and for all turf everywhere .
In the same year I had helped Texas with their first turf conference.
There I met a young student by the name of James Watson. I
learned that he was interested in turf and that he wanted to pursue
an advanced degree.
I telephoned Prof. Musser at Penn State and
asked if he would take Jim on as a grad student. He said, "Yes, but
where's the money?"
I furnished the money and Jim became the first
Ph.D. in turf.
The money came from the Green Section Service Subscription Fund which developed from members other than USGA member
clubs. We welcomed firms, parks, individuals and clubs that were not
eligible to join USGA.
The fee was $35 a year. We accumulated
enough capital to give other students a start in turf, one of whom
was Bill Daniel.
At Beltsville, I had a loyal crew.
There was Marvin Ferguson,
who got his Ph.D. at Maryland. Also A 1 Radko, now research director
of the USGA Green Section, and Charlie Wilson, now from Milwaukee.
Some of you may have seen the color spread in the August, '53
National Geographic where A 1 Radko and I were trying to pull apart a
sod of Merion bluegrass and Meyer zoysia blended.
In the background
was a field of zoysia cut for seed, drying in the sun. We did a lot
of work on zoysia. We grew seedlings and sent them all over the U.S.
We released Meyer (Z-52) zoysia for vegetative propagation and tried
to encourage commercial seed production.
Charles Hallowell had found a patch of bentgrass on a green at
the LuLu Temple Country Club near Philadelphia.
He sent it to Penn
State where Prof. Musser "married" it to two other vegetative strains
and evolved the great seeded bent we know today as Penncross.
The
components were tested at Beltsville under considerable stress to
make sure they could "take it."
Penncross was released in 1953.
At Beltsville I worked with Dr. Roger Humbert, USDA, w h o was
interested in the physical makeup of putting green soils. We collected cup-cutter plugs from putting greens all over the U.S. from
1)
greens that were "easy to keep," and
2) greens that were "hard to
keep."
Results published in the USGA Journal said that the higher
sand content characterized those that were easy to k e e p .
That
started the chain of events that led to the h i g h sand greens we know
today.
"Grass," the 1948 USDA Yearbook was one of the most popular of
the series.
The "separate" (reprint) on "Lawns" by Ferguson and Grau
was reprinted many times.
This is one of the classics in turfgrass
history.
The years 1950-51-52 brought significant developments.

We

conducted national coordinated trials on crabgrass control and on
Merion bluegrass.
We held national turfgrass field days at Beltsville and had professional golfers and college football players
test various turf areas.
U-3 bermudagrass ranked high at that time.
Merion was released and it created a sensation.
It was the first improved bluegrass that could be established from seed and come true to
the type.
The principle is "apomixis."
Merion seed was sent to Australia where it was disappointing when it did not receive the amount
of nitrogen it required.
Today it is one of their favorite grasses.
My "Turf Roundup" in Golfdom in these years tried to cite
every project, every grad student and many of the findings in research.
They were complete.
Today such a roundup would be voluminous because of the proliferation of projects and workers in the
U.S., Canada and elsewhere.
The Sixth International Grasslands Congress was held at Penn
State in 1952. Until this time, turf had not b e e n recognized by this
body.
I was invited to present a paper at a plenary session.
The
title was " T u r f — A World Concept." It was published in the Proceedings.
In 1953 the CGSAA held its conference and show in Atlantic City
where it was announced that I had left the U S G A . After a brief fling
at growing grass commercially, I joined the staff of West Point Products and plunged headlong into the selling game.
Actually, selling
was simply part of the educational process.
It was challenging and
exciting.
We organized tours and schools, and published turf conference proceedings.
I can still see the looks of amazement on superintendents' faces when we would aerify a strip across a sloping green,
then let water from a hose run across the green. W h e n it came to the
aerified strip the water simply disappeared.
A point had been made 1
James O'Donnell of Woonsocket, R.I., was one who took a tip
from Dr. K. G. Clarke and began to make ureaform which he called Nitroform.
I was asked to come to the plant and to consider a position
as salesman.
W h e n I saw the blue flakes of material coming off the
reactor belt I thought "Blue Chip," which became the official name
of the UF fertilizer.
Four happy years were spent telling the story
of ureaform, lecturing at conferences and traveling widely»
In 1950, right after the GCSAA Conference in Houston, where I
headed a panel on "Let's Build it Right the First Time," or "Builtin Headaches," I flew to Seattle for another conference.
There I became ill and, on my return home, discovered something wrong with my
back.
All that summer I lay on my back in a full body cast in the
hospital, letting my fused backbone heal.
I continued to write for
Golfdom lying on my back. What a summer!
During this time, Hercules,
Inc., purchased the rights to Nitroform and I became Hercules' consultant.
This continued until 1965, w h e n I began to devote fulltime to private consulting and to Penngift crownvetch.
There had
b e e n many weekend commuting trips to Pennsylvania to keep track of the
crownvetch seed production operations which had b e e n sadly neglected.
Tragedy struck in 1967 when we lost our daughter Barbie.
It
struck again in 1968 when Anne died.
Going on alone was a b l e a k existence.
W o r k and more work helped to ease the pain. A friend

recommended me for an Air Force consulting job in Vietnam w h i c h I
fulfilled.
Then another friend invited me to come to South Africa,
where I saw turf work, golf courses and farms filled with wild
game.
I helped the Killarney golf course with the Penncross bent on
their greens. "While I was in Vietnam I was given the USGA Green Section Award which later was presented to me at Penn State by Al Radko.
In 1973 I sat at dinner one evering with a lady whom I had
known as a girl and whom I used to date before we were graduated together from the University of Nebraska in 1931.
Both of us had
raised our familes and had lost our mates.
It was only natural that
we should go on together. So it was, on July 7, 197 3, Frances and I
were married.
She was with me on February 5 w h e n the Nursery Marketing Council at State College, Pa., awarded me a plaque for my 40
years of work with crownvetch.
She was in New Orleans w h e n Ray
Gerber, Bill Daniel and I received our GCSAA plaques for Distinguished
Service. We were together last October when we drove to Manhattan,
Kan., for the 25th anniversary of the start of their turf program and
the founding of the Central Plains Turfgrass Foundation,
Last week,
coming from Florida, we visited with Glenn and Helen Burton at Tifton, Ga. As a result, I am to be the banquet speaker in 1976 at
their 30th conference, another memorable celebration.
Through these years of progress, discovery and development I
have tried to teach others, but I have b e e n the one who gained the
most because I have learned so much from each of y o u .
No longer can
I tramp your fairways and inspect your greens, but I shall remain
active in reading, writing, learning and speaking so long as I am
able.
By maintaining close contact w i t h the young people in this
profession, I can keep young along with them. My work largely has
b e e n turned over to the younger generation, w h i c h is the way it should
b e . My son, Fred Jr., now operates our crownvetch farms in Pennsylvania.
He had four years here at Purdue, studying chemistry.
In New
Orleans I saw youth in action at the Penn State Alumni Club.
Turf
students from all over the U.S. have banded together to raise funds
to maintain the vigor of the turf program of their Alma M a t e r .
My thanks to all of you for being here.
success be with each of you.

INTERPRETING THE MISINTERPRETED ABOUT
Walter Weber, Indiana
Farm Bureau
Indianapolis, Indiana

May good health and

PESTICIDES
Cooperative

Are you an ecologist, or are you in favor of pesticides?
Just
how would you have answered that question?
It was raised by a high
school student as he was arranging the silverware while I was setting
up my projector.
I had been invited to be the after dinner speaker.
My answer was yes. Yes, I am an ecologist. Yes, I am in
favor of pesticides.
I hastily added that my reference to pesticides

was with the understanding that they were properly applied pesticides used according to directions.
I then explained the true meaning of the word Ecology which refers to the interrelation of all
living organisms and their environment.
This includes air, water
and soil.
This automatically makes almost everyone an ecologist. I
also explained that this word ecology is not new.
The word was originiated by Dr. Haeckel of Germany in 1869,
so has b e e n in use over
a hundred years.
It is not some new science that has suddenly developed since we started using modern pesticides.
The proper use of
appropriate pesticides certainly improves the encironment for beneficial plants, animals and people.
These pesticides contribute to
an abundant supply of nourishing food and the control of annoying
pests.
The folks who have b e e n using pesticidesjin their intended manner have certainly b e e n interested in ecology many years before the
word became so significant in the eyes of the general public. People
only hear the words they understand.
Many people are exposed to
the word ecology every day,but do they understand what it means?
"But what about all this DDT in o u r bodies?"
That w a s his
second question.
He was a very alert young man who gave the imI liked his type of quespression
of being very conscientious.
tion since it gave me an opportunity to draw h i s attention to some
of the misinformation that has b e e n disseminated about this excellent
product.
I explained the fallacy in the banning of DDT. There was overwhelming evidence of D D T 1 s direct benefits by killing insects that are
responsible for transmitting diseases as malaria and yellow fever
without any indication that the small deposits within our body would
cause any harm.
This banning was an excellent example of a decision
being made on political expediency, unsupported assumptions, and
emotional reaction rather than scientific facts. It was a typical
example of where some people just won't listen even when one gives
them the facts. In this particular case there were thin egg shells
when 100 ppm of DDT was added to the ration and the calcium was reduced to 0.5%. On the other hand, the shells were normal when 2 . 5 %
calcium (normal) was used and 100 ppm DDT was added.
"But, that's not what our teachers tell us." This was an excellent example where his particular teacher had b e e n misinformed.
This is understandable, since so much misinformation has b e e n disseminated.
An excellent example
be seen in the May 10, 1972 copy
of the fifth grade edition of "My Weekly Reader," where the question
for a crossword puzzle was the initial of a dangerous insecticide.
The answer provided was DDT.
Today we are bombarded w i t h many undefined terms. To be specific, I saw a roadside sign featuring "organic grown."
I asked the
lady what she meant by organically grown?
She said they used lots
of humus and mulch. I asked her how they controlled the insects. Her
answer was, "We use Sevin, it does a good job and doesn't hurt anything." Apparently she hadn't heard about the toxicity to bees.
We also hear many high sounding, impressive words as being
associated w i t h pesticides. You w i l l read about carcinogenesis,
teratogenesis, and mutagenesis.
None of these are related to the

b o o k of Genesis in the b i b l e .
However, if you read certain articles
you would almost conclude that pesticides are the cause of all three,
even though there is not scientific proof w h e n those pesticides are
used in the proper manner.
Y o u know that God created the world in six days.
He probably
couldn't have done it if Ralph Nader had been looking over his shoulder.
In the first place, God would have had to file an environmental
impact statement with the E.P.A.
Then there would probably have been
a class action suit to see that the earth would be free from pollution.
God would probably not have b e e n able to provide adequate reasoning for being creative.
How would He explain the source of light?
Would it come from the result of strip mining?
Would there be thermal
pollution?
Would there be any air pollution?
It would probably take
a minimum of three months to review the environmental impact statement even if there were no other applications on file.
Then there
would probably have been a public hearing in about 10 to 12 months,
even to receive a temporary permit.
I don't know what OSHA would
have wanted to add.
Today so many people are willing to accept food and enjoy the
beauty of nature without understanding why plants grow or fail to
grow, and with no concept of the importance of properly used pesticides. Many people fit into Mark Twain's philosophy when he said that
"It's not that people know too much, but they know so much that ain't
so. "

"THE NOBODY-GIVES-A-DAMN

SYNDROME"

Dr. Jim L. Windle,
Dept. of Supervision,
Purdue University

Several months ago Bill Daniel called me and asked if I could
speak to your group today, and I asked him, "Speak to the group about
what?"
He said, "Oh, speak to them about worker motivation, productivity, and the Nobody-Gives-A-Damn Syndrome."
I said, "OK", and was
about to hang up the phone when Bill said, "And by the way, all we
hear on the news today is bad news, so say something about what it
takes to be happy."
So, I am here today to speak briefly about
worker motivation, productivity, the Nobody-Gives-A-Damn S y n d r o m e —
and at the same time to say something about what it takes to be happy.
Y o u know there are a lot of people in this world who don't seem
to be very happy.
I travel a lot around this great country of ours,
and as I walk down the streets of many towns, I see people who have
long faces.
Granted, the economy is not as strong as it has been.
But, these people have given up on life.
They have read too much of
the "doomsday press."
Instead of the news media telling the public
that 92% of 86 million Americans are w o r k i n g — t h e y shout
about 8 %
being unemployed.
During the bes?/times we have always had 4 % to 5 %
unemployed and perhaps always will.
So, actually we have only had
about a 3% to 4 % increase in unemployment.

"Doomsday" reporting causes people to give up.
A cartoon on
the front page of a recent issue of the W a l l Street Journal illustrated this point.
The cartoon showed a middle class husband and wife
sitting in their c o m f o r t a b l e iving room and he is saying to h e r :
"True, we d_o live extremely w e l l .
But I w i l l say to h e l l w i t h everything."
We don't need people like t h a t — w e need Insppy people in this
country.
Recently, President Ford urged A m e r i c a n s not to give in to
"self-defeating pessimism . We need people w h o h a v e hope and faith.
I feel sorry for people w h o don't h a v e the strength to m a i n t a i n a
positive a t t i t u d e .
The Bible says, "Know thyself." It doesn't say,
"Snow thyself."
And, some people have snowed t h e m s e l v e s into b e lieving that they cannot be h a p p y and s u c c e s s f u l .
It seems to me that if there is a problem we must first decide
The Lord asked
if it is our fault or not.
And this is a big step!
Adam why he ate the apple.
And A d a m said, "It's not my fault, she
made me eat it."
If we can admit that it is o u r fault, then we are
on our way to h a p p i n e s s and success.
Let me test you on this last point by asking you to consider
this q u e s t i o n :
"Are y o u c o n t r i b u t i n g to poor w o r k performance in
America?"
In the n a t i o n a l n e w s we h e a r about poor w o r k performance
in terms of the productivity gap b e t w e e n the United States and our
foreign c o m p e t i t o r s .
For example, w e h e a r about how the Japanese,
G e r m a n s , anda<|tjt}ers h a v e b e e n able to out-produce u s — n o t only in
quantity, b u t / i n q u a l i t y .
A d v a n c e s in productivity are responsible for a large share of
the e c o n o m i c growth in the United S t a t e s .
But, increased costs of
w a g e s and e m p l o y e e b e n e f i t s , plus a decline in p r o d u c t i v i t y and quality, cause serious e c o n o m i c p r o b l e m s .
Poor w o r k performance and poor
product performance contribute to the rising costs of our products
and our^services, ie. , they contribute to INFLATION.
Inflation results w h e n increases in c o m p e n s a t i o n are not offset by gains in productivity, and sellers pass o n the h i g h e r costs of raising p r i c e s .
R e c e s s i o n results w h e n people cannot afford to pay (or w i l l not pay)
these h i g h e r p r i c e s .
Some people are not b u y i n g cars today b e c a u s e they are fed up
w i t h paying for the auto w o r k e r ' s w e l f a r e p r o g r a m .
As you know, the
auto w o r k e r s receive 9 5 % of their w e e k l y pay w h i l e they are not w o r k ing I If you are put out of w o r k tomorrow, w i l l you receive 9 5 % of
your w e e k l y pay?
W h y of course not I W h e n are A m e r i c a n w o r k e r s going
to accept the fact that there "ain't no such thing as a free lunch!"
P r o d u c t i v i t y gains in the United States are the worst
of any
m a j o r free-world n a t i o n .
In a recent b r o a d c a s t , Paul Harvey states
that the United States is in a d o w n h i l l race for second p l a c e . " I t ' s
people are letting it down," he a d d e d .
The United States used to
make 7 6 % of the w o r l d ' s a u t o m o b i l e s — n o w we make 3 3 % (when we are making t h e m ) .
We used to produce 4 7 % of the w o r l d ' s s t e e l — n o w we produce 19%.
In the fifties we b u i l t most of the w o r l d ' s m e r c h a n t shipsnow we build only 2%.
We used to lead the world as a b u i l d e r of
m a c h i n e t o o l s — n o w we are third. The sewing machine w a s "all-American"
for g e n e r a t i o n s — n o w only one company makes them in this country. 4 0 %
of all A m e r i c a n s w e a r shoes made outside the United States.

Why is our nation a lesser competitor in the world market
place?
Simply because too many Americans have turned their backs on
work.
There are people working today who feel like they have b e e n
"screwed" because they were not laid off so they could collect unemployment.
There are "reverse" seniority clauses in union contracts
that allow workers w i t h the most seniority to get laid off first so
that they can collect 95% of their pay. While we are producing
poorer products and demanding higher wages, shorter work weeks,
earlier retirement, more benefits, and pay for not w o r k i n g — t h e hardworking Japanese and oil-rich Arabs are about to buy us out with our
own worthless dollars!
It is important to note that there are some people in government, organized labor, and some universities that claim that our
economic problems are due to job boredom.
However, there is much
evidence which does not support their claim.
I have evidence which
indicates that "goldbrickers" (i.e., people who are loafing on the
job) are causing economic problems.
For example, it has b e e n reported that wasted and "stolen" time is costing the American economy
something on the order of $50-billion a year.
"Theft of time" by
employees may be costing the country more than organized crime.
To
"WIN" the fight against inflation and recession, organized labor and
management must put an end to wasteful, restrictive practices that
reduce productivity.
One of the great pleasures of traveling is meeting Americans
who have positive attitudes.
I recently met such a man on an airplane.
I said, "Sir, I have to give a presentation to a group of
young people at an Eastern university.
Would you mind telling me
what you think has b e e n the most important event in your life?"
He
said, "Not at all, it was something that happened to me 46 years
ago. My daddy set me down (I was 16 years old) and he said, 'Son, I
don't have any money to give you, but I am going to give you a piece
of advice, and if you heed it, I guarantee you it w i l l stand you in
good stead the rest of your life.
Son, if you ain't a-gonna work,
don't hire out.'"
Now that is not grammatically correct, but it is
good advice, and it reflects a positive value system and a positive
attitude that many people don't seem to have today.
As I mentioned earlier, the issue of job boredom as "the"
cause of lower worker motivation and productivity has b e e n receiving
a lot of attention.
The attention is presently a little d o r m a n t —
but it will flare up again as soon as economic conditions improve.
I should point out that I am not trying to worry you about
something you should not be worried about.
In fact, this situation
reminds me of a statement made by the greatest football quarterback
of all t i m e s — J o h n n y Unitas.
He once said, "Don't worry about things
you have no control over."
The importance of the motivation-productivity-job boredom
issue to you as consumers, taxpayers, citizens, employers, professionals, and parents may not be o b v i o u s — b u t it/something you do
have control over.
The stakes are high,- in fact, our very way of
life is at stake.
Therefore, you should have a good understanding of
motivation and productivity and how we can deal with them.
Everywhere I go
I tell young people and adults not to give up
on American business and industry just because they are reading and

hearing bad things.
The adage of the news business is this:
bad
news is good news, and good news is bad news, and the only thing
worse than that is no news.
But, don't worry about the day w h e n
there is no news because that day they w i l l create some.
There has been
a lot of "creative writing" about job satisfaction that says that workers are dissatisfied with their jobs. However, the facts about job satisfaction are based on the data from 7
national studies which were conducted between 1958 and 1973 which show
that the percentage of satisfied workers is actually increasing.
In
1958, 8 1 % of the working males were satisfied, and in 1973 the figure
had risen to 91%.
As the data indicate, most workers are not dissatisfied with
their jobs. However, I believe that even though they are not dissatisfied with their jobs, many workers do not care how they do their jobs.
Contrary to what some people say about the lack of worker motivation,
I strongly feel that much of the problem is brought about by the
"Nobody-Gives-A-Damn Syndrome" (or N G A D Syndrome).
So that no one w i l l be offended, I am not using the word "damn"
as a curse.
I am using it as defined in the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. "Damn" (as I am using it) is used to
describe "the smallest bit."
And believe me, the way many people behave today they don't care the "smallest bit?!)
Not long ago, Paul Harvey picked up one of my articles from
the Chicago Tribune and had a news program on it (the program I referred to earlier).
He stated that I felt that the economy was
being snafued by goldbrickers, by a 24-karat I-don't-give-a-damn syndrome that is sweeping the nation. He went on to explain what I meant,
and that is
simply this: we see the results of the N G A D syndrome
(or disease) all around us.
In fact, the sickness seems to be national in scope. And, it spreads like cancer.
If you think about it,
each of us feels more and more abandoned by our fellowmen. With this
feeling, we begin to live only for ourselves.
There are people who do not care about public parks and roadw a y s — t h e y just throw litter down all over the place.
They open up
car doors into the car next to them, or b a c k into another car and damage it and simply drive away. They smoke in places where it says "no
smoking" and they w a l k on public grass even with a sidewalk close at
hand.
Women get molested in public parks as people w a l k casually b y .
There are more and more people receiving unemployment benefits, welfare, and food s t a m p s — w h e n they know they do not qualify. Y o u see,
more and more nobody gives a damn.
In business and industry the effects of the symdrome are not
limited to the often-blamed boring, routine and unchallenging j o b s —
as some people want us to believe.
For example, services are deteriorating.
It is almost impossible to find a repairman who will do a
good job the first t i m e — o r even the second or third time.
Expensive
new products fall apart like cheap junk. Waiters act as if they are
doing you a favor to wait on you.
Sales people stand around and gossip while y o u w a i t .
Cleaners either fail to get your clothes clean,
or they end up losing them. Airlines misdirect thousands of b a g s . Department stores cannot straighten out your billings* Magazines foul
up on subscriptions, and you get letters demanding payment for copies
you did not receive. This list could go on w i t h even more specific
examples.

I w i l l admit that good services and products can still be found,
but it is something to talk about when it happens. We are overjoyed
when a mechanic fixes our car the first time, or w h e n a product works
properly when we take it home.
Taken alone, each failure is a mere annoyance.
But when you add
them all up, they are destructive to the individual and to our nation.
You see, no one can live without caring.
He loses his drive to be responsible and his competence declines.
In fact, he ends up without
pride or purpose. M u t u a l concern and cooperation are the adhesives of
society. Without them no society can solve its problems, build a
healthy future, gain the respect of its y o u n g — i n d e e d , survive.
I continually receive letters from all over the country that
support my position.
One of the letters I received was from a man in
Cleveland, Ohio who had been employed by General Motors for 45 years.
During that time he was located at various plants throughout the midwest, and had worked his way up from an assembly-line worker to plant
manager.
He said that based on his many years of experience w i t h
thousands of production workers, he would categorize them like this:
2 5 % are very concerned about the product, its quality and the company;
2 5 % are passively concerned about the product, its quality and the
company; 35% live from hour to hour doing as little as they can; 10%
don 1 t-give-a-damn about the product, quality, the company, or fellow
employees; and 5% are guilty of sabotage on a daily b a s i s .
This man
noted that Americans are killing the goose that laid the Golden Egg.
So, you say, what can be done about America's w o r k problems and
don't-give-a-damn behavior?
Although I must say that I do not have
all of the answers, I am certain that much of the solution lies with
the individual.
Everyone (blue-collar and white-collar workers
alike) must strive to get b a c k their sense of personal w o r t h — t h a t
feeling that their job counts for something and that their life counts
for something.
The way to do this is by getting to know yourself.
One aspect of getting to know yourself is developing a positive
attitude (as I mentioned earlier). Y o u see, it is our attitude toward life that will deteremine life's attitude toward us. Attitude is
the reflection of a person. What is going on on the inside shows on
the outside.
Think about this:
Our environment is really a mirror of our mental attitude.
If we do not like our environment we must first change
our attitude.
The world plays no f a v o r i t e s — i t is impersonal.
It does
not care who succeeds and who fails.
It does not care if we change or
not.
Our attitude toward life does not affect the world and the people
in it nearly as much as it affects us.
It would be impossible to estimate the number of jobs which have b e e n lost, the number of promotions missed, the number of sales not made, the number of marriages
ruined, and the number of supervisors and managers who did not succeed
because of poor attitude.
There are thousands of people who held
jobs which they dislike, and marriages which are tolerated, but unh a p p y — a l l because of people who are waiting for the world and other
people to change before they w i l l change.

the

Another aspect of getting to know yourself might be described as
"other, better side of the fence."
Frequently many individuals

feel that things would be much better if they were on the "other,
better side of the fence."
"Things would be better if I were working with something else other than turf."
"Things would be better
if I had a different boss."
There is a country and western song
that says:
"Everybody has to be s o m e b o d y — w h y can't somebody else
be me?
Everybody must be some p l a c e — f i n d me a better place to be."
In other words:
"Things would be better if I were on the other side
of the fence."
You see, things always look "better" on the other side of the
fence.
Or, to put it in your language, the turf always looks
greener on the other side of the fence.
The fact of the matter is
that we are probably standing on the better side of the fence now. If
we will only explore our present activity, we will usually find it
contains the things/are seeking.
Before we jump over to the other
side of the fence, let's make sure that the side we are now on is not
the better side. You see, while we are looking at somebody else's
side of the fence, they are looking at ours.
In closing, remember that next year this great country of ours
will celebrate its 200th birthday. We have a lot of sacred heritage
to u p h o l d — h e r i t a g e that was built by our productive forefathers. This
sacred heritage of ours was not built by such unproductive things as
abusive welfare and food stamps programs, a guaranteed annual income,
wages for not working, shoddy work, and absenteeism.
And, these things
will not uphold sacred heritage.
Productivity Upholds Sacred Heritage, i.e., PUSH as shown on my
lapel button.
Our challenge is to remember PUSH and do everything we
can to help alleviate the Nobody-Gives-A-Damn Syndrome.
Also remember
that you have several choices:
you can be a tremendous success or
dismal failure; you can be happy or unhappy.
Be optimistic, be enthusiastic, be full of vigor, realizing that you can make another person's life a little richer for h a v i n g touched yours for just a little
while.

A TOUR OF TURF - AFRICA A N D

SPAIN

Warren Bidwell, Supt., Congressional Country
Bethesda, M d .

Club

My golf course safari that touched bases in Spain, Morocco,
South Africa, Rhodesia and Rio De Janeiro was designed to see how
some of our counterparts were doing abroad, take a look at bentgrass
greens, where bent is known as the Evergreen grass.
And, perhaps
have a better understanding of how the rest of the world looks, sometimes known as a vacation here in the states, but better known abroad
as a holiday.
When you are about to travel abroad for the first time, you
are quite likely to form a few pre-conceived ideas, many of which will
be w r o n g . You had best have an understanding with yourself:
that you
will probably make a few mistakes, spend a few bucks foolishly, and
-20- Q s

hopefully be the wiser for the second time around, if and w h e n the
occasion comes your way again. After having had a three week golf
safari last November covering 12,00 miles, I know this to b e true.
Through the good offices of Dr. Fred Grau, I was introduced
to M r . Sidney Brick, chairman of the greens committee, the Killarney
Golf Club, Johannesburg, South Africa. M r . Brick returns to Washington annually to visit with his two sisters and elects to visit
me at Congressional to talk turf during this period. We have a fine
relationship, one that I shall forever be grateful for. We discuss
turf and golf related problems as though he were my chairman:
I
speak freely, and he does l i k e w i s e — a s chairman and superintendents
should do. Mr. Brick is an experienced green chairman, having served
the Killarney Club for a number of years, and, above all, he is also
very practical.
Because of a major highway construction project going through
the middle of the former location, the Killarney Club was forced by
condemnation proceedings to make complete changes in all of their
playing facilities.
The clubhouse was abandoned for a new location,
the 8 bowling greens were moved, new land was available for new holes,
and a totally new routing of the layout was necessary. With such a
massive undertaking up for consideration, it was agreed to call in the
best known golf architect in t h e world today, R. Trent Jones.
While
the Board of Killarney failed to reach an agreement with Trent Jones
on design fees and turned down his proposal, they did remember some of
his suggestions as to basic soil requirements and choice of grass for
the greens.
W i t h international travel being the name of the game in the
world of business and leisure, a number of the members of Killarney
had b e e n in the states. Many had tried their skills on our bent
greens which they call the Evergreen grass.
Evergreen because, unlike the Bermuda, at their 6000 ft. elevation, the bent does not completely lose color in the Johannesburg climate, where they get sufficient frost in July and August to turn their Bermuda brown, yet never
a hard freeze such as we had last month.
Faced with extensive changes involving construction and an almost total disruption of all facilities, wasn't this the time to consider the Evergreen grass, Penncross bent, as Trent Jones had suggested?
The decision was made to go USGA specs and Evergreen grass.
Today the Killarney has the only 18 holes of bent in the country.
Under
the steady hand and guidance of Mr. Brick, son John who is now permanent green chairman: and, having taken some sound advice from Dr. Grau
relative to the agronomic practices necessary, the Killarney Club can
be justifiably proud of their accomplishment.
I do not think it would be fair,however, to evaluate the
success at Killarney without giving due recognition to their greenkeeper, Fred Frederickson, a former professional g a r d e n e r — a man long
associated with the soil; one thoroughly knowledgeable with the
world of plant life and growing things, and dedicated to his own
world, that of Killarney.
I am convinced that without Fred or his
equivalent the Evergreen grass would be waiting in the wings for
someone to lead it down the road called success.

grass.

Most fairways of the area clubs are Bermuda; a few are KikuyuBoth are cut very short to induce density.
The nitrogen

level on these fairways is much lower than we use on either warm- or
cool-season turf. Mind you though, their winter months are never as
severe as ours and, therefore, the demands to get the grass growing
following their so-called winter never compares with our situation
either.
The Bermuda of South Africa, regardless of use on tees, greens
or fairways, offer a wide range of varieties, color, fineness and cold
tolerance as do our older Seaside greens.
There are those that green
early with only the slightest encouragement from nature, while others
are very coarse and slow to green until the late spring brings about
sustained warm days and nights.
The South Africa PGA Championship was played during the
week
of November 12.
I was privileged to see the final day which pitted
Gary Player against another native lad, Hayes.
I was astounded when
I saw the lack of grass and almost total lack of color on the Bermuda
greens.
As the story unfolded later, there had b e e n severe criticism
from the Pros on the speed of the greens.
Spring had been a little
late in arriving this year ('74) and consequently the grass wasn't
growing w e l l — s o m e of the mixed varieties were green, others mostly
dormant.
Dick Adderley, Greenkeeper of the Wanderers Club,who attended our GCSA conference in New Orleans recently, was hosting the PGA
event, was so frustrated with all the gripes, he agreed to shave the
greens for the spoiled sports just to get them off his back.
They
looke d 1ike he11.
In Capetown, the Cape of Good Hope area, where the Atlantic
and Indian Oceans meet; the Indian having 18 - 24 degrees warmer currents than those of the Atlantic, golf courses are surviving on frugal budgets more in keeping with the traditional beginnings of golf
in Scotland than is to be found anywhere else in the world.
Austerity
is evident at every turn.
Some fairway irrigation is practiced with
above ground portable pipe to assist in the release of a very skimpy
fairway fertilization that had just been applied to their very sandy
soils.
The climate is not one that encourages the production of bent
or bluegrass turf.
The temperature gets in the 115 degree range,
accompanied by 8 0 % humidity over lengthy periods of time. Aside from
turf production, it was interesting to listen to the conversations
about how they erect shark nets to protect the very fine beaches along
the Indian Ocean. W h e n I wandered into the nature preserve to take a
picture of the national flower, the protea, I was cautioned to be
careful that the cobra lived among the rocks.
Needless to say I was
satisfied with only one picture.

ENERGY A N D ITS RELATION TO TURF M A N A G E M E N T
J. R. Watson, Vice President, Toro Co.,
Bloomington,
Minn.

The energy crisis, together with the current economic dilemma as
a result of inflation and a deepening recession, provides a unique
opportunity for those of us involved in the turfgrass industry.
In
spite of the inconveniences and sacrifices we all are learning to cope
with because of the energy problem and the gloomy economy, it is becoming evident that opportunities exist for turfgrass managers to develop and to demonstrate their superior managerial skills.
It seems to me that the green areas close to home —
the parks,
golf courses, the playgrounds and the home lawn — are now, and will
continue to get the brunt of recreational traffic. Heavier play will
put greater stress on tees, fairways, greens, playgrounds and parks.
This can only be countered with good maintenance practices and careful planning of all operational activity.
This is where the opportunity exists for everyone involved in the turfgrass industry.
We
must provide more service than ever before to the members and users
of all turfgrass facilities.
Managers of turfgrass facilities must realize that maintenance
of turfgrass areas is more important than ever — not only on the
golf course but in municipal recreation areas as well.
Maintenance
must be extensive not only to ensure the best possible conditions
for recreational activity, but to also protect the heavy investment
in property values that individuals, municipalities and club members
have made.
The turfgrass manager must now utilize his managerial
skills to analyze each facet of his job function, the performance of
his equipment, his operating procedures, his maintenance programs and
his personnel policies — to ensure efficiency at all levels.
From an energy standpoint we must first assess the short term implications and direct our attention to measuring the problems with
which we are now confronted.
This approach will help provide a base
for the preparation and development of proposals for long range solutions.
Shortages always force new thought and I have confidence in
the long range solutions of today's problems.
Equipment.
A short term approach to coping with, if not solving the
energy crisis, is energy conservation.
For those of us in the turfgrass industry I believe adhering to five steps or programs will not
only conserve fuel but also enable turfgrass managers to continue to
provide quality turf.
These are:
(1) Select the most efficient piece of equipment for each job.
Generally, reel mowers are more efficient than rotary or flail mowers.
The scissors action of the reel mower not only cuts better but requires less power, consequently consuming less fuel. With the same
mowing speed, reel mowers w i l l use up to 5 0 % less fuel per acre of
cut grass than rotary mowers.
Data developed by Toro's engineering
division indicates several significant points with regard to equipment selection and fuel consumption.
For example, our 70 inch Professional which is a triplex reel mower is capable of cutting a 70

inch swath of grass with a 6.25 horsepower engine, while a Trojan which is a rotary - has a 14 horsepower engine for a 60 inch width of
cut.
The 70 inch unit cannot be used for all trimming operations,
but where fuel supplies are critical, it makes good sense to use the
smaller engine wherever possible.

|

[
^
i

i
1

W h e n you are purchasing turf equipment you should keep in mind
that the number of blades in a reel not only affects the quality of cut
but also the fuel consumption.
A five-bladed reel w i l l use 8 to 12%
less power and fuel than a six-bladed reel. However, determing the
quality of cut for a given area is something only the turfgrass manager
or superintendent can do, so it is up to him to decide if he can take
advantage of this fuel saving opportunity by using fewer blades on the
reels.
(2) The use of diesel fuel, rather than gasoline, is my second
suggestion for fuel conservation.
Diesel fuel generally costs less
than gasoline and the diesel engine has proved itself to be from
twenty to twenty-five percent more efficient than the gasoline engine,
This means fewer gallons to perform a given task.
This increase in
efficiency may be sufficient reason to consider diesel power when purchasing new equipment.

f)
I would be remiss though, if I neglected to indicate to you that,
according to many golf course superintendents, fuel costs now represent only TWO TO THREE percent of the total maintenance budget at most
golf courses.
Over the last several years, the most rapidly rising
cost factor on the golf course h a s been labor.
In 1972 alone, this
cost component rose 12%.
This is why I stress the point that proper
turf equipment must be utilized at all times.

(

i
I
1

|
1

.

(3) James Fischer, Director of Marketing, Turf Products from my
company recently addressed himself to the subject of the relationship
of labor to turf equipment.
Fischer suggests that since labor comprises a large part of the total budget, and that the costs for labor are
increasing as fast as or faster than that of equipment, many turf managers are allocating more of their funds for the purchase of higher
capacity, labor-saving equipment.
(4) Clean and properly adjusted equipment requires less power
and therefore less fuel.
Proper adjustment of belts, bearings, chains
and shafts can reduce the friction within the machine allowing for more
power for work output.
Frequent lubrication of vital parts w i l l also
reduce friction.
The tire pressure of any machine should also be maintained at
proper pressure to reduce the rolling resistance of the machine.
With reel mowers, the bedknife adjustment is critical.
Overtightening the bedknife wastes power, and an insufficient bedknife
contact w i l l not maintain the slight wear essential to maintaining
sharp edges.
A sharp reel mower w i l l improve the quality of cut which,
in turn, could prolong the mowing interval in some areas.
Sharp edges
will also allow reduction of engine RPM while maintaining good cutting
quality.

,

The proper maintenance of the vital parts of any machine is important not only in the effort to conserve fuel, but also in extending
the functional life span of the machine.
But no part of the machine is

as critical as the engine in achieving fuel economy.
Just as with
your automobile, a properly maintained, well-tuned engine can conserve fuel.
Several steps that should be followed concerning the engine include adjusting the carburetor to provide maximum fuel-to-air
ratio.
Checking the ignition system to ensure clean points and plugs,
and timing, to provide maximum power.
The engine air cleaner is crucial to its durability.
A clogged air cleaner can change the air-tofuel ratio and use excessive amounts of fuel.
Proper adjustments and
maintenance in the combustion chamber are important to extend engine
life.
(5) Mowing practices, my fifth suggestion, can also be a means
of saving fuel.
Some examples of how adjustments in your mowing
practices can conserve fuel include:
.. planning mowing patterns that require the least amount of
transport between locations.
.. using the least amount of overlap consistent with the
of your operators.

skills

.. selecting the height of cut best suited for each area —
you
may be able to increase heights — particularly in the roughs
and thereby add one or two days to your mowing cycle.
.. where possible eliminate mowing of steep

slopes.

A reduction in maintenance due to a shortage in the supply of
energy or a strict conservation program may mean longer roughs,
hairy bunkers and longer grass around trees and shrubs, but maintaining normal maintenance procedures on tees, greens and fairways will
not adversely affect the play on your course.
Cultural Practices.
The impact of cultural practices on energy and
turf management are apparent.
In addition to mowing practices discussed early, two other major areas need consideration.
Irrigation and Fertilization.
You may have seen several suggestions
in recent editions of the Golf Superintendent.
The suggestions include :
.. using minimal amounts of water whenever

possible

.. cultivate (aerate) to insure movement of water
and fertilizer into the soil

(infiltration)

.. irrigating turf areas during evening hours to minimize
evaporation
.. inspecting valves, pump impeller, bolts, motors and
no z z le s fre que nt ly

sprinkler

.. convert to automatic systems — this will conserve water and
places control in the hands of the turf manager —
the best
qualified individual.
It should b e kept in mind here that water practices and fertilization affect growth directly. Thus, the frequency of mowing is
affected by these practices.
Obtaining an analysis of the soil may

not only save expenditures for fertilizer/ but w i l l provide you with
a better foundation on which to base your fertilizer program.
In the
long run, you may be able to reduce your mowing frequency and still
maintain good growth and color in your turf.
It would seem that careful review and study of all cultural techniques applicable to your particular turfgrass facility would pay dividends.
For, many programs were devised before today's problems arose.
And, if they are reviewed on a periodic and regular basis, the turfgrass manager may be able to make slight changes and modifications
which could contribute to greater efficiency.
Personnel Policies and Energy. Good supervision is one of the keys to
satisfactory crew relationships and is one of the major factors contributing to crew motivation.
Ten points are frequently cited as
supervisory responsibilities:
1.

Build employee job satisfaction.
.. not job-happy, but job-satisfied.

2.

Provide development and growth chances for employees.
.. develop individual talents - point toward promotion

3.

Treat employees with complete fairness.
.. consistency, impartiality.

4.

Cultivate proper w o r k atmosphere
.. efficient, business-like, but pleasant - good comaradie good fellowship - take crew on a picnic or a fishing trip.

5.

Deal effectively with all gripes, no matter how small, and all
grievances.
..handle promptly and comletely no matter how simple you may
may think the problem to be — remember it is very important
to your employee.

6.

Protect employees 1 physical well-being.
.. check on safety aspects — daily health habits —
similar organizations are demanding compliance.

7o

Develop employees
.. through training, coaching, motivating, personal

OSHA and

supervision.

8.

Promote upward communication
.. listen to gripes, grievances and suggestions - involve the
crew individually and collectively in performance and job
critiques.

9.

Promote downward communication
.. pass on all company factual data pertinent to employees and
w o r k — also compliments on jobs w e l l done.

10.

Take personal interest in employees.

Among the other more significant factors that may help to motivate the crew are those that treat him as an individual.
For example,
provide an environment at the facility conducive to good working
habits.
Keep the shop clean inside and out, keep the tools in place
and organized to do an effective job.
Provide shower facilities and

a place for the crew to have lunch.
This same room may be used for
training sessions or as a conference room.
Bringing the crew together for discussion w i l l help to instill a sense of "belonging."
Provide opportunities for training and education.
Remember the
crew member who performs poorly may not understand his job or his
equipment — he may not appreciate his role or his importance in the
overall organizational structure.
Remember that "school" or educational opportunity may have a different meaning to different crew members —
school to one may mean an opportunity to finish high school/
to another an opportunity to attend a turf conference or a factory
training program.
Know your people/ understand their basic needs,call
themty name, discuss their job and give praise when it is deserved
and take corrective action w h e n needed, but do your reprimanding in
private with the individual, not in a group discussion or in critiques.
Finally, although job security in times of recession may be
sufficient to keep an employee performing in an exceptional manner,
in the final analysis you, your crew, and y o u r organization are better
off with satisfied employees who feel they belong and that they cont r i b u t e to the beauty and recreational value of your turf facility.
Summary.
Despite the energy crisis, combined with the current gloomy
economic situation, there is opportunity for each of us to continue
providing the public w i t h fine turf areas for recreation of all sorts.
As a consequence of the two factors of an energy shortage and
prolonged economic adversity, we should anticipate a strong increase
in the use of green areas in and near our heavily populated areas. We
should also expect some changes in our life style, some, I believe,
are already apparent. We are a people in love w i t h travel and movement, in fact, some states in this great country depend on the mobility of Americans for their economic w e l l being; and if our access to
free wheeling cars and a sky full of planes is diminshed, I believe
we w i l l have a renaissance of hiking and hosteling and cross-country
skiing.
Look also for more lawn games and perhaps the return of
bowling greens to our towns.
We are truly fortunate to have in the United States more than
11,000 golf courses and vast acreages devoted to lawns, parks, schoolgrounds, highways, airports and other types of turfgrass.
That network is, in my opinion, a national treasure; one that will increase in
importance to the people of this country as we move further into the
new age of shortages.
As the demand on these facilities grows, we w i l l have to keep
pace with new turf management techniques and with new products.
The
turfgrass industry has a proud record of accomplishment for the past
one-half century. We have seen such developments as new warm- and
cool-season turfgrasses, new fertilizers, new pesticides-fungicides,
insecticides and herbicides — and new maintenance equipment. And, I
believe it is the kind of development work that w i l l ensure the availability of satisfactory turfgrass facilities.

PRINCIPLES OF SOIL PHYSICAL A M E N D M E N T
L. Art Spomer, Assistant Prof./ Plant Physiology in Horticulture
University of Illinois, Urbana, 111.

Introduction
Water is quantitatively the most important nutrient required for
plant growth and survival. Actively growing grass tissue consists of
about 90% water by weight.
Plant not only contain large quantities of
water, they also usually require hundreds of times this amount during
growth.
This enormous amount of water contained and used by plants is
more than just an inert filler, probably every plant growth activity
is directly or indirectly affected by water.
All of this water is absorbed from the soil through the p l a n t 1 s root system.
Since water is
very essential for plant growth, and since all of the water used by
plants comes from the soil, any factor affecting the absorption of water
will, therefore, probably affect plant growth.
A number of biological, chemical and physical factors directly
and indirectly affect either soil water retention and movement, or
plant root growth and absorption.
The primary soil physical factors
affecting plant water absorption are soil water content and soil aeration. Water content is important because it indicates how much water
is potentially available for plant use and soil aeration (the exchange
of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the soil and above-ground atmosphere) is important in maintaining a constant supply of the oxygen required for good root growth and absorption.
Both aeration and water retention depend primarily on soil structure or the kind and arrangement
of particles in the soil.
Most golf greens have two important features which
them from other golf course turf areas:
1.
2.

distinguish

They are subject to severe foot and mower traffic,
They are drained.

and

The effects of the traffic are obvious (soil compaction, poor root
growth and absorption); however, the effects of the shallow drainage
(excess soil water content, poor soil aeration) are less obvious but
are generalized in Figure 1. A perched water table forms at the
drainage level in such a green following irrigation and drainage (1).
Under these circumstances, any good, medium-textured natural soil
will likely be saturated throughout (Fig. 1-B) and grass growth w i l l
probably be poor.
Both problems are minimized in practice by amending the soil w i t h coarse-textured materials (e.g. bark, calcined clay,
gravel, perlite, sand, scoria, vermiculite, etc.) to increase the
soil's resistance to compaction and to increase the amount of large
or aeration pores which drain despite the water table (2).
Unfortunately, "too little" amendment reduces both soil aeration and soil
water retention without increasing the soil's resistance to compaction
and "too much" reduces water retention excessively.
The "optimum
amount" of soil amendment should maximize soil compaction resistance
and at the same time provide soil aeration and soil water retention
which closely match those required for good turfgrass growth and water
absorption.

DRAINED PUTTING

GREEN
B, SOIL WATER CONTENT

A* CONSTRUCTION

25 i—

I
0

100

Percent Saturation

• tM>

drain tile

Figure 1, Water distribution pattern (B) for 3 different soils in
a typical drained putting green (A). Soil 1 = coarse-textured
sand: 2 = fine-textured sand; 3 = silty clay loam. All 3 soils are
saturated at the drainage level (perched water table) and water content decreases with height above this level.

This article briefly discusses the changes in soil physical
properties when natural soils are amended with coarse-textured materials .
SOIL AMENDMENT - SOIL PHYSICAL CHANGES
Figure 2 "pictures" what happens as a coarse-textured amendment
is mixed with soil in increasing proportions.
Since soil mixtures
are usually prepared from bulk quantities (e.g. bu, ft 3 , lit,m 3 ,yd 3 ,
etc.),,component and mixture quantities are herein expressed as bulk
volumes. Bulk volume equals the total volume (solid + pore volumes).
Beginning with 100% soil (10 yd ), mixture porosity first decreases
then increases with the addition of sand in increasing proportions.
Porosity initially decreases because the sand floats in the soil or
excludes soil and soil porosity without adding any large pores.
The
minimum porosity occurs at the threshold proportion which is the mixture in which the "mixing bin" is exactly full of sand and the large
pores between the sand particles are exactly full of soil. In other
words, the threshold proportion is determined primarily from the amendment's interporosity (Table 1). This is called the threshold proportion because it delimits the minimum proportion of sand amendment required before further amendment begins to improve soil aeration.
Since
at the threshold proportion the amendment particles first exhibit
particle-particle contact, this also delimits the amount of amendment
required to improve the soil's resistance to compaction. As the proportion of sand is increased beyond the threshold, the large pores between the sand particles (amendment interporosity) become voided of

AMOUNT
Soil
Sand
Pores

(bulk volume) OF SAND & SOIL mixture
10.0
0.0
5.0

Figure 2.

7.7
3.5
3.9

5.5
7.0
2.8

3.6
10.0
1.8

2.5
10.0
2.4

1.5
10.0
2.9

0.0
10.0
3.6

Microscopic "picture" of what happens
to soil porosity as a coarse-textured amendment such as sand is added to the soil in
increasing proportions.

soil
and
b o t h total and aeration porosity increase.
A simple
mathematical model can be used to predict mixture total and aeration porosities.
This theoretical model is compared with actual
total and aeration porosities of selected sand-soil mixtures in
Figure 3. This data demonstrates that the theory accurately predicts
mixture physical properties.
A simple graphical method for predicting soil total and aeration porosities from component individual porosities and b u l k volumes
is illustrated and explained in Figure 4.
The effect of pore size on
soil water distribution in a drained putting green is illustrated in
Figure 1-B.

Table 1.

V
a b

Mathematical prediction of soil mixtures total and
aeration porosities.

less than threshold proportion:
E m = tmVb - a V b
(1-E a )3
+
EA =

a

Vb

= mVb
A =

V b ßc*l

O

greater than threshold

E

a

E

m

"
"

CsVb
C

sVb

proportion:

(1-E S ) +
( V

+

aVb

a

Vb
(E

(1-E a )3

+

a

Vb

ßs*3

*)3

EA

= Aeration

Ea

= Amendment interporosity

(between particles)

E*

= Amendment intraporosity

(within particles) porous

Em

= Mixture

Eg

= Soil porosity

V-,
a

porosity

porosity

= Amendment bulk volume

d

V,
m b

= Mixture bulk volume

V..
s b

= Soil bulk volume

amendments)

In general, soils with smaller pores (soil) retain more water
in the upper levels than those with larger pores (sand).
The effect
of different amounts of soil amendment on soil water distribution in
a drained area is illustrated in Figure 5.
The addition or amendment (sand) up to the threshold proportion has no effect on the water
distribution pattern/ it merely decreases the total porosity.
However/ when more amendment than the threshold is added, the water distribution pattern changes to that typical of the sand indicating that
large pores have been formed and that aeration should increase.
As
amendment particle size decreases, the soil water distribution pattern
shifts towards the upper soil levels. When selecting an amendment, it
is usually best to use one which has a relatively narrow range of particle sizes. Well-graded amendments with large amounts of finetextused particles should be avoided because they are generally less
efficient (larger amounts are usually required to produce soil physical improvement).
Particle shape also affects amendment efficiency,
but is much less important than size and size distribution.

yd 3 Soil in 10 yd 3 Mixture
10

5

Figure 3. Theoretical (Table 1) and
porosity in soil mixtures containing
amounts of sand.

0

actual
different

Conclusion
This article does not recommend any specific putting green soil
mixture, but briefly describes what happens when an amendment such
as sand is added to a soil.
The "take-home" lesson is that a certain
minimum proportion of amendment, the threshold proportion, is required before soil physical improvement is affected and this amount is
usally quite high (75-90% of the total bulk volume of components). The
optimum soil mixture depends on soil, amendment, climate, drainage
depth and plant species and is therefore difficult to determine without
professional assistance.

yd3 SOIL 111 10 yd3 mixture

THRESHOLD
Figure 4. Graphical estimation of amended soil
porosity from measurement of soil (a) and amendment (b) individual porosities and bulk volumes.
Biagonals a-c and a-d delineate the soils contribution to mixture pore and solid volumes and
line b-e (parallel to a-d) delineates amendment
pore and solid volumes.
Soil pore volume = water
retention porosity and amendment pore volume =
aeration porosity (in the mixture).
For example,
a mixture consisting of 10 y d 3 of this sand, plus
2.5 y d 3 of soil results in 10 y d 3 mixture w i t h
2.3 y d 3 total porosity of which 1.2 y d 3 is water retention and 1.1 yd
is aeration porosity.

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CONTAINER SOILS ARE DIFFERENT
L. Art

Spomer

Most horticultural plants are propagated from seeds or cuttings
and grown in containers until large enough to transplant into ground
beds in our gardens or yards. House plants and an increasing number
of landscape plants in urban areas are grown exclusively in containers. What is a container?
A container is any receptacle filled with
soil or other growth media in which plants are grown.
Commonly used
containers include pots, flats, planters, cans, boxes, cartons,
greenhouse benches, baskets, and others.
All of us grow plants in
containers, but few of us realize that an excellent garden soil may
make a very poor container soil.
The purpose of this article is to
briefly explain why CONTAINER SOILS ARE DIFFERENT.
The soil is a semi-rigid mass composed of minute solid particles and permeated by a network of inter-connected pores in which
water, mineral nutrients, and air move and are retained.
The soil
acts as a kind of reservoir storing the water and mineral nutrients
essential for plant growth and survival.
Container soils have two
important characteristics distinguishing them from ground bed soils;
they are (1) small and (2) shallow.
The effect of smallness is obvious.
The water and mineral reservoir available to container plants
is much less than to those growing in ground beds and this reservoir
must therefore be frequently replenished by irrigation and fertilization to maintain equivalent growth in containers.
The effect of container shallowness is less obvious; however,it
can be easily demonstrated with an ordinary flat cellulose sponge.The
sponge is placed flat on the level, spread fingers of one hand and
saturated by pouring water on it until water drips from its bottom
side.
The sponge, like the soil, is permeated by pores which are
full of water w h e n the sponge is saturated.
If, after water ceases
to drip from the sponge, it is stood on edge, more water drips from
it (its water content decreases).
If, after water ceases dripping
from the sponge a second time, it is stood on end, still more water
drips from it (its water content decreases further).
Both the water
content and depth of the sponge changed from side to edge to end.
In other words, the deeper the sponge, the lesser its water content.
This same principle holds true for container soils; the shallower
the container, the wetter its soil following irrigation.
Actually a
perched water table forms at the container bottom even though it has
a drainage hole and, like any water table, the deeper it is, the drier
the soil above it. Because of this effect of shallowness, an excellent
garden soil placed into a container will probably be too wet for good
plant growth.
The effects of container smallness and shallowness create the
dilemma of a soil which contains an inadequate supply of water and
minerals; yet, this same soil may be too wet for the plant to absorb
even this inadequate supply.
The effects of smallness are remedied by
frequent irrigation and fertilization and the effects of shallowness
are remedied by incorporating coarse-textured amendments (e.g. sand,
sawdust, peat, perlite, bark, vermiculite, calcined clay, etc.) into
the soil to create large pores w h i c h drain following irrigation

(despite the perched water table at the container bottom).
Unfortunately, insufficient amendment worsens the soil instead of improving it.
This means that relatively large amounts of amendment are usually required. A good general recipe for container soils is about 10 volumes
amendment mixed with only 3 volumes of soil. Although container smallness and shallowness create problems for growing plants, these problems
can be minimized by proper irrigation and fertilization and through the
use of soil amendments.
Remember, CONTAINER SOILS A R E DIFFERENT and
therefore require different care than garden soils.

W H A T DO Y O U THINK A B O U T SAND
David E. Bingaman, Agronomist-Golf Course
Salt Lake City, Utah

Architect

Probably the last thing you expect to hear at a turf conference
was someone to stand in front of you and say he does not think anyone
in the room grows grass, but that is exactly what I am saying.
Let me
explain. You can plant grass, water it, fertilize it, mow it, even
kill it, but not grow it.
I can see no one here small enough to jump
into the seed and pump it out of the ground.
I believe the best we can do as professional turf people is try
to manipulate and control the environment within which the grass plant
is living so as to enable it to more nearly grow to its genetic potential.
To do this, it behooves us to know as much as possible about
the plant in question, the requirements placed on it by the user, the
climatic conditions within which it is located and the rootzone within
which it is growing.
It is about this rootzone that I am going to
speak about for the next few minutes.
Nearly all of the turfgrass under cultivation in the world is on
naturally occurring, physically unamended soils.
There have been over
7,000 of these natural soil series identified and classified in the
United States alone. Most of the natural soils do not have the physical properties necessary to provide a suitable, stable rootzone over
time under the use and quality requirements imposed and desired.Therefore , it becomes necessary to amend these natural soils to the point
that the finished matrix can allow the desired grass growth.
One of the most widely used soil amenders is sand.
Its incorporation into the profile may be to the extent of 100% at which time it
becomes the sole mineral agent of the plant's growing medium.
The desirable control of the medium's physical properties in this case can be
much greater than with the use of finer soil materials.
Whenever we discuss a rootzone condition, it is important that
while we are talking in terms of solids, i.e., sand, silt, clay, peat,
etc., we should be thinking in terms of the voids or pores created by
the random arrangement of these solid particles.
It is within these
pores that we w i l l find the soil-air, soil-water and plant roots. The
pores of our soil may be small enough so as to remain filled with water
even after gravitational drainage has ceased.
Should this condition re-

main unaltered for extended periods of time, what soil-air is present
w i l l become stagnant and the desirable growth of the plant w i l l be reduced.
Attempts to correct this condition often include the incorporation of sand into the rootzone in an effort to increase pore size
and improve drainage. W h e n doing this, the turfgrass manager needs to
keep at least two more things in mind:
1).
2).

Incorporation of sand may worsen the condition, and
The condition may remain essentially unchanged if the newly
created "drainable" pores have nowhere to drain to; that is,
if the undisturbed adjacent soil is likewise too tight for
rapid water movement and drain lines are either absent or
otherwise ineffective.

The above problems are real ones as the technological and market
emphasis in many areas of the country during the last decade have been
placed on irrigation.
So, for most of us, it is easier to irrigate a
soil than it is to drain it. But, we must not lose sight of the fact
that in a given pore scheme within the soil, the addition of water
means the reduction of soil-air.
In looking at an existing turf area where a soil physical problem exists, or where new construction of a turf area is to take place,
the first step should be that of defining the problem.
If it is
possible to correct this problem by the use of sand, the manager can
go one step further and learn, to a great degree, how his newly built
or amended rootzone profile w i l l act and/or react to different situations.
For the same natural forces that create the problem in one instance w i l l insure success in the new profile.
As shown by the success of the PURR-WICK greens over the past
few years, quite satisfactory turf can be achieved through the use of
an all-sand medium.
Research has been done that makes it possible to
predict w i t h reasonable accurary the pore scheme and physical properties of any particular sand.
To summarize:
1).
2).
3).
4).

One should define the problem,
Know the availability of materials at hand,
Determine what is economically feasible, and
Get about the task of improving the situation.

UNDERGROUND BARRIERS WITH

ROOTZONES

Gordon V . Johnson, Dept. of Soils, Water and
University of Arizona, Tucson

Engineering,

Natural underground barriers which restrict the rootzone of
turfgrasses have been an important part of turfgrass culture for several decades.
The most common natural barrier is provided by soil
compaction which results from the breakdown of soil structure.
Although compaction may occur in the top several inches of soil, the

condition is usually alleviated near the surface by cultivation practices such as spiking and aerification.
Below this depth of cultivation the soil remains compacted and then functions as a natural barrier.
Usually this kind of barrier is detrimental to turfgrass management because it is too near the surface and restricts root and water
penetration.
This natural barrier is common to heavily trafficked turf
(such as golf tee and putting green areas) grown in medium- and finetextured soils and has been of great concern to golf course superintendents for many years.
The recent increased use of sand or sandy soils for the growth medium in areas subject to compaction has been a major development in
eliminating compaction problems.
Since sand has no structure which will
b r e a k down, it provides ample pore space for water and air movement even
under maximum compaction.
The disadvantage of using sand is that water
moves through it too freely and its capacity to retain water is too
small. Attempts to circumvent this problem have resulted in providing
a coarse gravel layer or a plastic barrier b e l o w the sand to restrict
or eliminate downward water loss from the sand. Use of either type of
barrier increases the amount of available water held in the sand rootzone .
Research was initiated in 1972 at the University of Arizona to investigate the merits of subirrigation of "Penncross" bentgrass utilizing a plastic barrier 2 ft. b e l o w the surface.
The research compared
subirrigation and nitrogen fertilization from a static water (SWT) 1 ft.
b e l o w the surface; a water table which was allowed to fluctuate (FWT)
between about 4 and 20 inches; and conventional sprinkler irrigation
(SI). Washed sand and a 2:1:1 mixture of washed sand, sandy loam soil,
and Loamite
were compared in conjunction with the irrigation treatments .
Results and

Discussion

Growth.
Clipping yields tended to decrease from the initial sampling
in early July until a minimum was reached in mid-September.
This minimum was followed by a slight general increase through October.
These
general variations in yield appear to be related to variation in daily
temperature maximums.
The highest temperatures occurred in late July
and early August and coincide with the smallest or lowest yield.
Yields continued low in July and September as temperatures remained
high. As temperatures decreased in October, yields tended to increase.
These trends in apparent temperature related yield variations suggest
that the periods of greatest heat stress on yield occur in August preceded by about 2 months of daily temperatures above 32°C (90°F).
During the initial stress period in early July, clipping yields
remained highest from the turfgrass grown in the sand-soil-Loamite mixture.
These plots, however, tended to produce the lowest yields during the period of greatest stress in September. Within these two soil
materials, the subirrigation F W T treatment produced significantly more
clippings than the surface irrigated plots during both the period of
initial heat stress and the period of acute heat stress.
Recovery from
heat stress was greatest for the surface irrigated plots.
Color. Variations in color appeared to be associated with temperature
variations in a manner different from that for growth.
Turf color was
^A product formerly processed
Rosa, Ca.

from wood by the Loamite

Corp.,Santa

not reduced as markedly as yield by high temperatures early in the
summer.
The amount of color was least in late July and early August,
followed by a general increase thereafter.
Color differences associated with the two artificial soils were not consistent throughout
the study.
Surface irrigated plots were consistently greener,however,
than subirrigated plots.
Of the subirrigated treatments, plots with
a F W T tended to recover faster from the early heat stress than did
SWT plots.
Individual plants on the subirrigated plots exhibited symptoms of N deficiency during the period when overall color was low.
Additional fertilizer applied on the subirrigation treatments increased
the amount of available N present in the root zone, but did not impco\e
color.
Detection of nitrate-nitrogen levels in the soil solution as
high as 2.5 ppm in early August suggest that the poorer color of the
subirrigated plots was a result of anaerobic conditions which adversely affected N assimilation and/or metabolism.
This was further evidenced by the fact that when levels of available N much higher than
normally considered adequate were provided by injection of N 5 cm below the surface, a dark green color resulted.
Root Distribution.
Total root mass and its distribution w i t h depth in
the soil influences the degree to which turfgrasses can tolerate
periods of heat related moisture stress.
Root distribution for the 6
treatment combinations are presented graphically in Figure 1.
The
root mass was greater and its extension deeper (growth to 50 cm or
20 in) in the sand material than in the mix.
This difference may be
explained by the greater % air-filled pore space and lower levels of
available N associated with the sand material (Tables 1 and 2).
Greater root masses resulted from subirrigation with the FWT than
with an SWT which in turn was greater than with surface irrigation. The
large root masses associated with the F W T treatment are likely a result
of the excellent moisture and aeration conditions provided by this
treatment.
Likewise, the decreased aeration and increased wetness of
the SWT treatment may account for the reduced mass of roots associated
w i t h this treatment compared to that for the FWT.
The lower root mass
associated with surface irrigation is likely a reflection of the amount
and distribution of available moisture under this treatment, as well as
the higher concentration of nitrogen in the top 5 cm (2 inches) which
encouraged top growth at the expense of root growth.
Surface applied
water on the sand material quickly moved downward resulting in an even
distribution with depth of available water and air-filled pore space,
whereas, in the mix, sufficient available water was held in the upper
5 cm to supply the plant's needs.
The most favorable aeration in the
mix also occurred in the upper 5 cm and would tend to encourage root
g r o w t h at that depth.
Consumptive Water Use.
Consumptive use of water by bentgrass irrigated
from a stable water table for a one year period totaled 59 inches for
the sand and
53.5 inches for the sand-soil-loamite mix.
These
values are considerably less than the amount of water normally used for
sprinkler irrigation and indicate that subirrigation may provide a
means for substantial water savings.
On a daily basis, use ranged from
about 0.2 inch in August to 0.05 inch in January.
Additional Observations.
Damage to the turfgrass from insects or
disease was not apparent nor was there evidence of any nutrient deficiencies or disorders (aside from that already discussed in relation to
N) on any of the plants. Moisture stress, manifested as temporary
wilting, was most apparent
on the surface irrigated plots especially

those in which the turfgrass was grown in sand.
Soluble salts did
accumulate to a degree harmful to the turfgrass.

not

Summary
Bentgrass turf which was subirrigated with a fluctuating water
table was less subject to summer heat stress than surface irrigated
turf. A major problem experienced with the subirrigated turf was that
of providing an environment conducive to proper nitrogen assimilation
and metabolism.
This problem seemed to be most severe when irrigation
was from a stable water table.
Since it did not occur until after several weeks of high temperatures, it may be unique to hot desert climates. The problem was avoided the following summer by surface fertilization of N.
Dessication occurred more frequently in the surface irrigated turf than in that which was subirrigated.
Subirrigation appears to have some potential for maintaining bentgrass greens in regions characterized by several weeks of high temperature .

Table 1. Vertical distribution of NH4- plus N03-N in two artificial
soils irrigated by three different methods.

Depth

Surface irrigation
and N application

Stable

Sand

Sand

Mix

table

Mix

Subirrigation & nitrogen app. Flue.
Sand

Mix

2-1-1

-ppmN-

cm
0-5
5-10
10-20
20-30
30-40
40-50

5.3
4.0
3.7
3.5
3.7
3.0

; 13.9
\
8.7
\ 8.0
\7.5
3.8
2.2

4.4
6.3
4.7
6.8_.
3.9
/§To
5.0
/
7.0
o. chx^
7.1
12 .7
/15.0

4.1
4.2
5.0
4.5
/ 8.5
13.3

5.9
5.5
6.6
6.0
10.3
15.5

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Figure 1.

1.0
0-5

Effect of soil material and irrigation treatment on the root
distribution of bentgrass following hot summer weather.

.10
—L.

OI

WEIGHT
ooi

(LOG S C A L E )
10
01

(gm)
io

98%

78%
8 %

5-10

6%

10-15

4%

15-20
20-25

2%

25-30
30-40
40-50
E
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25-30

TOTAL WT - 0 8l8g

TOTAL WT-I 307g
83%

88%
7%

9%
2%

4%
2%

-WATER TABLE-

-WATER TABLE-

30 -40
CL
UJ
Q

40-50

TOTAL WT - 1.11 Ig

0-5 96%

TOTAL WT - I 566g
88%

2%

5-10

6%

10-15

5%

15-20
20-25
25 -30
30-40

WATER TABLE

WATER TABLE

TOTAL WT - 1.542 g

40-50

TOTAL WT - l .757g
1

MIX

SAND

001
i

LOOSENING

SOILS UNDER TURF

John Roberts, Graduate Student Turf,

Purdue

Cultivation has been an important part of agriculture for many
centuries.
The problem arises when soil particles near the surface
become so compacted that essential air and moisture penetration to
the rootzone is restricted.
Turfgrass areas of all kinds are being subjected to an increasing
amount of traffic each year.
However, only rather recently have
studies been conducted on this condition.
Beginning in August, 1974 plots were set out on a silty clay
loam w i t h a bluegrass sod and on a fine sand on a bentgrass putting
green. Work was conducted under
two soil moisture levels field capacity and near saturation.
Greensairing the first week of each month
allowed sampling to occur within three weeks following cultivation.
The (3/8" diameter) tines penetration depth was 7.6 cm (3 in.).
The
cores were shredded and replaced in all plots following cultivation.
Cultivation occurred through November and was then terminated.
One of the considerations regarding cultivation is its influence
on weed invasion.
In October a total weed count on the bluegrass plots
was taken and summarized in Table 1. Dandelions were the dominant
weed.
The bentgrass plots showed no increase in Poa annua.

Table

1.

Influence of cultivation on weed
sod .

Machine
Greensaire

invasion under bluegrass

Freq.
month

Total No.
weeds

1
4
Check

10
26
12

We were interested not only in the upper 1 - 3 inches where compaction is supposedly being relieved by aerifying, but also just below the lime penetration depth.
Table 2 shows bulk density values
taken in November on the silty clay loam plots at the 3 - 5 in. depths.
The fine sands showed no increased compaction compared to the check
at the 3 - 5 " depth.
Table 2 . Bu__k density values at the 3 - 5 " depth following four months
of cultivation on a silty clay loam soil.
Freq.
Month
1
2
Check

Soil moisture
Moist
Wet
1.33
1.36
1.34
1.39
1.31

W h e n soil particles become compacted to the point where air and
water penetration become limiting, problems can arise.
It's desirable
to have a proper pore size distribution that would prevent this condition - restricted air-water movement.
90 days following the November
cultivation samples were taken to observe the influence of time and
resettling rates on large pores in the upper 1 - 3 inches (7.6-12.6
cm) .

Table 3.

Large pore distribution in the upper 1-3", 90 days
4 months of cultivation.
Freq.
month
1
2
1
2
Check

Soil
moisture
Moist
Moist
Wet
Wet

Texture
silty clay loam
%
12

Fine

following

sand

%
34
33

10
10
9
15

-

33

When water infiltration rates were recorded in September, cultivated plots on the silty clay loam showed decreased infiltration rates
compared to the checks.
The reverse was true on the fine sand putting
green.
Interested in the amount of soil removed by the Greensairing
tines, a thin plastic sheet was placed on the soil surface and held
firmly in place while the Greensaire made one pass across.
The cores
entrapped on the plastic were then transferred to bags and the dry
weights were determined.
A 3/8" diameter tine set at a 3" penetration
depth was used.

Table 4.

The dry weight of plugs

1 sq.ft.
gms.
12 3
131

removed.

Area
1000 f t / 2 " M 2
gms.
lbs.
131
270
140
290

Location

and

Exp. PURR-WICK
PAT Football

Texture
Fine sand
Sand top mix

It should be mentioned that both soils being cultivated would probably not be considered "problem" soils.
Plots under compacted soil
will begin this spring. While some of the data presented indicate
rather negative results due to aerifying, the entire scope of the compaction problem has not been considered.

TURFGRASS CULTURE FOR LAWN BOWLS IN AUSTRALIA
K. S. McWhirter, Dept. of Agricultural Botany
The University of Sydney, Australia

In Australia, turfgrass areas varying in standard and degree of
preparation are used for horse racing, cricket, rugby football, soccer,
lawn tennis, croquet, golf and lawn b o w l s .
Lawn bowling and golf are
the sports which make the keenest demands on turfgrass managers to produce grassed surfaces closely approaching the player's ideal.
For lawn
bowls, this ideal is a closely mown, uniform turf with a compacted surface that is fast and level.
Lawn bowling is a popular participation
sport in Australia, largely due to the ability of curators to regularly
prepare surfaces which make the game pleasurable to a majority of
players.
The problems and practices involved in producing a lawn bowling
surface of a high standard are not unique, but they do represent a
blend of the practices employed in the more familiar forms of turfgrass culture.
It is my aim here to describe some Australian practices to the specific requirements of the game of lawn b o w l s .
Lawn Bowls
The object of lawn bowls is to propel a biased b o w l on a curved
trajectory over a distance of at least 66 ft. with the speed and direction required for the b o w l to come to rest as near as possible to a
marker ball, the jack. A player scores the number of bowls he places
nearer the jack than the closest of his opponent's b o w l s .
Each delivery of 4 bowls from one position constitutes an end, and the cumulative score over a pre-determined number of ends (15, 21, or 31) determines the winner of a game.
The main feature of lawn bowls is that it is non-strenuous, inexpensive, outdoor sport that combines the elements required to cultivate player interest, namely a degree of skill, competition, and
raoidly changing fortunes.
The game is most popular as a leisure
sport among persons in the 35-70 age group.
It is a game which provides opportunity for social contact, and it is a game in which men
and women, young and old, can compete on truly equal terms.
In
Australia it is a large participation sport, with over 250,000 regular
players belonging to about 1200 bowling clubs.
Lawn bowls is played outdoors on a rink measuring 120 ft. in
length and 15 ft. in width. A standard bowling green is 120 ft.
square, and this accommodates 8 rinks.
At full
capacity, one green
can occupy a total of 64 players at one time. Most clubs have three
greens.
Lawn bowling is a game of touch and continuous correction.
For
these reasons, the playing surface needs to b e level and uniform.
Players are fastidious in their requirements and uncompromising in
their evaluation of a playing surface.
Ideally, the surface should be
flat w i t h variations no greater than 1/8" to 1/16", and fast. A fast
surface minimizes the effort required and emphasizes skill and judgment.
A fast surface is produced by a combination of rolling to compact the surface, by frequent light topdressing to keep the soil right
up into the surface, and by moisture control.
There is no recipe for

,J

producing a fast surface, and much depends on the greenskeeper's knowledge of the response of the grass species and the particular green to
treatments.
Bowling Green

Construction

The key to good turfgrass culture for lawn bowls is proper green
construction.
Many problems of maintenance and poor playing characteristics have been traced to improper construction, attributed usually to
lack of funds.
Construction of a full, new green by a contractor costs
about $ 16,000 (U.S.)
There is no authority to supervise the construction, but the Australian Turfgrass Research Institute recommends that
contractors attempt to comply w i t h the UGSA Greens Section specifications.
The main requirements are for adequate drainage and retention
of pore space under surface compaction. However, deviations from the
USGA specifications are common.
In general, a new green profile w i l l
consist of a tile-drained subgrade, overlaid by 9 - 12 in. of coarse
sand and topped by 6 - 9 inches of a sandy loam topsoil.
There is no
mixing of soils, but natural soil and sand conforming to requirements
are selected specifically for bowling green construction.
Grass Species and

Establishment

The commonly used grass species are New Zealand bent (Agrostis
tenuis), Penncross (Agrostis stolonifera), Green Couch (=Bermudagrass,
Cynodon dactylon), and Queensland Blue
Couch (Digitaria didactyla).
Bentgrasses are used exclusively in southern Australia (Victoria) and
inland NewSouth W a l e s .
Along coastal N.S.W., the milder winters and
long summer growing seasons permit the use of either Bermuda or bent.
This permits a 3-green club to take advantage of the complementary seasonal growth by having patterns of
- 1 Bermuda (summer) and 2 bent
(for spring and autumn).
In northern N.S.W. and Queensland, Blue
Couch is preferred in frost-free areas.
Minor species used are Cynodon transvalensis and Cyanochloris
macivori.
The latter is a natural hybrid of a Cynodon sp. and a
Chloris sp.
The Australian Turfgrass Research Institute has recently
distributed a locally selected clone of couch grass, names Greenless
£ark.
This is a semi-dwarf, prostrate growing form, with medium-fine
stems and leaves, and it produces a closely knit, uniform surface.
Due to quarantine restrictions the vegetatively propagated Bermuda
grasses cannot be imported into Australia.
Some have been introduced
despite the restrictions, but they are not well-suited to Australian
conditions.
Establishment of bentgrasses is usually by seed, whereas the
couch grasses are planted vegetatively with stem pieces from shredded
turf. A grid of steel reinforcing mesh is used to press stem pieces in
to the surface soil and to ensure the vegetative planting is absolutely
level.
Sod is not used.
Maintenance of a Lawn Bowling

Green

The bowls greenkeeper contends with two problems in the maintenance of a playing green.
These are the problems of (1) promoting active grass growth and preservation of a level surface by a program of
light topdressing, fertilizing, watering, and pest disease and weed con
trol, and (2) organizing a maintenance schedule which makes the green
available for daily use and yet coincides peak condition with major

club events.
In many clubs, bowls are played 6 days a week, with Monday the only day available for uninterrupted maintenance.
Rotational
use of the three greens in a club provides some flexibility, but,
nevertheless, bowling greens are heavily trafficked.
The resulting
wear and compaction produce major maintenance problems, which are overcome by coring, topdressing and a major renovation at least annually.
Pests, Diseases, and Weeds
Disease and insect problems of lawn bowling greens in Australia
are very similar to those encountered on turf areas in U.S.A., and the
same range of chemicals are available for combating them.
Some local
problems of major concern are:
1.

2.
3.
4.

Damage due to nematode infestation.
The nematode involved
is Heterodera major, and this infestation was encountered
frequently in the Newcastle area of N.S.W.
Fairy rings caused by Sclerotima rolfsii.
Damage by bent greens by the Argentine stem weevil
Hyperodes bonariensis
Dry patch.

This latter term refers to the progressive development of localized
patches of water repellant sand (hydrophobic sands).
This problem is
under active investigation by the Australian Turfgrass Research Institute.
The problem appears to be the most common on bent greens, but
The effects of dry
the cause and permanent cure are not yet known.
patch are alleviated by use of detergents.
While much of the turfgrass experience accumulated in U.S.A. can
be translated to the Australian situation, the existence of these
local problems emphasizes the need for a local research organization
concerned w i t h turfgrass problems.
This research need is being partially fulfilled by the Australian Turfgrass Research Institute,
located in Sydney and supported by the N.S.W. bowls and golf associations.
I wish to acknowledge the loan of photographic slides by M r .
P. McMaugh, the Australian Turfgrass Research Institute, 68 Victoria
Avenue, Concord West, N.S.W., Sydney, Australia.

ROOTZQNE SYSTEMS FOR NATURAL TURF
W . H. Daniel, Melvin Robey, and Ray Freeborg
Purdue University

Everyone agrees that a good natural turf is the ideal {laying surface, but that mud and maintenance create all sorts of problems.
Now, if there were only some way of eliminating mud-causing condi
tions
of scientifically contrdLling the surface...of maintaining the
precise turf condition, moisture content and temperature you desire...
There _is a way, as will be indicated
of the four natural turf choices:

in the following

evaluation

Option 1, Prescription Athletic

Turf.

PAT is a natural turf on a flat (uncrowned) surface over three
water-control systems.
Patent applied for in June, 1972 by Purdue Research Foundation.
Licensee issued b y PRF to PAT, Inc.*
First, whenever it rains during a game, the suction pumps (below the surface), which are attached to the terminals of drain tubes,
are turned on and they pull the moisture through the compacted sand,
topmix and turf.
Second, the flat subgrade is covered by a strong continuous
plastic film which forms a waterproof barrier that conserves the maximun rainfall.
Only the excess water is wasted through a pre-set outflow control.
Third, automatic subirrigation is achieved by back-watering
through the drain tubes. Moisture sensors in the rootzone sand signal
the need for rewatering whenever necessary.
So water control is achieved in three ways:
suction, conservation, and subirrigation, in addition to the flat (level) field.
Where needed because of climate or usage, the soil can be heated
by electric resistance cables placed 12 to 24 inches apart.
Also, vented covers (clear plastic shseting with holes 4 - 6
inches) can give a "sweater" or "greenhouse" effect to reduce frost
damage and increase grass growth.
PAT is not an additive; it is a replacement. It improves the
playability of the field and extends its usage by countering the very
wet, very dry, very cold, and very hot extremes of climate.
The first PAT field was installed at Goshen (Ind.) High School
in 1972.
It was limited to the middle 36,000 sq.ft. of the field,with
one pump and 16" rootzone above the plastic film barrier.
The construction took two months, with the sod being laid two months prior to
the first home game.
The field had 26 uses that first year, including football and
band practice for the High School-Junior High School, and normal use
by a community high school.
The next year the field had 45 uses, and
the turf was still adequate.
Normal management included light overseeding before games and
light rolling after games.
Even with five inches of rain in the 48
hours up to game time, the field was ready for use.
The first full-sized field, 62,000 sq.ft. with 2 pumps, was installed at Grand Valley State College, Allendale, Mich.
It was inaugurated in late season (1972) during an all-day rain - but the field
stayed firm and ready for use while the outside areas turned to mud.
Four PAT installations were made in 1974:

* Prescription Athletic Turf, Inc., P. O. Box 5187, Lansing, MI
48905
holds national license, and all inquiries should be directed to them.

1.
Ross-Ade Stadium, Purdue University, under the direction of
Melvin Robey, Superintendent of Athletic Facilities, and co-inventor
of the patent.
Excavation began on March 25 and sodding was finished
on June 5.
Its first use was after a two and a half inch rain.
The
suction drew off the water so that the field was perfect - while the
nearby practice areas were muddy.
2.
Reitz High School, Evansville, Ind. Bermuda was used on
53,000 sq.ft., with the PAT System extending only 4 ft. into each end
zone.
Sand was washed from the Ohio River.
Mississippi State University.
Tifway bermuda was sprig planted
w i t h the equipment of the Mississippi Grass Nurseries.
4. Milwaukee Campus, University of Wisconsin.
A large intramural field was finished in August, using Warren's A-20 sod above a
prepared topmix of peat, sand, calcined clay and vermiculite.
Meeting Player Needs:
The PAT System makes big cleats obsolete.
Short cleats are adequate and more of them can be used.
This makes
the shoes safer and more dependable.
And since the turf is torn up
less, more games can be played on it.
What about skin burns?
Remember, flesh is about 7 0 % water,
grass is £)out 8 0 % water, and moist soil is about 2 0 % water.
That
water lubricates when sliding and provides safety (despite grass
stains).
Artificial turf, when the air is dry, may be only one to two
percent water.
So, when the 7 0 % skin slides on it, it cannot readily
lubricate; thus the skin-burn relationship.
That's one reason why
artificial turf is often moistened before use.
Suction Allows Leeway at Surface:
Since the player requires
firmness underneath him, the one to three inch surface (including turf)
must have adequate support for the cleats and the action.
This positive drain of suction pumps makes for level as well as firm playing
surfaces.
In baseball the basepaths can be installed with a concentrated
suction under them.
This will enable y o u to confine your rain-coverings
(even in professional stadiums) to just the small circles of the
pitcher's mound and home plate, where dense clay is necessary for firm
footing.
Estimated ready-for-use PAT costs range from $2 to $3 per
depending on location, delivered sand costs, overhead, etc.

sq.ft.,

Option 2, The Sand Bed Method.
This uses almost pure sand from dunes, river beds, or pits attempting to avoid the mud caused by silt and clay.
It thus provides
water penetration.
Research by Bjorne Langvad of Sweden during the 1960's, D.
Ralston and W . H . Daniel in 1968-71, and W . B. Davis and others of California during the early 70's, shows that good turf, when maintained,
provides good w e a r .

System of Building a Sand Bed
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Field:

Shape subgrade (soil) 4" to 8 M below final grade - use 1%
slope.
Then make 3" wide trenches 10-30" apart and 4-12" deep into
subgrade.
Place narrow slitted drains ("Turfflow or equal).
Install automatic irrigation throughout - use some of same
trenches.
Then spread blanket of sand 4-6" and fill all drain trenches
at same time.
Spread 1-2" loose peat, or local bark, sawdust, manures, etc.
Spread ample fertilizer containing a slow-release nitrogen.
Mix peat into upper sand to hold more nutrients and moisture
at surface.
Compact and plant, don't sod.

'

{

The idea is to assure fast water penetration even w i t h compaction.
Excess rain water can then more easily move into the soil and
subdrains, and the crown can be less (6-12").
The irrigation should be
automatic, for sands tend to be drouthy.
Many soccer fields in Scandanavian countries have b e e n built
along these lines.

<

The Hy-Play system in Oregon observes this pattern, with all
soil (even from sod) avoided.
In California the fine sands (less than
.5 mm) are preferred for such use.
The cost depends on sand prices and
hauling distances.
An estimate of automatic irrigation alone may be

$6-10,000.

{

|

Option 3, Adding Sand to Soil.

j

Improvement of many older athletic fields has b e e n attempted by
mixing sand and peat 1-6 inches into the surface, as on golf greens.
This can be significant only when the sand content predominates
(usually above 80%).
Uniform mixing,ample sand content, and annual
loosening w i l l make for better playability.

J

W h e n it rains during use, however, mud is still a problem. W h e n
extremely sandy, such mixtures may loosen, provide less traction, and,
as the turf wears out, create an uneven surface.

i

i
1

The cost of such additions must be considered and that the improvements can be reduced or destroyed by the heavy soil in the new sod,
by the surface crusting, or by surface tillage trenching.
Option 4, The Old Type - Natural

Soil.

I
At one time, a good topsoil, handled as farmland, was the practical thing.
Simplicity was the rationale and economical construction
was the usual objective.
So, schools chose a natural local soil, a
mixture of clay, silt and sands. After the track, stands and other features were completed, the field was crowned, tilled, fertilized, and
seeded.
Such fields may look good in the pre-season w h e n the turf is
normal. But with rain, then what?
Vertical Trenching Equals Faster Drainage:
Narrow vertical
trenching can help most natural-soil areas.
This is now a big thing in
low-cost improvements, as the removal of excess surface water is the

first

requirement.

The old farm-type tile drainage backfilled w i t h soil is totally
obsolete.
Just forget the conventional tile and avoid those old architectural specifications.
Standard drainage is too slow and it's
useless for the speedy removal of water.
Using the bare soil with the soil with the sod already
or after shaping the new area to grade,you should:

present,

1. Make vertical trenches 15' apart (more or less) and not over
Each trench
3" w i d e .
(Note: Consider making long parallel runs).
can be level or slightly sloped.
2.

Place the drain tubes with narrow slits
lent . )

(Turfflow or equiva-

3.

Backfill to overflow with washed sand.
The sand must extend
to the final surface so that the surface water can enter
readily.

4.

Remove or spread the soil from the

5.

Do not disrupt or cover the sand during planting, or the
fast-drainage advantage w i l l be lost.

trench.

Vertical trenches have vastly improved wet areas in fairways
and playgrounds wherever water accumulates.
Just trench through any
low areas, insert drain tubing, then b a c k f i l l to overflow w i t h sand.
Continue to add more trenches until the drainage is ample for the
area.
The Compaction Problem:
Where soil predominates, the play on it
w i l l cause compaction, as the finer particles of clay and silt are
crushed together.
Dryness w i l l incut excess hardness, causing injuries.
In desperation, many groundskeepers w i l l attempt repeated aerifying
or cultivating by machine.
Natural soil w i l l pack and h a r d e n .
The Mud Problem:
During a rainfall, the closely packed clay and
silt has so few openings that it restricts b o t h air-escaping and water
penetration.
The water remains on the surface and lubricates the mass,
turning it into mud. Y o u not only wind up with a muddy game, but you
can ruin the field for the rest of the season.
Then you'll have to go
through another siege of urgent reworking, reseeding, and repair to
get the field into shape again.
The Usage Problem:
Natural soil, when muddy, is difficult to
use for P. E. activity.
The mud on the uniforms and the tracking into
buildings are added burdens.
That's why many fields are "saved" for
prime events rather than used to the m a x i m u m .
The cost of a natural soil is uncertain.
But by the time the
hauling, filling, grading, draining, fertilizing, seeding and irrigation are completed, it will come to about $1 per sq.ft.
(Architects
and contractors can provide more accurate local costs). Y o u can use
this as a base in comparing it with other systems of construction.

Summary: A football player must run, turn, stop, twist, push,
slip, fall, slide, roll, and get up afterwards.
In fact, about half
the players end up on the ground during an average play.
T h a t 1 s 11
players for 150 plays, which comes to about 1,650 falls per game.
It's hence essential for the surface to not only be firm for running,
but to give for falling.
Equally important is the proper traction for muscle response.
The turf should provide enough support to assure the foot of moving
less than a half-inch downward and a half-inch sideways in any normal
action.
Trainers are keenly concerned about ankle and knee injuries.
More cleats with wide spacings and shorter lengths make sense.
The
old idea of mud cleats having fewer and longer cleats close to the
center of the shoe must be discarded.
Player safety is all-important, and a good turf surface
prime safety factor.

is a

Readers interested in a leaflet on athletic field maintenance
can secure copies of AY-16 from Dr. W . H. Daniel, Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
47907.

Dr. W . H . Daniel is a Professor in Agronomy, Dr. R. P. Freeborg is
an Assistant Professor, and Melvin Robey is Superintendent of Athletic Facilities at Purdue University.
Daniel and Robey are coinventors of the PAT System.

PURDUE INCREASES STUDENT LOADS
A . R. Hilst, Associate Dean and
Director of Resident Indstruction
Purdue University

The enrollment in the School of Agriculture has b e e n increasing steadily during the past decade.
The increases during these
last five years have b e e n particularly large and, of course, have
caused several of our departments both space and staff problems. Take
a look at the statistics:
1969-70
Increase in new students
over the previous year
2 3%

1971

1972

1973

1974

11%

22%

11%

16%

Another way to show the magnitude of the increase in enrollment
and one which perhaps more dramatically points up our problem, is to
examine the increase in b o t h the total number of students in agriculture and the increase in total student contact hours taught by the instructors in agriculture.
Total Number of Students in
the School of Agriculture
1970
1974
Increase

2,062
3,186
55%

No. of Student
Contact Hours
41,741
59,165
42%

Unfortunately, the large enrollment increases have taken place
during a period w h e n the university as a whole has not had budget increases to appreciably increase its funding for the School cfAgriculture . In fact, as far as funding is concerned, the administration has
had difficulty in maintaining status quo.
Inflation has more than devoured the additional funds allotted to the university for instructional purposes.
As a net result, we now have less actual purchasing
power for salaries, extra labor, supplies and expenses, etc., than
previous y e a r s .
What does this all mean?
Well, simply this - we have had to cut
corners on instruction.
HOW - in certain courses, due to lack of staff,
laboratories have been dropped and the courses taught strictly on a
lecture basis; in other instances, "expensive" but critical features
of a course have had to be discontinued; such as, individual student
study w o r k or even student field trips; and still in other instances,
it has been necessary to curtail or drop completely certain areas of
work.
The School of Agriculture is a complex composed of three divisions - one, instructional arm, resident instruction; a second, the
Experiment Station, or the research arm; and the third, the Cooperative Extension, or the extension arm. As I had indicated, our enrollment increases have swelled the ranks of our
classes and caused us to
add so many additional sections that a real shortage of teaching help
has developed.
In order to attempt to meet this need, it became
necessary in the last biennium to transfer approximately 10 professors
(full-time equivalents) from the research arm and/or the extension arm
to teaching.
Of course, these transfers have not b e e n without conse-

quence.
As you might imagine, many critical research problems will go
unsolved and certain extension areas will go unmanned. We must take
care of our teaching responsibilities at all costs. We must insist
that, as well as being one of the largest agricultural schools in the
nation, we must remain one of the very best agricultural schools in the
nation.
This cannot be done without the help of all.

A STUDENT

COMMENTS

Scott Street, Senior in Turf Management
Purdue

W h e n asked to speak about my experience as a student, I had no
idea how difficult making a relevant statement would b e .
I have spent
many hours talking with my fellow students, the faculty, and my family abut the purpose and direction of my university career. My main
concerns were the curriculum, the faculty, and the university's responsibility to give students access and use of its facilities.
I have also been puzzled by the order of priorities in the areas
of teaching, research, and extension education.
I came to realize that
the system is a victim of its budget, not unlike other institutions or
businesses.
Academic advisors are also teachers and researchers. Their
advice to students concerning the use of elective courses is limited
to reports from students who have completed the course, or to recommendations of a catalog description. Ask any student his opinion of a
course and he will tell you any number of
things from:.."The course
was an easy three hours of 'A'," to "The professor delighted in telling the students to devote 92% of his time how to receive a passing
grade."
There always seems to be a difference of opinion concerning
the value of any course.
Turf students are required to have a basic education in the sciences with a major emphasis in A g r o n o m y . Horticulture, Botany and
Agricultural Engineering are also taken w i t h varying degrees of enthusiasm.
The major complaint of most turf students seems to be the lack of
giving technical experience in the area of management.
At the yearly
debate during turf seminar, students bring up points that their wellrounded curriculum has somehow left out those important day-to-day
tools that are the immediate indicators of success or failure. How and
when do you prune a tree? How do you grind a bedknife?
These are examples of the kinds of questions commonly asked by turf students.
I
w a s lucky to have worked where I could get such experience. I scalped
my share of aprons with greens mowers, skinned a few trees, and applied
chemicals in the wrong place.
A turf student makes mistakes and this is where we rely on professional turf people for summer jobs, not only for financial reasons,
but for a valuable learning experience.
Have you employed students
during the summer or as assistants?
Do you communicate with them? Do
you answer their questions the best you can?

I recently read an article in an area superintendent's association publication which was rather disturbing.
The author of the
article suggested that their association stop supporting university
scholarships because their financial help prepared students to compete in their job market and would m e a n the loss of their jobs.
I
wonder if this superintendent would be able to provide a valuable
work experience for a student or an assistant. Your presence at this
conference and your attendance at the short course, Chemicals for
Turfgrass Use, although compact, give you much of the same information in turf that we receive as students.
Our studies include the
same publications and trade journals to which you subscribe.
There is no need to feel insecure about answering a student's
questions.
A student employee or assistant can prove to be an asset
to his employer and co-workers.
Communication is a two-way street and
questions from a new point of view may be enlightening for everyone.
It is important to be sure the questions are understood and that a
breakdown in communication does not occur.
The university is limited in what it can provide technically because of funds, facilities, and time.
Its major role is to provide the
scientific basis for acquiring solutions to problems and a general understanding of the complex world in which we live. W i t h your h e l p as
professionals in turf and instruction provided by the technical schools
of equipment and product manufacturers, the future of our profession
w i l l be bright.

OUR STORY
Virgil G. Miller, AIA, Architect
Evansville Public School 's Indiana

Evansville, which has a population of 137,537 people,
in the southernmost part of Indiana on the Ohio River.

is located

The Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation is composed of 32
elementary schools and 5 public high schools.
There are presently 3
football playing fields in Evansville which are used for regularly
scheduled varsity games.
These 3 fields must serve a total of 8 footb a l l teams, 5 public high schools, 2 parochial high schools, and the
University of Evansville, so w e have a minimum of 40 regular season
games to be played on 3 athletic fields every year, not including reserve games, junior high and grade school.
Before the installation of the PAT System, all 3 fields had a
16" crown with standard yard drains, or catchbasins located along the
sidelines.
Our watering system consisted of rain trains.
Each spring
we plowed up each field, added some additional dirt and fertilizer,
and reseeded the entire field.
Usually by the time the first game was
to be played during the first week in September, the field looked
green and in fairly good condition.
However, the grass was still young
and a deep root system had not yet been established.
As a result
after 2 or 3 weeks of heavily scheduled games and one rain, the f i e l d s

always looked in poor condition.
If we were unlucky enough to have a
hard rain shortly before or during the time a game would be played,
the field would suffer considerably and in some cases would not recover the rest of the season.
This condition was aggravated because
of the number of games played on the field and the inadequate length
of time building custodians put in on maintenance of the fields.
In the spring of 1970, Dr. Daniel had a Parks Conference in Evansville.
Our athletic director, James Graham, attended this conference
and saw a model of the PAT system which was on display.
It looked like
a system that would provide a much safer and resilient playing surface,
and also a system that would greatly reduce the amount of maintenance
required for the field.
This is primarily because of the ease in draining off excess water, and also the ability to water thru the PAT system.
Unfortunately funds were not available to proceed with the installation of such a system at that time.
In 1972, due to a declining enrollment and redistributing plans,
the school corporation undertook the task of removing some of its old
school buildings and selling the excess property.
It was decided by
the Board of School Trustees that they would use the funds from the
sale of the excess school property to renovate Reitz Stadium, which was
50 years old and had fallen into a state of disrepair.
The first phase
of the project was to remove the existing dilapidated bleachers, renovate the concrete structure, provide new fiberglass seats, and increase the fencing.
We also began to think about the work that would be required to
get the playing field in good condition, so in November, 1972, we contacted Dr. Daniel, who met with the superintendent, assistants, the
director of athletics and myself.
He showed us slides of the PAT system and answered questions.
On May 9, 1973, we showed the 7 members of the Board of School
Trustees slides and answered questions concerning the scope of the proposed project.
At that meeting one of the board members, Mr. Bob
Ossenburg, was appointed by the president of the Board to visit the
site of the new PAT system which had been installed at Goshen, Indiana.
Mr. Ossenburg was favorably impressed with the system and reported his
findings to the Board.
During this time a company was formed called Prescription Athletic
Turf, Inc., and Bob Linton and Mr. Frank Stallings of PAT, Inc., became
the national licensee for the PAT system.
On November 21, 197 3, Bob
Linton, the general manager of PAT, met with two board members, and administrators in order to explain the services PAT would provide to the
school corporation and give us some idea of the approximate costs of
the system.
On March 6, 1974, we sold the site of the old Central High School;
this gave us the necessary funds to proceed with the project.
Bob
Linton started drawings and specifications; we worked closely together
in preparing the specifications so competitive bids could be received
from a number of contractors and all state requirements would be fulfilled.
On May 8, 1974, I presented the bids to the Board of School Trustees; we received 3 bids with the total cost of the project being

$74,577,Doug Wearren of. Wearren Nurseries was the low bidder and work
was started the following week. Work progressed smoothly until it
came time to install the plastic liner. We lost 2 weeks due to excessive wetness - it seemed to rain every day. After weather conditions
moderated and the plastic liner and piping had been installed, we began backfilling with washed sand. A small bulldozer was used to push
the sand from the side of the field toward the center, always keeping
a heavy layer of sand between the plastic and the tractor.
By the first of July, 1974, the contractor was spreading 6 tons
of calcined clay, 1700 lbs. of Vermiculite, 680 lbs. of 18-5-9 fertilizer, and 68 cu.yds.
of peatmoss over the sand surface.
The finish grading was completed by the end of the w e e k .
On July 13, 1974, the field was sprigged with a Westwood Bermuda,
which was brought from a golf course in St. Louis. A commercial mechanical sprigger was used and the sprigging was completed in less than
one day. A system of overhead sprinklers were set up on the field in
order to keep it moist on the surface at all times. We kept the temporary sprinkler system for over 6 vvedcs. By the last o f August the
roots were some 5" deep and we were able to keep themnoist by watering
thru the PAT system.
Our first game was scheduled to be played on September 6, 1974.
However, we decided to postpone the opening of the field until September 26, 1974, which required rescheduling 3 games to other fields,
but we felt the additional 3 weeks would do much toward insuring a
closely knit turf and further extend the root system.
On September 26,
1974, the first game was held on the PAT system.
The field was in excellent condition and very little damage was sustained to the turf.
During the 1974 season we played 5 high school varsity games, 3
reserve games, 1 post-season b o w l game by the University of Evansville
on November 30, 1974.
On July 25, August 9, August 19, September 3 and September 28,
1974, we fertilized the PAT surface (53,000 sq.ft.) with 500 lbs. of
18-10-10 fertilizer each time.
Although we took bids on the soil warming system, we elected not
to install the soil warming system at this time, but instead, to use
the vented clear plastic field cover (with 1/2" diameter holes perforated on 4" centers).
We had a heavy frost occur on the field during the 2nd w e e k of
October, before the field cover arrived on the site.
The frost browned
the field considerably and stunted the growth of the grass. About 5
days later the cover arrived and we immediately installed it on the
field.
I was quite surprised to find that after a week the grass had
once again turned green and we were able to sustain the green grass until the 30th of November.
During the winter we have left the field
cover off, and the Bermudagrass was dormant and b r o w n .
This year we intend
4 of these will be by the
is the first year we will
we will still be learning

to play 18 varsity games on the PAT system.
University of Evansville.
Since this year
play a full schedule of games on the field,
what we can and cannot do with the system.

We are well pleased with the performance of the PAT system,

and

if you talk to a coach or a player in Evansville, Indiana they will
tell you the PAT system is the best thing that has happened to footb a l l in a long time.
Editor's note: When seen on 7 April '75 new Bermuda sprigs were
emerging and the survival of late fall warm-up was adequate, but
than uncovered endzones.

just
less

PAT INFORMATION
Editor's Note:
at Conference.

This current

information is included

in lieu of talks

As of 11 A p r i l '75, the patent claims were allowed.
Thus, the
serial No. 263,434 of 16 June '72 as first introduced, was thrice
amended, and filed as of 23 Jan. '75, and approved as serial No.
435,691 in Group 351 under the title, Planted Surface Conditioning
System.
The patent is in the names of W . H. Daniel and M . L. Robey as
made through the Purdue Research Foundation, which by ruling handles
patentable ideas generated by Purdue staff.
PRF has an agreement with a national licensee,
a newly formed
company, Prescription Athletic Turf, Inc. of 705 E. Oakland Avenue,
Lansing, Michigan, 48905, 517/485-3128.
This company has exclusive
rights and responsibility to install PAT fields.
Inquiries should be
forwarded to PAT, Inc.
The patent describes the specifics which produce a uniform
suction at the surface and the control of wetness.
It also describes the exact system of sensor, resistors, switches
and valves which gives automatic subirrigation based on soil moisture.
It also describes the automatic suction tension measurement and its
effective use in produced repeatable levels of moist turf for best playing conditions.

THE PAT SYSTEM
Mel Robey, Supervisor of Athletic
Purdue University

Facilities

Editor's Note: Following a film showing some construction on the PAT
System at Purdue University, these comments were made by M e l Robey.
Athletic fields didn't have many answers until 1960-67 when the
fields became important and demands were increased.
The vertical trenching with sand b a c k f i l l iproved surface drainage.

Around 1966 Monsanto put in the first artificial turf in Massachusetts.
Then in 1967 the Astrodome was constructed to Astroturf,
after one season of trying to grow turf.
Astroturf fields :
2
4
8
35
25
25
25

in
in
in
in
in
in
in

'68 - Indiana State and Seattle, Wash.
'69
'70
1
71 - injuries and concerns became more
'72
'73
'74

evident

We're told that 25fields per year is Astroturf's expected
Tartan has, since 1970, only 25 fields in, and has stopped
Polyturf began in 1971 and has only 8 - 1 0
stopped.
A total of 160 fields are

fields in, and

target!
bidding»
has

reported.

Fortunately at Purdue the Athletic Directors have b e e n willing to
improve the Stadium turf and have kept n a t u r a l turf.
Costs are about
$2,500 per year just to maintain the Purdue Stadium turf itself.
In the period 1967-72 artificial turf was a panacea in claims,
in claims, but since then many questions and changes in the claims
made for artificial turf.
The intense multi-use potential of use is
an obvious pant of value.
The PAT System is the most innovative to come about in that it
provides so much for the players.
In the fall of'74 PAT at Purdue was
at least 100 times better than our field before. We could handle the
water and be ready for use at all times.
The field holds 100,000 gals, of water when full, a tank to hold
excess water if rain would not be worth building for just holding surplus rainwater.
The soil brought
with the sod will tend to compact and
Greensairing and topdressing with fine sand can reduce this.

seal.

Visiting players and coaches have not had any adverse comments,but
many favorable comments.
Jardine of Wisconsin, "Anybody not having artificial turf already should consider the PAT System."
The coaches
quickly noticed the flat field and liked it.

Fields built include
1972 1974 -

these:

Foreman Field, Goshen High School, Goshen, Ind.
Grand Valley State College, Grand Valley,Mich.
Ross Ade Stadium, Purdue University, W . Lafayette,Ind.
Scott Field M i s s i s s i p p i State University, Stateville,Miss.
Reitz Bowl, Reitz High School,
Evansville, Ind.
Engelmann Field, Univ.of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wis.

1975 -

Mile H i g h Stadium, Denver, Col.
Sodded
R. F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, D.C.
Sodded.
Saginaw Valley College, Michigan - to be constructed.
Sexton High School, Lansing, M i c h . - to be constructed.

SHALL W E START A BUSINESS?
J. E.

(Jim) Carter, EZ Lawn Service
Richmond,
Ind.

The idea of starting a new business during a recessionary period
such as we are now experiencing may not be wise according to come economists and other business experts.
However, I think it w e l l to mention
that the custom Lawn Service business is a very specialized type of
business, that so far, has not been seriously affected by the
downturn
in the economy.
The customers generally served by this type business are the middle income and upper income groups and for the most part, these are individuals whose jobs have not been affected too seriously by the economy. We have concentrated our advertising efforts in the better residential areas of the towns we are serving and, really, we have discovered that they are still almost eager for our services. Many of the
residents know of our service and like the idea of having local people
involved.
To many of these residents a b e a u t i f u l green lawn has b e come a status symbol and there seems to exist a spirit of competition
among them in their efforts to have a more beautiful lawn than their
neighbors.
Many have tried the do-it-yourself approach by purchasing
materials and equipment at the local garden center and applying the materials themselves, but it seems that quite often their results are not
that good, or it takes too much of their recreational time.
Therefore,
they are glad to pay for the service and have it done.
In my experience it seems there are about 8 steps that a person
must go through to start a business and have a good reason to think it
w i l l be successful.
These steps generally will apply to an individual,
or a group of people.
1.
Idea. You must have a sound and logical idea as to what kind
of business you want to get into.
This may take time and research.
Sometimes a person might recognize a need for a particular type of business in a community, or a general area,or the idea may come through an
invention
or some technological change.
I recognized the need for a good local lawn service in our area.
The only service we have had in Richmond is based in Troy, Ohio - some
40 miles east.
It seemed to me that a good local lawn service could do
the job better and at less expense, and we also would be more available
for counselling services and we do know most of our customers.
The one
thing we knew was that it had to b e good, and we must give excellent
service.
2.

Develop a Plan.

I began to draw up a plan for action, or you

might call it - implementing the plan.
Exact equipment - the bestsuited and labor-saving must be sought out and matched to the results
desired.
3. Obtain Capital.
I estimated the capital that would be needed.
I felt that we must have enough capital to purchase needed equipment and
supplies and have enough capital left to run us through one year. Don't
be under capitalized.
4.
Seek Out Good People. These people should have some capital
and with the willingness to take the calculated risk of a new business
venture.
In our case we got 5 people involved originally, and then as
we continued our research we discovered 2 other men who were already in
the farm liquid fertilizer business.
These men were willing to put up
their share of capital and furnish the mixing tanks and storage space
for materials and supplies. After checking them out we gladly made them
a part of our corporation, and then have become an integral part of our
business.
They can guarantee us our supply of nitrogen and other fertilizers.
During this period of shortage it is comforting to know that we
w i l l have adequate supplies to serve our customers.
We have tried to get the type of individuals involved w h o can not
only contribute capital, but can also contribute some talent or special
knowledge to the corporation.
Example: George Goble and Jim Frazer are
our fertilizer experts, Fred Powers and Chuck Wellings manage their own
businesses and have good sales and marketing techniques.
The Jenkins
has advertising and finance talents, and finally young Jim Carter has a
degree in business administration and 18 months experience in a large
metropolitan b a n k .
As a b a n k vice president, I am just along for the
ride - to make sure that we don't have financial losses and tobe there
when we distribute the profits.
5. Attorney.
The next step we took w a s to seek out a good,hungry
attorney.
These may be difficult to find since most attorneys do quite
well.
Or, you may find an attorney who may have some special knowledge
about the type business y o u are starting. Sometimes the attorney may
want to become part of the corporation if h e likes your ideas.
6.
Procedures.
Next, together with the attorney, w e went through
the necessary legal steps to get the corporation into b e i n g .
We had our
E - Z LAWN name which we wanted to protect, so we had it registered w i t h
the Secretary of State.
The attorney drew up the articles of incorporation and the By-Laws. At that time we elected to operate under SubChapter S of the Internal Revenue Act, so he also drew up those papers.
We felt it advisable to draw up a buy and sell agreement to set guidelines for the disposition of any outstanding stock.
The attorney did
this, and also drew up corporate resolutions which govern who may sign
for our corporation.
7. C.P.A.
The next step was to employ a good C.P.A. Most of us
have had experience with the local C.P.A. firms and selected one which
we thought would offer us prompt and thorough service, and since he is
a local he has influenced some of his friends to subscribe to our service.
8.
Put Plan to Work.
Finally, further develop and refine the
plan and put it to w o r k . We decided tlat it would be necessary to have
great expertise in a business which we really knew very little about.
Our contacts directed us to Purdue University and Dr. Ray Freeborg. He
agreed to become our Consultant and has become an invaluable part of

our service.
He has advised us about our purchases of equipment and
the types and amounts of fertilizers, herbicides, etc., to use. He has
even helped us in the development o f our advertising campaign. We feel
that we are very fortunate to have him on our team.
Young Jim Carter is the manager of our firm, and I must say we
are very pleased with his efforts. He now has an opportunity to put into practice some of the business and management techniques he learned
in college.
I also believe it is good to have a Manager who is part
owner. He should b e more motivated towards making a profit.
At present, before the first treatment, we have approximately 250
lawns to service, plus 2 football fields. We are also contacting industrial and business firms, and have already signed up several of these.
I hope to have stimulated your thinking about starting a new business as some thoughts and experiences have b e e n shared.

OUR SUCCESS WITH L A W N CARE - BIG CITY
Elton J. Me H u m , Tempo 21
Elk Grove Village, 111.

Tempo 21, Inc., is a Turf Management Corporation providing a professional fertilization and weed control program for home lawns in the
Chicago area. W h e n we were asked to speak on our success in the Big
City, we were immediately reminded of some of the glowing reports we
had all heard at turf conferences about how one could make vast forOf course, these reports
tunes in the custom lawn service b u s i n e s s .
were an attempt by individuals to relate the pride and enthusiasm they
felt, a n d they were always given by people like ourselves
who, with
the h e l p of God, had "made it."
So, we decided to dwell on a less exciting, but more practical side of this business. We hoped to prepare
people for the realities of the lawn care business as we have experienced it.
This report is based on that hypothesis.
1.

The Struggle for the City
A.
Overcoming the Negative Images.
The concept of lawn care in the large city is the gypsy image
of some landscapers who employ migrant and marginal people to work
on lawns. These people are generally unskilled technically, and
communication with them is next to impossible. This may appear to
be a very biased image, but we have found, nevertheless, that it
exists.
Combined with this are the yearly newspaper articles on
"lawn service" scandels, where people contract to have work done
and pay part or all of the fee in advance only to have the people
they contract with skip town.
To overcome this image takes both money (for image creating
equipment and avertising) and time.
It also takes excellent technology from day one as people are not prepared to trust your "word"only results will establish trust and credibility.

B. Being Heard in the Noise
The mailman is the bearer of tidings each day from the grocery,
shoe store, laundry, vacuum cleaner salesman, shopping center, hardware store, discount store and, maybe, from y o u e v e $ i t h all the competing demands for the homeowner's attention, to/get your information read it must be a w o r k of professional excellence.
And even
so, only one out of every 50 brochures w i l l be opened, and only one
out of every hundred will be read.
The market in the big city is
vast and so are the sums of cash needed to tap it.
C. You Are Not Alone in the City
Competition is another factor in the city.
Large established companies like ourselves and some others are going to benefit more from
your advertising than you are because the nature of the business requires educating people to the idea of the service.
Once they buy the
idea, the tendency is to go with the better known company. But, even
in the face of this you can make it if you persist.
IE. Success Based on Technical Expertise and Experimentation
A.
The Textbook Lawn.
In the city you w i l l almost never deal with a "textbook" lawn therefore, innovation w i l l be more necessary than "degree" technology.
Topsoil is not a common rule, but rather an exception on home
lawns, creating greater variants than on golf courses or in agriculture .
B.

From Technician to Detective
Once you work on someone's lawn you are naturally blamed for anything that happens from then on . But, technical knowledge w i l l not
always sustain you in determining liability; more often you w i l l
need to function as a detective to find the cause of the problem. A
car floormat thrown on the lawn on a sunny day causes b u r n spots,
spilled gasoline, a late frost, a natural gas leak, regularly spaced
bare patches, possibly indicating an impromptu baseball diamond, and
a thousand other non-agronomy related problems illustrate why it is
necessary to be a lawn detective as w e l l as a technician.
C.

I Wish I May - I Wish I Might
The ideal way to go is with the ideal product.
A company in
Columbus, Ohio tried that and went broke. And, the biggest company
there benefitted from their loss. You can see that in order to make
it you w i l l need to be a little lucky and very careful.
"I wish I
may, I with I might, I wish upon a star tonight" is fun but only
for those who have first established a program they can live with
for their area.
D.

Experimentation is Necessary.
Heat, humidity, wind, rain, clay, shade and the season of the
year are all factors, of course. Y o u need to determine the combinations and be prepared for, as y o u know, fertilizers don't lie and
many people know every blade of grass in their lawn!
Ill. Overcoming Spiraling Cost
We all know costs are spiraling.
Volume is about the only way
to overcome this problem because you cannot pass all the cost increase on to the customer.
Since we started in 1972 the cost of a truck is up 44%, tanks
are up 27%, fertilizer up 72% for spring, 2 1 1 % increase for urea
and 110% for 2,4-D. And, if this is not enough, the cost of fuel
is up 63%, and fertilizer spreaders 50%.
-63-

Companies that started before this drastic increase happened
had a whole different ballgame.
This doesn't mean it can't be
done.
It can, but not on a shoestring.
IV. THE HOMECOMING
At TEMPO 21 we've somehow escaped the grim reaper of inflation
and the wolf of obscurity.
I won't say we've got it made.
(No
farmboy would ever be foolish enough to say that when he has nature
to contend w i t h ) .
But, at least we can now go home at night and
get reacquainted with our families and friends and relax a little.
In this business its homecoming that you live for and a chance
to have time with your family for they are a part of it all too.
We sincerely hope that for you with dreams of large fortunes in
the lawn service business this presentation w i l l wake you to reality.
Fortunes are not guaranteed by ideas, but achieved only by long and
hard labor, sacrifice and being fortunate enough to be associated
w i t h the right combination of people.
Our success with lawn care
w a s achieved by overcoming the obstacles and paying the price. The
same formula w i l l do it for you - with luck.

PUMPS, NOZZLES A N D SOLUTIONS
B. C. Brandenburg, Delavan Manufacturing
West Des Moines, Iowa.

Co.,

Commonly used types of pumps i n turf spray applications include
piston, roller, gear, centrifugal and turbine.
Power sources may be
tractor PTO, hydraulic motor-driven or gas engine driven.
Piston pumps have 1 to 4 pistons w i t h capacities up to 25 gpm.
Operating speeds are usually in the range from 600 to 800 rpm.
Most
piston pumps operate on the positive - displacement principle.
Output is almost directly proportional to speed and is affected only
slightly by pressure.
Roller pumps used by the turf industry have capacities up to 50
gpm w i t h typical pressures of 50 to 300 psi.
Operating speeds are
usually not over 600 rpm for attachment to a standard tractor PTO shaft
with 540 rpm speed. However, some roller pumps are designed to operate at speeds up to 1,200 rpm.
Rollers in roller pumps are made of rubber or nylon.
Housings
are made of cast iron or a more abraision and corrosion resistant NiResist, an iron-nickel-chromium alloy.
Gear pumps have capacities up to 50 gpm with pressure ranges of
less than 300 psi.
Operating speeds are usually 400 to 800 rpm. Wettable powder chemicals can cause rapid wear in gear pumps.
Centrifugal pumps w i t h capacities up to 180 gpm are available
for the turf industry.
All centrifugals must be operated at high speeds,

usually in excess of 3,600 rpm. Because of their high rpm requirement, hydraulic motors are often a source of power, although set-up
drives are used to power the pump from a tractor 1,000 rpm PTO.
Gas
engines may also be used.
Centrifugal pumps do not have the capability to produce pressures in excess of 100 psi.
They are an excellent pump for handling all
types of spray solutions, including wettable powders and suspension
fertilizers.
Turbine pumps operate at a lower speed, 1,000 rpm, than do centrifugal pumps.
This lower speed gives longer life.
Their capacity
is less than 100 gpm and they are not designed to attain pressures in
excess of 60 psi.
The turbine can produce high volumes at low operating speeds and is an excellent durable pump for low pressure spraying
jobs.
Each of the types of pumps discussed has its own distinguishing features.
Selection of a particular pump w i l l depend on several
factors such as cost, power requirement,
operating speeds, pressure
limitations, capacity and type of material being sprayed.
There is no
one best type of pump that will meet optimum conditions for all of these
factors. W h e n selecting a pump be sure to have capacity to attain
spraying volume desired and also to give adequate bypass for agitation.
One of the most important, and probably the m o s t neglected, component part of a sprayer is the nozzle system. When one considers that
the nozzle serves the functions of metering t h e liquid, atomizing or
breaking up the liquid into droplets, dispersing these droplets in
specified patterns, and providing hydraulic momentum or impact, the selection of a proper nozzle becomes very important.
Types of spray patterns produced by various kinds of nozzles
clude: hollow cone, flat spray, even spray, flooding and straight
stream.

in-

Flat spray nozzles are designed to produce a narrow eliptical
spray pattern. Uniform distribution across the full width of the spray
boom is attained by overlapping the tapered edges of the individual
nozzlefe spray pattern.
Even spray nozzles produce a spray pattern similar to the flat
spray nozzle, except it is not tapered at the outer edges.
This nozzle
is designed for banding applications and should not be used for broadcast spraying.
Flooding nozzles also produce a flat spray pattern. Their design
achieves a wide spray angle up to 160°. Angle can be maintained at
lower pressures than with other types of nozzles.
Straight stream pattern nozzles produce a straight jet of fluid.
They are used for handgun spraying and for sub-surface a p p l i c a t i o n of
liquid fertilizers and soil fumigants.
A l l of the above mentioned nozzles w i l l
approximately the same size at equal pressures
w i l l also produce about the same percentage of
to 100 microns, or droplets of a size that are

produce droplets of
and flow rates.
They
fine droplets under 50
susceptible to drift.

Ecological and environmental pressures have resulted in the development of spray nozzles that w i l l produce larger droplets and a
lesser percentage of fine droplets than w i l l conventional nozzles. Substantial drift reduction is achieved with this hardware.
Several nozzle manufacturers offer foam hardware that substantially reduces drift by creating larger droplets. This type of nozzle
requires the addition of a foam adjuvant to the spray solution.
Foam
droplets are created in the nozzle by air being drawn into the nozzle
and mixing with the spray solution containing the foam adjuvant.
The
adjuvant has other properties including wetting of foliar surfaces,
spreading the droplet, adhering the spray to the target area and aid
to penetration of systemic compounds.
Chemical application with foam
hardware leaves a visible deposit that can last for several minutes.
This can be an aid in preventing skips or overlaps in handgun spraying.
Delavan Manufacturing Company has developed another type of
drift reduction nozzle that does not require the use of additives to
produce larger spray droplets. This patented nozzle the R a i n d r o p ™ produces only l/20th the amount of fine droplets under 100 microns as will
conventional type nozzles. Mass Median Diameter (MMD) droplet size
produced by the Raindrop nozzle is approximately double that of conventional nozzles at equal pressure and flow rate.
Turf spraying results in the usage of many different kinds of
spray solutions.
Several different chemicals and micro-nutrients may
be mixed in the tank for simultaneous application.
Liquid fertilizers may also be a part of the spray solution.
These materials combine
to give the spray solution properties different than water.
It should b e remembered that nozzle flow rates are based on
water.
The addition of other materials to w a t e r can make the specific
gravity, surface tension and viscosity of the spray solution unlike
that of water and result in flow rates somewhat diferent than would be
obtained if just water were sprayed. As example, a spray solution
weighing 12 lbs. per gal. has g specific gravity of 1.44 and will reduce flow rate through a nozzle/about 17% compared to water.
A spray
solution weighing 7 lbs. per gal. (.84 specific gravity) w i l l flow
through a nozzle approximately 10% faster than w i l l w a t e r .
Specific gravity, surface tension and viscosity also have effect
on the size of droplet formed by a nozzle.
Rules of thumb are as you
reduce surface tension, droplet size is reduced, and as specific gravity or viscosity increases, so does the size of the spray droplet.
Other rules of thumb are that as pressure is increased through a nozzle droplet size becomes smaller, and that as pressure remains constant
and nozzle size is increased, droplet size becomes larger.
Manufacturers supplying the spray equipment used by the turf industry offer a wide variety of complete sprayers, pumps, nozzles and
sprayer accessories.
This equipment comes in many sizes and capacities
to meet diverse requirements of the industry. When you select a piece
of equipment keep in mind what your specific needs are.

THE EXPANDING CHALLENGE OF

PRODUCTS

Charles Schmidt, Indiana Seed Co.
Noblesville, Ind.

With greater emphasis on the different facets of the turf industry, a new era of significant importance to seed companies is the
expanding challenge of product lines to meet more specific problems.
Today the turf problems of the homeowner, golf course, park department,
athletic field, housing development, highway landscaper, etc., are now
an integral part of a seed company's overall program.
To meet this
challenge we feel our customers are looking for professional guidance
to help solve their problems and a place to purchase the products they
want.
In turfgrass culture, the development of new grass cultivars,a
broadening base of fertilizers, broader spectrum of chemicals, new
mulches and other related programs has made it necessary for change in
our company's turf sales program.
To implement such a program requires some depth of contemporary turf knowledge.
We must participate
in turf related activities and belong to professional organizations.
We must collect and disseminate technical data and convert it into
practical knowledge and offer products to meet the challenge.
To illustrate our product expansion program, we are
ing our sales in the following areas:

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concentrat-

Seed: We stock and offer 12 bluegrasses, 6 ryegrasses, 6 fine
fescues and 6 bentgrass varieties to meet different conditions at all
economic levels.

1

Fertilizer:
A specialty fertilizer for the homeowner and a professional fertilizer for the professional turf man.
Mulches:
Two products available
Silva-fiber and Terra Tack.
Equipment:
Fertilizer spreaders,
meet the demand of specific jobs.

for use with hydroseeders —

seeders, and hydroseeders to

We hope we can provide the counsel and cooperation to our customers as we expand our products.
This w i l l require skills, experience, and technical training.
We will constantly strive to be of assistance to you and your problems and handle products to meet the new
challenges of the turf industry.

J

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FERTILIZATION - IT'S A M A T T E R OF BALANCE
D. B. Pfleiderer, The Bishop Co.
Lebanon, Pa.

The key to a successful turf fertilization program is balance.
A grass plant is a complete manufacturing unit which uses energy from
the sun, carbon dioxide from the air, water and nutrients from the

<
1

from the soil, to produce beauty in the form of green grass, oxygen,
and dollars as the results of increased property values.
Since the
soil does not normally supply enough or the proper amounts of essential
nutrients, the fertilizer program must supply the needed b a l a n c e .
Two diagnostic tools to help determine the nutrient levels
needed in a turf area are soil and plant analysis.
Both are essential
since soil testing measures nutrients available in the soil, while
plant analysis measures what is actually taken into the plant. A balanced fertilization program - which usually accounts for less than 5 %
of the golf course budget-can affect at least 5 0 % of the outcome of a
turfgrass management program. Proof of this can be seen when one observes a low or non-fertilized turf and see weed problems, bare grass
areas, lack of blade strength to hold b a l l on top of turf, lack of
color, more disease and/or lack of recovery, less drought and heat tolerance, etc.
In this midwest area research indicates that normally a balanced
feeding program takes into account nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron and possibly manganese.
Of these, Nitrogen is King!
If this nutrient is neglected the response to everything
else is only intermediate.
Even in turf seedings, and contrary to
many beliefs, nitrogen is equally or more important than phosphorus.
Research indicates a 2-1-x fertilizer ratio for starting seedings.
Our industry bases everything on the 1 lb. of nitrogen per 1,000
sq.ft. standard and this is excellent.
However, keep in mind the type
and source of nitrogen. There is a difference b e t w e e n readily available
nitrogen, intermediately available and slowly available forms.
Your
best hedge against turf with a lack of color response, excess mowing,
grass burn, or excessive labor costs is a chemical combination of nitrogen that contains all three release types.
There is a strong research available indicating that potassium
must be in balance with the nitrogen. Since potassium is the cheapest
of the macro-nutrients the old adage of "if a little bit is good, a
An example would be
lot more is even better" can definitely be w r o n g .
where excessive potassium (twice as much potassium as nitrogen) reduced
the resistance of bluegrass to drouth and heat during the summer months.
Other nutrients to check when turf lacks color are sulfur and iron.
Also proper fertilization can reduce the incidence of a certain disease
and weed infestations.
In fact, regardless of the causal organism involved, proper fertilization is important for enhancing turfgrass recovery .
By "putting it all together" - the results of soil testing,
plant analysis, field tests and experience, the ideal ratio based on
#5
1 lb. of nitrogen would b e :
1.00 nitrogen,
.25 P2°5'
° K20/
-2
sulfur,
.04 iron.
In^terms of a commercial fertilizer ratio, an
18-8-9 with 2 % sulfur/!% iron would b e ideal.
Do your turfgrass a favor - get on a feeding program, monitor
results and save fertilizer materials and m o n e y by supplying a proper
balance of nutrients to all turfgrass areas.

UREAFORMS - NITROFORM
George Osburn, Hercules,
Wilmington, Del.

Inc.,

The condensation products of urea and formaldehyde manufactured
under conditions which w i l l provide agronomic activity are called ureaforms.
Ureaforms in commerce today contain 3 8 % nitrogen, of w h i c h a
minimum of 7 0 % is water insoluble nitrogen, and have an activity index
of 40, minimum.
Thus, the number of units of water insoluble nitrogen
is a minimum of 26.6 of the 38 units of nitrogen, and the activity index is the function of cold w a t e r insoluble versus hot water insoluble.
The remaining units of nitrogen in the total of 38 are, by definition,
called water soluble even though the solubility in w a t e r is only 1
gram in 250 milliliters of w a t e r .
We can see from this that commercial ureaforms are made up of 3
distinct polymer groups or molecular sizes, known as CWS (water soluble), H W I N (hot water insoluble) and W I N (water insoluble).
In chemical terms, the polymers range from monomethylene ureas up to and including polymers containing 6 moles of urea per molecule.
The lower molecular weights are more water soluble polymers that release the nitrogen
through microbial action more rapidly.
The more complex molecules are
harder for micro-organisms to digest and are, therefore, slow-releasing
of the nitrogen.
The first commercially available solid ureaforms became articles
of commerce about 1956-1957 and came about through the research work of
Dr. K. G. Clark of the USDA at Beltsville.
The basic specifications developed by Dr. Clark are still in use, and the major refinements have
come in the processing techniques worked out to increase the W I N fraction to at least a one-third portion of the total nitrogen.
Two manufacturers make products which meet the defined specifications for ureaforms.
These products are sold in large quantities with
turfgrass fertilization the largest market and major outlet.
The golf
course market is a very key part of the total marketing as golf course
superintendents and those in turfgrass research were the first to understand and appreciate the merits of ureaforms as efficient nitrogen fertilizer sources.
Dr. Daniel, our host, is one of the earlier workers
with ureaforms, and his work was primarily focused on the golf course
turf.Greens fertilization was of primary interest.
Later w o r k has
b e e n expanded to cover the entire area where even turfgrass is grown
and maintained.
Today the major market for ureaforms, in terms of tons
of products sold, is in home lawn maintenance, followed by professionally tended turfgrass.
Highway hydroseeding programs and erosion control maintenance programs are also important.
The professional manager of turf, wherever he is, is the one to
whom ureaforms offer the greatest potential, and whose understanding
of how they w o r k is far more critical than in the homeowner field. As
with many new products, many misconceptions and false panaceas abounded.
Today the managers of turf areas and homeowners are far more sophisticated than some 20 years ago, and a greater understanding exists
of the make-up of many of our maintenance products. We do believe,
however, that ureaforms are the products which put across the now
widely accepted understanding of slow-release nitrogen.
In other words,
ureaform was the pioneer in slow-release nitrogen and has made for

faster acceptance of later introduced slow-release nitrogen products.
Among these are nitrification inhibitors, coated material fertilizers and polymers of higher aldehydes used in place of the formaldehyde as part of the molecule.
Most quality fertilizers o n the market derive their water insoluble nitrogen contact from ureaforms.
Most of the products which
are characterized as quality fertilizers contain at least 5 0 % of
their nitrogen from ureaforms.
This means that they contain a minimum of 35% water insoluble nitrogen. This type of formulation practically insures freedom from fertilizer injury and predictable performance
w h e n used as directed.
We believe that ureaforms are here to stay in that they utilize,
in almost equal proportions, urea and formaldehyde.
These are the two
most efficient and least expensive nitrogen and aldehyde compounds
available.
Technology will, in time, allow variations in the proportions of water soluble to water insoluble nitrogen for more specific
end uses.
The manufacturing process is basically a condensation
procedure, and once the know-how was reduced to practice, the plants
operate very efficiently.
The proof of the understanding and effic i e n c y of ureaforms is evidenced in the fact that the basic information developed by workers in the turf field, such as Dr. Daniel and
others, has b e e n translated into other markets.
There is demand for
ureaforms in perennial crops such as rubber, bananas, tea, coffee,
horticultural crops, such as hot-house grown cucumber and flowers,
outdoor growing of horticultural crops in containers, and even short
growing cycle vegetables, such as tomatoes.
A l l these will profit
from the use of ureaforms as a source of nitrogen.
Ureaform fertilization of these crops is a reality today and we foresee ureaform as
a very basic nitrogen source world-wide in future years.
I mentioned earlier that there were many false panaceas about
ureaform, the most common of which was for fertilization once a year.
Ureaform would solve all fertilization worries.
The product, however, was strong enough to overcome this kiss of death, and like all
other nitrogen sources, ureaforms have to be used with understanding,
and in the way they were intended to be used when they were made.
The important things to know about ureaforms in turfgrass mangement are:
1.

2.
3.

4.

They are efficient.
More than 9 0 % of the nitrogen in ureaforms
is eventually released for plant assimilation and can be
accounted for.
The cost per unit of ureaform nitrogen is the critical cost, not
the cost ton.
The unit cost of water insoluble nitrogen is still more critical
and must be compared with other sources of organic nitrogen
on an equal availability basis.
With currently available ureaforms one can expect that essentially all of the nitrogen in ureaforms w i l l have become
available to growing grass in three seasons, in the northern
climates of the U.S.
In more tropical areas all of the nitrogen w i l l be released and made available in about 2 years
or less.
Stress conditions accelerate this release date,
somewhat, but for most practical conditions these are adequate
guidelines.
The nitrogen in ureaforms is made available to
growing plants by digestion of the molecules by microorganisms, which are for the most part plants themselves.

5.

6.

7.

A rule of thumb in describing ureaform release rates is that
the water insoluble nitrogen w i l l be released at a rather
constant rate of about 6% per month so long as the soil temperatures are higher than 50°F and not more than 90°F.
Since
most of the micro-organisms are plants, it naturally follows
that w h e n conditions are right for turfgrass growth, they w i l l
be right for micro-organism activity, and nitrogen w i l l be
made available to the root system of the grass.
When climatic conditions are not right for turfgrass growth,
they are equally unsatisfactory for biological activity in the
soil, and no nitrogen is converted from ureaforms to ammonia
to nitrate for plant absorption.
Ureaforms do not leach.
The nitrogen, therefore, remains in the
soil, awaiting the proper time for turf to b e g i n to grow again.

A basic understanding of these few points can equip the turfgrass manager to think out his nitrogen management programs, to grow
acceptable turf with the most efficient source of organic nitrogen,and
in the minimum quantities needed in these days of critical supply and
economic challenge.

SCOTT'S PROGRAM A N D PRODUCTS GIVE

SUCCESS

Dick Gray, 0. M
Scott's
Marysville, 0.

Success is more than just a level of performance - it's also
a method of performance.
It doesn't "just happen".
Nobody "just
happens" to be successful.
Success must be planned, then pursued. It
is a culmination of the right steps, the right tools, at the right
time.
There are different pathways to and of success, different
levels, and, along the way, different tools.
The pathway I've chosen
is granular, and the tools — programs, products and services.
We all plan to some degree vacations, work, construction.
Anything lasting or worthwhile is planned.
The Conference is a prime
example.
The booklet we all received was detailed, showing speakers,
rooms, times - an orderly arrangement of events.
We at Proturf make plans also.
They look like this and we
call them programs.
This, or one similar regardless of the author,
can be a very important and useful tool.
First, it's a schedule of
operation to insure maintenance continuity.
It shows the application,
the rate, approximate timing for all your areas.
It's a system for
tracking progress, anticipating needs, and maintaining your level of
perfection.
It's also an inventory. You k n o w the rate per application, rate per area, rate per year. More than that, you know unit
cost, application cost, area cost, and firm total cost.
So, it's
also a budget or cost analysis.
The benefits of programming are

three-fold:

1.

Your turf benefits.
With consistent management, preventive
maintenance and no diets, you eliminate the valleys in turf
quality.

2.

With consistent playing turf, fewer worker-golfer conflicts,
and fewer interruptions in play, the golfer b e n e f i t s .

3.

By eliminating people problems and reducing turf problems,
benefit.

you

If programs are the keystones to sound management, then the supporting blocks must be products.
One is useless without the other.
Select those products that are best for you, those that are
most practical, those that have the most value.
Don't confuse value
with cost.
Cost is the worth to the seller; value is the worth to
you.
To find value, ask these 3 questions about a product:
1.
2.
3.

Is this the best product for my turf?
Why?
Is this the best product for this job?
Why?
Is this the best product for me?
Why?

A product has value if it's efficient.
The greater the efficiency, the greater the value.
If a product reduces maintenance
costs, if it eliminates extra operations, if it combines operations,
then it becomes efficient.
Efficiency saves time, efficiency saves
labor, and time multiplied by labor equals value. With 6 5 % of your
budget in labor that can be several dollars. Maximize efficiency;
minimize operations.
Naturally I speak of granular combination products.
For
example, on greens we can reduce application time by 7 5 % and operations by 50% with one product - fertilizer plus DSB fungicide. And,
on fairways, we can stop and control leafspot for up to 4 months
with a single application of F.F.II.
Compare that to conventional
spray applications.
Again, the key is efficiency.
Finally, the third tool is service. There is more to a product
than the contents of the bag.
Is the company turf-oriented?
Is it
service-oriented?
W i l l they take soil tests, disease and weed I.D.'s
nematode counts?
Do they have turf research facilities available to
you?
How about seminars, educational manuals, magazines?
It's important that you align yourself with a turf company. After all, you
have invested your job by using the products, and
more importantly,
you've invested your name and reputation.

IBDU A N D PRODUCTS
Cliff Helwig, Swift & Co., Agricultural
Chicago, 111.

Chemicals

If we are going to retain the luxury of fertilizing golf
courses, then we are going to have to use fertilizers that are differ
ent from those used in farm crops. You, the golf course superintend-

ent, are going to have to adapt to slow controlled release N-P-K formulations.
This change can take place now since new advance technology
to develop sophisticated products is not required.
Such fertilizers
are on the market today like Par Ex formulas.
In addition, slow release nitrogen has been in use for over 20 years.
It is this latter
area, nitrogen, that I want to highlight.
In particular I w i l l discuss with you IBDU, a different concept in controlled release nitrogens .
IBDU is 31%, while urea formaldehyde, the 20 year old slow release standard bearer, is 38% nitrogen.
Aside from IBDU having 7 % less
nitrogen, there are several other key differences b e t w e e n these two
materials.
1.

Water Soluble Nitrogen
a.
IBDU - 3.1 units, or 10%
b.
Urea Formaldehyde - 10.5 units or 2 8 %

2.

Water Insoluble Nitrogen
a.
IBDU - 27.9 units, or 9 0 %
b.
Urea Formaldehyde - 27.5 units or

72%

3.

Available Water Insoluble Nitrogen
a.
IBDU - 2 7.9 units or 90%
b.
Urea Formaldehyde - 18.0 units or 4 7 %

4.

Unavailable Water Insoluble Nitrogen
a.
IBDU - None
b.
Urea Formaldehyde - 9.5 units or 2 5 %

5.

Total Nitrogen Actually Available
a.
IBDU - 31 units or 100%
b.
Urea Formaldehyde - 28.5 units or

6.

75%

Total Water Insoluble Nitrogen Actually Available
a.
IBDU - 2 7.9 units or 90%
b.
Urea Formaldehyde - 18.0 units or 4 7 %

These comparisons are very important, from both economic and
agronomic standpoints.
Simply stated, IBDU is 100% available to the
turf, whereas only 75% of urea formaldehyde becomes available to the
turf in a single growing cycle.
Also, there is nearly twice as much
available W I N in IBDU as there is in urea formaldehyde which makes
these two materials very distinct.
Aside from IBDU and urea formaldehyde being chemically different, they are also unlike in how they mineralize.
IBDU becomes available to the turf by hydrolysis, whereas urea formaldehyde is completely dependent on warm soil temperatures and bacterial activity for
its nitrification.
Since IBDU does not depend upon either soil temperature or bacterial activity to mineralize to soluble form, it is a
more predictable source of slow release nitrogen.
This distinction
means that with IBDU you can maintain good color turf during cool, dark
months of the year.
IBDU is available in one particle size of "coarse" (ranges .7
to 2.3 m m ) . The larger particle size w i l l continue supplying nitrogen
to your turf for longer periods.

In summary, there are 5 primary factors that affect
rate of IBDU and urea formaldehyde:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

release

Granular size
Soil moisture
Soil temperature
Bacterial activity
Air temperature

For its slow release bene^j^s, urea formaldehyde depends on
3 of which/have no control over, soil tempera4 of these 5 factors,
ture, bacterial activity and air temperature.
IBDU slow release
Rather IBDU is dependpattern is not controlled by these 3 factors.
ent on just 2 of these 5, granule size and soil moisture.
So, IBDU
is pretty close to self control.

IBDU IN SPRAYERS
Cliff Helwig

In the fall of 1973, I started my first test using IBDU, a slow
release nitrogen, along with liquid nitrogen.
Up till then we could
not advise any liquid application to use IBDU as it is too water insoluble. We also knew that because of the granule size we would be
unable to use any type of piston pump.
So, one of the applicators
had a 1200 gal. tank equipped with a centrifugal roller type pump
without screens, so the problem of the particle size jamming up anything was eliminated.
The next problem we had was the nozzle size
which needed a hole size greater than 2.0 mesh size, and w i t h a fan
spray nozzle.
I asked these applicators why they wanted to use a slow release fertilizer like IBDU and they both said, "To give their customers a longer lasting green lawn at a slightly higher cost."
Also,
they could eliminate any possible b u r n factor from the liquid as they
were shooting for less call-backs from the customer.
A question I would ask all lawn service people - "Does a slow
release nitrogen like IBDU belong in your program?"
Why IBDU?
Because of the way it releases by hydrolysis, and the bigger the particle size the longer it w i l l last.
If the homeowner supplies enough
water to his lawn the greener it w i l l get with IBDU.
Since the particle size is coarse IBDU, this w i l l give the homeowner a longer lasting green turf.
Most of the applicators are putting down H lb. of liquid nitrogen and h lb. of slow release IBDU per each application.
They apply
this 4 times a year along with the rest of their chemicals.
This
programmed use of slow release IBDU, along with the liquid, has b e e n
very successful in the Detroit area.
If y o u want to try it or have
any questions, please contact any of our Par Ex distributors, or
Swift Chemical, St. Louis.

ORGANIFORM - A NEW CONCEPT
A . H . Bowers, Hawkeye Chemical
Clinton, Iowa

Co.,

Before I talk about Organiform 24-0-0 let me set the stage with
a brief description of Hawkeye Chemical Company since it is a new name
to many of you in the field of turfgrass management.
Hawkeye Chemical is a leading Midwest producer of nitrogen products for agriculture and industry.
Located at Clinton, Iowa, we are
a wholly-owned subsidiary of Skelly Oil Company, and since 1963 have
been producing hundreds of thousands of tons annually of ammonia,
prilled ammonium nitrate, urea-ammonium nitrate fertilizer solutions
and other nitrogen compounds. We are currently the only supplier of a
liquid urea-formaldehyde concentrate w h i c h several leading turf and
garden fertilizer manufacturers use in deriving water-insoluble nitrogen in their formulations.
While we do not actually manufacture Organiform 24-0-0, as sales
agent we introduced it in Illinois,
Iowa and the Kansas City areas in
1974, and this year are represented by distributors of golf course
supplies in these areas.
Now, what _is Organiform?
The Organiform process is a patented
procedure whereby odoriferous natural organic material, such as leather tankage or sewage sludge, is recycled and upgraded into a high
analysis, granular, slow release nitrogen fertilizer without offensive
odor, by chemically linking methylene ureas to the protein molecules
in the natural organic b a s e .
The material we are offering is 2 4 % N,
of w h i c h 8 % is water soluble organic nitrogen and 16% water-insoluble
nitrogen.
Since it contains no soluble salts the product is nonburning; since it is a combination of natural and synthetic organic
compounds, it is bulky enough to enable easy spreading, but is not so
bulky that it takes a lot of material handling or storage space per
pound of nitrogen contained.
Although Organiform has b e e n used successfully since 1967 in the
northeastern states, both as an ingredient in mixed grades and for
direct application for turf, until last year it w a s unknown in the Midwest.
Therefore, in order to evaluate its performance under our conditions a project was set up here at Purdue to determine its nitrogen rePaul Granger,
lease characteristics in greenhouse and field studies.
under Dr. Daniel's direction, h a s completed the first year's study.
This h a s included nitrogen retrieval in greenhouse pots, as w e l l as
application at various rates of N to bentgrass and bluegrass with response measured by clipping weights.
Figure I shows the comparative rates of nitrofication of some
nitrogen materials.
In a study by Organics, Inc., soil
containing the
various nitrogen sources was incubated under constant temperature and
moisture, with the N03 nitrogen release measured by chemical analysis
at regular intervals over a 21-week period.
This bacterial release exhibited a very even, consistent rate in the case of Organiform and, as
expected, by a 38-0-0 ureaform.
Figure II illustrates release rate of nitrogen from Organiform
as determined by weights of clippings removed from bluegrass plots

where Organiform was applied at 4 lbs. of N per 1,000 sq.ft. at Purdue on July 3. At the end of September a good steady release was
still being maintained, but declining growth due to the approaching
end of the growing season is evident in October.
In 1975, application w i l l be made much earlier in order to provide a longer, more
typical period of evaluation.
Organiform 24-0-0 is a slow release material, although its
water-soluble N content furnishes visible greenup within a few days
of application.
Based on the successful results of many golf courses
in 1974, we recommend that it be applied at not less than 2 lbs. of N
per 1,000 sq.ft.
In summary, Organiform 24-0-0 w i l l have these appeals to the
professional turf manager:
safety, good spreading characteristics,
consistent nitrogen release, and non-corrosiveness.

SOURCE: PURDUE UNIVERSITY

T I M E IN WEEKS
(BEGINNING

JULY 3rd)

SEWAGE EFFLUENT AND TURF USES
Gordon V. Johnson, Dept. of Soils, Water and Engineering
University of Arizona, Tucson
Considerable interest has developed in the last few years regarding the use of municipal sewage effluent to irrigate turfgrass.
In arid regions, where irrigation is practiced most extensively, much
of the interest has been motivated by the increasing shortage and/or
high cost of water. As metropolitan areas such as Denver, Colorado,
and Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona continue growth at the fastest rate in
the nation, the shortage and costs of water can only be expected to
increase.
Who Gets The Water?
Obviously this question receives more and more attention as
water shortages and costs increase. The answer to the question is
not so obvious, however, and consequently may result in legal disputes among municipal, agricultural, industrial and other kinds of
water users. Most people will agree that our city parks and golf
courses are extensively used, yet it is difficult to assess a dollar
value to them or the turfgrasses which they culture. It is much
easier for agriculture or industry to show cause for meeting increasing water needs on the basis of cost-benefit ratios because definite
dollar values can be associated with their products. Thus, turfgrass
irrigators are not in a very desirable position to compete for water
which can be used for industry or agriculture.

Sewage Effluent

Excess

The inability of turfgrass irrigators to justifiably compete
with other users for good potable water can in many instances be circumvented by realizing that
1) secondarily treated municipal sewage
effluent is usually considered an excess commodity, and
2) the irrigation quality of treated effluent is normally only slightly lower
than that of the domestic water supply.
Evidence of the first point is easily verified by simple obserIn a majority
vation of what is currently done w i t h treated effluent.
of instances treated effluent is dumped into the nearest stream or
large body of water.
Obviously in these instances there is no current
competition for the effluent and it is available for whatever safe
uses can be demonstrated.
Competition for use of effluent may develop
in the future, however, as awareness of its value for irrigation increases.
The turfgrass irrigator w i l l be in a b e t t e r position to compete for treated effluent than for good potable water.
Treated effluent is not suitable for domestic household use, nor will there be much
demand for it by most industries.
There may be demand by agriculture,
however, especially in critically water depleted areas.
Determining the ultimate user of the effluent w i l l be influenced
greatly by local policies, politics, and relative importance of turfgrass and agriculture.
Some advantages to irrigating turfgrass with
effluent are:
1.

Utilization of nutrient constituents (primarily N and P) on an
annual per unit area basis is h i g h relative to groundwater contamination by these elements

2.

Use continuity is not interrupted by cultivation,
vesting operations common to agriculture, and

3.

The use is in close proximity to the source thereby
transmission expenses.

seeding and har-

minimizing

Practicing the concept of sewage effluent irrigation of turfgrass may not be economically feasible for large cities which have a
nearly static population because of the expense involved in building
new pipelines from existing treatment plants to large turfgrass areas.
Small cities and cities which are growing rapidly can more easily
adapt the concept by planning parks, golf courses, cemeteries, etc.
close to existing or future sewage treatment facilities.
This latter
category of cities also includes those w h i c h currently experience the
water shortage problems eluded to above.
The quality of treated sewage effluent should in most instances,
not be a deterrent to its use for turfgrass irrigation.
This statement is especially true when the principal source of effluent is from
domestic household use.
The quality of effluent w i l l vary widely
from one location to another, depending on the type and efficiey of
treatment, as well as the quality of original water.
The concentration of dissolved salts w i l l typically be about 300 ppm greater in
treated effluent than the original water source, and may require more
careful management for irrigation use.
In addition to the total dissolved salt concentration, the ionic concentration of specific elements such as Na, Ca, Mg, N, P, K, B, Cd, Ni, Cu, and Zn must also be
considered because of their effects on soil properties and plant growth.

Quality will be a major factor limiting the extent to which effluent
may be used for irrigation.
Other factors influencing use will be
type of soil and climate.
Effluent

Quality

An indication of the variance and the average quality of effluent is provided by a recent survey of effluent quality from 59 Michigan treatment facilities. A summary of that report is given in
Table 1.

Table 1.
Parameter*

High
Low
Average

Effluent Quality Variance in Michigan.
Total N

285
10.7
35

PO4-P

Ca

Mg
•ppm

Na

K

SAR

EC

8.1
0.03
2.3

187
29
66

38
7
19

265
12
97

66
4
11

7.4
0.4
2.8

3.5
0.25
1.0

*SAR - sodium adsorption ratio, EC = electrical
mmhos/cm.

conductivity

The average values reported in Table 1 represent an acceptThe average EC value of 1.0 indiable quality water for irrigation.
cates a medium salt content, but suitable for turf grown in soils of
moderately good drainage when irrigated to provide periodic leaching.
The sodium hazard, indicated by SAR, is low and should not present a
problem.
The nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) concenare acceptable for actively growing turf.
The N concentration would
be sufficient, but the P and K insufficient to provide the requirements for these nutrients by most turfgrasses.
Based on current fertilizer prices, the N in an acre-foot of this "average" effluent is
worth in excess of $2 0. Concentrations of the heavy metals copper
(Cu), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) were often
below detection limits and considered non-hazardous under normal conditions .
The boron (B) concentration is not a problem in humid regions.
Boron is relatively mobile in soils and accumulations in soils can
usually be removed by leaching.
Boron concentrations of 1 ppm or
greater in effluent should be considered potentially hazardous to
turfgrass.
When effluent high in B is used, the soil and effluent
should be tested periodically to determine the need for leaching or
substituting better quality water.
The Soil-Turf Tertiary Treatment

System

A most practical way of viewing the problems associated with
effluent irrigation is to view the soil and turfgrass as a tertiary
effluent treatment system.
In this regard, the main concerns will be
related to the capacity and efficiency of the system.
Capacity and
efficiency are interrelated7 whenever the capacity is exceeded efficiency will decrease and both will b e variable functions of effluent

volume and quality in a manner similar to that for primary and secondary treatment plants.
Just as primary and secondary systems have designed capacities, the soil-turf system has an inherent capacity.
Overloading has not been uncommon to cities experiencing unexpected
growth.
It is not unlikely for the same deteriorating situation to
occur with the soil-turf tertiary system, and for it to be caused by
the same factors.
However, since the soil-turf system is a "living"
system, its deteriorated efficiency is much more difficult to revitalize and must be carefully guarded against.
Capacity of the Soil-Turf

System

The Soil.
Soils vary widely in the physical and chemical properties important to effluent irrigation of turfgrasses.
The property
of greatest concern is soil texture because it strongly influences the
cation exchange capacity (CEC), salinity, alkalinity, infiltration
rate, percolation rate, and water-holding capacity of the soil. Coarse
textured soils, such as a sandy loam, are most desirable, although
heavier textured soils, such as loam or silt loam, are acceptable under
closer management.
The CEC of sandy loam soils ranges between 3 to 10
milliequivalents/100 grams and w i l l normally be sufficient to absorb
the average cation components in a one-inch effluent irrigation.
The
most
limiting characteristic of sandy soils is their moisture holding
capacity.
Since sandy loam soils w i l l retain only 1 to 1.5 inches of
a m i a b l e water in the surface foot of soil, irrigations must be more
frequent than for finer textured soils. Although loam, silt loam and
clay soils h a v e greater capacity to retain available water and absorb
chemical constituents in effluent, they are also more likely to become
alkaline, saline, or compacted because of restricted internal drainage.
All soils, but especially fine-textured soils, should be tested
periodically to determine if salt or sodium (Na) are accumulating.
These tests are performed routinely for a minimal charge by most university and commercial soil testing laboratories.
Exchangeable Na percentages above 15 often impair infiltration and indicate the need for
applying gypsum, improving drainage, and leaching.
Electrical conductivity of extracts from a saturated soil paste exceeding 4 mmhos/cm is
harmful to salt sensitive plants and indicates a need for leaching.
The heavy metal elements, Cu, As, Cd, Ni, and Hg are of environmental concern when their concentrations exceed toxic levels in the biological food chain. Although turfgrasses normally are remote to the
food chain, awareness of the activity of the elements is important when
effluent is used for irrigation.
Fortunately, these elements are
usually found at very low concentrations in effluents, especially when
the source is from domestic household use.
Furthermore, in arid region
soils where the potential for irrigation is greatest, the basic soil pH
(greater than 7) causes them to become inactive as a result of their
precipitation as oxides or hydroxides.
In humid region soils, which
tend to be acidic (less than 7), the same type of inactivation can be
accomplished by periodic liming to raise the soil pH.
The soil w i l l generally not be a factor limiting effluent irrigation provided sound soil management required for conventional irrigation is practiced.
The Turf. Most types of soil w i l l have sufficient capacity to
remove the major portion of impurities in one normal irrigation with
effluent.
Actively growing turfgrass will absorb from the soil the

major nutrient elements (N, P and K) removed from the effluent.
Thus,
the capacity of the soil to remove these elements is maintained by
actively growing turfgrass.
Of these elements, N is required in
greatest amount by turfgrass, and it also is usually the most concentrated in effluents.
The extent to which this removal occurs for N
is indicated by the results of a 32-week study conducted at the University of Arizona reported in Table 2.
These results clearly show
that the soil-turfgrass system is very effective in removing N from
effluent (average effluent N concentration w a s 20 ppm), and that most
of the N removed ends up in the turfgrass clippings.
Obviously some
of the N removed remains in the roots and u n d i p p e d portion of the
turf, and some is biologically incorporated in the soil organic matter.
Irrigation at the high rate added an average of about 1 lb. of
N/1,000 ft. /month, which is the commonly recommended rate for actively growing turf. Although the average removal efficiency was
greater than 90% for all systems, the decrease in removal efficiency
associated with high irrigation rates and coarse textured soils is
evident.

Table 2.

Mean Values for Removal Efficiency and

Soil Type*

Irrigation**
Level

Removal
Efficiency

%

Nitrogen
Utilization
of N by Grass

%

94.4
SL
SL
SL
SiL
SiL
SiL

L
M
H
L
M
H

*SL
=
sandy loam;
SiL
= silty
**L, M, H = approximately 4, 7 and

94.6
94.0
96.9
95.6
91.5

115.5
83.0
86.7
82.4
70.5
68.8

loam
11 inches applied per month

Quality, with respect to N, of the effluent from the soilturf grass tertiary treatment system is illustrated in Figure 1.
Organic N was high in the solutions passing b e l o w the root system for
all treatment combinations. This observation was believed to be associated with the suction removal of solutions for analysis. When regular irrigation water supplemented w i t h N and P was used instead of
sewage affluent, similar concentrations of organic N were found in
the testing effluent.
The concentration of nitrate nitrogen never exceeded 1 ppm and is far b e l o w the minimum for acceptable drinking water,
W h e n clippings are not removed, the N
corporation into the soil organic matter, or
tion, reuse by the turf, or loss by leaching
same natural processes determine the fate of
N.

in them is subject to inafter organic decomposior volitalization. These
commonly added fertilizer

The importance of actively growing turf to maintaining a high
removal efficiency is illustrated in Figure 2 for the SL soil.
Initial removal efficiency was high in late September when c o m m o n a B g r mudagrass was actively growing.
The Bermudagrass was scalped /
over-

seeded to ryegrass in October.
During this ryegrass establishment
period removal efficiency was decreased because the turfgrass growth
w a s much below optimum.
Removal efficiency increased to nearly 100%
w h e n the ryegrass became well established in December.
The decline in
January was a result of infestation by a low temperature pythium disease.
Recovery from the disease and reestablishment of active turfgrass again resulted in high removal efficiency in March and A p r i l .
Irrigation rates had little or no influence on turfgrass growth
or activity, and consequently removal efficiency w a s not significantly
affected by irrigation rates.
Obviously, continued successful effluent irrigation of turf w i l l be possible only so long as actively growing turf is maintained.
Barren areas and areas of very poor turf in
arid climates are most often associated w i t h poor distribution of water
and N. Using effluent for irrigation should alleviate many of these
problems since a major part of the N requirement w i l l be met by the
effluent applied; thus, distribution of N and water w i l l be similar.
Adequate irrigation should also be more feasible in these arid regions
because of the lower cost of effluent compared to potable water.
Irrigation Rates and

Frequency

Effluent irrigation rates and frequencies will vary depending on
the local soils, climate, and effluent quality.
As a first approach,
the minimum rate and frequency must be at least as great as used for
good quality irrigation w a t e r .
The total application should not exceed
the soil water holding capacity, and should be frequent enough to meet
the water requirements of the turf.
The experienced local irrigator
should already be familiar with these requirements.
When N concentration of the effluent is high, or if the supply
of effluent is not limiting, it is possible to provide the entire N requirement of the turf by effluent irrigation. The annual volume of
effluent required to supply turf w i t h 1 lb. of N/1,000 ft. /month has
b e e n calculated for Tucson, Arizona and is included here to illustrate
how the irrigation volume must be adjusted in relation to effluent N
concentration.
W h e n these volumes of effluent are received or applied at a constant rate throughout the year, then they must be viewed in relation to
turf consumptive water use.
For Tucson, Arizona the turf consumptive
water and N use would be met by applying 56 inches per year of an effluent containing about 35 ppm N (dashed line) . In order for this to be
accomplished however, excess effluent received during the period from
November through March would have to be stored for use during the period
from A p r i l through October.
If the effluent contained 30 ppm, 6.5
inches applied per month would provide sufficient N and an excess of
water.
The merit of this excessive application would have to be considered with regard for relative costs of effluent and supplemental N, as
w e l l as the need and suitability of the soil for leaching.
Comme rc ia1 Expe ri e nce s
Current and past use of treated effluents for turfgrass irrigation have been generally limited to the more arid areas.
Several locat ions have irrigated with effluent for 5 to 10 years without experiencing any unique problems.

Summary
Treated municipal sewage effluent can be and is being used
successfully to irrigate turfgrass.
W h e n the effluent and its intended use meet the requirements of local, state and federal agencies
such as Public Health Departments and Water Quality Control Boards,
then the remaining limitations on the use of effluent w i l l be similar
to those considered for conventional irrigation.

NITROGEN

SOURCES

Paul Granger, Graduate
in Turf,Purdue

Student

The slow release products for sources of nitrogen are becoming
more and more used by the golf course superintendent.
These products
offer many advantages:
one application may last for approximately 4
months of feeding, it stores in the soil so it can be absorbed by the
roots and used by the plants when needed, there is no chance of burning with these products even when rates of 32 lbs. of actual nitrogen
is incorporated in the soil, less care is needed in placement, and
finally there is no feast or famine as w i t h the inorganic fertilizers.
In the past year and a half, we at Purdue have worked with 3 of
these slow release products.
IBDU, w h i c h is 31% nitrogen of which
2 7 . 9 % is in the insoluble form; Organiform, which is leather
tankage
protein with ureaformaldehyde added, 2 4 % nitrogen w i t h 16% in the insoluble form; and Uramite which is 38% nitrogen w i t h 2 7 % in the water
insoluble form.
It is the first action of release wherein the products differ.
IBDU undergoes hydrolysis as it breaks down to urea,
to ammonia and finally to nitrate.
Uramite and Organiform are dependent
upon microbial breakdown in the conversion to urea.
Results from some of the experiments conducted at Purdue will be
presented here.
In field studies, we tested 35 combinations of particle sizes, rates and products.
Data from one rate is presented here:

4 lb. / 1 0 0 0 sq. f t .
yield
over
check

Smaller particle sizes were found to release nitrogen faster
than the larger size particles.
Uramite and Organiform responded
closely at this rate in yields, but color for Organiform was lower
than that of all other products.
In greenhouse and field studies to determine h o w much of the
fertilizer was used up after certain time periods after 30 days results
correlated very closely w i t h approximately 2 5 % of the Uramite, 10% of
the IBDU, and 60% of the Organiform being used.
After 60 days 4 0 % of
the Uramite, 30% of the IBDU, and 6 0 % of the Organiform being used.
In laboratory incubations these products were tested for nitrification rates and pH differences.
It was found that after 15 days
Uramite, IBDU, and Organiform had nitrified 10.43%, 9.15% and 8 . 2 8 %
of the nitrogen applied. After 30 days, Uramite, IBDU, and Organiform
had nitrified 12.8%, 11.3%, and 10.6% of the nitrogen applied.
In
studying pH changes after 15 days, Uramite, IBDU, and Organiform had
changed
.55, .55, and .6 pH units. After 30 days these products had
lost
.9, .95, and .7 pH units, respectively while the check had remained constant at a pH of 7.6 throughout the study.
Further experiments are being conducted to determine
tions for best uses of these products for the midwest.

IMPROVING OUR GOLF

recommenda-

COURSE

Clyde Lyons, Grounds Supt., Valley Brook
McMurray, Pa.

C. Club,

My greatest single challenge when I started at Valley Brook
Country Club was how to communicate w i t h over 500 members and the
necessary committees to accomplish the projects needed to improve the
course.
Course Development and the Greens' Committee
I believe that a golf course superintendent's job consists of
4 main parts 1.

Public Relations
a.
Letters to the membership on lawns & gardens
b . Workshops at the clubhouse for the member
c. Being available to the members for questions

2.

Salesman
a.
Selling of improvements and long range plans
to the Greens Committee, Board and also
membership.

3.
4.

Turfgrass Manager
Crew management

Making of reports explaining work accomplished and w o r k to be done.
This makes possible for the members of the Greens Committee to answer other m e m b e r s and the Board's questions.
Slides are shown at
Green's Committee and Board meetings to show work being done.
Course

Improvements

1.

A little bit about our course:
a.
Size of membership - over 500
b . Amount of play - 250 rounds of golf per day - 40,000/year
c. Fairways are bentgrass, w h i c h are maintained with 3 lbs.
nitrogen (Greens 5 lbs. on Penncross).
Potash and phosphorus are applied w h e n needed.

2.

Records include:
a.
Labor and materials used for course improvements. This
way you have a good record so it can be converted to capital improvements and be w r i t t e n off on taxes over a number of years.

3.

First impression a lasting one:
a.
Entrance to golf course is very important - signs - roadways and landscaping.

4.

Course
a.
b.

c.

improvements:
Improvements should be made so maintenance is m i n i m u m problem.
Small improvements make large impressions.
1. Flower beds
2.
The use of stumps as flower pots
Replacing eyesores with beauty:
1.
Triangles
where cart paths meet and it is impossible to maintain grass, install a flower b e d . This
also helps direct traffic.

d.

Drainage:
1. Make tile lines at least 37 inches deep;for maximum
efficiency we put in 10,000 ft. of drainage. Shallow
drainage tends to make wet areas. We found many
such places on our course. We also found tile lines
without outlets.

e.

Irrigation:
1. Proper installation o f irrigation heads.
Place gravel
around sprinkler to facilitate drainage.
2.
Pulling of plastic pipe underground where additional
irrigation is needed so fairways are not disturbed.

f.

Sand traps:
1. We have 100 sand traps that must be rebuilt because
they were designed in such a manner that the surface
water washes the sand out.
This costs many man hours
to replace sand after a rain.
2.
Proper construction of sand traps.
3. Use of sand traps to speed play by placing them so
they prevent balls from going into stream banks or
ravines.

g.

Advantages of a sod nursery:
1. To patch bare spots
2.
To speed up new projects

h.
i.

Thatching and overseeding to improve fairways.
Advantage of a test green
1. To test equipment and to instruct new employees in mowing procedures.

FACTS:

TO CUT A ONE A C R E

Size Mower
inches

Net cut
inches

18
21
24
26
30
36
48
60
70
80

14
17
20
22
26
32
44
56
66
75

PLOT 200' x 217'

Swaths

Miles/acre

171
141
120
109
92.3
75
55
43
36
30

At 3 MHP
hours

6.9
5.7
4.9
4.4
3.7
3.0
2 .2
1.7
1.5
1.2

2.3
1.9
1.6
1.5
1.2
1.0
.7
.6
.5
.4

Comparisons of Mowers
Reel Mower
-less horsepower requirement per foot of cut
-produce the best quality of cut
-maximum safety
-long use life with minimum repairs
-diameter of the reel and number of b l a d e s must be matched
and type of turf
-cut w i t h a scissors type action
- 1 to lh HP per foot of cut
- w i l l handle turfgrass to 6"
High Cycle Rotary Mower
- t w o to three 3000 R.P.M. spindles
-acceptable quality of cut
- h i g h belt wear
-available undermount or three point hitch
- w i l l handle turfgrasses to 6" maximum
- l o w horsepower requirement - 2 HP per foot of cut
Flail Mowers
-horizontal shaft type impact mower
-coarse or thin blades available
-must operate at 540 R.P.M., maximum
-3h to 4 HP per foot of cut
-acceptable quality of cut
- w i l l handle turfgrasses to 12"

safety

to site

Rotary Cutter
-single spindle 1300 R.P.M.
-cut for control rather than aesthetics
- w i l l handle hardwood to 1 V
-5 HP per foot of cut
-must run at 540 PTO speed

ROLE OF EQUIPMENT IN TODAY'S

ECONOMY

J. R. Watson, Vice Pres.,
Toro Co.,
Bloomington, M i n n .

Most of the words in this title have obvious meanings.
But,
defining what today's economy has become is seemingly too difficult
even for our government leaders in Washington and elsewhere. But,
regardless of how one attempts to define, illustrate, or dissect the
current economy, there's one thing for certain, the conclusion w i l l
be confusing and by most definitions, depressing and too long in coming.
The high inflation rate, coupled with a deepening recession, and
a nagging energy crisis, have affected, and w i l l continue to affect
each of us for quite some time. The situation has not only caused
changes and adjustments in our personal lives, but has also provoked
adjustments in our professional vocations. Y o u can be certain that
despite the current unfavorable economic picture, turfgrass managers
w i l l b e expected to improve upon previous year's maintenance levels
in turfgrass areas —
and to do so with budget dollars which in most
cases will be inadequte for the task.
I should like to concentrate on one aspect of your maintenance
program, your equipment, and hopefully provide some ideas and guidelines which may enable you to continue to provide top quality turf
for the users of your turfgrass facilities.
There are a number of
things the turfgrass manager can do to conserve fuel and cope with
inflation.
Selecting the most efficient piece of equipment for each
specific job function in your maintenance program is one.
Manufacturers of turf care equipment recognize that the energy
crisis, coupled with the economic picture, dictates fiscal responbibility and that this w i l l have considerable consequences on the equipment purchases of turfgrass managers.
Consequently, manufacturers
are now offering equipment w h i c h can give you lowered total maintenance
costs, while actually improving the quality of that maintenance.
There are alternatives to outright purchasing of n e w equipment,
and if a manager prefers leasing equipment he may realize several advantages, including greater flexibility.
Jim Fischer of Toro outlines several advantages to leasing in a recent article in Weeds, Trees
and Turf, including the fact that:
1.
2.

Leasing conserves your working capital.
Leasing offers the opportunity to obtain equipment without excessive cash outlays. With payments spread over a long period

of time, the equipment is actually paying for itself as it functions. W h e n rentals are treated as fully tax-deductible expense,
cash outgo decreases and usable capital is increased.
3.

Leasing preserves existing credit. Y o u r established credit lines
are not affected and remain readily available.
Leasing provides
an additional, non-conflicting source of credit, thereby increasing your borrowing b a s e .

4.

Leasing overcomes budget limitations — a factor you can easily
identify w i t h .
The minimum cash outlay involved w i t h leasing,
plus modest payments, allows you to fit the lease into the tightest of budgets.
Even when your spending schedule is severely
limited, leasing allows you to obtain the equipment you ned w h e n
you need it.

5.

Leasing can minimize the effect of inflation.
The b u l k of your
payments are made with tomorrow's dollar which, if inflationary
pressures continue, w i l l be cheaper than today's.

6.

In addition to offering an advantage of a tax deductible expense,
leasing is not based on a tax program but rather on a capital conservation program; that is, the freeing of capital so that it can
be used effectively to develop profits.

7.

And finally, leasing offers greater flexibility.
With leasing you
have a wide variety of plans and programs geared to fit specific
financing needs —
long term or short term, straight line or accelerated, renewable or replaceable.
So you can see that leasing can play a valuable role in your coping with inflation.

But, whether or not you elect to lease your requipment or purchase
it, the important thing to k e e p in mind is that y o u r equipment must be
in proper operating condition.
The proper maintenance of the vital parts of any machine is important not only in an effort to conserve fuel, but also in extending the
functional life span of the machine.
Herb Colwill of our engineering
department recently wrote about turf equipment efficiency, and I believe
several points Herb made are relevant here.
1.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Operate engines at 75 to 8 0 % of rated maximum load.
Develop a
scale to show fuel consumption at different levels of load-rated
horsepower.
Use fuel w i t h the recommended octane number.
Do not use substitute fuels.
Landscape new facilities and modify existing landscapes to accommodate equipment with greater capacity.
Avoid idling, keep motor tuned up.
Train operators to obtain maximum efficiency.
Where possible eliminate mowing of steep slopes.
Keep accurate operating and service records.
Employ a full time mechanic or arrange for routine checks of all
equipment and operational procedures by a qualified mechanic.

10.

11.
12.

W h e n m o v i n g from one area to another, or t r a n s p o r t i n g w i t h i n one
area, use paths and r o a d w a y s w h e n p o s s i b l e .
This p r a c t i c e w i l l
save on fuel and avoids w e a r o n y o u r turf.
Plan p u r c h a s e s o n b a s i s of need and avoid impulse b u y i n g .
Use e q u i p m e n t c o m p a t i b l e w i t h the job f u n c t i o n .

One should not o v e r l o o k irrigation systems w h e n r e v i e w i n g the
role of e q u i p m e n t in today's e c o n o m y .
Y o u may h a v e seen s e v e r a l of
these s u g g e s t i o n s in a recent e d i t i o n of the G o l f S u p e r i n t e n d e n t . T h e
s u g g e s t i o n s include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Using m i n i m a l amounts of w a t e r w h e n e v e r p o s s i b l e
Checking the nozzles on s p r i n k l e r s frequently to
avoid o v e r s p r i n k l i n g
Irrigating turf areas during e v e n i n g h o u r s to m i n i mize e v a p o r a t i o n
Inspecting valves, p u m p impeller, b o l t s and m o t o r s
frequently
And if necessary, r e m o d e l i n g the system; this w i l l
save money in the long run

O b t a i n i n g an analysis of the soil may not only save e x p e n d i tures for fertilizer, b u t w i l l provide y o u w i t h a b e t t e r f o u n d a t i o n
on w h i c h to b a s e y o u r f e r t i l i z a t i o n p r o g r a m .
Y o u may reduce y o u r
mowing frequency and still m a i n t a i n good g r o w t h and color in y o u r
turf.
So far I h a v e b e e n talking about p r a c t i c e s y o u m a y adopt concerning y o u r e q u i p m e n t , p r i m a r i l y w h e n it is b e i n g u s e d .
But, it
should b e mentioned that there are also o t h e r areas that are involved in the role of equipment in t o d a y ' s e c o n o m y .
Today the m a j o r c o n c e r n of any t u r f g r a s s m a n a g e r must be h o w
to e f f i c i e n t l y and e f f e c t i v e l y m a i n t a i n w e l l - g r o o m e d courses suitable for p l a y e r d e m a n d s in a time w h e n costs are h i g h and energy
supplies are low.
Since mowing is one o f the m a j o r time c o n s u m i n g
o p e r a t i o n s , success in m o w i n g involves d e s i g n o f e q u i p m e n t and facilities .
The energy crisis, coupled w i t h the current e c o n o m i c s i t u a t i o n
d e m a n d s that each t u r f g r a s s m a n a g e r must be p r o d u c t i v e and must demonstrate h i s superior m a n a g e r i a l skills in h i s job function«
O n l y by
so d o i n g w i l l ne be able to d e s i g n or p l a n for success in m o w i n g .
The turfgrass m a n a g e r must k n o w w h a t funds w i l l be available to
him, the c u r r e n t and c o n t e m p l a t e d labor force/ w h a t the pay s c a l e s are
at the time, and w h a t they are likely to be in the near future.
He
must be aware if there are any p r o s p e c t s that h i s facility m a y b e expanded or r e d e s i g n e d .
And finally, he must be cognizant of w h a t new
e q u i p m e n t is o n the market, w h a t it w i l l do —
and e v e n more importantly w h a t it w o n ' t do, what it's life span is, and a h o s t of other
considerations.
A m o n g them, p l a n n i n g for adequate e q u i p m e n t .
It seems to me that planning for adequate e q u i p m e n t —
budgeting for new e q u i p m e n t —
r e q u i r e s the development and e x e c u t i o n of
p r o g r a m s b u i l t around equipment presently a v a i l a b l e , n o t for equipment
expected to b e c o m e available at some future d a t e .
Planning for adequate equipment is i n d i r e c t l y the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the g o v e r n i n g
board of an o r g a n i z a t i o n but, in a c t u a l i t y , it is the direct r e s p o n s i -

bility of the superintendent
tional program.

acting within the confines of an opera-

Participation of the superintendent or turf manager in local,
regional and national educational conferences is invaluable from the
standpoint of keeping abreast of new developments in turfgrass operations and on the availability of new equipment.
W h e n planning for new equipment, the turfgrass manager should
carefully examine the capacity, the maneuverability, the sturdiness
and durability of equipment — and in the case of certain mowing units
their trimability.
These design features along with a study of the
maintenance records to determine annual service and repair cost on each
piece of similar equipment presently owned and operated, w i l l provide
a basis for projecting life expectancy.
The reliable manufacturer and
his authorized representative w i l l be of great assistance in this respect.
In addition, some organizations (for example, mine) have developed a simple form for recording, by machine and operator, such items
as: hours operated, gas and oil consumption, down hours, service required, replacement parts and labor costs.
At the end of the cutting season your records w i l l show the num
ber of hours the equipment has b e e n operated, plus the cost of maintenance.
This information is invaluable for determing the proper type
of unit to use in a given area, the most economical brand of equipment, the good as well as the undesirable equipment operators, and
methods for improving maintenance.
It must be recognized that adequate equipment for one turf facility may be inadequate for another and excessive for a third.
Therefore, equipment must be selected on the basis of the individual
requirements for the particular facility.
Thus, both the design of
the equipment and the design or layout of the gounds are involved.
A common reason for shortened life span and h i g h maintenance
costs is the use of a machine for the w r o n g job. W h e n choosi-ng equipment :
1.

Consider the terrain to be cut.
Is it wooded, rough cutting,
hilly or the more formal areas?
If rough, or otherwise, decide
if a reel or rotary type machine is to be purchased, based on
course conditions.

2.

Consider the size of the course or courses, and buy the largest
machine that is practical.
The job gets done faster —
with
less m a n hours — with larger capacity equipment.
If the
machine is to be used for trimming purposes and demands on the
mower are not too heavy, a small, low horsepower, light-duty
machine may be used, but higher maintenance costs on this type
of equipment are inevitable.

3.

Look for simplicity of design. A complicated machine has many
moving parts and may have a high maintenance cost. Also, it
may be difficult to adjust and a trained expert may have to be
used for repair.

4.

Check for construction and durability.
The machine should be
substantially built, well-braced, with good bearings.
The side
frames, handles or drawbars should be heavy enough to do the
job. The bed bars, reels, b l a d e s should be rigidly constructed.

Variations in terrain on w h i c h the machine is used, the type
of lubrication it receives, the correctness of repair, the treatment
by the operator, storage, accuracy of records,all have an influence
on cost per machine per year and useful life span. However, to get
the lowest possible machinery operating costs under your conditions,
buy quality equipment, buy the right machine for the right job,
operate and maintain it properly, and keep adequate records.

DESIGN F O R SUCCESS IN MOWING
J. R. Watson

The major concern of any golf superintendent today must be how
to efficiently and effectively maintain well-groomed courses suitable
for player demands in a time w h e n costs are high and energy supplies
are low.
Since mowing is one of the major time consuming operations,
success in mowing involves design of equipment and facilities.
The energy crisis, coupled w i t h the current economic situation
demands that each turfgrass manager must be productive and must demonstrate his superior managerial skills in his job function.
Only by
so doing w i l l he be able to design or plan for success in mowing.
The turfgrass manager must k n o w what funds w i l l be available
to him, the current and contemplated labor force, what the pay scales
are at the time, and what they are likely to be in the near future.
He must be aware if there are any prospects that his facility may be
expanded or redesigned.
And finally, he must be cognizant of what
new equipment is on the market, what it w i l l do — and even more importantly, what it won't do, what it's life span is, and a host of
other considerations; among them planning for adequate equipment.
It seems to me that planning for adequate equipment —
budgeting for new equipment — requires the development and execution of
programs built around equipment presently available, not for equipment expected to become available at some future date.
Planning for adequate equipment is indirectly the responsibility of the governing board of an organization but, in actuality, it
is the direct responsibility of the superintendent acting w i t h i n the
confines of an operational program.
Records are almost a necessity
to properly determine the most economical time to trade in old equipment.
They are also the best tool for selling a board of directors
on your new equipment needs.
The landscape design plays a sometimes forgotten role in
successful mowing.
Many of our turf facilities, especially private
golf clubs, were designed and constructed during an era when labor
costs were negligible and mechanization of little importance, thereby
creating many time-consuming operations requiring the use of low
capacity, and often costly equipment.
Landscaping may not have b e e n
planned, but grew haphazardly over the years w i t h little thought to
the maintenance demands being created (often in accordance with the
whims and fancies of one individual).

>

Shrubs and trees requiring specialized care in the way of
spraying, trimming and pruning, and often located in such a manner as
to interfere with large capacity mowing equipment —
thus, requiring
additional time-consuming operations to maintain surrounding turfgrass — do not contribute to efficiency.
The superintendent has a responsibility to point out these deficiencies and to develop a longrange program of redesign in keeping with modern trends.
This would
include landscaping to eliminate problem trees and shrubs, substitution of more hardy species requiring minimum maintenance, and located
to accommodate equipment with greater capacity.
The construction of greens and tees employing the latest materials and techniques developed through research, w i l l unquestionably
lead to improved design, and w i l l contribute to efficiency and thereby
to success in mowing.
Such a program may require several years of completion, but with competent direction, supervision and adequate equipment, may be accomplished through careful budgeting for new and replacement equipment.
Other considerations, w h e n evaluating design for proper
tion of new equipment to improve efficiency, would include:

selec-

1.

Consultation w i t h the manufacturer or his representative regarding the type of equipment needed.
Information on new equipment
and improved features, as well as the suitability of their
equipment for the job at hand, is readily available from the
reliable manufacturer.

2.

The availability of parts and service facilities.
This is of
prime importance when selecting equipment.
If repair parts are
not available when needed and a machine is inoperable for extended periods, it is of questionable value and certainly w i l l
contribute little to efficient operation.

3.

Develop or estimate a reasonable or probable life and, based on
current replacement costs, allow for the proper amount of depreciation per year.
Then, request or provide a yearly sinking
fund for the orderly replacement of the equipment when it b e comes economically feasible, or w h e n new and improved equipment
becomes available .
Prepare supporting statements for capital budgets.
List each
price of equipment separately and state concisely why it is
needed, and the benefits to b e derived from its use.
When possible, invite those responsible for approving your selection of equipment to join y o u at local turf equipment field
days or national shows.

Capital budgeting has significant long-range implications and
may have a major impact on the economic well-being of some turfgrass
facilities.
If a large commitment would jeopardize the financial
structure of the organization, then a leasing program should be considered. Most major manufacturers offer practical leasing arrangements
or programs to qualified organizations.
Summary
Design for success in mowing becomes more a function of selecting adequate and efficient, presently available equipment.
The selec-

must
tion/be based on a careful analysis of the design and layout of the
private golf course.
In many cases, the golf course superintendent
may find a redesign or updating of the course layout w i l l produce a
higher degree of success in mowing.
Such changes should b e made
only within the framework of a long range plan designed by a golf
course architect and, obviously, approved by the membership.
*

Manufacturers keep abreast of equipment needs.
Their equipment
must be designed to accommodate their customers needs, otherwise
they
are not competitive and do not survive.

A SUCCESSFUL F A I R W A Y PROGRAM, 1967 ON
Carl G. Hopphan, Supt., Aurora
Aurora, 111.

C. C.,

My very first and probably most important point of issue this
afternoon is to clear up the wording of the title of my topic.
What
I really mean is that the word ON should be added a dozen times to
the end of the title to even faintly describe reality.
A dictionary
defines the word program as "a plan to follow" - to this I would like
to add the word "forever."
A successful program is a plan to follow
forever, I say this in light of the fact that in 1967 I started a program on my fairways to eliminate Poa annua. Within three short years
I felt that a great deal of success had b e e n achieved, and my fairway
problems were rapidly drawing to a beautiful end.
Before I get too
far ahead of myself, let me briefly run through the actual program.
A general meeting of the entire membership was called to acquaint them w i t h the proposed program.
I very honestly explained the
complete program, giving costs, time elements, and most important of
all I painted an extremely black picture of h o w our fairways would
look before success was achieved.
Along with the 1.5 lbs. of tri-calcium arsenate, from the fall
of 1966, 4 lbs. more was sprayed on our fairways, and watered in, the
latter part of April, 1967.
The first two weeks of A p r i l saw our new
seeder laying approximately 8 seeds per lineal inch into a slit made
by the Aero-blade.
A blend of Merion, Newport and Delta bluegrasses
was used.
The depth of cut was made to put the seed just b e l o w the
thatch, thus lying in direct contact with the soil.
Our next step was
to run over the entire fairway with a topdressing mat pulled behind a
turf truckster.
By doing this we somewhat topdressed the loose soil
b a c k into the slits, giving the seed some cover.
The drag matting at
the same time also fluffed up the loose thatch and rolled it into
clumps.
These clumps were then swept up with a power sweeper, leaving
the fairway in an acceptable playing condition.
Our final step was to
water the entire fairway to settle and provide moisture for the new seed.
A second and third seeding was applied the m o n t h of May, crossing
from different directions only in the areas where the dead Poa annua
was really thick.
I then followed up in the month of June with 2 more pounds of

tri-calcium arsenate.
The remainder of that summer I restricted my
watering program, putting only enough moisture on to keep the new seed
growing actively.
I found this aided the tri-calcium arsenate in prevention of Poa annua survival.
Two more pounds of tri-calcium arsenate were applied to all
fairways shortly after Labor Day, thus creating a total of 9.5 lbs. of
actual T.C.A. per L000 sq.ft.
Another cross-seeding was put down in early fall, once
only in the thin areas.

again

My feeding program throughout this first calendar year consisted
of 5.5 lbs. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq.ft., no phosphorus, and
4 lbs. of potash per thousand.
The following spring, 1968, found little, if any, Poa annua germinating.
I did notice that the new seeding w a s filling in the bare
spots.
I was far more amazed at how the old established bluegrass
plants were filling in now that they had no competition from the Poa
annua.
Our time and efforts were now devoted to hand-scratching smaller
dead spots and following up w i t h hand-seeding and topdressing.
A number of the approaches to our greens, where the Poa annua had b e e n quite
dense, were patch sodded.
Due to concentrated traffic and daily mower
turning, seed development was too slow.
The 1968 program consisted of 3 lbs. of nitrogen, no phosphorus,
4 lbs. of potash, and 2 lbs. of tri-calcium arsenate per 1,000 sq.ft.
In 1969, I started out the season with about twelve areas on
different fairways where, due to puddled water standing for extended
periods of time, the turf was completely killed.
These pocket areas
were cut out with a sodcutter, filled level w i t h dirt, and slit trench
drains filled with pea gravel were run out into the rough.
These
areas were then seeded.
In 1969, 3.6 lbs. of nitrogen, 1.8 lbs. phosphorus, 6.3 lbs. of
potash, and 2 lbs. of tri-calcium arsenate, was applied to all fairways.
Living with pure bluegrass is great.
Now - 1970-75 - my main
concern is to keep them this w a y .
During the following seasons I made
the decision to switch from Chip-cal to Dacthal.
I felt that it would
be somewhat safer, and also by this time Chip-Cal was almost impossible
to b u y . A complete spring and early fall program has kept any Poa
annua from returning.
I am using 14 lbs. spring, and 20 lbs./acre
Dacthal W-75 about Sept. 1.
It wasn't very long at all before another problem showed up this being small patches of bentgrass.
Due to the one inch height of
cut, these patches of bent were heavily matted and became a problem for
my golfers.
September 11, 1973, I went after this bent before it became too much of a problem.
Chip-co Turf Kleen at 5 quarts per acre
was spot sprayed on the few areas where the bent was appearing.
At this
1 lb. of 2,4-D acid rate the bent turned off quickly and remained
knocked out.
Later that fall and into early winter I noticed that the
bent was not returning in any way at all, so I planned to phg these
spots the following spring.
Spring arrived and a sudden trap changing
project was thrown into my lap, leaving the bentgrass spots secondary.

By the first of May established bluegrass plants had filled in so
thoroughly I just left them alone.
Once again, without the competition of the more aggressive bent, the bluegrass had no problems.
More than ever before I now regard mowing procedures, watering
and my fungicide program as all being of equal importance if there is
to be success.
Mowing bluegrass fairways 7 days a week keeps the blade trim
at all times, providing a far better lie for the golf b a l l .
The plant
itself is not as greatly shocked as it would be if mowed less frequently.
Mowing patterns such as alternating directions of cut, crossing, and even striping help to k e e p the blade upright.
Watering should be held to a minimum - that bluegrass plant does
not have to be standing in a swamp to be at its b e s t .
Soil structure
w i l l greatly determine moisture needs.
Fairways at the Aurora Country
Club never get more than 5 to 6 waterings per growing season.
A sound fungicide program is a m u s t .
Spring leafspot can badly
damage bluegrasses, thinning them out, and very often this damage
reaches into the crown of the plant, and a thin, weak turf cover will
prevail throughout the entire season.
This past season my 31.3 acres
of fairways were sprayed with Acti-Dione RZ and TGF no less than 8
times.
I feel that prevention still comes cheaper than cure.
With the development within the past few years of a great number
of fine new bluegrass varieties, the day w i l l soon be here w h e n bluegrass fairways w i l l stand out as some of the finest in the entire
worId.

POA A N N U A CONTROL A I D E D BY SOIL ANALYSIS FOR ARSENIC
R. P. Freeborg and W . H . Daniel
Purdue University

Summary
The objective of this study was to develop a soil test procedure
for available arsenic to supplement the use of Poa annua L., annual
bluegrass, as a bioassay plant in determining toxic levels of arsenic
required for its control.
This soil test procedure is similar to that
routinely used in the extraction of available phosphorus.
Arsenic and
phosphorus are extracted with Bray P - l (0.03N NH4F7 0.025N HC1) from
1.5 grams of soil.
Soils are also analyzed for % sand and silt.
An
estimate is made on site of existing annual bluegrass population.
These data are then used in the determination of arsenic concentrations
required to obtain a desired % control.

Among professional turf managers annual bluegrass, Poa annua L.,
continues to be a major problem.
Its tolerance to heat, drought, and
low temperature is poor. Where these conditions exist, it is not

likely to survive and is considered a weed grass. Where survival is
dependable, however, it is maintained as a permanent turf.
Thus it can
be b o t h friend and foe, and can make the most perfect turf imaginable
or become a dismal failure.
Where local conditions permit and encourage good performance and
survival of annual bluegrass, turf managers want to keep it.
They can
For exw e l l afford to do so w h e n it is a useful and dependable grass.
ample, Oakland Hills Country Club at Detroit, Michigan, has excellent
annual bluegrass on its old 18 hole course.
The soil is sandy and w e l l
drained.
An abundant earthworm population keeps thatch accumulation to
a minimum.
Thus with good organic matter content, good drainage, and
adequate irrigation annual bluegrass serves them w e l l .
In sharp contrast, the Country Club of Indianapolis has slopes
that are silt loam and hard to w e t .
For years there has b e e n annual
bluegrass infestation in the fall, survival in the winter, and thinning often to the extent of complete loss in the summer.
In the mid1950 arsenic was applied to stop yearly invasion.
Since then treated
fairways have become predominantly perennial bluegrass.
The accumulation in the upper rootzone of available arsenic ions has given long
term selective annual bluegrass control w i t h adequate survival of perennial grasses.
As early as 1929, arsenic has b e e n observed to control annual
bluegrass.
The Pennsylvania State University Field Day report, 1940,
showed partial control with sodium arsenite on bentgrass putting
greens.
Since 1951, Daniel has observed control, first with lead arsenate and then calcium arsenate.
Lead arsenate w i t h its very low solubility persisted for long
periods but required higher rates to obtain control.
Although calcium
arsenate was more variable in response than lead arsenate, the former
was less expensive, less was required for control, and it did not contaminate the environment w i t h lead.
Therefore, calcium arsenate has
become the most widely used in 1965-75.
Granular arsenic formulations came into predominant use.
These
are usually on vermiculite.
They flow freely and can be used in either
gravity flow or broadcast spreaders.
There are other preemergent controls available.
None, however, can offer the gradual elimination of
annual bluegrass achieved w h e n arsenic is used. Also, arsenic permits
germination of seeded perennial grasses while inhibiting germination
and growth of annual bluegrass, especially w h e n arsenic levels are below 19.5 g active ingredient (ai)/m 2 (4 lbs. ai/1,000 sq.ft.).
Current recommendations require split applications to obtain
gradual control. Applications w h i c h should begin in late summer before fall germination of annual bluegrass may be as follows:
With 4 8 % tri-calcium arsenate (Chip-Cal) as a source of arsenic apply from 5 to 15 g a i / m 2 (1 to 3 lbs. ai/1,000 sq.ft.)
After rain or irrigation apply another 5 to 15 g a i / m 2 .
If a
major part of the turf is perennial bluegrass or a desirable
grass, make a third application at the above rate about 2 weeks
later.
W h e n annual bluegrass is the predominant species two applications before fall germination should be adequate.
The follow-

ing spring, after frost is out of the ground, apply another
5 to 15 g ai/m . Apply well ahead of the germination date
for smooth crabgrass, Digitaria ischaemum (Schreib.) and
crabgrass, Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.
This should
also eliminate chickweed, Stellaria media,Cyrill., prevent
crabgrass, and weaken existing annual bluegrass.
In the late summer of the following year apply another 5 to
15 g a i / m 2 to assure continued toxicity.
Final target rates
are from 40 to 70 g ai/m
(8 to 15 lbs. ai/1,000 sq.ft.).
Throughout the program overseed repeatedly at light rates
w i t h selected perennial grasses as needed.
Existing annual bluegrass plants serve to indicate toxicity
levels.
If plants are chlorotic and stunted, toxicity is
adequate.
If toxic levels have not been obtained, continue
treatments in spring and late summer until toxicity is observed.
Then reduce applications to 3 to 5 g a i / m 2
(1/2 to 1 lb. ai/1,000 sq.ft.) for yearly maintenance.
Until recently the only practical method available to determine
the level of arsenic toxicity was to watch for the existing annual
bluegrass to become chlorotic and stunted, usually in spring and fall.
Now the use of annual bluegrass as a bioassay plant can b e supplemented
with information derived from a soil test for available arsenic which
was developed at Purdue University.
The data from this soil test can
be used to determine existing levels of arsenic, as w e l l as what levels
are required to control annual b l u e g r a s s .
The procedures involved are in part similar to those used
routinely in the analysis for available phosphorus.
Available arsenic is extracted with Bray P-l extractant (0.03N NH^F; 0.025N HC1).
Atomic absorption spectrophotometry is used to measure arsenic.
Determination of arsenic concentrations required for control
are based on data obtained from soils where arsenic had been used previously to control annual bluegrass.
Samples were collected from 26
golf courses in the midwest.
These were taken from the 0 - 5 cm
depth, where most applied arsenic is retained.
Soil was air-dried,
crushed and passed through a 20 mesh screen.
Then a 1.5 gram sample
was weighed and analyzed for^ug of arsenic and phosphorus, and % free
iron oxides.
The % sand, silt, and clay, % organic matter, and pH
w a s also determined.
Statistical analysis showed that jag of arsenic
and % silt and sand were most important in the determination of
annual bluegrass control.
Phosphorus was also included in the final
analysis to predict toxic levels of arsenic because of its reported
interactions w i t h arsenic.
These data were used to generate a table that would permit prediction of arsenic concentrations required to obtain a desired percentage of control.
The table of predictions for p g of arsenic/1.5
grams of soil required to obtain an estimated percent annual bluegrass control was set up as follows:
Arsenic
micrograms

Poa annua
control

Phosphorus
micrograms

silt

%

sand

%

Thus a soil is analyzed for m<3 of arsenic and phosphorus, % silt and
sand, and an estimate is made of the existing annual bluegrass population.
These data are then compared with those in the table to predict
arsenic concentrations required to obtain desired control.
This information w i l l then indicate whether additional arsenic is needed, whether
existing concentrations are adequate, or whether they are approaching
levels that could be toxic to desired turfgrasses.
There are now two criteria to aid in determination of concentrations of available arsenic in the soil and level of toxicity; the field
bioassay with annual bluegrass as an indicator, and a soil test to measure available arsenic.
However, no one can prescribe exactly h o w much
arsenate is needed for establishment of toxic levels o n any individual
turf area.
Conditions such as temperature or soil moisture affect the
susceptibility of annual bluegrass to arsenic and can always vary.
It is often a long two year program for turf managers before adequate control can b e obtained.
Bare, thin areas, development of desirable turf to replace thinning annual grass, the management program all
are influenced by the arsenic levels.
The process is often a difficult
one, requiring patience and perseverance.
The importance of developing
additional aids is obvious.
Information now available through soil
tests for arsenic is but another step to be followed by further investigation and research.

PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESSFUL INSECT CONTROL
FOR GOLF COURSE TURF
Dr. Harry D. Niemczyk, Professor of Entomology,
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
Wooster, Ohio

Today's successes with insect control have happened and w i l l
continue to happen when the principles of insect control are properly
applied. With broad spectrcum insecticides such as chlordane, heptachlor, aldrin and dieldrin, successful control of grubs meant spread
it and forget it for 4 - 5 years.
Though we may not have known it at
the time, control was being achieved because the method had sound principles built into it.
Suppose we could no longer use these long-lasting insecticides
and 'the scatter gun approach?'
Suppose we were forced to use short
residual insecticides and 'the rifle approach?'
The facts are that
these are no longer suppositions.
(We already know that the production
of aldrin and dieldrin has been stopped, and the Environmental Protection Agency has issued an intent to cancel all registrations of pesticide products containing chlordane and heptachlor, except those that
apply to the control of structural pests.
This notification was published in the November 26, 1974 issue of The Federal Register.
If the
uses of chlordane and heptachlor are cancelled, and it is my opinion
that they will be, successful insect control will mean that the turf
manager w i l l have to know more about what he is doing and why he is
doing it.
This is where the understanding and application of the prin-

ciples of insect control come into play.
The Target

Principle

The insecticides and other materials used to control insect
pests on a golf course will change from time to time, as new research
findings appear, and future laws governing the labeling and use of
pesticides will permit.
However, the principles underlying how control is achieved w i l l remain essentially unchanged.
This underlying
principle I call "The Target Principle." Generally it means that each
and every time a pesticide is applied for control of a pest, the application should be made with a specific target in mind.
Specifically,
it means that treatment should be based on a knowledge of which pest
is present, how many, what stage is present, and exactly where in
the turf the pest is located.
Target Principle Applied to Grub Control in Fairways or Roughs
Controlling soil inhabiting insect pests such as grubs is a
good example of where application of the Target Principle is the key
to achieving control.
The answers to what species of grub is there,
how many, what stage, and where, can be obtained by only one means careful and close examination of the situation!!
If the superintendent chooses not to do this, then he w i l l need to see to it someone
else does it.
This is best accomplished by obtaining the service of
a professional entomologist.
Survey to Identify

Problem

First, each turf area should be surveyed to get a clear picture
of the problem. This can be done anytime the grubs are near the surface, but to get the most benefit from any insecticide treatment which
may be necessary, surveying should be done from early August to midSeptember .
The survey is conducted by digging 10 to 15 small holes 7" x 7"
to a depth of about 3 inches, at various locations throughout the length
of the fairway.
A square-end-garden-spade works fairly w e l l for this
purpose because the end is about 7" across.
The number of grubs found
in each survey hole should be recorded.
From time to time the rastrel
pattern (Figure 1) of a few grubs should be examined with a hand lens
to identify the pest.
Some grubs are very small during August, therefore, one must look
carefully.
If identification is uncertain, put 10 - 20 in alcohol and
send them to the Extension Entomologist, Department of Entomology, at
your State University.
The next step is to convert the recorded number of grubs per
hole to grubs per square foot.
If the survey hole is 7" x 7"this is
done by multiplying by 2.9.
To Treat or not to Treat, and W h e r e ?
Treatment

should

seriously be considered

in areas with:

8 or more Japanese beetle grubs per square foot
5 or more annual white grubs per square foot
3 or more May or June beetle grubs per square foot

TYPICAL RASTREL PATTERN OF COMMON PESTS

Grub Showing Location of Raster

a É É

\k ¡ W É

Japanese Beetle

May Beetle
Figure

1.

Bottom Side of Last Segment
Bears the Raster

N. Masked Chafer

European Chafer

Oriental Beetle

Asiatic Garden Beetle

Locatibn of the infestation on the golf course, moisture
turf, etc., are among the factors to be considered.

stress on the

The species of grub causing the problem is an important consideration.
Two and three year cycle grubs, such as some May beetles, are
the most destructive of the grub species because they are large, feed
longer and simply eat more than the smallez|species.
Among the one year
cycle grubs, the masked chafers are larger than the Japanese beetle and
do more damage.
Examination of the data from each fairway and rough w i l l show
fohich should be treated.
The course maintenance budget will, in some
measure, determine what can b e done.
If the intention is to apply a
long-residual insecticide and the aim is protection from damage for a
few years, perhaps treating the whole fairway is b e s t . However, if a
short residual insecticide is to be applied, time and money is wasted
if uninfested areas are treated.
This is where the time and effort
spent surveying can save money.
W h i c h Insecticide to Use?
If the fairways were treated 2 or more times in the last 10
years with the cyclodiene insecticides, this means either doeldrin, aldrin, heptachlor or chlordane, or the pre-emergence Bandane®, do not
use one of these materials.
Among the reasons for discouraging further use of these insecticides is that the grub population may be becoming resistant to them. Also, there is good evidence that the use of these
materials results in a rapid build-up of thatch.
If the fairways have been treated only once with one of the
cyclodiene insecticides, the chances of control with one of these materials is good*
Sprays or granules can be applied anytime frost is
out of the ground.
Generally, treatments with short residual insecticides for the annual species of grubs are most effective if applied during early August while the grubs are still small.
Proper Application and Importance of Watering-in
Water is the key to penetrating, whether liquid or granular formulations are applied.
If there is no irrigation in the fairways, consideration should be given to applying a granular formulation w h e n the
weather forecast indicates rain w i t h i n the next day or two.
If not
equipped for applying granules, use liquids and apply as much volume as
your sprayer will deliver.
Furthermore, seriously consider making the
application during a rain. Without irrigation, this is the only way to
get enough water on the turf, while the grass is still wet from the
spray, to carry the insecticide to the target; a grub under the thatch.
The key to obtaining good grub control is to turn on the irrigation system immediately after a fairway is treated and apply no less
than 1/2" of w a t e r .
Target Principle Applied on Tees and

Greens

What is the target?
In this part of the country the black cutworm is the primary problem, w i t h sod webworm second.
Occasional infestations of armyworm may occur in tees and greens.
Diagnosing the presence of webworms, cutworms and other insect
larvae is really not very difficult.
The indicator most commonly used

is blackbirds or robins on the greens © a r c h i n g and probing for the larvae.
The clearest evidence of cutworm is a small hole in the turf,
with a circle of turf around it that h a s b e e n chewed off w e l l b e l o w the
cutting level of the greens mower.
Another is feeding injury around an
aerification hole.
Another way of determining if you have sod webworm or cutworm is
by using a material called Diagnostic Aicr^. This material is a pyrethrins formula avaihble from the TUCO Company.
The cap covering the
bottle is filled with the liquid, mixed with 1 gi. of water and the solution applied over one square yard of turf.
This irritates the cutworms
and webworms and brings them to the surface in a very few minutes.
Principle of Control
If the target is cutworm, keep in mind that the larv© lives in a
b u r r o w or aerification hole during the day and surfaces at night to feed
on the grass around the b u r r o w .
They also wander across the turf and
make new burrows.
Sod webworms, on the other hand, cut off the grass
blades at night, often dragging them into their silk-lined tunnel.
The
principle of controlling these two insects involves application of an
insecticide w h i c h kills the larvae when they crawl across, or eat the
grass.
Most granular formulations must be watered after application in
order to distribute the insecticide over the turf. Most liquid treatments should not be watered in and applications made in the late afternoon or evening w h e n golf traffic is down or stopped.
The insecticide
should be left on the turf for at least the first night following
application to allow time for the larvae to feed on and crawl across
the turf.
This 24-48 h r . period is when the major reduction in insects
occurs. Whenever possible, the greens should b e mowed before treatment
so the insecticide w i l l remain o n the grass blades as long as possible.
Thus, the principle of sod webworm and cutworm control on tees
and greens is to let the pest come to the insecticide rather than take
the insecticide to the pest.
W h i c h Insecticide to use?
Which insecticide is b e s t ?
There are at least 4 or 5 or more insecticides registered for control of cutworms and sod webworms.
Although chlordane is registered for control of these insects, it is least
effective.
Information from Tennessee, Ohio and other areas, indicates
that the incidence of sod webworm actually increases when chlordane is
used.
Though not thoroughly substantiated, there is some evidence to
indicate this may be due to long term removal of the natural parasites
and predators of the sod webworm.
On some courses as many as 3 cutworm damaged spots per square
yard seemed to cause no particular concern among golfers.
Generally,
these are low budget courses. At other courses, no feeding scars are
tolerated on the putting surfaces.
Generally, in the northern states, two applications - the first
one in June and the second in August - keeps damage from these insects
to a minimum.
In the southern states, where sod webworm is more
common and cutworm is also very common, applications are often made
every 3 weeks starting in A p r i l .
Some courses are known to apply an
insecticide every 1 or 2 weeks to insure against damage, The necessity

of treatment that frequently

is, at least,

questionable.

In conclusion, let me again advise that application of The
Target Principle to any insect control program can save time, money
and turf.
Knowing exactly what, why and where before you start just
makes good common sense!

W O M E N W E H A V E KNOWN
Dudley Smith, Silver Lake Golf Club
Orland Park, 111.

One year ago, as a bachelor and President of the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation, Dr. Daniel would not permit me to present this
exposé"'. Values have changed, presidents of all kinds are victims of
scandal, and true confessions are the order of the day.
I am married
now, and with women pushing their noses and busts into our profession,
it's time to discuss our affairs with them.
I thought I had a unique situation at Silver Lake w h e n a woman
answered my want ad for seasonal outdoor help. Why not try her, I
thought!
In three years time, my one lady laborer became five, and I
had my own harem.
Salesmen started calling at noon when the women
were on their lunch b r e a k .
Customer service and deliveries to Silver
Lake was never b e t t e r .
The same salesmen kept tabs on which superintendent had just hired a college girl.
In surveying fellow superintendents, I found the m e n who hired
one female employee, generally increased the number to two or three.
Most of the ladies did the same chores, regardless of their club
affiliation.
There are few jobs on the golf course that w o m e n cannot
handle.
Each of the superintendents thought his girls were "super."
I have selected one (who had unusual talent) from each club - a series
of herstories, if you w i l l .
"Jesse" - Prestwick C.C., - Dick

Trevarthan

Jesse w a s the original female worker on the southside of Chicago
Jesse, a farm wife, has retired and moved with her arthritic husband to
Arizona.
This mature lady mowed roughs with 5-gang blitzer units 8
hours a day from A p r i l until frost.
She wore slacks and tennis shoes
to work, carried her lunch pail, and ate with the older men o n the crew
Jesse w a s dependable and a perfectionist at her w o r k .
Since she was an
older woman, the offensive language she overheard the men use did not
raise a problem.
A n interesting note: her son received his Ph.D. in plant pathology from the University of Illinois and is now teaching at an eastern
university.
"Gloria" - Fox Lake C.C. - Ray

Schei

Gloria, a 19-year old h i g h school graduate, was looking for outdoor w o r k w h e n she w a s hired. She is now one of 5 female crew members

at Fox Lake.
The girls w o r k 40 hours a week, including the w e e k e n d .
If they work Saturday one week, then they alternate and work Sunday the
next w e e k .
Gloria is a year round employee.
In the summer she has sprayed
the greens, done sodding jobs, and . . . shoveled sand up in the bunkers.
During the winter she washes the equipment with a hot water pressure
cleaner, and h a s b e e n grinding the b e d k n i v e s .
This past w e e k Gloria
attended the Toro Service Clinic held at Itasca C.C.
Last summer while wearing a halter top and short shorts to work
in, she was "propositioned" by a foursome of golfers and h a s since
Speaking of dress, during the winter Gloria
changed h e r dress h a b i t s .
dresses up one day a week complete w i t h lipstick, and does secretarial
work,payroll, etc. in the office.
"Debbie" - Glen Oak C.C. - Fred

Opperman

Debbie is a college student majoring in landscape
She and another girl maintain all the flower beds at Glen
edging and pruning.
Debbie wears short to work, eats her
the clubhouse, and does not use the washroom at the b a r n ,
access to facilities provided for the girl caddies.

architecture.
Oak, weeding,
noon m e a l at
but has

W i t h her horticulture background she h a s identified and labeled
every tree and bush on the golf course.
The superintendent has a map
with a complete inventory of his plant material.
Debbie may not return
this summer, but what an excellent source of talent - horticulture students looking for summer work!
"Mary Beth" - Marriott

Inn Resort - Joseph Grenko

Mary Beth is a college student with a farm b a c k g r o u n d .
The
superintendent was attracted to h e r when she worked as a waitress in the
clubhouse.
In 1974, Mary Beth operated a 9-gang fairway unit.
Joe
G r e n k o f s appraisal - "the best damn tractor driver I've ever seen. No
She was a natural."
skidding, and no banged up trees.
For the 1975 season Grenko h a s hired 5 girls
so far.
They
w i l l start Monday, March 17, and w o r k year 'round.
Starting pay will
be $3.00 per and rise to $3.50 by autumn.
Joe expects h a l f his crew to
be women.
The w o m e n w i l l be supplied w i t h Marriott uniforms which they must
w e a r . A 7-day w o r k w e e k prevails, and Grenko expects his women to do
all the mowing, plus be available for night w o r k making artificial snow,
and snow removal jobs in the w i n t e r .
Grenko is convinced women labor
is the direction to look, and prays his 1975 crew w i l l provide more
girls like Mary Beth.
"Margaret" - St. Charles C.C. - Art Benson,

Sr.

Margaret is 20 years old and a full-time employee at St. Charles.
Her summer duties include mowing greens and grooming sandtraps.
She
does w o r k weekends - Saturday one week, Sunday the next week. M r . Benson
feels that the $2.25 and $2.50 per hour offered by Sears and M a r s h a l l
Field Co. is disgraceful - his girls start for $3.00.
Margaret was reprimanded by some of the women club members for
dressing too scantily .... There was no objection from the men.

In the winter Margaret cleans and w a s h e s parts in the maintenKeeping the women
ance b a r n and does housecleaning in the clubhouse.
on full-time shampooing rugs, polishing furniture, dusting, etc., provides an
experienced crew when spring arrives. M r . Benson feels
w o m e n are not adept at snow removal tasks.
"Connie" - Edgewood Valley C.C. - Harold

Frederickson

There used to be a mother and daughter waitress team in the
Edgewood Valley clubhouse.
Harold noticed that Connie needed some sunlight and fresh air and soon had her under his w i n g .
Connie operated
the Sand Pro machine, assisted on the spray rig, and fertilized all the
trees with the little fertilizer spikes.
Connie was calorie conscious and usually worked straight through
the lunch period and went home early. She also took advantage of the
club pool on Mondays, w i t h the other clubhouse employees. Many of
the clubhouse w o m e n were envious of this beautiful girl working with
the men out on the grounds.
Harold tried Connie on a brand new triplex greenmower, and
within an hour she had it in the lake. W h e n he arrived at the scene
Connie w a s in tears.
"How could I get angry?" he said.
Connie is majoring in modern dance at Arizona State University,
and is currently working on the grounds at the Champions Golf Club in
Houston, Texas.
Frederickson says, "I'm very happy w i t h my girls.
In fact,
this winter we spent $5,000 installing a ladies washroom and lounge
in our maintenance shop."
"Claudette" - Silver Lake Golf Club - Dudley

Smith.

Claudette is a housewife and mother desiring to supplement the
family income, but the idea of outside w o r k "turned her on."
She is
also an ecology nut.
Claudette collects mushrooms, berries, and
asparagus while out mowing.
She has a pet crow at home, and talks to
the squirrels and ducks on the golf course.
Claudette can handle any of our mowing jobs and usually does
the fungicide applications. She "begs off" w h e n aquatic weed killers
are applied (they harm the fish), or when arsenicals are used for Poa
annua control (you are killing the b i r d s ) .
This past season the girls did all the aerifying, verticutting
and clean-up chores on all the greens and tees.
Claudette and the
other girls steam-cleaned the dirty equipment w h e n we disassembled
it this winter, and they did an excellent job painting the flagpoles,
b a l l washers, and tee benches. W o m e n are naturally neater and they
don't spill paint.
The w o m e n employees at Silver Lake have only worked spring and
fall.
They report in the morning after their children are on the
school bus, and leave at 3:30 P.M. to resume their motherly duties.
The w o m e n do not w o r k on weekends, or on school holidays.
Since I
have adequate schoolboy help during the summer months, the w o m e n fill
the labor shortage that exists in early spring and again in the
autumn.
Working only six hours a day fits nicely into their home

schedule as well.
The women eat their sandwiches at the b a r n with the
male employees, but usually they are watching their diets and settle
for an apple or a can of b e e r .
They use the same washroom as we use,
but lock themselves in for privacy - they also keep the john much
cleaner than we did.

In conclusion.

. .

1.

What does O.S.H.A. have to say about women?
Practically nothing.
If w o m e n fit our needs, then hire them.
a. Make sure your girls are 18 years or older
b.
The minimum wage is $1.90, but my survey showed golf courses
were paying between $2.40 and $3.00.
c. Women may work 6 days a week, 8 hours each day.
d.
Safety shoes with steel
toes and hardhats are not required,
but strongly suggested.
e.
Regarding washrooms, 1 toilet must be provided for each 15
employees. Make sure the door can be locked from the inside, and cover the w i n d o w with a curtain.
Suggest females
use the halfway house, rather than the b a r n facilities.

2.

W o m e n want equal pay for equal work, and they desire a variety of
jobs - not the same machine every day.
I might add some longtime male employees resent the w o m e n getting all the "gravy" jobs.

3.

I have found some jobs impractical for the ladies.
They are not
strong enough to change hole cups, or unload truckloads of fertilizer .

4.

Try to keep your women isolated w i t h individual assignments,
this w i l l reduce the time spent at the coffee pot, and curtail
the gossiping.

5.

You w i l l notice that with women employees you have a cleaner golf
course.
First, they w i l l stop and pick up a paper cup rather
than mow it into confetti.
Secondly, the four letter words w i l l
disappear from the barn walls, and verbal profanity w i l l be a
thing of the past.
Are you tired of discussing the weather w i t h your assistant? Are
you tired of smelling the grease and gasoline on your mechanic's
overalls?
How about checking the water temperature at the pool
w i t h Connie?
Get a few wild ideas in your head, and then go
home, thinking this golf course w o r k isn't so bad after all.

SEED A N D SOD IN CANADA
Dr. W . E. Sieveking, Director of Crop
Research
Maple Leaf Mills Limited, Georgetoen, Ont.,
Canada

In many ways, Canada may be compared to the U.S. by the figure
"10%".
Canada has about 10% as many people, and about 10% of the
Canadian population is French speaking.
The Gross National Product of

C a n a d a is about 1 0 % that of the U.S., and C a n a d a has about 1 0 % as many
g o l f c o u r s e s as the U.S., i.e., about 1250 in total of w h i c h about 550
are in O n t a r i o .
A l s o , A m e r i c a n s in g e n e r a l have about 1 0 % as m u c h
k n o w l e d g e about Canada as C a n a d i a n s have about the United States.
A d m i t t e d l y , C a n a d a ' s climate is severe b y c o m p a r i s o n to the U . S .
In spite of its t r e m e n d o u s land area, the a g r i c u l t u r a l e c o n o m y of Canada's three prairie p r o v i n c e s can b e roughly equated to that of North
and South Dakota, N e b r a s k a and Kansas, w h i l e that of O n t a r i o and Quebec
combined
is c o m p a r a b l e to that of the state of O h i o .
These two factors
of a lesser p o p u l a t i o n and a m o r e severe climate affect a l l phases of
turfgrass p r o d u c t i o n , u t i l i z a t i o n and r e s e a r c h .
G o l f courses in Canada are increasing in n u m b e r .
While most of
the o l d e r g o l f courses are w i t h i n 100 m i l e s of the U . S . b o r d e r , reflecting C a n a d a ' s p o p u l a t i o n d i s t r i b u t i o n , many of the newer golf
c o u r s e s are b e i n g b u i l t in the ski resort areas in an effort to attract
off-season customers.
I understand that a n u m b e r of these courses are
b e i n g constructed by h o c k e y p l a y e r s .
C o n s t r u c t i o n of golf courses ranges from good to b a d , depending
on the f i n a n c i n g .
O c c a s i o n a l l y a t t e m p t s are m a d e to save money on tees
and g r e e n s .
C a n a d a h a s a few very good golf course s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s ,
b u t m a n y are poorly trained and poorly q u a l i f i e d .
On the average, the
C a n a d i a n s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s would r a n k lower than their U . S . c o u n t e r p a r t s ,
a l t h o u g h a few s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s such as Sid P u d d i c o m b e at E d m o n t o n , are
m a k i n g a significant c o n t r i b u t i o n in u p g r a d i n g the g e n e r a l level of
competence.
T u r f g r a s s e s used on golf courses include T o r o n t o C - l and Penncross b e n t s o n greens, Seaside b e n t , a n n u a l b l u e g r a s s , fescue and
c o m m o n K e n t u c k y b l u e g r a s s on fairways, and M e r i o n and F y I k i n g Kentucky
b l u e g r a s s on t e e s .
The newer c l o s e - m o w i n g K e n t u c k y b l u e g r a s s v a r i e ties, such as FyIking and Nugget, have b e e n r e c e i v i n g increased interest and usage on g r e e n s aprons, tees and f a i r w a y s .
In g e n e r a l , the
new golf c o u r s e s are seeded, and repairs are made w i t h sod, m o s t l y
M e r i o n K e n t u c k y b l u e g r a s s sod.
V e r y little b e n t g r a s s sod is b e i n g u s e d .
A s s o c i a t i o n s of

interest

relative

to g o l f

include:

R o y a l C a n a d i a n Golf A s s o c i a t i o n , 696 Y o n g e St., Toronto, Ont.
O n t a r i o G o l f A s s o c i a t i o n , 74 V i c t o r i a , Toronto, O n t a r i o .
O n t a r i o G o l f Supts. A s s o c i a t i o n , 45 R i v e r b a n k Dr., Toronto
C a n a d i a n G o l f Supts. A s s o c i a t i o n , 2159-A W e s t o n , Toronto

416-925-4397
416-366-3834
416-233-2269
416-244-0960

Sod g r o w e r s are somewhat b e t t e r qualified and b e t t e r informed and
do a good job of p r o d u c i n g quality sod.
H o w e v e r , their p r i n c i p a l items
consist of pure M e r i o n sod, a 5 0 - 5 0 m i x t u r e of M e r i o n and c o m m o n Kentucky b l u e g r a s s e s , and various Kentucky b l u e g r a s s - f e s c u e m i x t u r e s . They
h a v e shown only limited interest in the newer improved v a r i e t i e s of Kentucky b l u e g r a s s . This h a s not b e e n due to a lack of information on
their part so m u c h as a lack o f interest on the part of their c u s t o m e r s .
The sod g r o w e r s have b e e n relying o n the private c o m p a n i e s to sell their
(the s o d g r o w e r ' s ) customers, and I b e l i e v e this is as it should b e . The
p r i v a t e c o m p a n i e s , though, are s t i l l d e v e l o p i n g sound sales p r o g r a m s .
Some p r o p r i e t a r i e s are b e i n g produced by sod growers, p r i n c i p a l l y

FyIking and Nugget, but the quantities are not

large.

There is an organization called the Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario, Carlisle, Ontario - 416-689-8845
- which has functioned very well, but there is no national organization at this time.
In 1974 it included a membership of 34 members from Ontario, 5 grower
members from outside Ontario, and 16 associate members, primarily seed
and chemical companies.
The membership had about 19,000 acres in sod
production in 1974, ranging in size from 50-2000 acres, and representing better than 75% of the total sod production in Ontario.
One larger
grower sold 5,000,000 yards in 1974.
The Sod Growers Association has tended to shun governmental influence and have themselves established a set of sod standards for quality, inspection, and do their own policing and servicing.
A grower's
field is inspected and classified by other member growers of the association.
The members all have an interest in producing and promoting
quality sod, and. they are not easy on one another.
The packaged lawn seed business is similarly tied to Merion, Park
and common Kentucky bluegrasses with ryegrass and fescues
added in
major amounts.
All types and prices of mixtures are available w i t h a
few premium mixtures of improved varieties at higher prices.
The shelf
prices are generally lower and the m a r g i n s smaller than a similar product in the U.S., and the Ontario market is about equal to that of the
Detroit and Buffalo metropolitan areas combined.
Seed production in western Canada offers great potential.
The
two principal areas are in Manitoba and northern Alberta, but these are
concentrated primarily in the fescue and timothy grass seed crops.
I
know of other areas in w e s t e r n Canada that I feel are better suited to
grass seed production w i t h i n the limitations of variety adaptation. Certain varieties produce w e l l and other produce nothing.
For example, I
have obtained plot yields as high as 1,000 lbs. of orchardgrass seed
and 800 lbs. of Kentucky bluegrass seed of selected varieties without
imposing any significant seed production technology. Yet, most of these
kinds of seed are imported into Canada, predominantly from the U.S.
Why aren't these seeds being produced in Canada?
The answers are
easy to find.
First, Canada has not developed nor promoted a technology.
Certainly, a technology exists in the U.S. such as in Oregon and
Washington, but this technology cannot be directly transferred.
For
example, open field burning has been a part of the Oregon techology for
many years.
In the Peace River country snow soon follows and occasionally precedes harvest.
How do you b u r n a grass seed field covered with
a foot of snow?
Another factor has b e e n the selection of varieties.
Many of the
varieties tried in the past have not b e e n adapted for seed production in
Canada and have not produced satisfactorily.
New varieties should be
tried in plots or small scale seed fields first.
Such testing facilities
are available at Beaverlodge, Alberta through Agriculture Canada at the
University of Manitoba at Winnipeg, and through some private companies.
The one major requirement is snow mold tolerance.
Because of poor experiences and this lack of technology there is
a declining interest in the production of proprietaries in northern
Alberta and the relatively reliable success with wheat and barley in
more promising areas make it difficult to interest new growers in the
production of Kentucky bluegrass.
I sincerely believe the development

of seed production of such species as Ky. bluegrass is possible if one
starts w i t h the right grower and a variety of potential based on local
tests.
In preparing for this speech I asked a number of my colleagues
two questions - What can Canada offer the U.S., and what does Canada
need from the U.S.?
Aside from its seed production, Canada has little
to offer.
Canada does export some sod to the U.S. and some sod
growers produce on both sides of the border, but this is insignificant
in the total turfgrass picture.
On the other hand, Canada needs technology.
A couple of my
colleagues estimated that Canada is 20 years behind the U.S. in technology.
Canada has less than 10% of the U.S. research effort in turfgrass science.
I do not know of anyone in Canada devoted full time to
turfgrass research, and there is no one hired for extension w o r k .
The
technology is available from the U.S., and we rely heavily on programs
at Purdue, Penn State, Rutgers, M i c h i g a n State, Rhode Island, and elsewhere, but we need more w o r k in Canada to modify this technology.
Like everyone else we are always interested in new and improved
varieties, and FyIking and Cheri Ky. bluegrass came to North America
from Sweden through Canada.
Yet, Canada today does not have a major
breeding program on turfgrasses.
Our most serious problems are snow
mold, of w h i c h 5 different kinds are known, annual bluegrass, dollarspot and seed production, and I think we're making progress.
Canada is a popular place to visit in the summer for fishing.
Should you come north for your vacation this summer I hope y o u will
take the opportunity to visit some of Canada's universities, private
companies and sod growers, and that y o u bring along your golf clubs to
try some of the new courses in the north.
I believe you w i l l find
them challenging.

CLASSIFICATION OF TURFGRASS SOD FOR ONTARIO
From:

Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario, 3284 Keele
Suite 10, Downsview, Ontario, Canada.
416-633-1591

Turfgrass Nursery

Sods:

All sod that has b e e n especially
cultivated as a turfgrass crop.

St.,

sown and

No. 1
A . K e n t u c k y bluegrass sod:Sod grown solely from seed of cultivars of
Kentucky bluegrass.
The sod should contain
not less than 5 0 % Kentucky bluegrass cultivars
licensed for sale in Canada by the Canada Department of Agriculture.
Other grasses and
clovers should not be apparent in the turf and
no more than 2 broadleaf weeds, or 10 other
weeds per 50 sq. yards shall be present.
Sod
should be of sufficient density that no surface soil w i l l be visible when mowed to a
height of 1-1/2 inches.

B.

Kentucky bluegrass-:
fescue sod:
:

Sod grown solely from a seed mixture of cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass and Chewings
fescue, or Creeping red fescue.
At time of
sale, the turf should not contain less than
30% fescue and not less than 4 0 % bluegrass.

Named cultivars, i.e.,: Sod grown from certified seed of a licensed
Kentucky bluegrass cultivar.
At time of
Fylking, Nugget,
sale other grasses and clovers should not be
Barón, etc.
apparent in the turf.
Bentgrass

sod

No. 2
Nursery sod:

Field or pasture

Sod grown from seed or stolons of bentgrass
cultivars generally used on putting and bowling greens .
Nursery sod that does not meet the above
specifications.
sod: A l l sod that has not b e e n sown and
as a sod crop.

M A J O R GRASS SEED GROWING

cultivated

IN THE NORTHWEST

Jay Hager, L o f t - K e H o g g
Milwaukee, Wise.

Co.

In the Washington-Idaho, Spokane River Valley and Palouse country and Oregon's Willamette Valley, we are concerned with the effects
of poor burning on seed production.
In Oregon's Willamette Valley, bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass,
ryegrass and fine fescue production predominate.
With the introduction of new herbicides this area has changed from ryegrass, bentgrass
seed production to producing some good quality Kentucky bluegrass.
OK, let's take a look at the Rutger* s University turfgrass planting.
Reed Funk, the Director at Rutgers, has had a tremendous amount
of success and has developed many of the Kentucky bluegrasses on the
market today. We w i l l take a dollars and cents look at what the new
varieties can do for the professional turf manager.
There is also a look at Loft's Research program to see the
varieties available to Dr. Fred Ledeboer and an explanation of some of
the things he is looking for in his breeding stock.
The University of Idaho at Moscow,
because of the seed production in the state, lets their trial plots go to seed.
This gives us a
good chance to see the characteristics of the various turf varieties at
maturity and to discard varieties that don't produce enough seed. Also
we can eliminate grasses that are not true to the variety's apomectic
asexual production.
Some of Loft's test plots in the Willamette Valley help to determine the yield potential and cultural problems of new turfgrass

varieties.
From the production trials, the next step is to grow foundation
seed which is used to start the production fields.
The true test of
a new turfgrass variety is what happens in the farmer's field... marketing and actual yield versus production costs to determine a good
merchandisable variety.

METROPOLITAN GOLF A N D SUCCESS
Carol McCue, Exec. Dir., Chicago District Golf Association
Room 905, 211 East Chicago Ave., Chicago, 111.

My brief talk does fit into the complex of "Success with Turf"
because those of us in golf associations believe we contribute too.
I don't know how many others in golf fit our category, but I know
those of us w h o are administrators of golf associations are only aiding and assisting what the producers do and the maintenance people
keep for our gorgeous playgrounds.
Many have said the greatest literature in sport comes from
golf, and the greatest intellectual game is golf.
None of this could
happen without the research and painstaking care the turf scientists
have provided.
Those of us in golf administration like to think of ourselves
as part of the dynamics of golf - the dynamics being the motion and energy that keeps the game growing. And like any movement, we all need
each other.
Beautiful and testing courses, and athletic fields developed by scientists need people like us to figure out the games, the
rules, the handicaps and the tournaments.
Briefly, a sports association carrying its load is a listening
post, a clearing house and a sounding b o a r d . What's new? What's old
that's still working?
What do we do next year and in five years?
I
don't think anyone in sports should plan beyond 5 years any more.
A sports association is usually governed by a board of directors
and maintains a staff equal to the challenge of its charter.
A budget must be developed, income determined, bills paid, like any other
business —
tournament schedules confirmed, entries mailed, pairings
made, media contacts maintained, computer programs, publications, seminars sponsored, and other services indigenous to sports promotion - in
our case we also provide and administer hospital and major medical insurance for employees of golf clubs without an administration fee to
the club or employee.
Our board feels a philanthropic responsibility, and in 1944
formed the Chicago District Golf Charities, a corporation separate from
the Association, with a separate board of directors.
This is a vehicle
to enable golfers to contribute to charity as a group of midwest
golfers.
The Charities has given more than half a million dollars to
worthy organizations.
In the beginning the money was used mostly to

build golf courses at veterans administration hospitals,,and several
members of the Midwest Association of G.C.S.A. contributed to the design and construction of courses, among them Allan W y m a n at Danville,
and Gerald Dearie, Sr. at Downey.
In addition to golf facilities at V A
hospitals, 30 organizations now participate in an annual disbursement
of about $45,000.
The Chicago District Golf Charities also sponsors
golf charters all over the world as a fringe benefit to m e m b e r s .
We've
been to Spain, Greece, Scotland, England, France, Puerto Rico and
Bermuda.
Sports associations can also act as a storehouse of traditions,
records, names and addresses and countless bits of information frequently requested by the public.
I hope I've given you a glimpse of "Metropolitan Golf and Success"
and I hope y o u agree we fit into "Success with Turf."
Our philosophy at
the Chicago District Golf Association is not to close our minds to anything new, and each year to try to bring new ideas and methods in our
operation.
I'd like to come b a c k in 10 years and report we're still at
it.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A GOLF COURSE

SUPERINTENDENT

Harry Murray, Century Toro Distributor
Cincinnati, O.

During the golfing season the superintendent's day usually w i l l
start anywhere from 5 to 7 A M . A phone call from the local police, or
night waterman that something has gone wrong on the golf course, or at
the clubhouse, may start the day even earlier.
The superintendent is responsible for a large dollar investment —
golf course itself and the equipment that is utilized.
Many times he
is called on to b e an electrician, carpenter, road builder, purchasing
agent, tree surgeon, landscaper, salesman, welder, mechanic, truck
driver, bulldozer operator, backhoe operator, plumber, psychologist,
sociologist, employer and employee.
The superintendent's knowledge must
b e vast, but we can't forget the main objective is growing grass.
If
only he was given the time to do this job without all the varied interruptions, his job would be a little easier.
Superintendents must attend the club's board meetings and be able
to sell his program to the m e m b e r s .
He sometimes must accept the
changes they request even though they do not fit his program or budget.
Another responsibility is to attend local superintendents' meetings.
Maybe he w i l l host a meeting at his club.
In many cases, he w i l l attend
a state meeting and/or a national meeting to k e e p up with the latest
information on new procedures, equipment and methods.
I recall visiting Dick Craig one day at the Jack Nicklaus Golf
Course, Mason, Ohio.
The electric power company was running a power
line through the middle of h i s golf course.
Of course, the heavy equipment operators were trying not to tear up the turf and also stay out of
the way of golfers, and to me it seemed like an impossible task.

At Holly Hills G.C. , Waynesville, Ohio, the fourth of July flood
had swollen a creek into a river and washed parts of 3 fairways away.
It took a week of hard work to replace the soil and replace sod on the
fairway before the holes could be open for play.
Harmond G.C. at Lebanon, Ohio, lost a large amount of trees in
the A p r i l tornado.
Dick James worked night a day for a month cutting
down, cleaning up and replacing trees.
This past summer a train wreck on a rail system that borders Walnut Grove C.C. kept Dennis Bond up all night. A tank car caught fire
and the only way to get to the wreck was across the country club.
Water
would not put out the fire so a foam-filled truck from Wright Patterson
Air Force Base was called to this emergency.
The fire was finally contained.
During the night it rained w h e n it was time to move the trucks
out, the ground was too wet to drive on and the golf course was
severely damaged.
The club received $7,000 for damages.
Then Superintendent Bond had an extra responsibility of overseeing the repairs.
As we knew, every day can b e something new for the superintendent,
and the challenges must be met and each problem, big or small, handled
to the satisfaction of all concerned.
I know sometimes it must seem
like an impossible task to you. However, if y o u stop at the end of each
day, each week, each month and at the end of the year to reflect on all
that you have accomplished, I know you w i l l receive the fulfillment of
a job w e l l done. Try it - it w o r k s !

SUCCESS M E A N S IDEAS A N D ACTION
Carl Schwartzkopf, Mid-Continent Agronomist
USGA - Green Section, Crystal Lake, 111.

The following presentation is a collection of ideas that superintendents have put into action, w h i c h have contributed to the success of
maintaining turfgrass at their clubs.
1.

The eroded creek banks was stopped at Forest Hills C.C. in St.
Louis with Gabion wire baskets.

2.

Colored signs to facilitate
intendent and golf shop to
Red
- course
Yellow
- course
Green
- course

3.

Pete Hitch, superintendent at Meadowbrook C.C. near St. Louis found
that an old golf cart after an overhaul and slight modification to
the club carrying area, is very helpful in transporting personnel
around the course.

the communications between the superindicate the condition of the course:
closed
open - no carts
open with carts

4 &
5
W i t h the disposal of clippings becoming a problem to V e r n Hanson
while superintendent of the Minneapolis G.C., he constructed this
spreader.
When the mower operator has finished cutting a green,

he empties the clippings into the spreader.
As he drives from one
green to another he actuates the spreader, thereby disseminating
the clippings.
6.

To prevent golf balls from rolling off the b a n k and into the water,
this net was constructed of wire mesh at the Sea Island Golf Club
in Sea Island,. Ga.

7.

With heavy rains and a soft soil condition, Milt Bauman, superintendent at the Seattle G.C. has equipped his tractors, sprayers,
etc., w i t h over-sized high flotation tires.

8.

To minimize the hand-mowing and clipping around trees, many
tendents have been using chemical control in these areas.

9.

To help remind golfers and caddies to repair ball marks, this
intendent stenciled a little reminder on the flag pole.

superin-

super-

10.

W h e n the yellow lines appear on the cart path, it indicates that the
path must be used. At other times it is travel anywhere.

11.

To minimize the vandalism to tee benches, the Janesville, Wisconsin
Park and Recreation District devised this concrete b e n c h .

12.

The increased cost of railroad ties discouraged Jim Manka, the
superintendent at the Old W a r s o n C.C. in St. Louis from using them
to replace a retaining wall after a fLood. Jim was able to obtain
utility poles, have them cut in half and substituted them for the
railroad ties.

13.

In an attempt to minimize the damage by flooding and erosion of
the banks, Jim Manka constructed a water shoot.

14.

To h e l p keep the carts off the tee, Bill Byers, the superintendent
at Des Moines G. & C.C. used railroad ties very effectively as a
curb.

25.

This particular superintendent used a pot of flowers for the ladies
tee markers.
This little idea made him successful in gaining the
support of the w o m e n that he needed for implementing other programs.

16.

The sand traps at Callaway Gardens are lined with asphalt to keep
bermudagrass and other weeds from growing through the b o t t o m .

17.

In anticipating the conversion to the metric system, Dick Toupal,
the superintendent at North Oaks G.C. in Minnesota, and his general
manager, Harry Olson, have included meters along with yards on the
tee placards.

18.

This construction supervisor borrows one of his employee's bikes
for transportation around the course.

19.

Jim Manka changed a straight arrow cart path to this beautiful winding path that is also considerably safer - a true idea that was a
success only after a lot of action on behalf of Jim and his crew.

20.

If you do have an idea, remember that before it can be a success it
is necessary to implement action.
No rule for success w i l l work
if you won't.
And finally a question - if y o u have enough time to
do it right the second time, why not do it right the first time?

W H E R E SUCCESS

LIVES

Andy Bertoni, W . A. Cleary
Northville, M i c h .

Company

Well, here we are winding up this great conference, trying to
tie the knot to a beautiful package.
It has been successful, all the
speakers who spoke about success were successful.
By this time, you
feel like the guy who stood on the corner, watched a load of sod going
by, and said, "That's what I call a success, w h e n you can send out your
yard to be trimmed I"
It has b e e n a great get-together, for all of you are w e l l on the
way to success because you saw fit to attend this conference.
To set the example for our search for success, let us look no
further than our Executive Director, Dr. Bill Daniel. He was honored
in New Orleans when he was chosen to receive the GCSA's Distinguished
Service Award, the greatest tribute our Association can bestow upon an
individual. For this, he is a grand success! Yes and No! He reached
the pinnacle of our profession, but knowing our Bill, he w i l l work
harder proving he deserved it, and use it as a rung on the ladder to
future successes.
So, let's all follow this likeable Pied Piper.
What is your idea of success?
And, where does success live? It
lives in the hearts and minds of those who labor gloriously to produce
It
a beautifully conditioned and playable course for people to enjoy.
pertains to those who supervise and have an abundant budget; to those
who w o r k hard and have an adequate budget; to those w h o slave and sweat
and have an inadequate budget.
All are equally successful if they
mentally and physically put their everything in their chosen profession
and vocation.
No one is successfully happy who has already reached success and
is disenchanted and complacent.
This is the best argument
for setting
goals that are unattainable —
so that the striving becomes an end in
itself.
Don't be fooled by the fact that your course is beautiful, and
think that y o u are successful.
You are successful only if you can cope
w i t h the fact that tomorrow the course w i l l look awful.
No matter how
hard y o u w o r k and have the course looking great, remember it is only
temporary. Actually, if you want to put success in another way, that
Super is successful if he can keep h i s course in top condition most of
the time!
A wise Super once said that when your course looks perfect
—
look out!
That is the time to start renovating.
Sad w i l l be the day when you become content with the job you are
doing, the life you are living, thoughts you are thinking, and deeds
you are doing.
Give so as to get the approval of your other self, and
success w i l l be yours.
But, pray that success w i l l not come any faster
than you can handle it.
Like the fellow said, "I'd rather be lucky
than good," and the answer to that is, "You've got to be good to be
lucky!"
Elbert Hubbard stated, "Some men succeed by what they know,
some by what they do, and a few by what they are."
I w i l l list off some success factors and
you b e l o n g :

see in what

category

There

is more to greenskeeping

than cutting

grass.

Have you helped young people to earn money for their education by employing and helping them?
Oh, what a great feeling it is when someone who has succeeded in his life's ambition returns and thanks you
for helping and directing him.
Helped some despondent family man who failed all his life only to
help him find himself and become a successful golf course worker?
Helped

someone to appreciate nature and her wonderments?

Helped lawn lovers w i t h your talents by discussions,
and talks?

demonstrations

Appreciate the fact that our profession allows us great family
know and work beside your son and your daughter?

rapport,

Gained the respect due you for y o u r professional demeanor in your
community?
Do you ever consider your golf course as an open cathedral whereby
God can look down on your handiwork?
Do you ask Him if He is pleased
with what He sees?
If He and you agree, no one else matters.
Do you only look for the good things on your course rather than looking for the things that are not good, so that you can repair them to
make it a better place for the golfer to enjoy?
Do you treat your crew as you would like to be treated by the golfer?
Do you realize that kindness is the language the deaf can hear and
the blind can see?
Do you treat those w h o call on you courteously,
are trying to help you?

remembering that

These questions could go on ad infinitum.
I would
make your own checklist and review it periodically.
Now, let's list a few definitions of

they

suggest you

success:

Success is never giving up.
Success is helping a fellow Super be successful.
Success is continually trying to improve.
Success is learning h o w to enjoy life.
Success is not blaming others for your faults and failures.
Success is possessing enthusiasm, that one necessary ingredient
in life.
Success is avoiding the greatest mistake you can make, which is
the fear that you will make a mistake.
Success is measured by your ability to organize, systemize, and
supervise.
Success is caused by mental attitude rather than by mental
capacity.
Success is half won where one gains the habit of work.
Success is being useful.
Success is to labor faithfully towards a goal.
Success is to think and will success.
Success is not to love power and money - and so on.

There is nothing impossible to the man who can will. W i l l is
the key to success. What you w i l l is the success you b e c o m e . One who
hopes to be super-successful must know more about some one thing - not
only know, but know how to do it b e t t e r .
You have been chosen to work with nature. Y o u must succeed by
honoring nature by making it better through research, make it more
beautiful, and make it more pleasant for others to enjoy. In no other
profession does God and man work more closely to create beauty for the
enjoyment and pleasure of mankind.
(Sometimes you wonder if golfers
belong to mankind!)
W h e n Charles Kingsley was asked to name the secret-of his
success, he replied, "I had a Friend."
And Browning said, "A minute's
success pays for the failure of years."
And I like Mark Twain's "Let
us endeavor to so live that when we die even the undertaker w i l l be
sorry."
Remember that those who try something and fail are infinitely
better than those who do nothing and succeed.
To realize the greatness of our vocation, just ponder and mull
over the fact that we sell the greatest product in the world PLEASURE.
We create good conditions for people to enjoy. We help doctors, businessmen, etc., to recharge their batteries so that they may renew their
tasks in a refreshing and wholesome manner. We h e l p youngsters to find
their way, to partake of the good things in life.
And, look at the joy
and fun we afford the oldsters and no-so-olds!
Keep this thought in
mind and you are w e l l on your way to success.
So in concluding, let me recall to you the story of the gardener
in England who had the cathedral grounds and flowers in beautiful condition.
One day the Bishop, a pompous fellow who surveyed the area
said, "I see that God and you have done a good job on the grounds and
flowers."
"Yes," replied the old gardener, "But you should have seen
it when God had it all by Himself!
This poem by Robert Louis Stevenson seems to tell it all:
The Meaning of

Success

That man is a success
who has lived well, laughed often and loved much;
who has gained the respect of intelligent men
and the love of children;
Who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
Who leaves the world better than he found it
whether by
a perfect poem
or a rescued soul;
who never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty
or failed to express it;
who looked for the best in others
and gave the best he h a d .
Now go out and have a successful

season!