As is a tale, so is life
Not h o w l o n g it is,
B u t h o w good i t is,
Is w h a t matters.

-JUS-

J U N E

•

19 4 1

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NEWSLETTER
This N E W S L E T T E R is published by the Greenkeepers Club of New England, and sent
free to its members and their Green's Chairmen. Subscription price ten cents a copy, or a
dollar for ten copies
G E O R G E J. R O M M E L L , JR., Editor and Business
54 Eddy Street, West Newton, Mass.
HENRY MITCHELL,

Assistant Editor

Manager

ROBERT A . MITCHELL,

June 1, 1941

Picture Editor
Vol. 13, No. 5

NEWSLETTER
The ideas and opinions expressed in the subject matter of this
are not necessarily those of the Editor or the members of the club as a whole.

•

CONTENTS
Page
L E T U S H E L P TO M A K E T H E G R E E N K E E P E R S ' C L U B G R O W U P

4

DIRECTORS' MEETING, M A Y 14

5

R U S I N E S S M A N A G E M E N T OF D I S E A S E C O N T R O L

6

N E W S FROM THE K E Y H O L E P E E K E R

11

T O U R N A M E N T W I N N E R S AT MAY' 5 M E E T I N G

11

G R E E N K E E P E R S '

S.
I.

C L U B

O F F I C E R S

President, Ponkapoag Golf Club, Canton, Mass.
PHILIP
C A S S I D Y , Secretary, Needham Golf Club, Needham, Mass.
F R A N K H . W I L S O N J R . , Treasurer, 5 4 3 Dedham Street, Newton Centre, Mass.
N. J . S P E R A N D I O , ChairmanEntertainment
Committee, Marlboro Country Club, Marlboro, Mass.
J O H N C O U N S E L L , Chairman Welfare Committee, Salem Country Club, Peabody, Mass.
A R T H U R A N D E R S O N , Chairman Employment
Committee
Brae Burn Country Club, West Newton, Mass.
A L E X O H L S O N , Chairman Golf Committee, Lexington Country Club, Lexington, Mass.
SAMUEL

MITCHELL,

LET US HELP TO MAKE THE
GREENKEEPERS' CLUR
GROW UP
Democracy, is a democracy, only
so long as the people who are governed
by t h a t democracy, work to keep it so.
When a people become so busy making money, that they have no time,
to work and fight for a democracy,
then t h a t democracy ceases to be a
democracy, and becomes nothing but
a sham.
Now, t h a t is not the fault of the
leaders, it is the fault of the people.
The leaders failing to get any understanding of what the people want,
proceed with government business,
because something has to be done.
Let me give you a pretty good example of what I mean. A certain
political boss in a fairly large city, in
this country which was notorious for
its corruption and crime, was visited
by a group of men of t h a t city.
These men were the cream of the
more desirable citizens in the city.
A banker, a merchant, a doctor
etc. These men demanded t h a t corruption and crime be cleaned out of
the city at once.
Our political boss was elated, and
expressed himself so, "At last you
have come to help me. I have been
waiting for you for a long time."
First he turned to the banker.
Your an expert on finances, I'll appoint you as city treasurer, then to
the merchant you can take over the
purchasing department, and then to
the doctor you can take over the
Board of Health.
Then what a howl went up after
that, for none of them felt they could
leave their businesses, for even part
time.
Now our political boss told these
men to get out of his office, he'd run
this town to suit himself until the
decent people in it were willing to
help him.

On the surface that seems a little
far fetched, yet it happens all the
time, in one way or another.
Those men did not realize that by
ridding their city of crime and corruption that they would have taken
the biggest step possible to improve
their business, as well as the welfare
of their fellow citizens.
Now this article is not being wri tten
just to give a lecture on politics, but
what could be a better parallel for a
club run according to parliamentary
law. As I look at it the greenkeepers'
club is being continually criticized by
its members and by outsiders as being
run by a clique.
T h a t may be so, but if t h a t clique
did not function I am sure there
would be no longer a greenkeepers'
club. None of those who are on the
so-called outside are willing to work.
This is even in evidence in meetings.
Time and time again, the most worthwhile projects are voted down, because most of the members are not
willing to think things through, because it's getting late and everyone is
either anxious to go home or to a
show. I t is to the interest of everyone to argue these things out, and if
it's necessary to keep the meeting going until midnight, then let's do t h a t .
The approach to most of our problems is too superficial. The club
should get down to the basic facts of
the problems, before going off in a
half cocked manner. Most of the
problems are brought up at a meeting
out of a clear sky, and before the
problem has had time to jell its voted
on and the natural reaction, is to vote
anything down which we aren't sure
of, and then what may have been a
good idea is lost.
There's the value of your N E W S L E T T E R , let those who have problems or grievances write them in the
N E W S L E T T E R , so t h a t all members
may be prepared to discuss these problems intelligently at club meetings.

^^

^^

Many times the club has allowed
incidents to develop which are not to
the best interests of the club, yet
when something is attempted to curb
it a howl goes up, that t h a t is in the
past and should be forgotten. In
reality a bad precedent has been established. T h a t precedent should be
prevented from recurring by making
laws with teeth in them. We are like
the ostrich, which buries its head in
the sand when trouble comes. The
right way to handle trouble, is to face
it, and think it through.
I think t h a t this club was originally
founded to lift greenkeeping and that
in so doing we would make golf a
better game.
Let us look at some of the worthwhile things which have been lost,
and then let's stop and think if we
have really thought any of these
things through.
Publicity. — When we had a committee that was willing to work on
this in a conservative way, it was
gagged and therefore died a borning.
Education. — We all need more of
it.
Change of Name. — Always voted
down with very little thought as to
why or why not.
Change of By-Laws. — The by-laws
do not need changing half so much as
they need to be lived up to.
Examination for Membership. — I
think some people vote against this
because they are afraid they couldn't
pass the examination. Those fellows
better watch out or they'll be without
a job anyway.
Budget Committee. — A most essential part of running a golf club, and
we're the biggest advocates of such a
thing, but we refuse to have such a
thing in our own club, what a shining
example to hold up, for other clubs
and golf clubs. The budget committee we once had died, because the
club did not see the logic. This com-

mittee did one of the best jobs of any
committee in recent years, but its
work went for naught.
Bill in Legislature.—A great deal of
work was done by one man on this
project, too little by the rest of the
club. This one man made great
sacrifices for the cause, yet he is ridiculed when in reality he should be
looked up to. This man should have
our thanks not our ridicule — yes
there is too much negative in the
(from keepers' Club, for if only half
the worthwhile bills that are brought
up would be put through, our club
would be looked up to, and not down
at, these days.
— OLD SOD.
DIRECTORS' MEETING
May 14, 1941
The meeting was called primarily
to discuss the sectional meeting which
is to come to Boston and surroundings, some time in October.
All plans yet, however, are indefinite,
but the board through committees
chosen, will hasten definite plans,
between topdressings.
Several matters about the NEWSLETTER
were
discussed.
All
matters will be discussed by the
Business Manager and Editor, in an
open meeting, some time after the
October N E W S L E T T E R has been
published. Be prepared to fire your
shots at that time.
Did you know that
George
Rommell slipped up on Breck's ad
last month. Gee, was the Business
Manager's face red. So red t h a t the
Editor decided he was two-faced,
and the last they'were seen together,
the both of them were arguing about
who was going to apologize, so they
compromised;
and
now
both
apologize, to the Club and Breck &
Sons.
Just a coupla fresh guys,
huh.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
DISEASE CONTROL

OF

A Paper Read a t Amherst Recreation
Conference

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Our
republican institutions can best be sustained by the diffusion of knowledge,
and discussion of public events through
the medium of the public press."
With this freedom offered to us as
a means of expressing thoughts we
should take advantage of it and use
it to extremes in promoting public
interest in our field-stations, laboratories and class rooms. Our problems
become less difficult.
In my talk today in control of diseases, I wish to make the following
recommendations.
1. Do not fertilize greens during
highly humid or rainy weather.
2. Do not water greens during highly
humid weather, night or day.
3. Do not use bamboo pole to break
up the brown patch.
4. Have the P H . of the greens the
highest possible.
5. Never let the clippings of an infected green fall on the green or
allow it to be used for top-dressing
or composite pile materials.
6. Use loam from the natural fields if
possible.
I t is said t h a t good grass turf is
conditioned by two important factors
— Climate and Soil. The climate
cannot be greatly changed to suit the
growth of grass so the only practical
thing to do is to make the soil condition as nearly ideal as possible.
One by one new elements have been
added to the list of those known to
be necessary for plant growth and
health. Some of these elements are
needed in only a few parts per million
of soil, yet without this trace, plants
and animals also suffer from serious
diseases. Brown patch is one of the

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diseases encountered in the growing
of fine turf.
Now let us consider the soil which
is eventually going to produce good
turf. The soil, in its natural position
is made of layers known to us as
horizons. The two top layers are
called horizons A and B. The top
layer, or horizon A is the loam used
for top-dressing and developing fine
turf. As a rule, it contains the necessary organic materials. This loam
usually is of a mellow, fine structure
and has a high moisture holding
capacity.
Some of the important elements
found in the turf which are N, 0 , H,
I, Ca, K, and C. All of these are
necessary in the development of fine
turf.
This top soil has a great number of
organisms of microscopic size, that
feed, multiply and live there. During
their course of existence, these organisms change the substances which are
about them to make the plant grow.
In the soil there are many kinds of
micro-organisms, some harmful, and
some beneficial to the plant.
Warm weather favors their movement.
Their development almost
ceases during the period of cold
weather.
You need an equal balance of the
microbes in the loam while developing
turf. In the virgin soil, or in areas in
which natural competition has been
undisturbed for long periods, the
micro-organisms and green plants are
found to reach a fairly stable balance.
The swamp, the forest, the prairie,
change slowly over long periods.
When farming operations are introduced this balance is destroyed.
Whole sections of the organic population are wiped out, and others are
started. Plowing and cultivation increase the activities of the microorganisms and the accumulated organic remains are freshly broken
down at a greater speed. In^many

areas, adequate steps have been taken
to replace those which have been
destroyed.
These micro-organic activities in
the soil are desirable when they serve
man's purpose. They become undesirable when they are stimulated to
the point where they destroy the fertility factor t h a t cannot be replaced
in developing the plant.
Microbe activities are needed for
a particular crop in each soil group
and how those activities may be
maintained at desirable levels.
Under cultivation, however, the
conditions of growth found in nature
are disturbed, because certain species
of fungi are frequently introduced.
This organic matter in virgin soil
which has been lost is very different
in nature and effects from the material we considered to replace it. In
kind and composition, the organic
matter used for restoration should be
as close as possible to that which was
lost to insure good results in future
plant growth.

CAPITALIZE O N
WOODRUFF'S KNOWLEDGE
OF NEW E N G L A N D TURF
Put to w o r k the experience gained
on the W o o d r u f f

Trial

Grounds.

W r i t e today.
Distributed

by:
N e w England Toro Co.
Connecticut Toro Co.

GRASS SEED DIVISION

AND
SONS

^WOODRUFFS
MILFORD. CONN. x^nODBrTS
ATLANTA, GA
5l>k& '

Most of the compounds in soil organic matter contain nitrogen and
serve as food for the growth of bacteria, fungi, and various other forms
of life. The processes of life, death
and decay leave by-products that aid
in plant growth. The maintenance
of an adequate supply of active organic matter is important for permanently good turf.
Whether it is a plant or animal, its
growth is governed by bacteria. Bacterial activity is greater in grassland
than fungi. Fungi are more abundant
in forest regions. The decaying of
grass roots provide a large amount of
organic matter for the soil.
As a rule, soil which is used for the
first time by man is free from disease
because the microbes are there to
check it. For example, let us consider a field that has been used a good
many years for planting the same
crop. Plow it up and start growing
something else. The first crop is
good, but the second is poor unless
we restore certain materials to check
the microbes or elements t h a t were
removed by these crops. This plant
has changed the life of the soil.
Adding fertilizers.
The organic
materials which are added in fertilizers are subject to more extensive
change by microbe action than the
mineral substances already in the
fertile soil.
The fertilizers added in the summer
are readily absorbed by the plant because it is available for the plant and
also because of warm weather. The
change is too great for the normal
growth of the plant.
Soil containing an abundance of
well decomposed organic matter is
most satisfactory for the growth of
turf. Organic matter disappears from
soil under cultivation in a humid
region. I t is only by careful control
t h a t a satisfactory content of organic
matter can be maintained.
In developing turf, there is no question about that which we are taking

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^

from the soil and destroying its value
as the years go by. This is a slow
process. Plant growth is not the
same. It becomes weaker and therefore its resistance to disease is decreased. Under these conditions it
would seem reasonable that we prepare a loam for top-dressing material
by restoring the organic matter which
is necessary.
Liming the soil may be of great
help. Acid soil occurs in a humid
climate and where there is plenty of
rain water. It has washed out a relatively large proportion of basic elements of the original soil material and
also from the use of acid fertilizers.
These are known factors in the development of disease.
Records show definitely that liming
the land was practised back in the
Christian Era as a soil-builder. But
the use of lime was first used in this
country by a practical farmer in the
state of Virginia about 1840. However it was not until the year 1900
t h a t a professor at Rhode Island

#

F,

State University discovered how important lime is to the soil. It seems
strange that this was not carried on
more extensively before t h a t time.
Lime is basic and fundamental as
a soil building material. Lime has
accomplished the following result. In
the summer of 1938, a certain greenskeeper worked for 25 years on a certain location. He had the P H . of his
greens between 8 and 9. The soil was
tested by the Massachusetts State
College field station at Walt ham.
T h a t year we had a record rainfall
and it was a bad year for disease, but
not one cent was spent for chemicals
for treating those grass plots. As the
P I I of those greens was reduced each
year, the disease was on the increase
and more money was spent for chemicals. Also, a report from Rutgers
University on their experimental plots
stated t h a t there was less disease
present in a soil with a high P H .
With the cost of mercury rising
under the present world conditions,
would it not be wise to raise the P H

NEW PROCESS

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6-8-4 F O R M U L A W I T H A H U M U S - F O R M I N G
O R G A N I C BASE
Here is ail ideal golf course fertilizer and a s o u n d
i n v e s t m e n t if price be measured by comparative
results. Scientific research has developed the proper,
balanced ratio of plant food elements for growing
good turf:
6 Units N i t r o g e n
8 Units Available P h o s p h o r i c Acid
4 Units P o t a s h
V-C F a i r w a y is non-acid-forming. It will not
make your soil more acid and can be used continuously without fear of making the soil too acid
for growing a good lawn.
V-C F a i r w a y contains sterilized ground tobacco
stems — t h a t good humus material.
Ton, $50.00. 5 tons, $47.00 per ton.

BRECK'S
85

STATE

STREET

SEEDSMEN

SINCE

1818

B O S T O N ,

M A S S .

of greens higher during this time by
using lime. For those who are in
doubt, excessive use of lime will not
cause any damage because lime is
always needed by t h e soil.
This m a y be the answer or lead in
the right direction in discovering
w h a t substance or organism will check
the disease or increase t h e resistance
to it.
I t is n o t too much to say t h a t lime
is the backbone of profitable crop
production, soil conservation and perm a n e n t in the humid region of this
country. A high humidity is known
to be a direct cause of brown patch.
I t is shown in experimental plots
that bent grasses grow best with a
P H between 5 and 6 — b u t has a P H
of 7 or more done any harm to bent
grass?
I hope t h a t I have given you a few
ideas in the control of brown patch
by using a carefully prepared loam
for top-dressing. However, this m a y
bring out a question in your minds.
If using top-dressing material which
helps in the control of disease proves
t o be successful, why use lime? Using lime, which is a basic material
for fine turf, simply adds another
material which builds u p the resistance of the plant.
P l a n t diseases in general are caused
by parasitic fungi and bacteria. This
fungi is dependent upon food materials manufactured by the plant.
T h e cells of fungi are known as spored.
T h e spores are produced in large
numbers.
Air currents, splashing
rain, insects and other moving objects
help spread the spores to other localities. Moisture is necessary for
the germination of these spores, and
in m a n y cases free water. A condition of high humidity and free water
on turf grasses occur generally at
night and consequently, the m a j o r i t y
of disease infection takes place then.
T h e germ (hypae) push out from the
spore cells and enter the natural
opening of the leaf (Stomata and

Hydatliodes) or penetrate directly
through the epidermis. I n the blade
of the grass the germs absorb food
materials from the cell of the plant,
and they cause the death of the blade.
These micro-organisms are active
only under moist conditions. There
are special groups of bacteria which
develop alone when the soil becomes
water-logged which kills the plant
because the necessary elements are
not active.
Dollar spot, sometimes called small
brown patch, kills the grass. This is
a contagious disease. If you have
had no dollar spot around; very well,
b u t remember it can be carried to
your course from another. T h e control of this disease is similar to t h a t
of other brown patch.
W i t h these thoughts in mind, there
is a great possibility t h a t one of you
m a y bring forth a discovery not only
of the t r e a t m e n t b u t also the cure of
these and other diseases for better
management of turf.
M a s s a c h u s e t t s S t a t e College
C o n f e r e n c e M a r c h 114, 1941
— ANTHONY J . SPERANDIO,

Hillcrest Country Club,
Leicester, Mass.
Francis G. Tuscher is now serving
with the 67th C. A. A. A. B a t t e r y E,
1st Platoon, F o r t Bragg, N o r t h Carolina.

i E NT
GRASS
SEED
a/so
FAIRWAY
MIXTURES

VELVET BENT
RHODE ISLAND
BENT
Purchase viable, winter
hardy seed
direct

from the grower
•

NEWS

FROM THE KEYHOLE
PEEKER
" N a r r y " Sperandio was married
on May 24. The stock market on
plain gold rings is at fever heat.
Congratulations " N a r r y " we symp —
we wish you the best of luck.

T o u r n a m e n t Winners at May 5
Meeting
Best Gross Nick Bruno
37 $2.00
1st Net
Paul Wanberg 32
2nd Net
Sam. Mitchell 33
Most 6's
(12) Henry Mitchell

There was a Bachelor Party for
" N a r r y " at the Marlboro Country
Club, Tuesday May 20. There were
100 at the party, including many
notables and about 8 or 10 members
of the greenkeepers' club.

Rules of T o u r n a m e n t s
1. Tournament fee is $1.00.
2. Three standard 75-cent balls as
Gross prize in each tournament.
3. M. G. A. Rules are to govern our
tournaments.
4. No one player may receive more
than one prize.

Don't forget the June meeting of
the Greenkeepers' Club of New England will be held with the Rhode
Island group on June 23, instead of on
the first Monday of the month.
Frank Tuscher is the greenkeeper
or Superintendent of lawns at Fort
Bragg.
Too much lime is as injurious to
soil as too much acid.

N E W

E N G L A N D

A Correction
August 4. Club Championship will
be held at Kernwood instead of
Belmont.
Sh-h
Farrant
second
had the

D I S T R I B U T O R S

THE

ANTUBE

did you know that Howard
has just recently arrived at
childhood — to prove it he
mumps.

F O R

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NO BUYING RISK: SELECT YOUR PACKING
Country Club Size: Twelve Large B U C K E Y E Antubes with Four Dropper
attachments. Delivered for $9.25. Use one. If not entirely satisfied return balance
and owe nothing. Enough to make 6000 drop applications.
Bulk Quart Packing: Complete with Patent Dropper Gun. Both sent delivered
for $10.00. Enough to make 10,000 drop applications.
— Look For T h e Blue Packages —

WORTHINGTON Putting Green Mowers
give your members better
greens with great savings
in man-power and money
The New Worthington
Shawnee
Clipper is powered by the well-known
Briggs & Stratton motor which drives
the fly-knife reel for easier, faster
cutting. Because the cutting work is
done by power, the Clipper may be
controlled by hand with little effort.
The Worthington Scout Hand Putting
Green Mower is standard hand equipment on many famous golf courses.
Its light weight makes it easier to
operate and its frequency of cut —
the highest on the market — give you
better putting surfaces.

NHHiHHSkjK.
j

T h e f a m o u s Worthington Overgreen, w i t h one
m a n . c u t s t h e f u l l 18 h o l e s i n 5 h o u r s i n c l u d ing travel t i m e between g r e e n s — a t r e m e n d o u s
saving in t i m e and money.

The Cutting Units in all Worthington Putting Green Meyers are identical. This enables you at
any time to convert the Scout into the Clipper with the addition of the motor — or into the'Over-''
green, should you decide to add this efficient piece of equipment at some future date.
Tear out and mail this coupon, today, for illustrated catalogue of lime, labor and money-saving
Worthington golf course equipment.

C. M. SAWTELLE • New England
Distributor
2000 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Mass. • Phone KIRkland 2000

WORTHINGTON
Main

Office:

STROUDSBURG,

PA.

MOWER
*

Sales Agencies:

COMPANY
A L L

PRI N CIPA L

W O R T H I N G T O N M O W E R CO., STROUDSBURG, PA. Dept. N E / J u
Please send me your Golf Course Catalogue at no obligation.
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ADDRESS
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