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May, 1930.

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Vol. 2, No. 5.

''Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings''.

—Samuel Johnson.

With this issue NEWSLETTER starts a new year of endeavor.
We hope that it fills an important place in your interests, and that
you and your club are brought closer together by this intimate
medium. You must remember, however, that this NEWSLETTER can
not be a true success unless you help. We would appreciate ideas and
contributions from our readers, especially from green committee
chairmen. How can we better serve you? What more can we do for
the good of Golf in New England?
HOW ABOUT IT? Do you patronize our advertisers? Do you
send new ideas and methods to NEWSLETTER so that your fellows
may benefit from them? What effect did the frost in late April have
on your greens? How early did you use sulphate of ammonia this
year? Did your fairways burn up in May? What sprinklers are you
using, and with what success? Have you visited the experimental
plots at the Charles River Country Club this Spring? How much
trouble have you had this Spring with Poa annua? How about sending in your answers to some of these questions to the Editor? How
ABOUT IT?
Dig out your clubs and a couple of old balls and come around to
the next meeting.

This N E W S L E T T E R is published
monthly by the Greenkeepers Club of
New England, and sent free to its members and their Greens' Chairmen. Subscription price ten cents a copy, or a
dollar a year.
GUY C. W E S T
Editor
312 Mt. P l e a s a n t ' St., Fall Kiver, Mass.

MARSTON B U R N E T T . .Business Mgr.
330 W a l t l i a m St., W e s t N e w t o n , Mass.

May, 1930.

Vol 2, No. 5.

FESCUE GREENS AT
PORTLAND COUNTRY CLUB
Seven years ago we built and seeded
our last nine greens with 60 or 70%
New Zealand Chewings Fescue and the
balance recleaned redtop. I think too,
that we put in a very small amount of
bent. It appears to me now that the
red top is entirely eliminated. For four
years a f t e r seeding these greens did not
seem to thicken as fast as I would like
to have seen them with the result that
a light reseeding was given them during
each of these years. Since then, three
years, I do not believe that there has
been an average of two pounds of seed
given each of those greens during these
years except for a little "sag" that was
in two or three of them that winterkilled, and to hold back the poa annua
a little extra seed had to be used. These
"sags" were very shallow and since have
been practically eliminated by an extra
treatment of loam between each regular
treatment of top dressing.
These greens are not hard to maintain. I treat only two of them for
brown-patch; the others get such slight
attacks that only those looking for the
disease would know the green was affected at all. The reason that the two
are affected is because one of them is
denied five to six hours of the sunshine
during a day by tall trees, while the
other is so closely wooded around that
little or no wind-air can get at it. Both
conditions, with strong applications of
sulphate of ammonia, are, I believe,
90 '/c of the cause of brown-patch.
I differ with those who say that fescue greens will not stand close cutting,
for those at the Portland Country Club
are cut as closely as a Toro putting
green mower will cut them. I only treat
them three times a season, and not any

green on this course gets more than
twenty-five pounds of sulphate of ammonia per season. Some do not get
more than ten pounds per season. The
weeding cost of these greens runs from
$30 to $50 each season. This includes
the absolute removal, root and leaf, of
dandelions, chickweed, pearlwort, plantain, and practically the elimination of
poa annua and every other "foreign"
growth. When we finish weeding a green
nothing remains but whatever strain of
grass that is in . the green. Each and
every time we weed we always get a
little clover, and that is just what I
want to see, for it seems to me that
when we get greens so acid that they
won't take a little clover, then I think
we have overdone it. This is why I go
so scanty on sulphate of ammonia. My
first treatment in the Spring ranges
from no sulphate on the heavy greens
to ten pounds on the light loamy greens.
I vary this amount because generally
heavy land has more tendency to be
acid, or sour, than light sandy soils, and
for this reason I try to balance the
treatment so as not to have some greens
acid and others alkaline. I also put on
a hundred pounds of complete fertilizer to a green, mixed with the sulphate where used. Once in a while I
put on two kinds—-fifty pounds of each
to a green. I do not care much for this
practice, because one never finds out
which of the two is best. There is so
much on the market these days f o r
grass growing that it would take a wiser
man than King Solomon to choose the
right thing, and my advice to each and
every greenkeeper before buying any
of it is to try out a sample. "Ours is
the best" according to the salesman selling it, but I always tell the salesman
that I will let him know if his is the
best after I have tried fifty pounds of
it.
And to close, I would say, our success depends largely on our own experiments and common sense. Try it.
J O H N S. PARSONS,
Portland (Me.) C. C.
B E N E F I T S OF DRAINAGE
The benefits of drainage are readily
apparent to any intelligent greenkeeper.
Some of the most obvious are:
Drainage usually increases the growth

of fine turf, and helps to keep the players' dispositions cheerful with good lies.
It makes fairways that are uncertain
of lasting thru the Winter more safe
f o r an early start in the Spring. It brings
into cultivation lands otherwise worthless.
Drainage improves the physical condition of the soil by making it more
granulated, porous, and friable. Thus,
stiff soils are more easily handled, roots
have a greater feeding area, and the
available moisture in the soil is increased. Soils also absorb more rainfall,
thereby decreasing erosion and damage
by floods.
Drainage warms the soil. The evaporation of moisture by the sun requires
heat, which, if the excessive moisture is
removed by drainage, is used in warming
the soil. This is noticeable in the North,
where the planting season is from one to
two weeks earlier on drained than on
undrained land, and the danger of damage by frost both in the Spring and in
the Fall is reduced. The warming of the
soil by drainage causes the seed to germinate more readily, thereby giving a
better stand of grass and causing plants
to grow more promptly.
Drainage aids in the preparation of
new fairways. Land can be plowed earlier in the Spring, and is better pulverized. Grass seed can be sown sooner
after a rain, and by closing small ditches
with tile drains, machinery can be used,
and the cost of maintenance decreased.
Drainage improves the health conditions. Perhaps there is no better illustration of this than the number of
mosquitoes that were found in parts of
Massachusetts and Rhode Island when
first settled. When the land was drained,
most of the breeding places of the mosquitoes were removed and with them the
consequent malaria.
JAMES C. SULLIVAN
Waltham Country Club.
AFTER SCHOOL HOURS AT
AMHERST

The 1930 Greenkeepers' Class is over,
but still we hear that question, "What
do the boys do with their spare hours?"
But how many spare hours roll leisurely
by? Not many, I fear. This question is,
no doubt, a natural one, because the

hours between four-thirty P. M. and
eight A. M. the following morning seem
like long, uneventful hours to outsiders
or students-to-be.
Those contemplating taking the 1931
course will find that there is a dearth of
spare time in those " a f t e r school hours".
Those interested in sports will find fine
skating on the campus pond; hockey
games are in order as well as basketball.
Bowling usually draws a major percentage of the class, and each Saturday
afternoon finds a f e w of the M. A. C.
professors and some of the class in a
real get-together match—all of which
makes those spare hours roll by!
Sunday would seem like an age long
day to spend in Amherst, but if weather
permits there are various trails one can
traverse, and why not a ride to Northampton, Greenfield, etc.?
Professor Dickinson, as most of us
know, has an interesting office, in which
one can certainly improve in the numerous phases of the greenkeeping
game. Prof. Dickinson gladly permits
his class to copy or read the various
literature he has on his shelves.
What hours could be better spent
than to have the gang cluster round the
office at night and discuss those problems
that are bound to arise? The Prof, is
bound to be there some nights when the
old arguments get going good, and he'll
more than enjoy helping out.
These are only a few of the incidents
that will happen in your eleven weeks
term next year, and as f a r as "What
becomes of the after school hours, and
how are they filled?"—be patient, they
are well taken care of.
LLOYD G. STOTT.
MAY MEETING

The May meeting was held at the
Albemarle Country Club, West Newton,
Mass. on May 12.
At the golf tournament, prizes were
won by:
1st low gross, Ted Swanson, Bear Hill,
87.
Best 9, John Graham of Needham, 41.
Best net 9, H. A. Mosher of Riverside,
40.
Largest gross, Charles Parker of Belmont, 123.

WORTHINGTON
MOWER
COMPANY
STROUDSBURG,

Your

PENNSYLVANIA,
**

Quality

LAWN MOWERS

F a i r w a y Quint or Trio for fairways
and rough. Super Roller and N e w
Aristocrat for greens.

PENNSYLVANIA

NEW ENGLAND
Representative-—

E. R. SAWTELLE

Jj^—*— -—
J O H N J. N Y H A N

Distributor

ONE STATE STREET
BOSTON
Telephone Hubbard 2424

1 2 2 C y p r e s s St., B r o o k l i n e , M a s s .
Pennsylvania Lawn Mower Works

WE ARE NOW BUILDING

1 000

Our 8th, 9th and 10th Courses
In The Rhode Island District.
F r o m 1 to 7 All Satisfied C u s t o m e r s

Woodworth Bradley
SEEDSMAN

136 So. Water St., Prov., R. I.
Phone Gaspee 9789

Established 1877
Philadelphia

GOLF COURSES
SOW

SCOTT'S SEEDS
Write for quotations

0. M. Scott & Sons
Company
MARYSVILLE, OHIO

When buying from our advertisers, mention NEWSLETTER!

N O T I C E
The next meeting- will be held
J u n e 2nd at the Unicorn Country
Club, Stoneham, of which Jim McCormack is the Greenskeeper.
Dinner will be served at 12 o'clock
and those wishing to attend the dinner will kindly notify Mr. McCormack by Saturday, May 31. A f t e r
the dinner an 18 hole medal handicap t o u r n a m e n t will be held. Six
prizes. We would like a 100% turnout.

"Dow's Fertilizers"

W e a r e m a n u f a c t u r e r s of

Bone

Meal, Tankage and Mixed Fertilizer

of the highest quality. We carry all
the standard formulae. Special
formulae made upon request. May
we figure with you?

John C. Dow Company
121 B e v e r l y St., Boston, Mass.

JACOBSEN
Power Lawn Mowers

HOVEY & CO,
Specialists In

GOLF COURSE GRASSES
AND EQUIPMENT
A FEW

SPECIALS

Emerald Cord Rubber Hose
Sulphate of Ammonia (Koppers)
V. C. Fairway Fertilizer
Fancy Recleaned Grasses
Worthington Mowers
MacAndrews Green Seeder
W h e n in t h e c i t y v i s i t o u r
s h o w r o o m s in t h e s h a d o w
of t h e C u s t o m H o u s e .
150 M I L K

ST., B O S T O N ,

MASS.

Tel. HANcock 1454 - 1455
UNIVERSAL
COMPOST MIXER

Power Putting Green Mowers
Power Mowers for Tees and
Approaches with Attachment for Spiking Greens
Handled by Dealers Located
Throughout New England
JACOBSEN
MANUFACTURING CO.
507 West 56th Street
New York City

B u i l t t o g i v e y e a r s of H a r d S e r v i c e
with small m a i n t e n a n c e cost.
Demonstrations arranged

Arthur B. Porter, Inc.
55 DEARBORN STREET
SALEM, MASS.
GOLF COURSE

EQUIPMENT

When buying from our advertisers, mention NEWSLETTER!

Second largest gross, E. Lord of South- Q. Should a greenkeeper play golf, and
bridge, 118.
why?
First low net, J. Latvis, Tatnuck Coun- A. A greenkeeper should be made to
try Club, Worcester, 97, 23 handicap,
play, so he will understand what the
net 74.
players are up against.
Second low net, N. Burnett, Albemarle,
109, 35 handicap, net 74.
The greenkeeper should know how
Third low net, Thomas Fahey, 90, 15
to play golf to know the condition
handicap, net 75.
of his course.
Fourth low net, Bill McBride, Nashua,
Q. At what height should grass blades
92, 15 handicap, net 77.
on a green be cut without being a
hindrance to the grass roots?
A. 3-16 of an inch.
The height the golfers demand, reFROM T H E W I N T E R SCHOOL
gardless of the results.
If you take off 3-16 inch each day
QUESTION BOX
you will soon reach the dirt.
Use common sense in your cutting.
It makes a difference whether you
Q. What about power putting green
have stolons or seeds, and whether
mowers? Are they successful?
they are thinly or thickly planted.
A. Very successful in the midwest.
3-16 inch is the minimum.
Better than hand mowers, but a good
man is needed with the mower.
Mr. Burkhardt of the midwest has Q. How early in the spring may sulphate of ammonia be broadcast alone
used power mowers for three years
with good results. He always tries
to be of use to the grass and not
to get American boys for drivers.
cause injury? What quantity per
Power mowers save one man, or
1000 sq. f t ?
$1100 per summer. He uses the 19
inch mower, and mows 24 greens in A. Some men apply sulphate of amthree and one-half hours. The drivers
monia early in the spring. Cold
do not take care of the machines; he
weather gave the grass a set-back,
has a special man for that. On his
greens hand mowers are used for
and it took longer than if it hadn't
the first six weeks, until the first of
been
treated with sulphate of amMay. Mr. Dickinson vouches for the
monia. Five pounds per 1000 sq. ft.
good condition of his greens.
is plenty, applied frequently, a f t e r
One man in this section spoke very
favorably on the triple type mower.
the middle of April in Eastern
Massachusetts.
Q. What do you consider the best time
of day to sprinkle greens?
Q. Put on dry?
A. Early morning, before seven.
A. Mix with compost. Sometimes comDirectly after mowing.
post alone is better, holding the sulAt night after nine. All night.
phate of ammonia until May.
In the evening. The sun doesn't dry
Apply sulphate of ammonia when
it up.
the temperature is at 60°. This is
Early morning, and not too much.
When sprayed at night greens are
between April 10 and May 10,
subject to brown patch.
generally, in the Middlewest.
If watering is done in the morning
Around April 15 in Western Massathere is danger of not putting on
chusetts, varying with the weather.
enough. A hardpan develops at a
depth of two or three inches, and
It makes no difference whether the
the poisoned soil water makes trouseason is dry or wet, sulphate of
ble. This theory is not considered
ammonia should be applied the last
sound by many. Watering depends
of April or early in May.
on the air humidity.

Typical Results Obtained from the
u s e of
COLLOIDAL PHOSPHATE
as a b a s i c F e r t i l i z e r

from John E. Pierce,
Daytona Beach, Florida.
"Before placing this C o l l o i d a l P h o s p h a t e on the lawn the St. Augustine
grass didn't seem to run or grow. At
the present time I have one of the
finest lawns in town. This was due
entirely to a bag of C o l l o i d a l P h o s phate.
"Again I have seen remarkable
work done by this phosphate at the
Daytona Golf and Country Club. We
have played winter rules at this club
f o r four years owing to the poor condition of the fairways. Mr. Northen
has the course in the best condition I
have ever seen since applying a coat
of C o l l o i d a l P h o s p h a t e . I n a f e w
weeks we can do away with playing
winter rules.
" I assure you that C o l l o i d a l P h o s p h a t e will give you results."
COLLOIDAL PHOSPHATE SALES
CO. O F N E W E N G L A N D
126 N e w b u r y St.
Boston, Mass.

JACOBSEN
POWER MOWERS
for
GREENS,
TEES,
APPROACHES
Catalog mailed on request.

BRECK'S

GOLF EQUIPT. SHOW ROOM
20 Lewis Wharf
RETAIL STORE
85 State St.

Boston, Mass.

"QUALITY"

LAWNS, GOLF and
SPORT TURF
Materials

Grass
Seeds

Fertilizers
Manures

Chemicals

Fungicides
Mowers
60 C O N G R E S S S T R E E T
BOSTON, MASS.
Telephone Liberty 6021

Diamond E Brand Seed
Purity and Germination
Guaranteed

Distributors of
VICTORY FERTILIZERS

Thos. W. Emerson Co.
213-215 STATE STREET
BOSTON, MASS.
Telephone, HUBbard 0985

When buying from our advertisers, mention NEWSLETTER!

gBBBimaasmsiam

IMMEDIATE SERVICE-

g
::

i

In spite of the increased demand for supplies and
equipment this season we are trying hard to maintain
stocks at normal. We assure you of prompt service.
—

Sprinklers—Economy President $15.00
Economy Super President $16.00
Economy Baby Simplex $3.50
Hose—Clapper Brand % inch coupled, per ft. .12
Condor
" " "
"
" " .22
Milorganite—Ton lots from Boston warehouse
$40.00
Electric Worm Eradicator—5 Gallon carboys
$16.50
Sherwin Williams Arsenate of lead. Per lb. .14, Naga .18
Aluminum Hole Cups $2.00. Iron Hole Cups $1.00
Div-O-Tee turf tools $5.00 lots of 6 or more $4.00
Greens Flags—Direction Flags—Bamboo and steel
poles—Ball Washers—Tee Towels—Sod cutters—Golf
Barrows— Grass shears —Belting— rakes— shovels —
spikes—Greens rollers—mole traps—wood and iron
rakes.
All of these can be shipped now from Newton.
TORO EQUIPMENT—Our last stock car of TORO Equipment contained Greens mowers—Silver Flash mowers—
Super Mowers—Top dressing machines—Park Specials
—Park Juniors—pull frames and tractors. Some of each
of these items is ready for immediate shipment to you.
ORDER NOW.
The new TORO Power Putting Green Mower will
be demonstrated without charge at any Club so requesting. Send in your name and suggest most convenient
time for you.

NEW ENGLAND TORO COMPANY
247 NEWTONVILLE AVENUE
Phone New. North 1219
NEWTON, MASS.