IN T H I S I S S U E

SWAN SONG
CONSIDER THE EXPERIENCED MAN
CUTTING EXPENSES
DECEMBER MEETING
WHEN IN TROUBLE LOOK ALOFT

DECEMBER

I IKS I

This NEWSLETTER is published a lawn mower, he was all right for golf
monthly by the Greenkeepers Club of work. Years ago, golfers were content
New England, and sent free to its mem- to play on less finely cut greens, but
bers and their Greens' Chairmen. Sub- now the greens are cut so short that the
scription price ten cents a copy, or a grass plants have little leaf surface to
dollar a year.
help them out. Years ago, players did
not seom to mind, at least expected, to
GUY
C.
WEST
Editor
have the greens dry, brown and hard
312 Mt. P l e a s a n t St., Fall River, Mass.
through the heat of the summer, but
MARSTON BURNETT Business Mgr. now golfers insist on soft, good colored
330 W a l t h a m St., W e s t Newton, Mass.
greens throughout the playing season.
As a result, the Greenkeeper and his
men have to keep turf in an unnatural
December, 1931
Vol. 3, No. 12 condition,
softer greens, more succulent
grass, easily affected by disease and the
As he goes out of office the President extremes of weather. Grass seems somelike a race horse—the finer it is
sends us the following lines calling it thing
bLed and kept under unnatural condihis
tions, tho more subject it is to ailments.
Years ago, turf was not subject to such
"SWAN SONG"
diseases as "Pythium", "Scald", "Snowmold", "Brown-Patch", etc. Because
of these changed conditions, the
For several years I have tried to serve then
experienced man is needed on golf
Ths Greenkeepers' Club, but know you course
work. A greenkeeper cannot be
deserve
over
the
course at once and,
A better fate, and I know you'll be since the whole
critical
time to treat some of
Better served than you were by me.
these diseases is within two or three
To my successor, I bag, give him hours of the first signs of their appearthe same
ance, fortunate is the greenkeeper and
club that employ experienced men, that
Loyal support, every members' aim,
and are on the lookout for such
That was given to me. So, I thank each know
trouble. Again, in the use of such high
one
chemicals needed as fertilizers
For help I've had to make the Club run. powered
and for combating these diseases, much
To the next president, I pledge hearty harm could be done by an inexperienced
support,
man, such harm or damage, that even
pay of an experienced man would be
Hoping you all jo'.n in "holding the the
ha rd to cover. An experienced golf
fort",
worker is a decided asset to a
And make this year one of greater course
club, and fortunate is the club that can
strides,
to hold its men year by year.
Each doing- his share, and more besides! continue
Why
need
and officers of
It sure will be great to serve "in the the club worrychairman
so over rates of wages?
ranks"
should they so desire to compare
But for all you've done, accept my Why
rates of pay or go wild over comparing
thanks.
costs, when, in most cases, conditions are
C. E. Treat. so different on the courses compared,
that the results would be ludicrous, if it
did not cause so much injustice?
CONSIDER THE EXPERIENCED MAN
Why not run the greens more as you
would a department of business? Why
rot say to your greenkeeper, "Here's
course, here's the amount you can
In the discussions that are going on ths
sp?nd.
the results we want",
in many golf clubs along economy lines, and thenherehaveare confidence
enough in
it would be well to remember one fact, your greenkeeper to let him use the
that you are paying for in
that expsrienced labor is necessary on jvdgement
arranging wages, mapping out work,
a golf course.
ctc. If he cannot show the desired reYears ago, any man could do the sults, it may be time, then, to change
work on a golf course—the idea at that greenkeepers.
time being that if he was able to push
Carlton E. Treat

WELCOME

NEW

ENGLAND

GREENKEEPERS

and

CHAIRMEN

W e w a n t you with us at the
Sixth

Annual

Greenkeepers'

Golf

Convention, and Educational

Show,

Conference

to be held at

Hotel Pennsylvania,
New York City,

J a n u a r y 19-22, 1932.
The National Association
of Greenkeepers of
America.
Fred A. Burkhardt,
Chairman
HOTEL

PENNSYLVANIA

Show Committee.

H O W CAN EXPENSES BE
CUT
WITHOUT INJURY TO COURSE
CONDITIONS?

In my discussion of this question I
shall try to tell what has happened
when severe cuts have been made, and
to suggest a possible solution.
To keep in the running with the
trend of times, let me say that my
average total maintenance budget for
four years was below that of most
clubs in the immediate section. By this
total, I mean all money spent on the
golf course; for equipment, construction,
and wages. No side account for club
grounds, tree work, etc. What of it!
There is no more sense in comparing
golf courses than in setting my Ford
alongside the next man's Lincoln or
Packard, except that both are ridden in.
But I can compare this year's performance of said Ford with last year's,
and I do know how the cost of upkeep
compares with last year-—and so with
the golf course. Therefore, let us drop
the total figure, and get back to the
cuts.
The year 1930 brought us a cut of
$2500 from the average of the preceding
four years. This allowed the same
amount for labor, but cut considerably
on materials, and prohibited any replacement of equipment. For those interested in figures, it might be well to jot
down an amount that would have been
spent for replacements under ordinary
circumstances.
1931 presented a different aspect.
Continued depression with resultant
resignations brought a further cut of
$4000 or a 29% drop over a period of
two years. This meant no replacement
of equipment (another figure for the
scratch pad), as well as a cut in labor
of three men for the season. With what
result! Tees, for want of sufficient attention, began to lose ground. Slowly,
of course, and not at first noticeable to
the average player, but apparent to the
most mediocre greenkeeper. Spare tees
at short holes which should have been
renovated, were let go. Sprinklers had
to be run during the day, with the usual complaint from the members. Greens
lacked the little attentions which they
must have at just the proper time to be
really good. In other words, a course
which was not up to standard.
Let us look into the future. Take the
scratch pad and add up your figures.
The amount is getting larger, is it not?
:

Yet some day that replacement must be
made, and the longer we wait, the
larger the amount, So much for equipment, How about the members? I can
count with little effort ten courses within a radius of five miles, that have come
into being within two years. These are
semi-public or municipal courses, which
have g'olf as their main object, High
overhead of the club house is cut out,
and money spent on the course by a
management that realizes that to draw
the public, good conditions are necessary. Reports of the earnings of these
clubs is the answer.
To me a possible solution lies in the
fuller use of the course. Though filled
to capacity over the week-end, there is
much room for play during the week.
Summer and Weekday Memberships
are in vogue at many places now. We
read of bi-weekly memberships in one
part of California. If conditions necessitate, I would even advocate opening
the course to semi-public play during
the week. This coupled with a continued
striving for better management on the
part of the greenkeeper might do much
to help out a difficult situation.
Marston Burnett.
The brown-patch discussion still continues to interest many of our readers.
There are many ideas here and there,
and we are still asking for some central
agency, with part of its personnel at
least to consist of greenkeepers, to examine and try all these ideas.
We noticed with much interest an
article by D. T. Coull of the Potrero —^
Country Club, Ingiewood, Calif., in the
October issue of the PACIFIC GREENKEEPER. Mr. Coull offers the suggestion that brown-patch may possibly
be controlled by keeping the turf temperature below that point at which the
disease bacteria are wont to develop.
This control would be by a thermostatically controlled irrigation system,
which would turn on when the surface
soil temperature reaches the danger
point. This suggestion is of great interest in that it shows to how great extremes our thoughts sometimes run
when we think of control of this dis ease.
We have another suggestion of interest, from a letter from K. E. Goit,
Sales Manager of the Toro Manufact
uring Company. Mr. Goit's letter fol
lows:

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Kill Weeds In The Fall
Late season applications are
r e c o m m e n d e d by the Experiment Stations.
W i n t e r f r e e z i n g assists c h e m i cal w e e d killing.
T a k e a d v a n t a g e of b o t h . T r e a t
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85 STATE STREET
Boston, Mass.

I

A C O M P L E T E LINE OF
GOLF COURSE EQUIPMENT
A N D SUPPLIES
Distributors for:

Naco Golf Course Fertilizer
Royer Compost Machines
Koppers Sulphate of Ammonia
Albion Distributor
Hardie Power Sprayers
Thompson Sprinklers
Seeds, Fertilizers, Etc.

Arthur B. Porter, Inc.
55 D E A R B O R N STREET
S A L E M , MASS.
Tel. Salem 2317
Write for our 1931
illustrated catalogue.

W h e n b u y i n g f r o m our advertisers, m e n t i o n N E W S L E T T E R !

"I note in the last issue of the "Newsletter" your suggestion as to a brown
patch conference. Not long ago I read
quite a comprehensive article in the
"Medical Journal" regarding the
growth of an ailment called "Athlete's
Foot". Athlete's Foot is caused by the
same type of fungus that causes brown
patch, also this same type of fungus
attacks other plants and vegetables.
"It was found at the University of
Buffalo after a severe epidemic of
Athlete's Foot that sodium hypochloride
placed in pans so that people using the
showers in the locker rooms could immerse their feet in it, stopped the
epidemic entirely.
Sodium hypochloride is an inexpensive chemical. It comes in somewhat
concentrated form, and can be diluted.
I tried it on our own green here at the
factory and found that at full strength
it would bleach the grass to almost a
peroxide blond color in ten minutes'
time. A diluted solution caused limited
bleaching, and the grass soon returned
to its original color. It might be that
this chemical has some possibilities as
a low-priced preventative of brown
patch."
Following receipt of this letter, we
wrote Dr. W. H. Davis of the Department of Botany at the Massachusetts
States College, to see if he could throw
any light upon this subject. Dr. Davis'
reply follows:
"Yes, a 0.5% aquous solution of
hypochloride of soda has been successfully used for the control of 'Athlete's
Foot'. I believe that it was first used by
Dr. Gould in Albany and later used by
the doctors in Buffalo, N. Y. This is
what has been called 'ringworm of the
feet'.
"These fungi which cause the ringworm of the hail*, feet, head, etc. are
near the bacteria in their vegetative
habits, or at least in some of them. The
latest authorities place them in the
Aseomycetes, very close to the blue
mold, Penicillium sp. The mycelium is
generally very fine and breaks in
threads, sometimes these portions acting
like conidia. However, many of them
form conidia, 3 to 8 u. in diameter,
which are the scattering stage of the
fungus. These conidia are very easily
killed since they have very thin walls
like the mycelium. However, there is a
sclerotial stage, and this is not so resistant to the chemicals as Rhizoctonia,
sclerotia. Rhizoctonia is not in this

group of fungi at all; it is a Basidiomycetes, while the Trichopnyton sp. belongs to the Ascomycetes.
It is to be noted that the experimenters state that they believe that Hypochloride is not more effective than the
standard methods heretofore practiced
in controlling the disease. On account of
these facts, I am not animated over the
possibility of the control of brown-patch
by this chemical. Later, I will publish
some new researches showing some of
the reasons why it can not be successfully employed for the organism which
I employed."
CUTTING COSTS
While I am not in favor of cutting
wages for next year, I think it is the
only way to help keep the budget down
with the same standard of maintenance
as in former years. It is impossible for
any greenkeeper to keep a course if he
has not sufficient labor, so my view on
the matter would be to cut each man a
little, and keep the same number of men
if possible; in this way you would not
only be helping yourself out but would
also be helping the unemployment condition.
We all know that there are many
fertilizers on the market, I doubt very
much if many of them are worth to the
club what they cost. Careful buying of
fertilizer will save the club many dollars.
Michael J. O'Grady.
DECEMBER

MEETING

The December meeting was held at
Horticultural Hall, Boston, on Monday,
December 14th. The speaker was Professor Lawrence S. Dickinson of the
Massachusetts State College. Professor
Dickinson described the work done at
the College with funds appropriated by
the Greenkeepers Club of New England.
The experiment was on "Pre-seeding
fertilization", and was known as New
England Greenkeepers project 1931.
Work was started in April. In past,
top of grass has been examined; that
which received the greater amount of
grass often looked the best. There
should be something besides tops roots
are very important. In this experiment,

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both roots and tops were considered.
High concentrations of fertilizer salts
will inhibit germination—same reaction
with seedlings.
Experiment had 32 boxes, sand at
bottom, soil slightly clay, nearly infertile. Fertilizers were mixed into top
2" for six days, then seeded, half with
Colonial Bent, and half Kentucky Blue.
At intervals specimens were very carefully removed and examined, tops and
roots measured in millimeters, and
mounted. Optimum balance between
root and top found to be that top more
than 1.3 times root was top-heavy. Object should be to establish root.
Fertilizers used were sulphate of ammonia for furnishing nitrogen, superphosphate for phosphorus, and muriate
of potash for potassium. These fertilizers were used at different rates. Standard used was the amount of nitrogen in
5 pounds of sulphate of ammonia to a>
thousand square feet.
Kentucky Blue prefers more potash
than bent. After grasses are established,
somewhere between 42 and 56 days
from seeding, it is usually desirable to
fertilize. Clipping will shorten root
system, will upset nitrogen. Hence
clipping should be held back if possible
for 42 days. Best preceding fertilizer is
superphosphate, used as heavily as
wished.
Charts and diagrams of work done,
and results accomplished were shown
and explained by Professor Dickenson,
and 200 mounts of seedlings from the
various boxes, taken at different periods,
were passed around the gathering.
In brief, results of this experiment
indicated that it is unnecessary to fertilize before seeding, but if fertilizer is
used, it should be superphosphate. The
summary chart which gives the results
at intervals follows:
Best Appearing

21 days
30 days
42 days
56 days
70 days

Bent
check
0-10-5
0-32-0
0-8-0
0-8-0

Best Root-Top Ratio

Ken. Blue
check
0-16-0
check
0-10-2
10-5-0

Bent
Ken. Blue
21 days
0-16-0
check
30 days
0-32-0
0-32-0
42 days
0-10-2
0-32-0
56 days
0-10-2
0-10-2
(On this standard, 13-3.2-14.4 is
average loam.)

At the business meeting following
the talk and discussion, the Nominating
Committee submitted the following slate
for 1932:
Pres. James McCormack
1st V. Pres. Thomas Fahey
2nd Y. Pres. Howard Farrant
3rd V. Pres. James Sullivan
Secretary Charles Parker
Treasurer, Frank Wilson
Trustee, Carleton E. Treat
Entertainment

Committee

R. A. Mitchell
Edwin Hansen
Ernest Lord
Charles Parker
Marston Burnett
Golf C o m m i t t e e

Clifton E. Sowerby
Paul Hayden
Wallace Peckham
John Shanahan
Philip Cassidy
Membership Committee

Paul Wanberg
John Latvis
Wm. McBride
Thomas Galvin
Joseph Oldfield
Elected to membership were Ordert
Wendell, Locust Valley C. C.; Winfield
Badger, Trapelo G. C.; Simone Braio,
Wachusett C. C.; and Emil Masciocchi,
Oak Hill C. C.
NOTICE

Beginning with the January issue, the
NEWSLETTER will be issued on the
10th of the month. We ask the cooperation of our advertisers in getting copy
in by the first of the month, in order
that we may get the NEWSLETTER
out on time. All notices and copy should
be in the Editor's hands by the 5th for
insertion.
Anyone desiring space in the 1932
NEWSLETTER should communicate
with the Business Manager at once.
Members are requested to send in
any changes of address, changes in
green committee chairmen, and all news
of interest.
At the demonstration gardens at the
Charles River Country Club, the whole
fairway fertilizer series is to be reconstructed this coming Spring. New
series will be seeded with mixture of
4-0% Kentucky Blue, 40% Chewings
Fescue, and 20% Colonial Bent. 15
additional plots are to be added, five
potash plots, five phosphorus plots and
five complete fertilizer, two with organic
base, and two with inorganic. Check
plots are provided for all series.

The Worthington Lawn Tractor and Convertible
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twelve and seven feet width of swath. Any of these changes may
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ted operator in a minute's time.
The saving in expense of the cutting operations, by the adoption
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The catalog which will be sent to you immediately upon
request, will describe these remarkable machines, which have by
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maintenance. Their use is fast becoming universal.
Write For Full Particulars To The

NEW ENGLAND REPRESENTATIVE
For The Worthington Mower Company

E. R. SAWTELLE
ONE STATE STREET
BOSTON
Telephone Hubbard 2424

The New England Toro Company
gave a party for its employees and
associates at the Parker House, Boston,
on December 19th. This party marked
the conclusion of the company's best
year, and the fact that the New England Toro Company led the sales over
all the other branch Toro companies.
In these days of DEPRESSION it is
cheerful to note that another New England company is ahead in its field. We
hope to see Ed Lohr one of these days
strutting along in the new Stetson,
which he won as winner in field sales
volume!
Every member should set aside the
first Monday in January for a trip to
Boston and the Annual Meeting of HIS
club. Hear what has happened through
the reports of your officers, and take
part in the plans for the future.
" W H E N IN T R O U B L E LOOK A L O F T "

"Printer's Ink editorially recommends
that, in our current business overhauling, efficiency methods be applied as unsparingly to Boards of Directors as to
any of the departments over which said
Boards have jurisdiction.
As a matter of fact, it seems to us,
a sound reconstruction program must
always begin at the top. Whether it be
a ship, a nation, or a business institution whose voyage brings up in shoal
water, its navigating authority is primarily to blame. If the crew is incompetent its selection or its training is the
cause. If competent, it may do its part
unerringly and still land the cargo on
the rocks if the course has been faultily
laid. Success or failure in every field
of effort traces back essentially to Management.
Directors who direct with largeminded intelligence do not encounter
breakers. Adverse winds may blow their
vessel shorewards but their foresight
has taken the needful precautions to
keep its keel well clear of all dangerous
reefs.
Far too often in recent business history the crew has been flagellated when
the lashes should have fallen on the
quarterdeck."
Credit Where Credit Is Due.

I invite all GREENKEEPERS
who are not on my mailing
list to send in your names so
that you will receive full information regarding LAN-FER
Special Fertilizer.
It will pay you to know all
the facts about LAN-FER before you buy fertilizer for 1932.
Wishing you all a most
Happy and Prosperous New
Year.
M. F. LANSILL
Special Fertilizers
86 C H A R L E S R I V E R P K Y
Newton, Mass.

"QUALITY"

LAWNS, GOLF and
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MATERIALS
American and Imported Grass
Seeds, Fertilizers, Manures, Chemicals, F u n g i c i d e s , Soil S p o n g e , I m ported Peat and Mowers.
60 C O N G R E S S S T R E E T
BOSTON, MASS.
Telephone Liberty 6021

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Hubbard's Golf Course
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Be Posted Before Making
Your 1932 Purchases.
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The

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Our stock includes a complete line of the finest quality
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All inquiries receive prompt
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Thos. W. Emerson Co.
215 S T A T E S T R E E T
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SALES & SERVICE

In this day and age when Golf machinery is being called on to
render uninterupted service from the time of the first spring rain
until the snow covers the earth, the need for reliable equipment
is more than ever existent.
It has always been the TORO policy to manufacture thenproducts along the lines of the best engineering and manufacturing
standards. Quality of design, workmanship as well as materials have
always been incorporated into those items carrying the name of
TORO.
Every purchase of a TORO product is based on the confidence
of the buyer in the seller. High pressure tactics are never resorted
to. This mutual confidence has built a good-will between us which
cannot be measured in terms of dollars. It will not be lightly treated
nor sacrificed to increase sales. No better proof of this customers'
confidence can be offered than the fact that it has contributed
toward making 1931 the largest volume year in our history. It
also demonstrates that our policy of uniform quality, price and
service has earned your approval.
No machine is better than the service organization behind it.
There comes a day when every piece of equipment requires service
or repairs. This service must be rendered quickly and efficiently,
and with this in mind we have established service stations, under
our supervision, at strategic points. These are backed by our
Newton headquarters with the largest golf equipment parts stock
in New England. The volume of parts business does not warrant
this large inventory yet it is maintained as your insurance against
delays.
We maintain a sales and service organization of 10 men. We
operate 6 motor trucks. This personnel and equipment is always
at your service, they are prepared and willing to co-operate with
you to maintain your TORO equipment always at its highest point
of efficiency.

NEW ENGLAND TORO COMPANY
WEST NEWTON, MASS.

SALES & SERVICE ASSOCIATES:
G. F. P a t t e r s o n & Co.
Griswold & Kylander
Pittsfield, Mass.
Wethersfield, Conn.
E d w a r d L o h r , P r o v i d e n c e , R . I.