G r e e n k e e p e r s C l u b of N e w E n g l a n d

NEWSLETTER
July, 1929.

Vol. 1, No. 3.
Editor

Guy C. W e s t
A s s o c i a t e Editors

F r a n k H. Wilson, J r .

J a m e s McCormack

No man will ever be a big executive who feels that he must, either oftenly
or under cover, follow uft every order he gives and see that it is done — nor will
he ever develop a caftable assistant. "
—John Lee

Mahin.

The Brown-patch season is with us! On all sides clubs are trying
to k e e p down t h e r a v a g e s of this turf disease. Many are using various
control m e t h o d s which a r e successful but which add a g r e a t deal to
t h e cost, both in m a t e r i a l s and labor, of course maintainence. O t h e r
clubs which have little money and hence cannot afford expensive
control measures merely live with t h e hope t h a t they will be s p a r e d .
The key to this question of how much longer we a r e to be
bothered with this disease lies with us on t h e golf courses. It is we
who must experiment with all t h e f a c t o r s which may enter into this
disease in all its aspects. W e must note all conditions, all fertilizers
used, a m o u n t of w a t e r , t e m p e r a t u r e , humidity, and t h e evident
effect of each on a m o u n t of brown-patch. W e must be r e a d y at all
times to r e a d and observe, and try out someone else's ideas on our
own courses. W e must be r e a d y and glad to benefit by any results
f o u n d by experimentation at W a s h i n g t o n and by t h e experiment
stations.
Have you r e a d Dr. Monteith's article in t h e May issue of t h e
Green Section " B u l l e t i n " ? Have you decided it might be worth while
possibly to experiment a little with lime?
Each y e a r should bring us all new knowledge. Let us work f o r
it, and learn with open m i n d s !

\

NEWSLETTER
BROWSING IN BROWN-PATCH
J u s t why t h e editor asked me to w r i t e
a b o u t B r o w n - P a t c h I c a n ' t imagine, unless it was because I was able to h e a r
long discussions on t h e s u b j e c t a t t h e
Green Section M e e t i n g in New York
and a t t h e National G r e e n k e e p e r ' s Convention, as well as elsewhere.
I am
q u i t e f r a n k to a d m i t t h a t I listened to
it a l l — t o o k n o t e s — s t u d i e d it all over
a n d w h e n I got t h r o u g h I f e l t t h a t I
had l e a r n e d this:—perhaps t h e use of
s u l p h a t e of a m m o n i a has been overdone—perhaps if we used lime (the
a m o u n t not specified) it would help,
b u t m i g h t b r i n g in clover—perhaps if we
c a r r i e d t h e g r e e n s a little bit " h u n g r y "
and perhaps if we used a little m o r e
complete f e r t i l i z e r t h a t this disease
would n o t t r o u b l e us so much. You
see, w h e n I w e n t to these m e e t i n g s I
k n e w I did n o t know much a b o u t the
s u b j e c t ; a n d when I c a m e back I knew
t h a t t h e r e w e r e o t h e r s " i n t h e same
boat."
So this S p r i n g we s t a r t e d w o r k i n g
a l o n g proven lines and as usual used
a little lime on o u r g r e e n s , depended
on an a n i m a l f e r t i l i z e r , not too rich in
n i t r o g e n ; and we used a r s e n a t e of lead
a s we did last y e a r . Possibly we have
k e p t t h e g r e e n s a trifle " h u n g r y " this
y e a r . To a g r e a t e x t e n t we have done
a w a y with o u r night w a t e r i n g ; but we
have

sprayed

often,

early

and

THOMAS O'LEARY.

late,

u s i n g a t r a d e p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e control of B r o w n - P a t c h .
So f a r we have had no signs of
Brown-patch except on u n s p r a y e d portion of the n u r s e r y and on one or two
tees. Maybe by the t i m e you r e a d this
we will be p l a s t e r e d with i t ; b u t somehow I have lost some of my f e a r of t h e
disease, a l t h o u g h we a r e always on the
w a t c h and our s p r a y e r is in good working o r d e r !
C A R L T O N E.

very good success in g e t t i n g the g r e e n s
back into shape in t h r e e or f o u r days.
L a s t y e a r I was j u s t a b o u t to p u t on a
heavy top-dressing, in f a c t I had one
g r e e n finished, w h e n we w e r e hit by
brown-patch, a n d t h e top-dressed g r e e n
escaped it all t o g e t h e r . The top-dressing consisted of a cubic y a r d (a t h i r d
loam, a t h i r d sand, and a third h u m u s )
a n d twenty-five p o u n d s of s u l p h a t e . My
light t o p - d r e s s i n g consists of twelve
p o u n d s of s u l p h a t e and six p a i l s of sand
to a v e r a g e size g r e e n .
This y e a r I have had seven g r e e n s
top-dressed when we w e r e hit and those
seven have escaped it so f a r ; t h e o t h e r
two I p u t on a light t o p - d r e s s i n g imm e d i a t e l y and in f o u r or five days t h e y
w e r e back in good shape. I d o n ' t see
t h a t a n y of the o t h e r chemicals will do
much b e t t e r and t h e y a r e v e r y costly.
I a m of the opinion t h a t if you can
s t i m u l a t e the w e a k e n e d g r a s s immediately with t h e s u l p h a t e it will g e n e r a l l y
come back.
We were always told it was b e s t t o
r u n y o u r g r e e n s quite d r y d u r i n g b r o w n p a t c h season b u t I t h i n k it p o o r policy
to let t h e r o o t s of y o u r g r a s s g e t d r y
while in a w e a k e n e d condition a s n o t h ing will kill it a n y more quickly.

TREAT.

BROWN-PATCH CONTROL
F o r m a n y small clubs t h e e x p e n s e of
using the chemicals sold f o r p r e v e n t i o n
of b r o w n - p a t c h is too g r e a t ; hence o t h e r
methods of control m u s t be used, if
possible. I have n e v e r e x p e r i m e n t e d
with a n y chemicals a t all so f a r . My
only t r e a t m e n t is a light top-dressing
with s u l p h a t e of a m m o n i a . I have had

BROWN-PATCH COMMENT
F r a n k Wilson says, " I have used
Nu-Green a t the r a t e of one pound to
fifty gallons of w a t e r , u s i n g one pound
to a g r e e n , sprayed on a t a p r e s s u r e of
t h r e e h u n d r e d pounds as a p r e v e n t a t i v e .
We have had two light a t t a c k s of l a r g e
brown-patch which we have combatted
with t w o to f o u r pounds of Nu-Green
to a g r e e n according to the size. We
w a t e r in the m o r n i n g and t r y to h a v e
t h e g r e e n s as d r y as possible over
night."
R o b e r t Mitchell a t Kernwood h a s
f o u n d t h a t corrosive s u b l i m a t e used f o r
w o r m s in May seems to conti'ol t h e small
b r o w n - p a t c h in J u n e .
T h e H a n s e n s have had good r e s u l t s
t r e a t i n g with T u r f c a l o m e l f o r both l a r g e
and small b r o w n - p a t c h . T h e y t h i n k t h e y
have f o u n d t h a t t h e r e is a d i r e c t connection b e t w e e n t h e disease and the use
of s u l p h a t e of a m m o n i a .

NEWSLETTER
Clif S o w e r b y is u s i n g S e m e s a n f o r
control a t Marlboro, a n d both Tom Galvin a t Rhode Island and Mike O ' G r a d y
a t New B e d f o r d have used this compound as a p r e v e n t a t i v e on t h e g r e e n s
w h e r e t h e y had b r o w n - p a t c h last y e a r .
J o h n L a t v i s is u s i n g corrosive sublim a t e a t T a t n u c k f o r control.
J o h n S h a n a h a n is u s i n g Calogreen,
a b o u t f o u r b a r r e l s of solution to a
green.
It seems t h a t all of the well-known
c o m p o u n d s f o r b r o w n - p a t c h control a r e
b e i n g used with success.

THRIFT,

HORATIO

Among the illuminating experiences
t h a t come to t h e g r e e n s k e e p e r on a
course w h e r e work is p l e n t y a n d dollars
f e w is t h e r e m a r k o f t e n m a d e to him
by m e m b e r s passing in t h e i r play, " I
played t h e S w a n s d o w n Course y e s t e r day. I t w a s in w o n d e r f u l s h a p e — g r e e n s
like v e l v e t . " If t h e g r e e n s k e e p e r is a
wise m a n , as of course all g r e e n s k e e p e r s
are, he will smile genially a n d say, "Yes,
I played t h a t t w o weeks ago. I t is a
fine course and in t o p s h a p e . " P e r h a p s
t h e m e m b e r will come back with, " T h e y
had g r e a t piles of black stuff n e a r all
t h e g r e e n s . D o n ' t you t h i n k some of
t h a t would do o u r g r e e n s g o o d ? " The
g r e e n s k e e p e r , a wise m a n , as of course
all g r e e n k e e p e r s should be, allows it
would, b u t s u g g e s t s t h a t it costs a lot
of money. H e knows t h a t t h e course in
o ^ e s t i o n employes t h r e e men to his one
and spends t e n times as much money.
Some day he m a y have a chance to
explain this to the i n t e r e s t e d m e m b e r ,
b u t not now.
It is my j o b in this r o u n d table monologue to speak a word f o r t h e g r e e n s k e e p e r on a course w h e r e m e m b e r s like
to play on velvet g r e e n s well mowed a n d
w a t e r e d , well weeded, well fertilized,
but w h e r e money is n o t a b u n d a n t . Circ u m s t a n c e s in the shape of wishes of
m e m b e r s and c o m m i t t e e s o f t e n compel
him to do t h e t h i n g s he o u g h t n o t to do,
a n d leave u n d o n e t h e t h i n g s he should
have done. H e must evolve f o r himself

a w o r k i n g compromise between t h e desires of t h e p l a y e r s and t h e f u n d a m e n t a l
needs of t h e coui'se. As he mows, clips,
rakes, clears up, p a t c h e s sod, and busies
himself and his men a b o u t t h e w o r k
necessary to m a k e his course p r e s e n t a ble to t h e eye and playable to t h e ball,
he m a y be o f t e n disheartened as he realizes the weeds a r e i n v a d i n g his g r e e n s ,
his n u r s e r y bed is g e t t i n g a w a y f r o m
him, his e x p e r i m e n t a l plots a r e not receiving the a t t e n t i o n t h e y need. E v e r y t ' m e he goes a r o u n d t h e course he sees
m a n y t h i n g s t h a t need doing. He is
a w a r e of the f a c t t h a t m a n y of these
he m a y be o f t e n d i s h e a r t e n e d as he realt h i n g s nobody ever notices b u t himself.
T h a t is but s c a n t s a t i s f a c t i o n when he
knows t h a t f r o m t h i s neglect t h e course
will s u f f e r more t h e next y e a r t h a n it
will this.
Brother greenskeeper, determine for
yourself w h a t you consider the most
f u n d a m e n t a l n e e d s of t h e course in
y o u r care. Spend as much time as possible on those needs, k n o w i n g t h e r e will
be s u r e and i n c r e a s i n g r e t u r n s with
e v e r y y e a r . Spend w h a t t i m e is necess a r y to m a k e t h e course p r e s e n t a b l e and
playable. Y o u r r e w a r d will be a n easy
mind and s w e e t sleep o' nights.
Best of all, i n c o n s i d e r a t e m e m b e r s
and c o m m i t t e e s a r e t h e r a r e exception.
Y o u r e f f o r t s will be a p p r e c i a t e d and a n
occasional r e m a r k f r o m a m e m b e r t h a t
y o u r g r e e n s a r e t h e best in t h e section
b a r r i n g none, will a s s u r e you y o u r w o r k
is worthwhile.
D A N I E L C. S N O W .

KITTANSETT LOAM BAKER
T h e loam and compost b a k e r a t Kitt a n s e t t is twelve f e e t long by six f e e t
wide. T h e r e a r e side walls on one side
and b o t h ends, a b o u t e i g h t e e n inches
high; t h e o t h e r side is l e f t open to f e e d
the wood to t h e fire. On one end t h e r e
is a small stack f o r s m o k e ; this can be
m a d e of brick or some old iron pipe. I
have t h r e e pieces of r a i l r o a d iron r u n n i n g lengthwise to hold up sheet iron
w h e r e t h e loam is baked.
The loam is placed on this sheet iron
a b o u t f o u r to six inches deep, and is

NEWSLETTER
k e p t t u r n e d so as to bake t h o r o u g h l y .
W h e n the loam is too hot to hold in the
hand it is shoveled f r o m t h e b a k e r into
t h e r o t a r y screen. With a good fire it
generally takes f r o m twenty minutes
to a half h o u r f o r one baking.
F i f t e e n dollars would cover t h e expense of c o n s t r u c t i o n of b a k e r . Two
men in a d a y ' s b a k i n g would bake f r o m
f o u r to five cubic y a r d s a day.
I have t a k e n a sample box of loam
t h a t was not baked and a sample t h a t
w a s baked, both f r o m t h e same pile, a n d
k e p t both samples m o i s t ; t h e sample
t h a t w a s not baked p r o d u c e d w e e d s
which t h e baked sample did not.
It h a s been said t h a t b a k e d loam
loses its goodness. I have t a k e n a sample
f r o m b a k e r t h a t was baked until it was
burnt, a n d a s a m p l e of u n b a k e d

loam,

p l a n t e d g r a s s seed in both, a n d if anyt h i n g g r a s s came up first in sample t h a t
was b u r n t .
Elliot D. Pierce.

We a r e s o r r y to r e p o r t t h a t T o m
F a h e y m e t with a serious accident this
p a s t m o n t h while w o r k i n g on his course.
We a r e very glad to learn however t h a t
he is daily improving, and hope he will
be with us soon.
Carl T r e a t has been b u i l d i n g a new
tool house this Spring.
T h e J u l y m e e t i n g was held with Mike
O ' G r a d y a t New B e d f o r d . A r o u n d
t a b l e discussion w a s held b e f o r e lunch
on several g r e e n k e e p i n g problems. You
a r e to receive some of the points
b r o u g h t out in this discussion in this
and f u t u r e Newsletters. In t h e golf
competition held in t h e a f t e r n o o n T o m
Galvin and his n e p h e w s cleaned up the
n e t prizes and Ed. P h i n n e y won first
gross. We w e r e glad to n o t e t h a t t h e
course was in fine shape, and we w e r e
especially glad to see the very e v i d e n t
c o o p e r a t i o n which exists b e t w e e n t h e
officers a n d employees of t h e club. I t
would be a fine t h i n g f o r all clubs if
t h e r e was such cooperation
between
t h e i r v a r i o u s employees and t h e club
officials!

DEMONSTRATION

TURF

GARDENS

T h e plots a r e steadily improving, a n d
considering the f a c t t h a t t h e y w e r e
p l a n t e d S e p t e m b e r 16 on a witch g r a s s
sod land which was plowed b u t thi'ee
days b e f o r e p l a n t i n g , show some rem a r k a b l e results, and do not c o m p a r e
u n f a v o r a b l y with the plots a t A m h e r s t
which w e r e p l a n t e d a b o u t a m o n t h earlier.
In o u r optional row we n o w h a v e
Seaside b e n t stolons f r o m K i t t a n s e t t ,
K e r n w o o d Velvet b e n t stolons, c r e e p i n g
b e n t stolons, and C a n a d a Velvet b e n t
seed.
The Chewings f e s c u e plot w a s a b o u t
half killed out by small b r o w n - p a t c h
d u r i n g t h e last of J u n e . L a r g e b r o w n p a t c h also occured on W a s h i n g t o n a n d
M e t r o p o l i t a n b e n t stolons. The o t h e r
plots w e r e f r e e f r o m b r o w n - p a t c h .
In t h e f e r t i l i z e r plots on South Germ a n b e n t the 12-6-4 r a n k s best with
6-12-4 second. The plots with S e w a g e
sludge and plots with p o u l t r y m a n u r e
seem to be c a t c h i n g up with t h e b e s t
plots, altho the S u l p h a t e of a m m o n i a
is third a t this time.
The J u n e application of 12-6-4, 6-124, a m m o n i u m sulphate, and a m m o n i u m
p h o s p h a t e b u r n e d the grass. This inj u r e d g r a s s w a s w a t e r e d heavily a n d
the i n j u r y w a s g o n e in a week's t i m e .
T h e b u r n of a m m o n i u m
phosphate
seemed to set back the grass.
The lead a r s e n a t e plots a r e still p o o r er t h a n the checks.
The f a i r w a y s plots which a r e w a t e r e d
a r e much b e t t e r t h a n t h e u n w a t e r e d
plots.
On weed control the f e r t i l i z e r plots
which have the t h i c k e s t t u r f have t h e
f e w e s t weeds. The check plots a r e v e r y
weedy, as a r e t h e lime and a m m o n i u m
sulphate, and t h e bone meal plots.
F R A N K H. W I L S O N , J R .
W h a t effect h a s lime on y o u r g r e e n s ?
Do you t h i n k t h a t night w a t e r i n g will
give you m o r e b r o w n - p a t c h ?
How a b o u t a m m o n i u m s u l p h a t e and
its connection with this disease?