April 1960
The April meeting will be held April 4, 1960 at the Waltham Field Station.
Directors Meeting
Business Meeting
Lunch
Educational Program

9:30 - 10:00
10:30 - 11:30
12:00
1:00 - 3:00

The Guest Speaker will be Van Bredakis from Athens, Greece. Mr. Bredakis is
currently a student at University of Mass., majoring in turf, for his PHD. He
graduated from University of Athens with B.S. &. M.S., and University of Mass. with
B.S. & M.S. in shrubs and turf. His topic at our meeting will be "The Effect of
Height of Gut on Top and Root Growth Development and the Effect of Different Kinds
of Fertilization."
The first full week of March certainly was a busy one but also a very informative one.
Monday: we were in Waltham for our monthly meeting. The American Agricultural Chemical Company was represented by Pat Pasqualucci and Dr. Siberly. They
showed us a motion picture on lawn fertilization and renovation. They also discussed and showed us a sample of their new granular complete fertilizer.
With the development of the new roto-type spreaders, and granular complete
fertilizers, we should be able to fertilize our fairways much faster, easier, and
cheaper.
The National Chemsearch Corp was represented by Robert Jacobs and William
Wessling who explained the Compact Dart Power Sprayer.
A sprayer of this type certainly has many advantages not only for spraying
chemicals but also for emergency watering and for use as a pump.
The complete Dart Power Sprayer complete with pump and B&S engine hoses, etc.
sells for approximately $350.00
Tuesday: Area Supts. were invited to the Irrigation Clinic at Motel 128 in
Dedhamj we were the guests of the Clapper Company. "Automation in Irrigation", was
the timely topic. This clinic was indeed well presented and covered all phases of
irrigation.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Why a Fairway Irrigation System
Brief Discussion of Equipment Used
Fundamentals of Irrigation Design and Selection of
Pipe & Pipe Systems
Selection & Utilization of Pumps
Advantages of Automation and Conversion of Systems
for Automation
An Installing Contractor's Point of View

- 2 -

Wednesday:

Back to Work

Thursday and Friday: The Annual Fine Turf Conference Program at the University
of Massachusetts. This was a great success. There were 330 registered and many
more in attendance. The members of our Association who participated in the program
certainly were a credit to our Association. The highlights of the Banquet were:
the Presentation of G.C.S.A.A. Certificate of Scholarship Award by Dr. Gene C.
Nutter, Editor and Director of G.C.S.A.A., the Presentation of Honorary Memberships in Turf Management Club, the Graduation Exercises of Winter School for Turf
Managers and Awarding of Diplomas.
Dr. Jesse DeFrance was our Banquet Speaker-his topic, "My Thirty Years in Turf"
was certainly well presented and intensively received. We are indeed fortunate in
having "The Doc" in our area.
Yes, the week was busy but well worth the effort.
"Things don't turn up in thi3 world until somebody turns them up."...Garfield
Punishment Fits Crime
A Long Island (N.Y.) youth was arrested for damaging two lawns with his car.
The judge allowed him two weeks to "diligently repair the lawns with his own hands."
The result to determine his sentence.
With Vandalism on golf courses increasing at such a rapid rate what better
punishment for vandals if they are apprehended, than to spend a few days repairing
the damage they have done, and their results to determine their sentence.

I would like to appeal for subject matter for the Newsletter at this time,
this bulletin is for everyone and if anyone has something they would like published
please send it to the editor.
"Those who dare to teach or lead must never cease to learn."
Whose Fault?
When a boss calls men "accident Prone," he's forgotten some faults of his own:
Doesn't need to complain
If he'll take time to train.
SPRING NOTES
Many sections of the Northeastern United States have had heavy snow and rainfall during the past winter and above normal precipitation has continued so far
into the Spring months, consequently many golf courses in these areas have supersaturated soils in some of their greens and fairways.
Each course has its own specific problems and the solutions of these problems
rests mainly on the shoulders of the superintendent. It is our intent here to
point out some of our observations over a period of years which may be of some help
in the solution of these problems.

- 3 -

(1) Excessive winter or spring rainfall may restrict root growth, resulting
in shallow roots of turf grasses. Compaction may result, also poorly drained
areas suffer most.
(2) Poa annua is often more favorably influenced than the bents and other
permanent grasses, and an increase in Poa annua population usually results.
(3) If root systems are shallow and turf is weakened, disease incidence
(particularly dollarspot) could be accelerated.
(4) Fertilizer and fungicide programs should be carefully reviewed with
emphasis on timing of applications.
Some suggested procedures to minimize damages
(1) Encourage root depth through cultivation and thatch removal to keep the
surface open for better water penetration.
(2)

Fertilize adequately but not excessively in the spring.

(3) Step up fungicide applications to a preventive program during the dollarspot season. Infrequent light applications may prove costly in the long run.
(4) Keep your mowers sharp and in top cutting condition, especially during
the Poa annua season. Spring is a trying time for equipment. Mower blades are
nicked by foreign obstacles hidden in the soft turf or missed during spring cleanup. Because of the nature of Poa annua seedheads, they are difficult to mow
cleanly, and sharp mowers are essential to a clean, smooth playing surface.
(5) If winter and spring play are heavy, more frequent top dressing may be
necessary to true-up the putting surfaces on some greens.
(6)
Working parts of tractor motors and other small equipment will overheat
when covered with seedheads and clippings.
(7) Mark areas that retain water for excessive periods and improve drainage
when time permits.
Enclosed on separate sheets is an article on Poisons. I am reproducing it as
I feel we should all have a copy in our office. Also we should have the name of
THE POISON INFORMATION CENTER and the phone number and address of this center at
our immediate disposal. In the Worcester area that number is:
POISON INFORMATION SERVICE
WORCESTER CITY HOSPITAL
SWIFT 9-7094
Just in case you do have an incident be sure to tell the doctor or the hospital just what the poison is so that they quickly determine the antidote. Time is
the essence in such case3 and delay could be fatal.
In the New England area there are approximately 230 golf courses and in our
Association there are only 130 members. Why the small percentage of members?

_ 4 -

I think the main reason is the lack of good speakers at our meetings discussing
fields interesting and related to our work. A year or so ago I heard a speaker
discuss Social Security, this I found very interesting. More lectures on this and
similar topics would be a positive factor in increasing our membership. I for one,
am tired of hearing about crabgrass, poa annua, etc., etc., unless of course something new develops. Let's avoid monotonous repetition in the future.
A good, well-known speaker would get the publicity we so badly need, especially
in the Boston newspapers.
An excellent model for us to follow is the annual P.G.A. dinner which is a
sellout every year. As well as being an educational association, we should have a
social affair similar to the P.G.A. dinner which would be open to our wives and
friends. An affair of this kind would do a lot to develop an active membership.
We have an adequate treasury, which could be used to finance this affair and having
a dinner with our Chairman, President, and members of our club present will go a
long way towards getting recognition.
In an attempt to pinpoint the reasons for the low percentage of members, we
could appoint a committee to visit non-member Supts. and find out first hand their
reasons for not joining. An active association is a strong association.
Let's try to make the N.E.G.C.S.A. attractive and beneficial to all.
Ernie

Wolfgang

The ideals and opinions expressed in the subject matter of the Newsletter are
not necessarily those of the Editor or the members of the Association as a whole.
April 4, 1960 - Waltham Field Station our last indoor meeting. Let's all go
and give our new educational chairman a break also our association treasury, for
when only a few attend a planned meeting and a guarantee for lunch is made and less
than the amount guaranteed arrive, the deficit is paid from the treasury.
See you at Waltham
The Editor - Dick Blake