F E B R U A R Y 1968

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C o u r s e
O F

Golf Course Superintendents
Association of M a i n e

S u p e r i n t e n d e n t s
N E W

E N G L A N D ,

^ M s & o c i a t i o n
I N C

Golf Course Superintendents
Association of N e w

Hampshire

Sponsors a n d administrators of the Lawrence S. Dickinson Scholarship Fund
A w a r d e d yearly to deserving Turf M a n a g e m e n t Students.

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CONFERENCE

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Even if you have to harness up Tom and Jerry, don't forget to
attend the 39th Annual Fine Turf Conference, March 6, 7, 8, I968
at the W h i t e House Inn, Chicopee, Massachusetts.

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Superintendents

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CONFERENCE ISSUE

THE OTHER ORVILLE

I would like to welcome the G.C.S.A. of
Maine and the G.C.S.A. of New Hampshire to our expanding Newsletter. Two
years ago the G.C.S.A. of New England
was mailing out about 150 Newsletters, now,
beginning this month we will be reaching
approximately 500 Superintendents, Dealers
and many club Presidents and Greenschairmen
of New England.
Many of our own difficulties can be overcome through this "united newsletter." I am
sure that many of our members and subscribers have problems, too. Why not write a letter
to the editor expressing your views on different concepts of turf management. Maybe we
could arrange a question and answer column
for this purpose.
Our deep sympathies are extended to the
families of Mr. Carlton Treat and Mr. Frank
(Sandy) Hammond. Mr. Hammond was associated with the Unicorn Golf Club for many
years before retiring.
Carlton Treat was superintendent at the
Woodlawn Golf Club for 13 years and retired superintendent at the Mountclair Golf
Club in New Jersey. He was also one of the
founders of the "Greenskeepers Club of New
England" in 1924.

Orville Wright? Yah . . . he was pretty
good. But we here in the land of machines
that fly over greens and fairways, have our
own Orville. And . . . he's pretty good, too.

PRIZE PR MAN
Gerry Finn, public relations director for
the New England Golf Course Superintendents
Association, has been named a winner in the
national Brunswick-McGregor golf writing
contest.
This is the third time in the past six years
that Finn has earned such an honor. The
record number of entries was screened by the
University of Illinois School of Journalism
staff and selected by members after close study
of content and style.
Finn won for his description of Charley
Sifford's victory in the $100,000 Greater Hartford Open at Wethersfield, Conn. He received 1100 for his prize-winning story.

NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the G.C.S.A. of New
England will be February 5, 1968 at the
Holiday Inn, Grove Street exit (128), Newton,
Mass.
Directors' Meeting
10:15 a . m .
Regular Meeting
11:00 a. m.
Dinner
12:15 sharp
Educational Program
1:15 p . m .
I wish to extend an invitation to all the
members of the N. E. Associations to attend
this educational program. The speaker will
be the provocative Allen H. Morgan, Executive Vice President of the Massachusetts
Audubon Society. His topic will be: "Air and
Water Pollution: Population Pressure and the
Expanding Suburbia."

Blue Hills Has New Super
January 11, 1968
John Smith has .taken over the Superintendent's reins at the 27-hole Blue Hill Country Club, in Canton, Mass.
"Jack" is a native of Holyoke. He took his
placement training in the art and science of
turf management at the Longmeadow Country
Club. Mr. Smith is a product of the Stockbridge class of 1958. He was formerly Superintendent at the Holyoke and Indian Ridge
Country Clubs. Jack is happily married. Mrs.
Smith is a school teacher and they have two
children.

There's only one Orville among us, that
distinguished son of the sod — Orville O.
Clapper who has joined hands with the golf
course superintendent in a successful growing
cycle from the pushcart to the propeller era.
Orville's been in the golf supply business
for 45 years. A distinguished-looking pleasant
gentleman, he looks like he just stepped out
of the United States Senate chambers. What's
more, he does that bit even better since he
says something when he opens his mouth,
gggj.
The transition of the
superintendent from unrecognized common laborer to the high-rising
position of professional
man is part of the Orville
Clapper
success
story. His father, John
S. Clapper, was one of
the founders of the Toro
Company. "Of course",
quips
Orville,
"Toro
has to be at the top of our line. But
we're interested in anything which will advance the game, condition-wise and ease the
burden of the superintendent in the process.
We are very close relatives in that respect."
Orville came to New England from Minneapolis where his father pioneered the first
mechanical aid in lawn mowing. Dad designed
a rig which was pushed by a tractor. From
there the mechanized means took over and
some of the back-breaking aspects of care
and beautification of the golf course were
eliminated.
Orville likens the evolution of equipment
to that of the state of the superintendent.
"Everything seemed to progress in an orderly
manner", he recalls. "I remember when the
leader of the grounds crew, the man who was
paid a few more cents an hour, was referred
to as the boss. From there the position
slicked up somewhat with the term 'greenskeeper.' Now with the creation of 'superintendent' the job is taking on new and well
deserved attention. And, through it all, we
must remember the contributions to society
these dedicated men (superintendents) have
made. In effect, through their determined
fight to gain proper recognition, they have
created a new profession."
The new look on the golf course has followed this drive by the superintendents. More
and more young men are now looking to the
profession as an opportunity to further themselves both financially and morally. The interest has caused a revolution in education where
many universities and colleges have added
degree-earning divisions to their makeup.
Orville is especially impressed with this
gain. "I have seen some big steps taken by
the superintendents", he tells. "I mention the
transfer of purchasing responsibility from the
greens chairman to the superintendent, the
amazing increase in budgets which are now
five times greater than they were 30 years ago
and the general uplifting of the public's acceptance of this work as a science. Now with
the educational factor added to these, it remains only for the men, themselves, to continue striving for bigger things."
There is a little of the soap box in this beloved man. " I know a lot of the boys won't

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
January 10, 1968
After having just recently encountered the
episode of being interviewed for other positions as a golf course superintendent, I feel
that we, as an association are sorely behind
the times in this respect. We are not only
behind the times individually, but also professionally as an association. Only when and
if we, as individuals (Golf Course Superintendents) and as an association, can be fully
informed as to each others position at his club,
can we then become known as professional
turf-grass managers. Greens chairmen from
any club can acquire figures concerning your
position at your club at any time. This is a
proven fact. Many times these figures do not
portray the full picture, nor include all fringe
benefits.
On the basis that the chairmen can acquire
these figures of surrounding clubs, why can't
we (the golf course superintendent) have the
true factual figures at our finger tips? This
can only be accomplished if you would be
willing to discuss budgetary operations openly and maybe end up filing your position with
your fringe benefits with our association. With
this factual information on file, you will have
the proper knowledge of compensations in
a particular area at all times.
Keeping your payroll figures to yourselves
will only continue to keep you in the dark,
will continue to hold the entire field back,
with very slow progress financially and professionally.
It has taken many years of education
through association, that ended the old antic
of keeping the knowledge of growing turf a
secret, by the old timers. Consequently today,
green thumb secrets are non-existent and
every superintendent is willing to help one
another, in any phase of turf-grass management.
Unless we meet this challenge, we will be
guilty of progressing too slowly . . . ADVANCE PROFESSIONALLY!
Anthony B. Caranci, Jr.
President
C H R I S T M A S PARTY TO BE STUDIED

The GCSA of New England prexy appointed a study committee to seek out the pros and
cons of continuing the annual Christmas
party.
It was divulged at the last business meeting that only 19 Association members attended this gala affair. The other seekers of
Christmas cheer were guests of the Superintendents and Friends of the Association.
The Study Committee will look into the,
matter of possibly having the Ladies' Night
in the spring. Robert Grant, Lucien Duval and
Leon V. St. Pierre will meet to study the
above matter.
agree with me", he laughs. But I'm a firm
believer in the possible two-shift program of
the future. I can see a day crew and a night
crew with assistant superintendents for each
and a golf course manager overlooking the
entire picture. We're going to become a
streamlined outfit, more modern than we ever
dreamed it could be."
Orville 0 . Clapper and the golf course
superintendent. They're two of a kind. They
are the backbone of a particular form of
progress. They're inseparable.
Gerry Finn

Golf Course Superintendents of New Hampshire

PRESIDENT'S
MESSAGE

Robert

Sincerely,
Robert Flanagan
President

pre-

(right)

his two years as president of
the

THE FIRST PRESIDENT
After two energetic years, William Barrett,
superintendent of Portsmouth Country Club,
is stepping down from the presidency of the
New Hampshire Golf Course Superintendents
Association. As the first president of the association he is highly commended by his peers
for being a true leader in the establishment
and growth of the two-year-old organization.
William Barrett's enthusiasm and devotion
have helped the association develop from its
infancy to a group eighty members strong.
Under his able leadership the New Hampshire
Golf Course Superintendents Association has
become chartered and corporated, affiliated
with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, and has established a turf
research fund. Even of greater significance is
his guidance of this group of New Hampshire
superintendents united in a tight bond of
friendship and brotherhood.

Winter Twig Tells Health of a T r e e
T r e e s in winter have helpful hints for
the arborist to observe and interpret.
T h e length of twig growth, the color
of bark, the size and health of buds all
have meaning. By reading these signs,
serious trouble can be avoided at a later
date, reports D r . Philip Rusden, a scientist of the Bartlett T r e e Research
Laboratories.
A twig in dormant condition can divulge a whole series of events that may
have taken place over a period of years,
says D r . Rusden. A tree's health is generally normal if the distance between
bud scars f r o m year to year is uniform.
A tree indicates unhealthy life if the
distance between bud scars becomes progressively shorter denoting that the twig
is making less and less growth each year.
T h e size and fullness of a winter bud
reveal the current state of the. tree's"
health. A shriveled bud is a tip-off that
something has happened to the twig or

(l»ft)

with a plaque commemorating

With the expansion, rebuilding, and rapidly
growing number of golf courses today, superintendents have found it necessary to form
individual state associations. Although this
is certainly beneficial for us to work and
meet closely with our neighbor superintendents within the states, there has been a rift,
a noticeable lack of communication between
the state associations as the individual organizations have become closely knit.
Therefore, it is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that the New Hampshire Association
joins with the New England and Maine Associations in the publication of the Newsletter.
By sharing ideas and area news we can open
the channel to better communication between
the states. It seems unfortunate that in order
to have a strong interstate organization, one
must have weakened intrastate communication.
Perhaps this mutual effort put forth in contributing to the Newsletter will help lead us
to a clearer understanding and mutual respect
which in turn will be instrumental in accomplishing our many goals.

Flanagan,

sents William Barrett,

branch, or even the corresponding root
below ground. Examine buds of two
trees of the same variety. O n one the
buds may be fat, shiny, waxy and firm.
O n the other, weaker tree, the buds will
be smaller in size, dull and less numerous.
Examine the bark of a twig, suggests
D r . Philip Rusden. Pimple-like eruptions or a perculiar spotting, he says,
may be due to a fungus that has penetrated the living tissues. If the signs
indicate your tree is unthrifty, search
for the cause. Something may have happened to cause the tree to become weakened all at once, or the decline in vigor
may be progressive.
Previous storm injury, damage to
roots, malnutrition, the invasion of borers and bark beetles, or internal diseases,
or the effect of leaf-eating insects and
leaf-destroying fungi may be among the
causes.
— Mass. Audubon Society

N.H.S.C.S.A.

January Meeting
The annual meeting was held at the Highway Hotel in Concord, on January 9, 1968,
and the following were elected to office:
President
— Robert Flanagan, Cochecho
Country Club, Dover, N. H.
Vice-President — Leonard Chace, Charmingfare Links, Candia, N. H.
Secretary — Robert Hale, Kingswood Country
Club, Wolfeboro, N. H.
Treasurer — Ronald Palmer, Plausawa Valley
Country Club, Concord, N. H.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
George Hauschel, Rockingham Country Club,
Newmarket, N. H.
Charles Pullen, Nashua Country Club, Nashua,
N. H.
Lyle Cheney, Bald Peak Colony Club, Melvin
Village, N. H.
Roland LaChance, Beaver Meadow Country
Club, Concord, N. H.
Donald Bye, Province Lake Country Club,
East Wakefield, N. H.
Joel McKone from Sawtelle Company was
guest speaker. His informative discussion included tips on the safety, maintenance, and
repair of golf cars.

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held at our winter
headquarters, the Highway Hotel, Concord,
February 13, 1968.
Directors' Meeting
10:00 a . m .
Regular Meeting
11:00 a . m .
Dinner
12:15 p . m .
Educational Program
1:15 p . m .
Mr. Bruce Vickory from the Connell Company will deliver the educational portion of
the program, speaking on the repair and maintenance of small engines. Don't miss this one
and feel free to bring the men from the shop.
PROXY
VOTES
Members of the National are reminded to
bring their Proxy votes to this meeting so that
they can be sent in.

Golf C o u r s e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t s of Maine

December Meeting

IN THIS ISSUE the Maine Association welcomes its opportunity to contribute to the enlarged Newsletter. While we have much to
contribute, mailing of the Newsletter to our
membership gives us the better half of the
bargain, so to speak, as we are confident that
this increase in communication will help break
down our isolation from the mainstream of
thought in golf course management and superintendent association concepts and principles.
After an earlier attempt to form a Maine
Association failed because a good number of
leading superintendents moved "South" — a
common occurrence here — a new effort was
made during 1964 with bylaws drawn and
officers elected. A slow start seemed further
hampered by a lack of clearly defined principles and purposes plus the great geographical separation of superintendents. A very helpful move was affiliation with GCSA America
which put us in touch with the outside world
for the first time. As more members have held
office or participated in Association business,
it is clear that the Association is going to live,
is growing, and groping positively for its principles and purposes. The surface has hardly
been scratched, however, and we have a long
way to go to develop Maine GCSA to contribute effectively to turf and golf course management, to increase the estimate of worth of
the superintendent among golfers, and to influence golf itself within the state.

CURRENT OFFICERS

The December meeting was held at Howard
Johnson's restaurant in South Portland on the
14th. Ken Turner of Alfco Rokeby Chemical
Co. was the speaker and reviewed the use of
chemicals in golf course management, especially for disease, insect and weed control. What
with severe disease conditions of last year,
there was plenty of interest in the subject and
a lot to talk about.

January Meeting

The January 10th meeting was held in the
same place, and Burt Anderson, as retiring
program chairman, placed himself as main
speaker and attempted to give an historical
perspective of the Association to bring into
focus its present status and help point the way
into the future. Member response clearly indicated that the desirability of strengthening
our Association is strongly held, and there
appears a greater willingness to participate
in shaping the Association future. Preliminary
discussion about putting in a booth in the
Portland Flower Show was held.

While it is the responsiblity of the Maine
editor to keep our page filled each month, contributions from the membership will be most
welcome. Some of the best items are inventive
management techniques or devices, and it is
quite likely that northern course management
problems have been met with novel techniques
that would be of interest to all readers. The
editor would be pleased to get copy of such
or other items from the members.

1967

MAINE WEATHER SUMMARY
Winter was considered about average for
the state with northern uplands being covered with snow by November 10 and coastal
regions by December 20, 1966. Temperatures
were not extreme, and those who persist in
planting forsythias and peach tress in the
Augusta area did see some blossoms above the
snow line this spring. Snow disappeared by
late March on the coast to mid-April in central regions and during May up north. Because of a very mild fall season, little frost
got into the ground before snow cover occurred. As a result frost was out of the ground
before the snow left and a severe snow mold
outbreak occurred. Since most greens are not
protected by fall applications of fungicides,
there was a lot of snow mold throughout the
state. Kill of green's turf through desiccation
did not occur, as usual, because of a long
duration of snow cover, but kill from ice
cover on annual bluegrass was about average,
but which would be high for Massachusetts.
It could be said that were Maine a major
golfing area, winter-kill on greens would have
been "discovered" long ago rather than just
a few years ago in the Chicago area.
In common with a trend that winters start
and finish later than they did formerly, the
spring season here was spectacularly late,
with cold and snow throughout April and
May. Precipitation was high greatly hampering maintenance operations for spring startup. Delayed opening of courses went far beyond the usual and golfers stayed home until
warmer times.

are listed as follows:

President, John Davis, Superintendent
Riverside Golf Course, Portland, Maine
Sec.-Treas. Ernest Hawkes, Superintendent
Gorham Country Club, Gorham, Maine

MAINE'S GOLF COURSES

Northern Maine Vice President, Austin Kelly,
Pro-Superintendent, Bangor Municpal Golf
Course, Bangor, Maine

The 1967 issue of "Golf in Maine" published by the Main^ State Golf Association
lists 87 standard golf courses within the state.
Of these, 65 are nine-hole courses, and considering current expansion and construction
there are or will be 20 eighteen-hole courses
and one of twenty-seven holes. Believe it or
not, there is one thirteen-hole (13) course on
Moosehead Lake at Mount Kineo that must
be reached by boat. An immediate glance at
the terrain, sneaked in between strikes while
fishing on the lake, convinces one that expansion to eighteen holes is not feasible.

Beginning with this issue the Newsletter
will be mailed first-class near the end of each
month to dues-paying members. For more
effective communication, mailing will go also
to Club presidents and green chairmen or
other appropriate management officials of golf
courses, be they owners or municipal officers.
Members are urged to file with the Secretary
the names and addresses of their Club presidents, green chairmen or other appropriate
officials so that this additional mailing may
occur. Mailing will also go to "Friends of the
Association" and to a few others concerned
with turf management.

There are at least 5 par-three courses within the state, and of the nine-hole courses, a
dozen are listed at less than 2500 yards. Most
of these courses are old and made for the
wooden-shafted club and "dead" ball but fit
in nicely with today's semi-regulation or executive course so favored by tourists and golfers of low skill. From this range course length
grades up to an average of 3000 to 3200 yards
or 6000 to 6200 yards for eighteen holes. Several new courses under construction are within this length range, definitely avoiding the
3400-3500 or 6800-7000 yard "championship"
length. The rolling land of most courses makes
them difficult to score as the flat Florida or
desert courses of "championship" length.

Southern Maine Vice President, Roger Lowell,
Superintendent, Dutch Elm Golf Course,
Arundel, Maine
Central Maine Vice President, Paul Browne,
Owner, Natanis Golf Club, Vassalboro, Me.

Summer was similar to that experienced in
southern New England and New Jersey. During July, Portland airport, like Atlantic City,
New Jersey, had 4 days of sunshine This trend
ameliorated during August and September,
but rainfall continued high hampering operations and quelling completely all talk of new
water systems to include fairway watering at
those courses that really need such new systems. Fortunately, temperatures ranged a few
degrees lower than in southern New England
so that disease outbreaks were far less severe
although more than average. Dollar spot broke
out eventually and persisted throughout a mild
September and October. Large brown patch
occurred several times—much above average,
as it usually occurs very infrequently or not
once in central and northern Maine. Generally
it was a humid summer, very typical and deplored by tourists, residents, and transplants
who rejoice over the usual continental summer weather.
As with southern New England, while the
averages show milder weather than usual,
early snowstorms occurred but snow cover did
not persist. Central Maine as well as the coast
had bare ground until December 28th when
the first good storm occurred. Usually this
area is covered by December 1-15. Light snow
persisted up north to help track deer in November, but not in southern Maine. There is
a fairly good frost penetration which may
indicate that snow mold outbreak will be
reduced next spring.

mmm
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Superintendents

-y^Siociation
O F

FEBRUARY,

N E W

E N G L A N D

1968

R E S E R V O I R A T MT. P L E A S A N T

DICK B L A K E P R O F I L E
Initiative, intelligence and personality — these ingredients
planted into another Winchester politician (a fellow named
Volpe is the other) have ganged up to make Dick Blake one
of the most well-known and respected Golf Course Superintendents in the country.
Blake at the still ambitious age of 38, is almost a legend in
his own territory of New England where he has skipped up
the ladder as newsletter editor, director and first vice-president
of the New England Golf Course Superintendents' Association.
It is on the national level where Blake is staking his next
claim. Come February and far off San Francisco, Dick will be
shooting for the vice-presidency of the National Association
(G C S A of America). His campaign will have solid direction
under the enthusiastic guide of Leon St. Pierre and Tony
Caranci — a couple of pretty successful vote-getters.
"My platform," Blake explains, "is a step in streamlining
the profession. I'm fighting for recognition of golf course
management as just that — an honorable profession, and I'd like
to see more emphasis placed on the educational as well as the
practical aspects of our work."
Blake's background is a steamroller of success. He came
out of Stockbridge School, University of Mass. 15 years ago,
bulging with ideas. H e put them to work starting with placement training at Concord C. C., then on to Salem C. C., went
on to Webb Brook, to Whitinsville and his present second
home, the Mt. Pleasant C. C., Boylston where he has made
playing conditions enjoyable for members since 1960.
On the civic front Dick outdoes himself. In the town of
Boylston he is chairman of the Conservation Commission, a
member of the Land Development Commission, and an elected
member of the Planning Board. He is active in Lions, Masons
and Shriners and his church, serving for several years on the
Stewardship Committee.
The chances of Blake coming back from the West Coast
as national vice-president are slightly more than remote. Two
years ago at Kansas City, Dick, nominated a Director from the
floor, won in a landslide, making him the first in the history
of the Association to win office under those conditions. Incidentally, Dick's metoric campaign then was handled by St. Pierre.
Blake, as noted before, is a pleasant combination of ambition and personality. Of the upcoming election, h e says, "my
opponent is a good man, from Ohio, but we're out to win."

Mt. Pleasant C. C. has just completed the construction of a
12-acre irrigation reservoir on its property in Boylston, Mass.
After considerable investigation of several sources of water
supply, including the purchase of municipal water, it was decided
to construct the reservoir at its present location, which is a
swampy area in a natural valley.
This 20-million-gallon impondment will furnish enough
water to completely irrigate the entire golf course. Almost
one square "mile o f w a t e r run off drains into this pond. Since
1960, Dick Blake, the golf course Superintendent, has installed
over 4 miles of underground drainage pipe and 2 miles of surface drains. All of this water is diverted into this pond.
Technical assistance was furnished by the Soils Conservation Service after a request made by Mr. Blake to the Northeastern Worcester County Conservation District. Civil engineer
Miles "Jeff" Hubler of Belchertown, Mass. was also engaged to
provide engineering services.
Before actual construction could begin, it was necessary
to obtain approval from the State Department of Natural Resources and the State Department of Public Works, Division
of Inland Waterways. Copies of the plans and specifications
were also submitted to the Boylston Selectmen, Planning Board,
Board of Health, and Conservation Commission for study and
approval. The above requirements were necessary d u e to a
recently enacted state law ("Hatch Act") which has to do with
the changing of certain water courses and wetlands. It was also
necessary to obtain the approval of the County Commissioners
because of the size of the reservoir.
An experienced and competent contractor was hired. His
equipment included a 32-ton-dragline, 55 feet of boom and a 1cubic-yard bucket and pontoon mats, a 13-ton bulldozer, a 4cubic-yard pay loader, and several large dump trucks. Approximately 30,000 cubic yards of material was moved to build this
13 foot high, 1700 foot long dam. The material moved was
ideal core material and was close by.
The prefabricated principal spillway is a drop inlet type
system. This is made of corrigated metal pipe, bituminous
coated and water tight. The 10-foot riser is 42 inches in diameter, the tube thru the dam is 30 inches in diameter and 60 feet
long, the riser has a debris shield 66 inches in diameter by 24
inches high. A gate valve was installed should the pond ever
need to be drained. An emergency spillway was constructed in
undisturbed earth off one end of the dam which has a bottom
width of 50 feet and 3:1 slopes. Seeding of the dam and spillway will be completed in the spring.
Because it was planned not to excavate all of the pond
bottom at this time, it was necessary to dig a channel 1400
feet from the dam to the sump area which is 100 ft. by 100 ft.
by 14 ft. deep, where the pumping station is to be built. The
pumping station will consist of two 50-h.p. 500 gallons per
minute pumps, also a 20-h.p. jockey p u m p and controls to
operate a fully automatic double row fairway irrigation system
as well as tees and greens.
Future plantings will be made at the pond site to further
enhance the natural beauty and for wildlife habitat improvement.
In the future it is hoped the reservoir can b e used for skating, boating, fishing and eventually swimming.

story...

WATER POLLUTION

a few DEFINITIONS
C O L I F O R M B A C T E R I A — microscopic one-celled a n i m a l s t h a t
live in intestines. M o s t a r e h a r m less, b u t in w a t e r t h e y p r o v e t h e
p r e s e n c e of raw sewage. So t h e
coliform c o u n t is s i m p l y a conv e n i e n t m e a s u r e , like degrees
F a h r e n h e i t ; t h e higher it gets,
t h e m o r e p o l l u t e d t h e water is.
G U N K — the unexpected product
of t w o or m o r e h a r m l e s s chemicals t h a t c o m b i n e t o f o r m a
F r a n k e n s t e i n - s t y l e pollutant.

RAW

visible EVIDENCE

O R G A N I C M A T T E R — anything
coming f r o m living organisms.
It includes coal, for instance, as
t h e p r o d u c t of long-dead p l a n t s
as well as n e a r l y e v e r y t h i n g t h a t
e m p t i e s into a septic tank, except d e t e r g e n t s a n d other chemicals.
P R I M A R Y TREATMENT —
screens a n d settling basins t h a t
t a k e out t h e solids a n d a b o u t
35 p e r cent of t h e organic w a s t e s
f r o m incoming sewage ( b u t h a v e
n o effect on its chemical content).
S E W A G E — untreated

S E C O N D A R Y T R E A T M E N T —•
a process of encouraging bacteria t o d e s t r o y t h e organic
wastes which t h e p r i m a r y treatm e n t has not r e m o v e d .
S L U D G E — black t a r r y stuff l e f t
a t t h e b o t t o m of sewage-treatm e n t settling tanks.
It m a k e s
excellent fertilizer — sold as
Milorganite, it p a y s for m u c h of
M i l w a u k e e ' s sewage t r e a t m e n t .
And it is so c o m b u s t i b l e t h a t it
can b e t u r n e d into a gas a n d
used t o r u n m a c h i n e r y .

sewage.

A

L L water m a y be f L O b u t clean water has a lot
more of t h e Q. As t h e content of dissolved oxygen
goes down, so does the quality of the water. B y t h e
time water has reached t h e stage of being "too thick
to navigate, too thin to cultivate" all useful oxygen has
disappeared.
Experts can m a k e pretty accurate guesses about
t h e degree of pollution by taking samples of w h a t lives
in t h e water. A general rule of t h u m b with animals
is: t h e greater t h e variety, t h e less t h e pollution.

BROOK

TROUT

TURTLE AND
HORSE LEECH

Gamefisji need plenty of dissolved oxygen, so as
pollution creeps in, t h e y are t h e first to go — trout,
bass, bluegulls, even t h e h u m b l e perch. W h e n t h e
gamefish have disappeared, t h e habitat is t a k e n over
b y carp, suckers, a n d other trash fish which don't need
as much oxygen. One step f u r t h e r down only animals
like bloodworms, leeches, and snails can survive. Finally t h e time comes when no animal lives in t h e water.
P l a n t s have their order of succession too. Very
clean waters such as mountain streams or L a k e T a h o e
50 years ago support only microscopic plants, aquatic
mosses a n d liverworts. B y the t i m e t h e bodies of generations of these plus other natural debris have formed bottom mud, aquatics like certain species of pondweeds a n d waterwort ( E l a t i n e ) begin to grow near
t h e shore. At about t h e carp stage we get masses of
green algae, duckweed, and water milfoil. W i t h more
pollution even these slowly disappear. And w h e n
things get too strong even for duckweed, w h e n the
leeches and bloodworms have also vanished, t h e sole
living survivor of t h e dying water m a y be some pollution-tolerant species of blue-green algae — provided
t h e poisonous wastes f r o m paper mills, steel works,
a n d chemical factories do not extinguish every f o r m
of life.

WATER
MILFOIL

BLUE-GREEN
ALGAE

the things that POLLUTE

K

I N G Sennacherib of Assyria punished Babylon b y
dumping rubbish into its canals. T o d a y our enemies
don't poison our waters; we do it for ourselves.

Pollutants begin at home with w h a t is called sanitary sewage f r o m bathtubs, washing machines, and all
the rest. In ancient times t h e average person needed
only three or four gallons of water a day to keep clean
and contented. Now the figure has j u m p e d to 5() gallons
( 6 0 to 70 in u r b a n areas), and there are millions more
of us. T w e n t y or more billion gallons of dirty household
water go down t h e drain every day and from there, as
a rule, into the nearest river, with or without treatment.
Industrial wastes pollute at least twice as much
water as all municipalities combined. It takes 2 0 0 gallons of water to m a k e one dollar's worth of paper, about
5 0 0 gallons to m a k e a yard of woolen cloth, and 1 4 0 0
for a dollar's worth of steel — all necessities. Industries
add variety as well as quantity. Washed into convenient watercourses are ammonia compounds, pickling
liquors, dyes, by-products of pesticides, cannonballs of
oil and grease, and m a n y new chemical substances t h a t
are twice as hard to remove as any t h a t were known
t w e n t y years ago.
F a r m e r s are responsible for another series of pollutants. Their fertilizers seep into local water supplies
and sicken great lakes. Every year millions of pounds
of herbicides and pesticides enter streams and wells,
travel great distances, and kill birds, fish, and m a m mals along t h e way.
F o r f u r t h e r variety, customs change and new
sources of pollution appear. Boating is an example. In
1940 we had two million boats; today we have more
t h a n ten million. Naturally, they are concentrated in
the most attractive bodies of water. Sanitary problems
have been brought under some control b y government
regulations b u t pollution by gasoline a n d oily wastes
continues.

Salting highways to melt snow a n d ice in t h e
winter saves so m a n y lives t h a t it must be continued.
B u t of all pollutants salt is one of the hardest to remove
— think of t h e unsolved problems of desalinating ocean
water — and salty meltwater is getting into groundwater wells. Weston's wells located near the interchange
between the Massachusetts T u r n p i k e and R o u t e 128
were recently abandoned because of salt; H o w a r d Johnson's-Restaurants along t h e T u r n p i k e are drilling irew—
wells far f r o m t h e highway to get salt-free water.
Although it is hard to realize, abnormal heat is a
m a j o r pollutant of water. M a n y industries including the
electric utilities take huge amounts of water daily f r o m
lakes and streams for cooling purposes. T h e water circuates through pipes or splashes over t h e m and is then
returned to t h e waterway with nothing except its temperature changed. While a 30-degree increase is fairly
common, the temperature of one unlucky Ohio river has
been known to reach 140°F. H e a t lowers the oxygen
content of water, makes it unfit for fish, allows plants
to grow too luxuriantly and decompose even faster,
and without t h e addition of a single conventional pollutant kills t h e waterway.
Storm-water runoff has recently been added to t h e
list of serious pollutants. This is t h e water t h a t doesn't
soak into t h e ground a f t e r a heavy rain b u t instead races
down gutters, washing everything with it, and into storm
drains. W h a t happens next varies from one city to another, b u t the net result is usually t h a t either all t h e
runoff or some runoff plus some raw sewage is^sent
untreated into nearby waters.
"Water washes everything clean" was the old
theory. T h e first careful studies of storm runoff, made
a year or so ago in Cincinnati, showed t h a t instead of
washing anything clean it probably accounts for 25
per cent of river pollution. T h e Federal Government is
now providing $ 6 0 million to find better ways of dealing with storm runoff. And some of the money is going
into rural areas because nobody knows w h a t happens
to runoff there.

C O N S E f j ^

THE PRESENT QUALITY OF NEW ENGLAND WATERWAYS

A

B

-^xvxy^Tiycyc-Kj^

&A

C
D
HOW WATER IS RATED
Class A : a n y use including drinking — a n d only a few miles of river in all N e w England qualify.
Class B : fit for drinking after chemical t r e a t m e n t and fit for swimming a n d for irrigating vegetables t h a t are eaten raw. Our B stretches have a surprisingly short life even in t h e north
woods before they are succeeded b y Class C.
Class C : fit for boating ( t h e only recreational u s e ) and for the irrigation of crops t h a t are always
cooked. In mileage this is our most common water.
Class D : suitable for t h e transportation of sewage and industrial wastes without nuisance. I n
our rivers it often alternates, stretch for stretch, with Class C.
Class E : open sewer, omitted f r o m the list of standard classifications, b u t still it can be found
on t h e map.

OF

The "Trolling" Season

Dr. Richard Skogley (left) of the University of
Rhode Island and Dr. Joseph Troll (right) of
the University of Massachusetts.

E N G L A N D

University of Massachusetts

ANNUAL FINE TURF CONFERENCE

Dr. Troll

Maybe it's too much of a facetious play on
words. Nevertheless, "the Trolling season" is
almost upon us. This is supposed to mean
that come March 6-7-8 at the White House
Inn in Chicopee Dr. Joseph Troll will enlighten the profession with another calendar
must — the 39th annual Fine Turf Conference.
This is Dr. Troll's baby and he spoon feeds
it so effectively the conference has developed
into one of the largest of its kind in the
country. "We had 675 looking over the landscape last year", Joe preaches. "This year
we're expecting more. It should be our greatest conference."
If you haven't happened upon Dr. Troll
(and from here on the formality must be reduced to calling him 'Joe' at his request),
you are not part of the superintendents' program. The man is one of the genuine friends
of the profession. Once more, if ever there is
created a hall of fame for the tops in the
turf field. Joe must be afforded initial consideration. This is what he means to all of us.
Naturally, Joe is hot on the three-day whirl
at Whit- House. And it is very difficult to
divert his attention from that venture to his
own impressive list of accomplishments. This
he did let slip . . . but only after Gestapomethod interrogation:
Joe has been on the University of Massachusetts staff for 10 years after earning his
Ph.D. there. He is in the college of agriculture, department of plant and soil science
. . . but he concentrates on the golfing program which includes several courses in turf
management. It is here that he excels, that
he has been so much help to the profession.
Most of the recognition bestowed on Joe
comes from the results of his crackajack
students from U.M. Most have experienced
meteoric trips to the top of the field and all
have their college prof to thank in one way
or the other. Joe's recommendations for jobs
are held sacred all over the country. He has
been instrumental in the filling of hundreds of
topgrade positions.
Then, too, he has been the chief driving
force behind the firming up of relations between the golf course superintendents and
the Massachusetts Golf Association. In that
particular phase of life his contribution is
immeasurable.
Joe Troll seems to revel in his voluntary
dedication of self to the furtherment of the
golf course superintendent's aims and goals.
An appreciative note could be sounded loud
and clear if everyone joins him for the conference in March. He would delight in a
record turnout. That's his way. There is only
one Joe Troll.
Gerry Finn

N E W

W h i t e House Inn, Chicopee, Mass.
Wednesday, March 6, 1968
GENERAL

SESSION

Chairman: Mr. Anthony Caranci, President Golf Course Superintendents' Association
of New England
11:00- 1:00 Registration
1:00- 1:15 Greetings — Assoc. Dean Fred P. Jeffrey
1:15- 2:00 1967 Turf Problems, Mr. Alexander Radko, Eastern Director USGA, Green Section
2:00- 2:45 Remedies for 1967 Turf Problems, Mr. Lee Record, Agronomist USGA, Green
Section
2:45- 3:00 Break
3:00- 3:45 Southern Turfgrass Production and Problems, Dr. Ralph W. White, Jr., Agronomist-Turf, Southern Turf Nurseries
3:45- 4:30 Canadian Turfgrass Production and Problems, Mr. David Moote, Superintendent
Rosedale Golf Club
4:45
Massachusetts Turf and Lawn Grass Council, Business Meeting
7:30
— Hopefully — interesting films or possibly a tour of Spaulding Company
Thursday, March 7, 1968
GENERAL SESSION
"Current Turf Research and Development at Home and Abroad"

9:30-10:15
10:15-11:00
11:00-11:45
11:45- 1:30

Chairman: Mr. Anthony Caranci
Turf Research Abroad, Dr. C. R. Skogley, University of Rhode Island
Turf Research at Home, Dr. Victor B. Youngner, University of California
Commercial Turf Research, Mr. James A. Simmons, O. M. Scott
Lunch
G O L F COURSE SESSION
"Costs and Labor Management"

1:30- 2:15
2:15- 3:00
3:00- 3:15
3:15- 4:00
4:00- 4:45
7:30

Chairman: Mr. Anthony Caranci
Reducing Costs in Labor Management, Mr. Tom Mascaro, West Point Products
Labor Management — Superintendent's Viewpoint, Mr. Sherwood Moore, Superintendent Woodway Country Club
Break
The Reluctant Human, Prof. John Denison of University of Massachusetts
Alcohol and the Worker, Mr. G. E. Osburn, Hercules Company
Banquet, White House Inn
Friday, March 8, 1968
G O L F COURSE SESSION
"Design, Construction and Renovation"

Chairman: Mr. Geoffrey Cornish, Golf Course Architect
Contemporary Design Standards, Mr. Geoffrey Cornish, Golf Course Architect
Construction — Superintendent's Viewpoint, Mr. Robert Grant, Superintendent
Brae Burn Country Club
10:30-11:00 Construction — Contractor's Viewpoint, Mr. David Canavan, Moore Golf, Inc.
11:00-11:30 Renovation, Mr. Paul E. Weiss, Superintendent Concord Country Club, Penna.
11:30
Questions and Answers

9:30-10:00
10:00-10:30

Beauty and the Beast
Dr. Skogley

The overworked phrase — beauty and the
beast — wasn't invented by Dr. Richard Skogley hut it wandered in and out of his interesting visual and audio presentation of golf
courses, Great Britain style, during the association's January meeting at winter headquarters on Route 128.
The scenery of the British layouts comprises
the element of the beauty. Then, on the other
hand, the beast very well could be construed
as a qualified description of their condition.
Dr. Skogley, a respected member of the
University of Rhode Island staff, made the
grand tour of the golf world on the other
side of the Atlantic.
The qualified beast tag becomes necessary
in that Dr. Skogley found one course which
left a strong impression with Mm during his
energetic travels. That would be the 45-hole
compound known as Gleneagles. "This was
the finest of all the courses over there", Dr.
Skogley revealed. "Everything was very effective. And . . . it was in immaculate condition."
Slides of his trip back up Dr. Skogley's
opinion in the case of Gleneagles. However,
for the most part, his interpretation of sce-

nery and condition was very much in evidence during close study of the other film
shots he presented.
One of the more eye-opening observations
of Dr. Skogley concerned the actual playing of
the game in Britain. He noted, that because
of a combination of conditions and unpredictable weather, the British concentrate on
speed rather than score. It naturally followed
that the biggest maintenance problem would
be water, not lack, of it but an overabundance
of same.
Dr. Skogley also made note of the fact that
courses are built on non-produetive land, giving indication upkeep probably is hindered
by it. The incessant emphasis on the findings
of a high percentage of poa annua brought
Dr. Skogley to the justifiable conclusion that
the British have little in the way of preventative programs. "They seem to place all concern on the cure, rather than prevention," he
disclosed.
Later in direct question period Dr. Skogley
revealed a marked difference in social and
financial status of the superintendents in Great
Britain and the United States. "Over there
the superintendent would be like a common
labos&r^ here", he said.
to harness.

/ Annual Fine Turf v
House Inn, Chicopee, tv.

Gerry Finn

N M E M
FRIENDS OF THE ASSOCIATION
Abbott Spray and Farm Equipment Co.
Waltham Street
Lexington, Massachusetts
A. C. Lawn, Inc.
P. 0 . Box 436
Wakefield, Mass.
Alfco Rokeby Co., Inc.
Fertilizers and Chemical Specialties
P. 0 . Box 267
Marietta, Ohio

Grounds Equipment Co., Inc.
383 Boylston Street
Newton Centre, Massachusetts

Ken Minasian
Scotts
6 Amelia Court
N. Providence, R. I.
Stanley S. Philipkoski
Sales Representative
Stauffer Chemical Co.
380 Madison Avenue
New York, New York

Johns-Manville Sales Corp.
150 Causeway Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Karandrew Turf Farms, Inc.
Sam Mitchell, Sales Representative
18 Old Randolph Street
Canton, Massachusetts

Baker Tractor Corp.
Ford Tractors
Harley Davidson Golf Cars
Swansea, Mass.

Richey & Clapper, Inc.
28 Rutledge Road
Natick, Massachusetts
Sawtelle Brothers
Jet. Routes 128 and 62
Danvers, Massachusetts

The Kenneth Barrie Company
375 Centre Street
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

Philp C. Beal Associates, Inc.
Consulting Engineers
Irrigation and Recreational Facilities
P. 0 . Box 102
Hanover, Mass.

Shepard Sod Company
Merion Blue Grass and Pencross Bent
200 Sullivan Avenue
South Windsor, Conn.

Kerr McGee Chemical Corporation
P. 0 . Box 790
Waterbury, Connecticut

Gene Fitzpatrick
Certified Laboratories
12 Paradise Road
Ipswich, Mass.

Larchmont Irrigation Co.
Larchmont Lane
Lexington, Massachusetts

John P. Simon, Asst. Mgr.
Springfield Rendering Company
P. O. Box 379
Springfield, Massachusetts 01101

J. F. Aveni
LuSoil Soil Conditioner
Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corp.
25 Concord Avenue
Belmont, Massachusetts

The Charles C. Hart Seed Co.
Wethersfield, Connecticut
The Clapper Co.
1121 Washington Street
West Newton, Massachusetts

Philip A. Wogan
Golf Course Architect
21 Budleigh Avenue
Beverly, Massachusetts

Magovern Company, Inc.
Lawn Acre Road
Windsor Lock, Connecticut

Geoffrey S. Cornish
Golf Course Architect
Fiddler's Green
Amherst, Massachusetts

FOR

Wyandotte Chemical Go.
709 Salada Building
Boston, Massachusetts

D. L. Maher Co.
Water Supply Contractors
Testwells —• Gravel packed wells
Byron Jackson Pumps
P. 0 . Box 274
Woburn, Massachusetts

Fuel Activator Chemical Corp.
C. F. Barbour — Regional Director
43000 Prudential Tower
Boston, Massachusetts

APPOINTMENTS

Melanson of Georgetown
Modern Steam and Pressure Cleaners
Modern Industrial Cleaning Chemicals
Georgetown, Massachusetts

Tom Irwin Co.
Bennett Hill Road
Rowley, Massachusetts

Dr. Burton R. Anderson
Golf Course Architect
Turf and Golf Course Consultant
Route 5
Augusta, Maine

COMMITTEE

Gaffny Enterprises, Inc.
Irrigation Specialists
North Main Street
Middleton, Massachusetts

•

,

- m
- /t1' '

Yerxa's, Inc.
Golf Course Equipment
740 Broadway
South Portland, Maine

1968

Membership
— Richard Blake, Chairman,
Thomas Curran, Robert Grant
Finance — Albert, Allen Chairman, Lucian
Duval, Philp Cassidy
Education
— Edward Murphy, Chairman,
Robert Mucciarone, Manuel Francis, Jr.
Golf Committee — Wayne C. Ripley, Chairman, Mel Wendell, Roger Hines
Newsletter — Dean Robertson, Chairman, Business Manager, Leon St. Pierre
Wrelfare — Nary Sperandio, Chairman, Edward Buecher, Charles Gardner, Donald
MacKay, Arthur Anderson
Employment
— John Callahan, Chairman,
John Petrietis, Robert Grant
Publicity — Leon V. St. Pierre, Chairman,
Ronald Kirkman, Norman Mucciarone,
Bernard K. Keohan
Turf Research — Lucien Duval, Chairman,
Melvin O'Kelly, Dr. Joseph Troll, Arthur
Anderson, ex-officio
Scholarship — Philip Cassidy, Chairman, Arthur Anderson, Michael O'Grady, Richard
Blake, Dr. Joseph Troll, ex-officio
Parliamentarian — Philip Cassidy
Anthony B. Caranci, Jr.

Newsletter Committee Chairman -

ygplPpST&CE

DEAN ROBERTSON
24 Riverview Drive
Newbury, Massachusetts 01950
Phone 462-4540

Wr .6
&

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» £1 t n f
l?4i?S

C l u b Affiliation

Chestnut Hill Country Club

FIRST C L A S S

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1-2 •