The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes,
but in liking what one has to do.
—,JAMES M. BAERIE,

M

A

Y

1 » 3 5

This N E W S L E T T E R is published
monthly by the Greenkeepers Club o f
New England, and sent f r e e to its members and their Greens' Chairmen. Subscription price ten cents a copy, or a
dollar a year.

to p r e s e n t f u n d a m e n t a l t h i n g s in t u r f
culture. A t t e n d a n c e at this day's prog r a m by greenkeepers and green chairm e n w o u l d r e s u l t in a k e e n e r a p p r e c i a t i o n of t h e m a n y p r o b l e m s i n t u r f c u l ture.

GUY C. W E S T

How many members have you helped
this Spring with advice on turf problems? The number of home lawns which
are better due to advice of greenkeepers would run into the thousands. Do
your members appreciate all this advice
which they are getting? Do they realize
t h a t this advice comes because of their
membership in the club?

Editor

312 Mt. P l e a s a n t St., F a l l River, M a s s .

HOWARD D. FARRANT Business Mgr.
132 R u s s e t t Rd., W e s t R o x b u r y , Mass.

May, 1935

Vol. 7, No. 5

It w a s six y e a r s a g o this m o n t h t h a t
w e i s s u e d t h e first N E W S L E T T E R , s o
this issue starts the seventh year.
We
hope that we have improved not only
in size, b u t also in h e l p f u l n e s s a n d interest.

Prom all reports, nearly all clubs experienced considerable Winter injury to
the turf in their greens, in some cases
nearly the whole green being killed. As
was the case a year ago, the velvets are
reported to have suffered the least. The
clubs with ample turf nurseries are
again proving the wisdom of their foresight in having the sod ready f o r this
emergency.
A cool S p r i n g s e e m s to h a v e p r e v e n t e d rapid repairs to d a m a g e d t u r f .
G r o w t h h a s b e e n slow, a n d e v e n sufficient rainfall has been m a d e insufficient
b y d r y i n g winds. All has not b e e n ideal,
b u t w e m a y s t i l l r e m e m b e r t h a t it m i g h i
have been worse!

The April meeting of the Rhode
Island Greenkeepers' Association was
held at the Goddard Park Golf Course
on April 29th. The May meeting will
be held in conjunction with the annual
Greenkeepers' Field Day at the Rhode
Island State College on May 27th. Here
is an opportunity f o r all interested in
turf to put in a day to advantage, to
examine the best turf plots in New
England and to hear what is being done
here and there in turf work.
W o r d hats b e e n r e c e i v e d f r o m P r o f .
L a w r e n c e S. D i c k i n s o n of
the
Mass.
State College that the annual Lawn Day,
held each year during Farmers' Week,
will p r e s e n t a n i n n o v a t i o n in its p r o g r a m this year.
Scheduled
for
July
2 3 r d , t h e p r o g r a m will h a v e a n a r r a n g e ment
of
demonstrations
of
cultural
facts supplemented
with
talks.
The
p u r p o s e o f theise d e m o n s t r a t i o n s w i l l b e

W h a t poor mamtainence practices are
you u s i n g w h i c h will c a u s e y o u t r o u b l e
later?
W h a t obsolete
equipment
are
y o u u s i n g t h a t is r u n n i n g u p y o u r l a b o r
c o s t ? W h a t p r a c t i c e s a r e still d e m a n d e d
by your m e m b e r s that increase the costs
beyond reason?

It is not economy to slip up in preparing compost or in care of the turf
nursery.
T h e m a t t e r of a c l u b l i b r a r y is b e i n g
d e l i b e r a t e d b y a c o m m i t t e e , of
which
H o w a r d F a r r a n t is c h a i r m a n . H e w o u l d
be pleased to get any ideas
on
thi<;
m a t t e r f r o m a n y of o u r m e m b e r s .
The
i d e a a s first p r e s e n t e d w a s a t h o u g h t
t o b e of m o r e s e r v i c e t o o u r m e m b e r s
by enabling t h e m to b o r r o w books and
bulletins on t u r f f r o m a central club
library.

It was six years ago that the Green
Section Bulletin reported good results
f r o m using lime, a f t e r a period of sulphate of ammonia. Where have we gone
in the last six years? It strikes us that
most of us are now using a little common sense and not overdoing either the
sulphate of ammonia or the lime; but,
we still have problems. The very existance of the Green Section is threatened by the f a c t t h a t the U. S. G. A.
has too f e w member clubs. To whom
are we to look to solve our problems as
they arise? We still ask f o r a definite
program by all existant research agencies, and hope that the f u t u r e will present more f u n d s in all directions f o r
organized research.
Are you keeping records
you do on y o u r c o u r s e this

of a l l
year?

that

It is encouraging to note that most
club officials are friends of the greenkeepers.

PUBLIC

FEE

BENEFIT

^ ^

^ ^

COURSES
GOLF

by H. C. Darling, Jumper Hill Golf
Course, Northboro, Mass.
(from Recreation Conference)
Before attempting to point out some
of the benefits to golf f r o m the public
fee courses it seems necessary and advisable to remind you of certain facts
you already know in order to give you a
clearer picture of this subject.
Of the total number of golf courses in
the country numbering altogether some
5,700, there are three different groups
divided as follows: 4,457 private clubs,
543 municipal courses, and 700 daily fee
courses. These figures are taken from
Golfdoms survey published in June 1932.
Up to the present time, the only material change which may have taken place
in these statistics is an increase in the
municipal courses as a result of the C.
W. A. f u n d s made available by the
Federal Government.
This audience should be reminded that
each one of these three groups of golf
courses was originated and established
with slightly different intentions and
purposes in serving the public.
Primarily, private golf courses are
established by a group of people for the
purpose of forming a club of more or
less selective nature to enjoy their
social and recreational activities within
the group. Like most clubs it is not
developed for the purpose of making
money but strictly f o r social reasons.
The object of the Municipal courses
is to offer the inhabitants of the cities
a recreational playground. Such courses
a r e not intended to be social clubs nor a
profit making enterprise but merely a
recreational center where the folks f r o m
the thickly populated section can find a
v/ide open space for their diversion. It
is financed and operated by the cities.
Daily fee courses differ entirely f r o m
the former groups in t h a t their purpose
is f o r profit as well as pleasure. It is a
business enterprise like any m a n u f a c t u r ing establishment or store. It is usually
financed and operated by an individual
or a small group of people.
In this audience I assume, there are
greenkeepers representing every one of
these three mentioned groups. Probably
there isn't a greenskeeper here who
holds any ill feeling toward a fellow
worker in one of the other groups of

courses. But perhaps there is some
antipathy on the p a r t of the management of one group toward those in the
other groups particularly, when they
tread on one another's toes. For this
reason I think it is well to point out the
original purposes of these groups as I
have already done and also go on to
show the need and the demand for each
of the groups in the different communities. Perhaps if we all can better
understand the reason and the need f o r
the other fellow being a neighbor r a t h e r
than a competitor and all try to
establish our rates on the basis f o r
which each group is intended we will
all have a better feeling and perhaps a
better financial record.
Now t h a t I have mentioned rates I
might as well express my thoughts a t
this point and present them f o r what
they are worth. During these depressing
times when all three groups have lost
some of their regular players it is quite
natural to blame the other groups f o r
enticing the players away with lower
rates. We are likely to overlook the f a c t
t h a t whether in good times or bad the
difference in rates between the groups
will always be quite distinct due to the
n a t u r e of the organization and the class
of people being served.
The daily fee course becomes envious
of the swarms of customers at the nearby municipal course and attempts to
compete in price. The private club begins to look with envy on the numbers
f t the daily fee course and proceeds to
abandon initiation fees, reduce membership and transient rates. What is the rer.ult?
Some players may be attracted
f r o m the other group but actually very
few, and certainly not enough to j u s t i f y
the reduction in income.
It is absurd f o r any daily fee course
to attemnt to compete with a municipal
course. The latter is a non-profit organization, has no taxes to pay and seldom
charges complete costs against the golf
department. If there are any losses they
are charged to the t a x payer.
The cost differences between the private club and t h e fee course is almost
as great as in the case j u s t mentioned.
The expensive club houses and the demands of members in the private club
f o r the most p a r t are so much greater
than the fee course player it makes an
overhead charge t h a t prohibits any competition with the fee course.
Why t r y to do the impossible, and
why not stay within the group to

which you belong. There are enough
competitive troubles within the group.
Now let's consider the service that
these three groups a r e performing in
the golf world. Of the 2,225,000 golf
players in t h e United States over half
of the number play at public courses.
58% at municipal courses and 42% at
daily fee courses.
If there were no public courses the
chances are that most of these million
and a quarter golf players would be out
of the golf picture entirely. This large
army of recreational seekers would be
interested in most any other sport but
golf. Their statement would be "golf is
f o r the wealthy and the elite".
This is one of the things t h a t public
courses have done f o r the golf world. I t
is a parallel case to what Henry Ford
has done f o r the automobile industry. I t
has put golf into the hands of the wage
earner because of price.
Municipal courses can offer more inducement to the wage earner to play
the game because it is operated more or
less on a cost basis. The cities have
financed the construction of very fine
golf courses thru-out the country usually near the center of population where
it in possible to reach the courses either
by street car, bus, or on foot. This
cheap, wholesome exercise f o r the individual has gone a long ways in increasing the large number of golfers.
Municipal courses because of
their
accessability and low rates every year
a r e attracting and developing golf
players out of thousands and thousands
of school children who otherwise might
have no interest in the game. We all
have noticed the change which has taken
place in the sand lots and back yards.
We find t h a t golf clubs a r e f a s t replacing baseball bats. Isn't this the reason
f o r the g r e a t increase in the number of
fine young amateur golfers we have
noticed in recent years. Think of the
prospects this group of players alone
offers to the golf world: to the daily fee
courses and the private clubs to say
nothing of the f u t u r e f o r the manuf a c t u r i n g end of the industry.
Now let's consider the personal side of
the g r e a t mass of people we find at the
municipal courses. There are all races
and types made u p f r o m the working
class, and it is quite n a t u r a l because of
the great crowds found a t these courses
on the busier days t h a t golf etiquette
and thoughts f o r the other fellow are

sometimes lacking. These things a r e
obnoxious to a certain class of people
and this group turns to the courses
f a r t h e r away f r o m the city where it is
less crowded and where there is less
h u r r y and bustle.
This brings us to the daily fee courses.
A place where the person of moderate
means with not enough income to permit playing at a private club can enjoy
the game to his satisfaction. The fee
courses are the stamping ground f o r the
following type of players.
1. The family whose income has been
reduced to a point where it is either a
case of giving up golf or playing where
it is cheaper than the private club. Incidentally, as a consolation to the private clubs it should be remembered t h a t
the fee courses a r e keeping this group
interested in the game during the depression and many or most of this class
will r e t u r n to the clubs when normal incomes return. It is possible t h a t if they
gave up golf temporarily and became
interested in other forms of recreation
in some cases they might never r e t u r n
to the game.
2. Another class of people with a
f a i r income may dislike the club and
social atmosphere or possibly the cliques
and difference in social standing which
may exist a t the private clubs. They
want golf and nothing else. The fee
course fills the bill f o r this class.
3. Next there is a group with a desire f o r the social and the club surroundings but whose income never has, or perhaps never will enable them to join a
private club. In their minds a municipal
course is too common so they select a fee
course where they can strut.
4. Another very large group at the
fee course is the golf beginner. The
type who is reluctant to face the crowds
at the munies and who does not feel
qualified to play on a private course.
The number of this group is a real
problem to most fee courses. They know
nothing about golf etiquette, they tie up
the course for others and can they dig
the turf and tear up the traps.
To give you an example: On one occasion last year my attention was
called to a beginner playing our first
hole which is 283 yards, the last hundred being a rather abrupt slope. Even
if I couldn't have seen this man it
would have been possible to have tracked

him to the green. Every twenty yards
there were the largest and deepest
divots I have ever witnessed and not one
piece replaced. Without exaggeration
those divot holes were nine inches long
and 2 to 3 inches deep. I caught him before he reached the green and needless
to say he was referred to the pro.
This man was intelligent and apparently held a good job but was absolutely
ignorant of what the game was like.
Power was his idea for success.
But we cannot get away from the fact
that with all the trouble this group
causes, their money is as good as the
next fellows and they must be served in
some way. With the right attention
they may become our best customers in
a short time or they may be playing on
some private course a few years hence.
In other words the fee courses might
be called the prep school for the private
clubs. So many times we have nursed
along* a beginner until he or she plays
a f a i r game and then they graduate to
higher learning. I mention this for the
benefit of the greenskeepers from the
private clubs because I know for a f a c t
that we have schooled a great many f o r
your clubs. This is one of the benefits of
the fee courses to you men.
To go into f u r t h e r detail regarding
the benefits from fee courses, it is well
to again remind you that such courses
are operating a business. And like any
business to be successful it must be
profitable, it must render a definite service, it must have satisfied customers
and it must keep its name before the
public. As f a r as I know the fee courses
are the only ones in the field who are
advertising golf to the public. A lot
more advertising should be done by
these courses, perhaps more along educational lines.
Advertising has already done a great
deal toward enticing new golfers. It has
broken down the resistance that golf is
an old man's game, is only for the rich,
r r the aristocrats. This gradual enlightenment as to what the game is all
about through advertising has not only
made new golfers but has
made
thousands of prospects for the game at
private clubs, as well as public courses.
This advertising job which has been
done, has been carried on for the most
part by the aggressive free courses.
There are many courses as in any
business which have spent nothing in
aggressive advertising and salesmanship.

The alert and up and coming fee
courses are a f t e r the factory and office
groups and are making it interesting f o r
such groups to: play in a body through
company tournaments, four ball teams,
and golf leagues. This rivalry and keen
interest being created naturally encourages new golfers all the time.
Through this activity men are being
pulled away from baseball, and other
sports to enlarge the golf field of recreation.
Naturally this not only increases the
business of those courses sponsoring
these things but makes a lot of prospects for the municipals and the private
clubs. I point out this thought because
I think many times the management of
the munies and the private clubs without giving it much thought have condemmed the fee courses as being unnecessary and having no place in the
golf picture.
To get back to the beginners which I
previously referred to as a problem at
the fee courses, we find it is necessary
and I know others have too, to do a certain amount of educational
work f o r
our good. We feel that the sooner these
new players can learn golf etiquette,
golf rules and the proper way to conduct

I ested

Seeds

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85 STATE STREET

BOSTON

themselves on the golf course, t h e sooner
will our difficulties end. A t our course
in addition to offering group golf lessons f o r the beginners we have attempted a golf school particularly f o r
the lady beginners where they are
shown in a group all the primary
points of conduct on the course, such as
how to handle the flag, on the green,
where to lay the golf bag, how to act a t
the tees, what to do when players are
anxious to play through etc.
Of course, this takes time and is an
extra cost but it seems to be an appreciated service and makes f o r more congenial players on our course. Incidentally, we emphasize to our customers the
importance of good conduct on the
course and when someone violates this
even in a mild way, we do not hesitate
to have a f r a n k but diplomatic talk with
such persons to explain the better feeling and the better comradeship that will
exist throughout if every one strives to
make the course one where the game
can be enjoyed to its fullest extent. (Do
you think you could get away with it a t
a private club?)
Having already referred to price cutting, advertising and education on the
fee courses, may I get off the subject
somewhat to talk directly to any fee
course greenskeepers and managers who
may be" present. What I have reference
to is a daily fee golf association, here in
Massachusetts and particularly in Eastern Mass.
A t the present moment there is no
organization whatever of the daily fee
courses in this state.
In the eastern
p a r t of the state we did hold one meeting last fall with this object in view.
The enthusiam and desire f o r an organized group was quite apparent at t h a t
time and everything seemed to be all set
to go ahead. The plans we made f o r the
second meeting depended upon
the
action of one man who we thought was
the key man to lead us on. U n f o r t u nately, this man was tied up in
Washington on a job which made it impossible f o r him to help us in any way.
I t was then too late to accomplish much
because the courses had closed for the
season.
I regret t h a t we didn't organize last
f a l l because I think we will see a greater
need f o r unity on the price question
this spring than ever before. I strongly
recommend therefore t h a t we organize
just as soon as it is possible.

The first serious question we have to
deal with this spring whether organized
or not is price cutting. During these depressing times it is very easy to allow
the imagination to work up to the point
where we decide t h a t to get business we
must cut the price.
Surely we do not wish to go through
the same war t h a t the fee courses experienced in Chicago during 1932. None
of us wish to see 25 cent golf and none
of us wish to see our friends pushed out
of business through murderous prices.
When we s t a r t slashing prices we give
the public a terrible weapon to use
against us. Someone comes to us with
the statement t h a t so-and-so has cut the
price. We get panicky and without investigating we get into the vicious circle
and the fireworks start. Possibly we increase our course attendence temporarily but in the meantime our income
has been reduced and we have one
terrible time getting back to normal
rates again.
It is my suggestion therefore t h a t before believing any report on a cut rate,
make a thorough investigation and get
the facts. A great many times it will be
found that the player misunderstood or
got the information second hand although he will swear he got it straight.
This matter alone is important enough
to deserve an immediate organization to
work out ethical methods of doing
business and stabilization of prices and
rates.
More than this an organized group of
courses can accomplish a great deal in
general advertising and education. We
have not yet scratched the surface on
the development of new players. A few
courses cannot begin to make the same
progress that is possible through united
effort.
Another need for organization is
along the lines of favorable legislation
to protect the fee courses f r o m u n f a i r
and unreasonable competition f r o m an
over abundance of tax f r e e municipal
and state courses. We don't object the
increase in courses nor do we say much
about the low rates charged to t h e
residents of the cities but we do object
to the low rates charged to nonresidents. We think it is u n f a i r competition.
Still another need f o r combined effort
was shown last fall and still is being
shown at the present time and this is in
relation to the legalized racing menace

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t h a t threatens every golf course in this
state whether it be a private club, daily
fee course or municipal course.
In closing may I make a few remarks
on this subject directed to every man in
this room whose job depends upon the
success of golf.
Last November we were all asleep before this question was brought to the
polls. We permitted the racing interests
to advertize and sell the public on what
a splendid thing this was without even
a murmur, when down in our hearts we
all knew what it would do to us, and to
the poor suckers who went to the races.
I still think t h a t 95% of the votes
cast were in entire ignorance of what it
was all about. About the only thing the
public knew about was the two million
dollars or more t h a t was paid to New
Hampshire and Rhode Island by the
race tracks and they figured in some
way it would come back to them.
Ordinarily I would hesitate to condem
or fight openly any competition which is
f a i r and of benefit to the public but I
make no bones about fighting this
threat to our business. If it attracted
only the rich who could afford to lose,
it would be another story but this
business entices the poor even more than
it does the rich. 95% of the betters are
sure to lose, but they go to the races
in greater numbers in times of depression because they hope and pray
they can make a few dollars to pay
their mountainous debts. They usually
ccme away f r o m the races poorer than
ever and then the butcher, the baker,
the grocer and the landlord have still
longer to wait for their money.

The next move is to get the store
keepers on the w a r p a t h by pointing out
the disaster to them if they do not already know.
I think it is a duty of the greenskeepers f o r the good of their own courses
to go into action on this thing. Although
we have already let this thing slide too
long, it is still possible to keep this
menace from our own doors.

How does it affect the golf business?
Private clubs as well as f e e courses in
the vicinity of the N a r r a g a n s e t t track
can tell you some discouraging tales of
what it did to them. At Attleboro where
our friends the Wendell Brothers operate a course, they stated t h a t during the
racing season on a Saturday 16 people
was a good attendance and sometimes it
dropped to f a r less than this.
What are you as greenskeepers going
to do about it or what can you do about
it? F i r s t I would say t h a t every greenskeeper here should go back to their
managers and if they are not already
aware of this menace this race business
has to golf, give them an earfull. Next
suggest t h a t they get the golfers behind
a move to stop the letting of any space
to a race t r a c k whether it be dogs or
horses within their district.

Golf clubs should consider
community clubs, with varied
to a t t r a c t other
members.
merchandising- methods should
by club officials.
Charles E.

MAY MEETING
The May meeting was held on the
6th at the Nashua Country Club,
Nashua, N. H. An eighteen hole medal
handicap tournament produced the following winners:
1st gross, James McCormack, 83.
1st net, Lloyd Stott, 97-64.
2nd net, Albon Wendell, 92-65.
3rd net, Howard F a r r a n t , 90-66.
Plan to attend the Greenkeeper-Club
Official meeting at Wachusett on June
3rd, and the Greenkeeper-Pro Best Ball
Championship at Brae Burn on July 22.
The object of the P. G. A. is to uplift and promote the game of golf. The
;?olf clubs need the club spirit.
Lewis Myers.
becoming
activities
Modern
be used
Mason.

Club employees, who have given their
clubs long and f a i t h f u l service, should
be given as great a sense of security as
possible, and above all should not be
discharged for any fancied grievance or
because of a mere change in committee
chairmen. No employee can give his
best to his club, nor conduct his work
efficiently if he is in f e a r of losing his
position without just cause.
Guy C. West.

m
IDEAL

POWER

GREENSMOWER

GUARANTEED TO EQUAL OR SURPASS
T H E FINEST HAND CUTTING

.

.

T h i s m o w e r rs b u i l t t o g r e e n k e e p e r s ' s p e c i f i c a t i o n s . I t h a s o v e r come every objection that g r e e n k e e p e r s have had to using p o w e r
o n t h e g r e e n . I t n o t o n l y s a v e s l a b o r , b u t it a l s o g i v e s y o u a j o b of
c u t t i n g t h a t will e q u a l or s u r p a s s a n y l a w n m o w e r m a n u f a c t u r e d ,
w h e t h e r it b e h a n d or p o w e r .
Y o u will i m m e d i a t e l y n o t i c e t h e v a s t i m p r o v e m e n t in t h e p u t t i n g
s u r f a c e of y o u r g r e e n s , a n d y o u r m e m b e r s w i l l v e r y q u i c k l y p a s s
their favorable comments.
W i t h a l l i t s a d v a n t a g e s a n d c o n v e n i e n c e s , t h i s m o w e r is w i t h i n
t h e e c o n o m i c a l b u d j e t of a n y g o l f c l u b , a s i t o n l y c o s t s $ 2 2 0 . 0 0
c o m p l e t e f o r t h e 2 1 " size. This p r i c e includes a r u b b e r t i r e d c a r t
for transporting the mower f r o m green to green.
W h y not w r i t e or call t o d a y f o r a

demonstration?

IDEAL MOWER SALES and SERVICE
111 Cypress Street, Brookline, Mass.-—Telephone Beacon

2898

DETERIORATION

PROBLEMS

NEW ZEALAND CHEWINGS

IN

FESCUE

N. R. Foy, Seed Analyst, Plant Station,
Palmerston North.
(A SYNOPSIS)
in the germination
capacity of Chewings fescue seed during shipment f r o m New Zealand to
northern countries has for many years
been a constantly recurring trouble, yet,
in spite of this fact, the annual export
totals have remained reasonably steady.
American buyers appear to have accepted Chewings fescue as a characteristically delicate and short-lived seed,
and, although periodically complaints
have followed unsatisfactory deliveries,
particulary in unfavourable production
seasons, the demand has been well sustained. Naturally, with the continuance
of a retail demand, the importers meet
it, and as f a r as the American retail
market is concerned no serious complaint appears to have been made. Presumably Chewings fescue is regarded as
low-germinating species, and therefore a
high-germination capacity is not expected.
Until the advent in Great Britian of
green-keeping research, the same remarks might well apply to the British
trade, but investigation into the relative
values of various
fine-leaved
turf
grasses has disclosed the f a c t t h a t although Chewings fescue is a desirable
turf constituent much of the seed retailed is of a very inferior quality and,
by virtue of this fact, of little value in
sports-turf establishment.
It has been made quite plain t h a t if
Chewings fescue can be landed in Great
Britian with a sufficiently high vitality
to permit of its retaining a reasonable
high-germination capacity up to the
time of retail sales—say, six months—
then the prospects of an extension of the
present trade are most encouraging. On
the other hand, it is equally clear that
if the trade continues on the present
lines those in a position to do so will not
be prepared to recommend unconditionally the use of the seed, and this will be
obviously to the detriment of the indust r y in New Zealand. The f a c t t h a t the
various forms of European fescues are
a t present under investigation in England, although not necessarily with the
one idea of replacing New Zealand seed,
DETERIORATION

will tend to create an independent attitude on the part of British, consumers.
The attitude of the consumer section
of the American trade is not so clearly
defined; one assumes that the retail
trade is satisfied with present conditions,
but it is very probable that if the
quality of the seed moving on to the retail markets was of a known higher
standard the American demand would
be improved. Dissatisfaction with deliveries of New Zealand seed was no
doubt responsibble for several attempts
to grow Chewings fescue in several
States, and, although these attempts
were not attended by any great success,
they are not without significance.
Prior to 1925 many theories as to the
cause of deterioration of grass-seed during shipment were put f o r w a r d both in
New Zealand and abroad. Most of these
were investigated. It was concluded
that, contrary to general opinion, deterioration was due to unfavourable
shipment conditions to which Chewings
fescue and
crested
dogstail
were
peculiarly susceptible, t h a t the unfavourable conditions were associated
with high degrees of temperature and
humidity. Furthermore, it was recognized t h a t the degree of deterioration
was controlled to some degree by seedvitality, which in t u r n is influenced to a
marked degree by a number of factors
operating during production, the chief
of which were seed maturity at harvesting, maintenance of soil-fertility to a
standard of fescue requirement, and the
renewal of worn-out pastures.
So f a r as the production of fescue is
concerned, in the light of f u r t h e r experience, in the opinion of the writer,
these views still hold good.
Wellmatured seed harvested f r o m vigorous
healthy stands invariably ships and
stores well under average conditions,
and in normal production years by its
superior quality, is distinguishable when
shipped with other lines under identical
conditions.
The fact that the germination capacity on arrival of several lines
shipped on the same steamer is not always consistently high or consistently
low has led to the suggestion that the
cause or causes must be associated entirely with production, f o r the reason
that were t r a n s i t conditions responsible
all lines would deteriorate to an equal
degree. An acceptable theory for this
inconsistency has already been given,
and of f a r greater significance is the
f a c t t h a t invariably there are wide dis-

T H E

B U E L

It P e r f o r a t e s

•—

P E R F O R A T O R
It A e r a t e s

It

Cultivates

I
SAVES:—
We

can

LABOR—WATER—FERTILIZER

furnish P o w e r A t t a c h m e n t s to suit your present P o w e r
P n e u m a t i c or Steel Wheels optional e q u i p m e n t
J .

F .

B

L

E

Woburn

Throughout N e w England,

golf

c l u b s a r e t u r n i n g to

fairway
m

NEW PROCESS

because
it p r o d u c e s
more
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turf
growth
for
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money.
Balanced 6-6-4
formula
plus
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forming
tobacco stem base.

General Chemical
Company
543

Commercial

58 Weybosset St.

St.

L
Massachusetts

Boston
Providence

Unit

crepancies between the
germination
capacities of exported seed and of
portions of the same lines retained
under normal storage in New Zealand.
Such discrepancies naturally can be accounted for only by deterioration during
shipment and, as suggested previously,
are undoubtedly due to excess of heat
a n d / o r humidity obtaining in the ship's
hold. The effect of these conditions on
most short-lived seeds is known to every
seedsman, who, wherever possible, provides dry, well-ventilated space f o r
bulk storage. The conditions
under
which seed is shipped f r o m one hemisphere to the other are, in most cases,
the antithesis of shore conditions—hold
temperatures particularly in the tropics
a r e known to be much above normal and
the relative humidity of the air surrounding the seed following temperature increases must be unduly high.
Unfortunately, no reliable data concerning the temperature
and
relative
humidity of ships' holds are available,
but f r o m various observations it is
known that both conditions are almost
invariably excessive.
The high relative humidity of the
storage atmosphere is due partly to the
release of water vapour f r o m the seed
itself, and is partly, in some instances,
provided by associated cargo. At all
events, sufficient moisture is carried by
the seed to exercise h a r m f u l effect when
temperatures are increased. All seeds
naturally contain a certain amount of
moisture, the amount varying with the
type of seed. Grass-seeds have, in most
species, attached glumes, and a proportion of the moisture content is held by
the glumes. Therefore the percentage
moisture content of a sample of seed
such as Chewings fescue is actually disp r o p o r t i o n a t e high and is more readily
released than is the moisture held by the
grain. It is probably the glume moisture
which is reponsible for the
rapid
changes in the relative humidity of t h e
storage air under the influence of temperature changes.
The general overseas opinion appears
to be t h a t the prevention of transit
losses lies in improvement in production
methods. To a limited extent this is true,
as repeated reference in this article to
seed-vitality will testify. The production
of seed of the highest possible vitality
is most essential, and to this end nothing but thouroughly m a t u r e seed saved
f r o m healthy, vigorous stands should be
saved and offered for the export trade.
Seasonal conditions will at times tend to
nullify growers' efforts in this respect,

but seed of heavy weight and high
quality must in all seasons be the
growers' ideal.
It has been stated previously, however, t h a t the production of high-quality
seed may be regarded as only a partial
remedy, and an insecure one at best. I t
is therefore very clear t h a t as transit
conditions are responsible f o r deterioration t h a t either these conditions must
be altered or t h a t seed be prepared to
withstand conditions unfavourable to it.
It has been shown t h a t associated
conditions of high temperature and high
humidity are directly responsible for
transit losses, and t h a t provided one of
these conditions is reduced below normal
the other may rise to abnormal levels
without causing harm. Two alternatives
then present themselves, either cool
storage or the reduction of humidity by
artificial drying of the seed itself, both
of which possess merits and demerits.
Cool storage has already been put into operation in 1933. Unfortunately,
purely f r o m the experimental point of
view, the high quality 1933 seed in many
instances carried almost equally as well
in hold storage as in cool storage. Nevertheless, the differences in germination
capacities of seed shipped under either
one of the two methods were significantly in favor of cool storage. There
are, however, attendant disadvantages,
the chief of which perhaps is the
difficulty in securing suitable space on
conveniently sailing steamers. The trade
is not sufficiently large to w a r r a n t the
provision of special accommodation f o r
seed, and shipments have to be adjusted
to suit what is offering. Secondly, normal deterioration appears to continue
during the period of cool storage—admittedly at a slightly slower rate—and
is also not in any way prevented during
storage a f t e r delivery—an important
point.
Artificial drying prior to shipment
has not yet been attempted commercially
with Chewings fescue ,the opinions expressed in this article regarding its
nfficacv being based entirely on information gained f r o m experimental
drying on small-scale shipments made
in co-operation with two overseas seedtesting stations—the Official Seed Testing Station for England and Wales at
Cambridge, England, and the Division
of Seed Investigations, Department of
Agriculture, .Washington, D. C., United
States of America.
It will be concluded t h a t seed-drying
offers the most satisfactory means of
overcoming transit deterioration and

MA - CHES - OK
Leaf

Mold

and

Leaf

Mold

Blackhawk
GOLF

Peat

Putting Greens, Lawns, Flower
Gardens and Potted Plants

Samples submitted to various Experiment Stations were found to contain:
"91.73%
organic
matter
and
water holding capacity of 242.1%."
"1.03% Nitrogen."
"Material is carefully sieved and is
free f r o m objectionable roots and
dead branches and no toxicity."
Prices:

May

be

M .

% ton—$15
100 lb.—$1.75

p u r c h a s e d on B u d g e t
if desired.

F .

Concord, Mass.

Blackhawk
Fairway

Plan

Master

with Dump

Chief

with

P. O. B o x

$755.00

Body
900-15

Park Chief — 75" Wreel

$768.00

Body

Base

$800.00

900-15 A i r W h e e l s

95% of t h e B l a c k h a w k T r a c t o r consists of t h e n e w F o r d V8 c h a s s i s a n d
engine. W e g u a r a n t e e t h e e n g i n e a n d
Your

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T h e r e d u c t i o n u n i t is t h e s t r o n g e s t
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The
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Distributors:

POWER

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S M I T H

Prices

Airwheeis and Dump

chassis
Dealer.

"94.6%' organic matter."

Per ton—$25
Vi ton—$8

TRACTORS

F . O. B . B o s t o n

For use on

15 T e n n e y
174

Court,

Somerset

MOWER

COMPANY
Somerville,

Mass.

0504-W

FRED W. GOLDTHWAIT
M . I. T . 1 9 0 5 M e c h ' l

Engng.

Golf Course Irrigation
2 0 Y e a r s E x p e r i e n c e in P u m p i n g P r o b l e m s in N e w
15,000 Installations

of A l l

Specializing

In

1. Doctoring of "sick" irrigation systems by
or pressure.
2. Investigation of underground water and
water cost through ground water.
3. Application of water with reference to
turf requirements.
4. Comparative costs—electric vs. gasoline
5. Lower cost fairway irrigation.
RESIDENCE:
35 P a r k Ave., Wakefield, Mass.
Crystel

1761-W

England.

Types.

increase of capacity
study of saving in
particular soil and
pumping.

OFFICE:
1 7 5 H i g h St., Boston,
Hubbard

5580

Mass.

seed so treated will retain vitality for a t
least six months a f t e r delivery. Perfectly dry seed will store f o r a very
long period; there is at the moment
under test at this Station a sample _ of
ten-year-old Chewings fescue seed which
shows a growth of 75 per cent. This has
been stored in a desiccator over calcium
chloride and for seven years germinated
over 90 per cent. The undried portion of
the sample had completely lost vitality
in two years and a half.
Seed-drying as carried out in various
p a r t s of the world,
principally with
grain, consists in the removal of excess
moisture and is known as "conditioning".
The grain is then stored at or near its
normal moisture content. The drying of
fescue, however, consists of the removal
of approximately half
the
normal
moisture content, and obviously if the
seed is stored under average atmospheric conditions moisture will be taken
up until the normal level is attained. I t
is this fact which is responsible f o r the
difficulties which attend to the shipping
of dried seed. It is not sufficient t h a t the
seed be dried, but t h a t it be kept dry for
the period of shipment and storage.
Dried seed in ordinary sacks shipped
only to a slight extent more satisfactorily than undried, so that under
these circumstances drying alone is not
economically sound. The question, therefore, centers on suitable moisture-proof
containers, which would conveniently be
in the f o r m of sack linings. A number
of proprietary sack linings were imported, but none were found to be
sufficiently proofed to prevent the ingress of moisture. It is considered, however, that as these types of linings are
designed f o r the storage of normally dry
products—that is, as a
protection
against excessive moisture—the manuf a c t u r e r s possibly would consider the
preparation of special linings f o r seed.
The writer is at present in communication with certain firms with this end
in view. There are other types of containers in which seed might be stored,
but sack storage offers many advantages,
the chief of which is economy and convenience. Probably the only disadvantage is the possibility of the too f r e e use
of hooks during handling in and out of
store, rail, and ship.
In North America and in Europe
there are in use a number of graindryers which mostly utilize heated air as
the drying agent and which could be
adopted for the drying of grass-seed.
The rapidity of the removal of moisture

depends, of course not only on the temperature but also on the volume of air
which can be passed preferably, through
layers of seed. The air may "be heated
my means of steam coils, electrically
heated coils, coke, coal, or oil furnaces.
Nothing can be said her as to the cost
of artificial drying, which must necessarily add to the export price of the seed.
Presumably, however, seed of a g u a r a n teed germination capacity would be sold
a t a premium. Furthermore, there a r e
the losses in weight occasioned by t h e
removal of a portion of the contained
water, which, when the seed is in the
undried state, costs money. Therefore
a minimum amount of moisture would
be removed, say, 5 per cent to 6 per cent.
The available information in respect
of cool storage is not extensive, but it
is evident t h a t it offers possibilities.
Artificial drying with special packing
as a safeguard against deterioration
during transit and storage is definitely
superior, but should this method prove
uneconomic or for any other reason inoperative, then cool storage provides a
second line of defense. It would seem t h a t
there are possibilities in its employment
for early shipments of seed intended for
early sowing. It is intended to institute
experiments designed to elucidate this
point and also ones in regard to the
most suitable storage temperatures.

"Common sense is at the
every true success".

core

of

"Inexperience is easier to train than
bad experience".
"The timeliness of any act is 95% of
its effect". How this applies to greenkeeping!
"Overstatement
tion".

undermines

convic-

"The day you cease to study is the
day you start to slip".
" A t least two people are at f a u l t in
almost every quarrel".
"To choose between two products
needs experience and brains. A robot
can choose between two prices".
"Foresight rates first among business
essentials".

^m^

THREE TO SIX MONTHS
Before

You

Need

Seed

Supplies

W e b u y our s t o c k s d i r e c t f r o m p r o d u c e r s a n d
shippers w e

know.

T h i s t i m e e l e m e n t a l l o w s u s f a v o r a b l e cost a n d leisurelyc a r e f u l t e s t s o n t h e i r q u a l i t y to m a k e
of p l e a s i n g

sure

you.

THOMAS W. EMERSON CO.
2 1 3 - 2 1 5 S t a t e St., B o s t o n , Mass.
BOSTON, MASS.
"New

England's

Largest

Wholesale

Seed

House"

on M o w e r U n i t s
Cut D o w n U p - K e e p Costs
W h e n t h e t r e a d s on a W o r t h i n g t o n
U n i t ' s steel w h e e l w e a r out, a n e w
d e m o u n t a b l e r i m c o s t s b u t $1.
On
o t h e r m a k e s you h a v e to b u y a n e n tire new wheel costing approximately
$6. T h e W o r t h i n g t o n s a v e s y o u $5.
T h a t m e a n s $30. on a 3 - g a n g , $50.
on a 5 - g a n g a n d $70. on a 7 - g a n g .
T h a t ' s s u r e e n o u g h cutting' d o w n u p k e e p costs.
W e also make, a solid d e m o u n t a b l e
rubber tread and a pneumatic tired
wheel, f o r u s e w h e r e in g o i n g f r o m
one cutting- l o c a t i o n to a n o t h e r , cobble
or c o n c r e t e r o a d s m u s t be u s e d .
Send f o r n e w book telling
other ways Worthingtons Cut
C u t t i n g Costs.

M a i n Office:
Stroudsburg,
Pa.

gton

ower

.pnpanif EEEEE

1

B o s t o n Office:
State
Street

about
Down

Equip Your Course
with

STANDARD

GOLF

EQUIPMENT

It Pays to Standardize on Standard. Plan your improvements
now—while present low prices f o r Standard equipment a r e
offered. There has been no price increase in the Standard line
(with exception of Flags) so Buy Now.
HOLE

RIMS

FLAG

POLES

Special steel, seamless
Scientifically designed, tube,
thoroughly galcast in one piece. Ab-vanized and reinforced
solutely true, correct at bottom. Aluminum
size.
Strongly rein- ferrule. Equipped with
brass Flag fasforced — slightly t a p - special
tening rings, or with
ered for ease in insert- swivel if desired. Red
ing
and extracting. and White, or Orange
Will not rust, corrode and Black. 8 f e e t long
1 % or 1 inch ferrule.
—many other exclu- Furnished 1% ferrule,
sive features.
unless otherwise specified.
Price

Aluminum
Cast Iron

Price

. . . . $2.15 Flag Poles—each $2.15
Duralumin Swivel,
$1.10
extra $0.25

PERMANENT
ALUMINUM

\

I

SIGNS

HOLE SO •&'
A95 YDS

AliM"

PAR 4 .

Signs f o r every purpose—made from cast
aluminum.
Will n o t
rust, discolor, corrode,
or tarnish. Will give
years of perfect service . . . . Yardage
Markers — "Do" and
"Don't"
signs — Tee
Markers •— Direction
Signs.
Special Sizes.
Prices on Request.
Arrow, Marker, illustrated, your wording,
each $1.60.
above

prices

HOLE

CUTTER

Cuts
clean and
sharp -— exactly
right size.
Built
strong and rugged
for years of service. Stays sharp.
Regularly furnished with scalloped
cutting edge—but
can be furnished
in plain edge, if
desired.
Price each—$8.00

include

Distributed

Federal

Tax

in New England

exclusively b y

NEW ENGLAND TORO COMPANY
1121

WASHINGTON

STREET,

WEST

NEWTON,

MASS.