LETTER Golf Course Superintendents A s s o c i a t i © ! ! OF NEW ENGLAND, INC. Sponsors and administrators of the Troil-Dickinson Scholarship Fund - Awarded yearly to deserving Turf Management Students. Tony Caranci with GCSÂA T o n y Caranci has always been a 100 percent guy. Whatever the task, whatever the game Tony's involvement must be wall to wall. It's been that way for all of his working life . . . from its beginning when he was a 20 year old screening loam for fifty bucks a week to the culmination of a storied golf course superintendent's career that lasted almost half a century. Recently, Tony realized his numbers were slipping a little. He couldn't give the Ledgemont Country Club his usual 100 percent effectiveness. So, at 68 and battling the degenerative symptoms and signs of Parkinson's disease, Tony has decided to retire. Caranci, one of the giants of our profession, was working on his 45th year as head superintendent at Ledgemont. "Ledgemont is a great club and Ledgemont is me," Tony described the long, lasting relationship between the two. In this issue . . . Page Calendar of Events 2 The Super Speaks Out . 3 Open Green Space 4 Remember When? 4 From the Archives 5 New Mesostemic Mode 5 Grubs Wanted 6 Divot Drift 6 Host Superintendent Profile . . . . 8 April 1999 caps his 45 year career Distinguished S o w f e © Award eg My members tell me that they're proud of their course. When you're a superintendent looking for signs and clues to your effectiveness, that's ail you need f® hear." Tony Caranci Ledgem&nt C.C. "This was a very difficult decision for me. I could have stayed, but I didn't want the club to feel I wasn't doing my job. By that I mean if I couldn't be the 'old Tony', it wasn't fair to the club or me to remain superintendent." However, Ledgemont didn't allow its prized superintendent to get off that easy. The club has hired Tony as a consultant for the next two years (at a handsome salary) and contributed to the finalization of his pension plan. "That's typical of my membership," Caranci explained. "I've always looked at Ledgemont as a fabulous course with fabulous members. For all the years I served them, they were always a solid, supportive group. My members tell me that they're proud of their course. When you're a superintendent looking for signs and clues to your effectiveness, that's all you need to hear." The sounds of success span out from there. Caranci, who served both the New England and Rhode Island golf course superintendents associations as president, has received praise, plaudits, and prizes throughout his career. The latest was the frosting on his cake, coming at this year's Golf Course Superintendents Association of America International conference in Orlando, Fla. where he was presented the GCSAA's Distinguished Service Award. Obviously, Tony was impressed by the moment. "Now I know what it feels like to be treated like a king," Tony gushed. "From the moment we (Tony and wife Matilda) arrived at the airport, everything came in style. Would you believe it? There was a guy waiting for us when we got off the plane, yelling my name . . . just like they do in the movies. "Then, it was into a white limo and off to the hotel. Every moment after that was like a dream. Anything we wanted we g o t There were no restrictions. And the night of the banquet and awards presentation! I must have shaken 5,000 sets of hands. I was sitting up there next to Barbara Bush (keynote speaker). She was very gracious, very nice. Everyone was. I can't begin to say how much that experience means to me." So, how come all this fuss over a onetime North Providence High School upstart who saw that the school didn't have a golf team and up and formed one himself? That was back in 1946. Tony became captain of that first team, hacking continued on page 6 Page 3 UNI V 6 PRESIDENT K e v i n F. O s g o o d 14 I n m a n Lane, F o x b o r o u g h , M A 0 2 0 3 5 617-630-1950 Fax 6 1 7 - 9 6 9 - 8 7 5 6 N e w t o n C o m m o n w e a l t h Golf C o u r s e VICE PRESIDENT Robert Ruszala 69 Gelinas Drive, C h l c o p e e , M A 0 1 0 2 0 413-256-8654 Fax 4 1 3 - 5 9 4 - 4 5 7 1 Hickory Ridge Country Club SECRETARY J a m e s Fltzroy, C G C S 357 W . S q u a n t u m Street, North Qulncy, M A 02171 617-328-1776 Fax 6 1 7 - 3 2 8 - 9 4 7 9 Presidents Golf C o u r s e TREASURER M i c h a e l V. lacono, C G C S 42 N e w t o n Street, W e s t o n , M A 0 2 4 9 3 781 - 8 9 9 - 7 9 1 3 Fax 781 - 6 4 7 - 0 6 0 2 Pine B r o o k C o u n t r y C l u b TRUSTEE A r t h u r Silva, C G C S 35 Pennacook Road, Tewksbury, M A 0 1 8 7 6 781-484-5440 Fax 781 - 4 8 4 - 6 6 1 3 Belmont Country Club TRUSTEE David C o m e e 65 M a r q u e t t e Road, Gardner, M A 01440 978-297-1223 Fax 9 7 8 - 2 9 7 - 0 9 1 1 The W i n c h e n d o n Golf C l u b TRUSTEE W a y n e F. L a C r o i x , C G C S P. O . B o x 4 2 2 4 , A n d o v e r , M A 0 1 8 1 0 978-475-6638 Fax 9 7 8 - 4 7 5 - 9 4 8 8 Andover Country Club FINANCE CHAIRMAN Daniel Higgins, C G C S 68 Hutchinson Road, Winchester, M A 0 1 8 9 0 781-729-3809 Fax 7 8 1 - 7 2 1 - 1 5 6 1 Winchester Country Club GOLF C H A I R M A N M i c h a e l J. H e r m a n s o n P. O. B o x 1 4 5 , G a r d n e r , M A 0 1 4 4 0 978-632-2713 Fax 9 7 8 - 6 3 2 - 2 7 1 3 Gardner Municipal Golf Course EDUCATION CHAIRMAN R o n a l d P. D o b o s z , Jr. 1137 Park Street, Stoughton, M A 0 2 0 7 2 781 -341 - 8 5 6 4 Fax 781 - 3 4 1 - 8 5 6 4 , *51 C e d a r Hill G o l f C o u r s e NEWSLETTER CHAIRMAN Russell Heller 5 9 Park Street, Melrose, M A 0 2 1 7 6 978-256-5664 Fax 9 7 8 - 2 5 6 - 5 6 6 4 Chelmsford Country Club PAST PRESIDENT Robert DiRloo, C G C S 3 2 6 Fuller S t r e e t , W e s t N e w t o n , M A 0 2 4 6 5 617-527-6968 Fax 6 1 7 - 5 2 7 - 0 0 6 9 Brae B u m Country Club continued from page 1 his way through opponents with a driver he purchased for 25 cents. Such ingenuity (he cut the face of the club so he could use it on fairways) was the first warning no one, nothing could hold Tony back. Eventually, Tony became a good golfer. But his interest in the game always had been rooted in golf course maintenance, when at the age of 13, he took that job screening loam for head super Pat Tameo at the Louisquisset Country Club. "I was hooked on becoming a superintendent," Tony explained. "Pat took an interest in me and I really looked up to him as a mentor and friend. I learned a lot from him and my father who also was a superintendent. In fact, as time went on he took over for me at Louisquisset as head super while I was in the service during the Korean Conflict. That's probably the only time a father succeeded a son in our business." When Tony returned and reclaimed his job at Louisquisset, he scouted around and actually found a place for his dad at a course in Warwick. Five years later the folks at Ledgemont did some scouting of their own and decided on Tony as their next superintendent. Almost 45 years have passed since the day Tony took over at Ledgemont and everything that followed has been smooth as silk. Education always was paramount during Tony's coming of age and beyond as a golf course superintendent. His thirst for knowledge was quenched by nonstop attendance at meetings, seminars and conferences. In fact, Tony became addicted to learning and teaching turfgrass grooming and saving theories, so much so that he taught budgeting and turf management at both the University of Massachusetts and the University of Rhode Island, where he was on the staff for 38 years. "That's one part of my life that I really relate to when I look back at what's happened these last 50 years," Tony told. "When it was announced that I was to receive the national award (DSA), I received letters from all over the country from old interns and students. I had more than 40 interns go through me and on to head super jobs. In fact, four of them went to the top, earning their Ph.Ds." So, the time has come for Tony Caranci to wrap up his memories and take a break from a self-imposed demanding but rewarding schedule. He's the man of the year in GCSAA circles and New England's golden gift to a profession that is slowly but surely becoming golfs greatest asset. G E 1 M Y FINN Calendar April 2 0 GCSANE Monthly Meeting J o i n t m e e t i n g w i t h Cap® C o d E a s t w a r d Ho C o u n t r y C l u b C h a t h a m , Mass. S u p t - Brian Cowan, CGCS May 17 GCSANE Monthly Meeting Scholarship & Benevolence Tournament Wachusett Country Club W e s t Boylston, Mass. SupL - Don Marrone J u n e 14 GCSANE Monthly Meeting Hickory Hill Golf C o u r s e M e t h u e n , Mass. T e a m of T w o C h a m p i o n s h i p Supt. - Eric Brox June 23 UMass T a r f Field Day S o u t h Deerfield, Mass. July 19 GCSANE Monthly Meeting 75th Anniversary Tournament Marshfield Country Club Marshfield, Mass. S u p t . - B o b Matthews, CGCS August 9 GCSANE Monthly Meeting P o q u o y B r o o k Golf C l u b Lakeville, Mass. Individual C h a m p i o n s h i p Supt. - Charles Dickow MU -HT T H E NEWSLETTER GCSANE Headquarters 175 Highland Avenue, N e e d h a m , M A 02494-3034 (781) 4 5 3 - 8 6 6 8 Fax (617) 4 4 9 - 4 0 2 0 Newsletter Editor Contributing Editor Business Manager R u s s e l l Heller Gerry Finn . Michael V. l a s o no, C G C S I n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a i n e d in t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n m a y b e u s e d f r e e l y , in w h o l e o r in p a r t , w i t h o u t s p e c i a l p e r m i s s i o n a s l o n g a s t h e t r u e c o n t e x t is m a i n t a i n e d . W e w o u l d a p p r e c i a t e a c r e d i t line. IÜÍIIALÍAÍÜ .IJIIII had more than 4@ interns go through me and ©n to head superintendent jobs. In fact, four of them went to the top, earning their Athletic Turf Field Day N a s h u a , N.H. October 4 GCSANE Monthly Meeting W h i t e Cliffs C o u n t r y C l u b P l y m o u t h . Mass. SupL - Lianne Larson November 1 GCSANE Monthly Meeting Brae Burn Country Club Ph.Ds." T h e H i g h l a n d C o u r s e (9 Holes) Tony Caranci iJjdli.ljáiinL A u g u s t 11 S u p t . - B o b DiRico, C G C S Uiili.ljtllilliliili.ljiliiii Page 3 I 1 The Supm7 Spmks Qui This month's questions What are the practice facilities at your golf course and what is the agenda for maintaining them? S t e v e Tibbels, CGCS, Segregansett Country Club: "We are a club of enthusiastic golfers. For example, a few weeks ago the temperature was eight degrees, the wind was blowing about 30 miles an hour, and I was pinching myself. "Why? Because there were four guys out on the course playing away as if it were the middle of July. "I bring this up because there's the same kind of enthusiasm here when it comes to practicing. We have goifers on the practice tee at all hours of the day and I'd say we have a steady flow of them from the first of April until the first of October when we usually close down the practice area. "We have a driving range at the present. The tee is 22,000 square feet and the landing area probably is the star of the whole thing. It's a sculptured fairway with woods on either side. Thus, not only do golfers get a chance to iet out the shaft, they also can work on their accuracy off the tee by trying to hit the fairway. "A lot of maintenance goes into this operation because the area gets a pounding all day during the golf season. We cut the tee three times a week, and the landing area is irrigated just as the rest of the course is, so it gives the effect of a drive or iron shot off the first tee. "The practice area is located right behind my maintenance buiiding, so on occasion I open it up if the pro has some 7n the old days» members newer practiced. They Just came to ih@ courseg teed it up, and away they went down the first fairway." Paul Millers CGCS Nashawtuc C.C. important business at another part of the golf course. It's really no bother, though, because operation of the facility is a responsibility of the pro shop. "Picking up balls can be a problem because of the layout, a landing area where balls can disappear because of the woods on both sides of the simulated fairway. My crew doesn't do much in that respect, other than tossing balls back onto the fairway when they're doing cleanup work in the area. "I'd really like to have another teeing area so I could use a rotation system to facilitate turf healing time. That could be in the works. I don't know at this time." Arthur Silva, CGCS, Belmont Country Club: "A refurbished driving range, complete with two target greens and maybe a couple of traps, is on the drawing board here because all of a sudden practice has become part of the country club lifestyle. "It's understandable, too, because of the impact the PGA Tour and its players have on the country club golfer. The amateur reads, hears about, and sees practice featured as part of the touring pro's agenda and figures that's going to be part of his agenda. At least, it appears that way because we have heavy practice play. "As a matter of fact, the cost of practice for members has become part of the dues structure at Belmont. Since that happened, practice has almost doubled. That means it has to be a strain on the practice turf. "Presently, we have a 20,000 square foot practice tee. We don't have any designated accuracy-related landing areas as yet but we put out directional flags so the golfer can feel a sense of playing target golf. "The actual operation of the practice area comes from the pro shop and the first tee starter generally has that responsibility. However, with the .L^NIIFIUJIULWIJJJAII.IIDLUJ^ LLILLKILII J.LITLAL.I increased amount of practice area use, maintenance of the area takes on a new look and much more input than in the past. "I try to rotate the hitting areas, front and back, and there's even talk of using driving mats if the tee gets cut up too much. It probably would be a good idea to use the mats anyway, especially when it's wet. "So, my maintenance schedule follows the dictate of practice area use. The more it's used, the more maintenance goes into it. And down the road is another plan to redo the entire practice area. This stuff is getting big." P a u l Miller, CGCS, Nasfaawtac Country Club: "We have a big problem here when visions of an expansive and ail encompassing practice area shoot out from our membership. Simply put, we don't have the room. "This is true of most of the older courses because practice is something that's surfaced with the increased exposure of the PGA Tour. In the oid days, members never practiced. They just came to the course, teed it up and away they went down the first fairway. But this is now and courses like Nashawtuc face the impossible - finding land for an updated practice area. "At the moment we have a 22,000 square foot practice tee. That's about 35 percent of what it could be. What's more, we have a Senior PGA Tour event and must make makeshift arrangements to accommodate the senior pro's practice needs. That's more than a problem because it's only temporary and the members never get to use it. "Regardless, we are going to need adequate practice facilities because it's what golfs all about in this day and age. I've been traveling around the country doing a little golfing, and in many places the practice area has its own attendant, and he's full-time. "Practice has become a big issue here. We've brought in architects to solve the problem but no one has come up with the real soiution: some way to manufacture land. Until that happens, we're working on relocating the putting green as a starter and going from there to realize a marked improvement. "It's going to be done. How? That's a good question." GEMRY FINN Page 4 ¡ilililiiilÜ^i'lUliAli.thlUlÜ. Open Green Space A superintendent by Steve Curry Superintendent, Berkshire Hills C.C. Recently I learned that the Stockbridge School has devised a plan to shorten its internship program by 8 weeks. This decision has lead to a flood of thoughts on my part and conversations with colleagues and administrators. The consensus of those responsible for the change was that the curriculum needed to be elevated and that the best pian to achieve that was to lengthen the second semester by 8 weeks. Evidently the plan is final and takes effect in the Y2K. Regardless of this change, one issue that led us here is that many of the students are not gaining enough viable education or experience while on their internship. While I attribute this in part to the school's lack of direction and follow through, an issue also being addressed, I am now concerned with reaching out to superintendents. It is my credo that we are in a greater part responsible for the training, education, and direction of our intern students. I am fallible! This basic thought, concentration, or mental marker is the foundation of my managerial approach. It gives me the ability to guide with strength in that those i teach do not feel inferior and I guard against developing a superiority complex. This creates a more comfortable learning environment. I listen to thoughts and suggestions and am receptive to questions. This should not be misconstrued as weak leadership; a fine line, the open-minded approach leads to a greater responsiveness. This, combined with cross-training, leads to employees that are better utilized and more content. Intern students come to us in the process of educating themselves to be superintendents, a simple thought sometimes overlooked. Why is this important? While they wili not be prepared at the end of the internship to be a superintendent, the more they have learned and experienced in that period, the farther along they will be. I focus on involving them in every aspect of my endeavors. While this may detract from the totai productivity for the season, it will pay dividends. As they reflects are that involved, they quickly become another pair of trained and intelligent eyes. They care. As responsible administrators of intern students, we must: teach as much as possible, question their thinking, allow them to question ours, pressure them, give them responsibility, assist with school work, direct them on future employment, and care about them. Those that pass through your program and move on are your reflection; if they succeed then so internships have you. In general terms this applies to all that are employed by us. It is important to further their progress within our means. I want to thank again: Bill Bianowicz, Rick Christian, Bill Kelch, Clark Weld, Ron Luepke, and Dave Pease, as they are the superintendents that helped to develop my skills as a golf course superintendent Steve Curry is superintendent at Berkshire Hills Country Club in Pittsfield, Mass. Remember When? Reimern bet When?: GCSANE's pas t Remember when? looks at significant individuals and events of GCSANE's past. 25 years ago The life expectancy of golfs green chairman has been a hot topic among GCSANE members and much bantering on the subject took up some time during the recent Massachusetts Turf Conference in Chicopee. In a spot check interview with conference-attending superintendents, the most popular response was to have green chairmen follow the term conditions of country club presidents, thus creating a situation where they are appointed on a limited tenure basis. One superintendent noted, "A green chairman with unlimited tenure could be preventing new ideas from flourishing. He might settle into a routine of overseeing the operation and soon that routine becomes a rut. You see it happen every day in political circles at the local and nationai levels. So, sometime change for the sake of change is good." No chairmen were polled on the issue. However, the orderly turnover in club presidents would appear to bring forth reason for applying the same terms to the green chairmanship. 15 years ago The computer and stress-related presentations were eye-catchers during the educational segment of the 53rd Mass. Turfgrass Conference in Springfield. IJILIL.UIIMIXJRIII.LJDLH.U Bill Smart of the Country Club in Poughkeepsie handled the stress-related section of the program. The conclusion of his presentation found that superintendents have to cope with stress. Conference chief Dr. Joe Troli said, "In order to get ahead in the game, the superintendent must be assertive. And, when he's assertive, stress is bound to occur. So, what we wanted to do was help him recognize it and deal with it. Bill Smart clicked famously on that score." Computer effect and contribution to the profession was ably presented by the GCSANE's own Bob Grant, who showed how computers can be a help to superintendents in a number of ways. It was unanimous that computers will be a vital part of the superintendent's working arsenal, both in the field and on the administrative front. 5 years ago Golf results at Pine Ridge Country Club, Team of four scramble: 1st place, 62 - Kevin Lyons, Daryn Brown, Ed Uhlman, Sr., and Dave Stowe. 2nd piace, 63 - Mike Hermanson, Wayne LaCroix, Kip Tyler, and Chris Peterson. It's been reported that on the last run on the last day of the ski season, Jack "Alberto Tomba" Hassett decided to go for broke off a large mogul. Apparently the mogul was too large. Jack is resting with a broken wing. GEMEY FINN L4RCH/M0NT ENGINEERING & IRRIGATION, INC. Eleven Larchmont Lane o PO Box 66 o Lexington, MA 02420 TEL: (877) 862-2550 FAX: (781) 862-0173 E-mail: Larchmontengr@Worldnet.ATT.Net Or Visit us At: www.larchmont-eng.com IRRIGATION SPECIALISTS & MANUFACTURERS OF: Larchmont Rain Kannon Seif-Contained Sprinkler Systems, Custom Pump Stations Components for Complete Irrigation Systems Design Consulting Service for Irrigation Back Flow Preventers: Clamps: Compression Fittings: Controllers (Irrigation): Couplings: Drip Irrigation: Engines: Filters: Fittings: * * * * * * * * * Fountains: Gaskets: Hose: * * * Motors: Nitescape: Pipe: Pumps: Saddles: Soil Conditioner: Sprinklers: * * * * * * * * Strainers: Suction: Travellers: Valves: Valves (Solenoid): Valve Boxes: Water Meter: Water Treatment: Wire: * * * * * * * * * Controller Service: Pump Service: * * DISTRIBUTORS OF: Febco, Watts Oetiker (crimp clamps), Ideal (screw clamps) For PVC Pipe, Couplings, Tees & Adapters RainBird, Hunter, Irritrol, Weathertec, Thompson PVC, Aluminum, Victaulic, Polyethylene, Steel Nibco, RainBird, Ag Products, Irritrol, Olson Gasoline, Diesel & Uquid Propane, John Deere, Caterpillar, Chevrolet Lakos, Filtomat, Amiad, Lake Spears PVC and Insert Fittings, Galvanized Fittings, Harco PVC and Ductile Iron Fittings, Pierce Epoxy Coated Steel Fittings Floating and Fixed for Aeration and Decoration: OASE, Aquamaster Suppliers of Gaskets and O-Rings for all Aluminum and PVC Pipe Larchmont has a wide variety of hose materia! and fittings to suit your needs. U.S. Baldor, Marathon, Franklin, Hitachi Outdoor Low Voltage Lighting for Residential & Commercial Application Polyethylene, Culvert Pipe, All Types PVC & Steel, ADS Submersible & Horizontal: Berkeley, Gould, F.E. Myers, Hale, Paco, Sewage, Sump & Transfer: Gorman-Rupp, Sta-Rite, Monarch JCM, CalAm, Smith, Blair Green-Releaf RainBird, Hunter, Irritrol, Thompson, Amadas, Traveler, Nelson Big Guns, Pierce, Reinke, Weathertec, Senniger Perfection, Sure-Flo, Lakos Hose and Fittings, all types Amadas, Cadman, ABI Check, Foot, Gate, Pneumatic Relief, Pressure Relief, Water & Air Valves RainBird, Hunter, Irritrol, Superior, Hayes, Weathertec Ametek and Carson (available in all sizes) Propeller, Turbine, and Remote Sensor Rust Inhibitor, Filtering, Insect Control ESP U.F. Direct Burial: Solid, Multi-strand, U.F., P.E. LARCHMONT SERVICE: The Best Distributor Service Center for all Controllers we sell. Larchmont will repair, rebuild, and maintain any pump. There's More to an Irrigation Sprinkler System... Than Just Sprinkler Heads Convenience. Healthy, better looking tees and greens. Increased growth, and many more. It's easy to list the benefits of an automatic irrigation sprinkler system. By contrast, ifs not easy to design and install an automatic irrigation sprinkler system. Thafs why Larchmont has spent years developing the specialized skills and knowledge needed to guarantee a job well done. Planning Did you know Larchmont has the state-of-the-art drafting equipment, and can help you design any type irrigation system. Products Did you know Larchmont stocks a full line of irrigation products and is a distributor for: • Rain Bird • Goulds Pumps • Hunter • Paco Pumps • Irritrol • Gorman-Rupp Pumps • Weathertec • Myers Pumps • Thompson • Berkeley Pumps Installation Did you know: • Larchmont has Professional Contractors who can install the entire irrigation system. Service And finally, did you know Larchmont can: • Custom build entire pumping stations. • Trouble shoot any system problem. • Fine tune your system for mid-summer heat. Call today and let us help you plan your system. We've got the irrigation experts and can design each irrigation system to meet your needs. SERVING YOU FROM TWO LOCATIONS: LARCHMONT 11 LARCHMONT LANE LEXINGTON, MA 02420 TEL NO.: (877) 862-2550 LARCHMONT 180 ZACHARY ROAD MANCHESTER, NH 03103 T E L NO.: (800) 622-8825 Page .IUIIIIII,LMÌIIAIJIIIIIIILAÌIIIILLI.I.IIJILIIIJ,LJILL 3 MÍii,iÚÜiíL¡lMÍLÍ¡kLii.LAÍlÚiíL.ljáLiÍÁÜikL,ÍjdiL¡iüiiáLlMÚÍAÜLLAlÁÚAL\jiLLálÜAL.ikLiÍA Turf Science Mesostemic activity bomis fungicide p^rfmmmc® Committed to being a leader in providing innovative products and technology for turf and ornamental plants, Novartis has developed a new mode of chemical activity that will revolutionize the way fungicides control common turfgrass diseases. Based on an advance in strobilurin chemistry, Novartis' new mesostemic power will exceed performance of both contact and systemic chemistries to deliver the highest efficacy and the lowest use rate available. this chemistry will feature low application rates (in tenths of an ounce) and longlasting, weather-resistant disease control. Mesostemic power provides effective disease control not only to treated parts of a plant, but also to its untreated parts and neighboring plants. Its outstanding disease control is brought about by two factors: translaminar activity which directs chemical movement through plant tissue; and surface vapor movement which redistributes fungicide over the plant's surface. The unique mesostemic mode of activity controls turfgrass diseases through a broad and balanced spectrum of activity. Unlike contact and systemic fungicides, it exhibits a high affinity for waxy layers of the plant surface and unique distribution properties. As a result, Novartis fungicides based on Upon application, a fungicide based on the mesostemic chemistry will form a strong affinity with the plant surface. Its active ingredients are locked on to the plant's waxy surface, forming a reservoir which does not move into the plant's vascular system. This creates a weather-resistant bond. The fungicide will penetrate leaves in small but biologically active quantities, quickly reaching its maximum uptake within a day after application. The reservoir on the leaf surface and in wax layers serves to continuously replace any active ingredient lost by metabolism. At the plant's surface, mesostemic activity allows for redistribution of its active ingredient via vapor action. Specifically, surface vapor movement redistributes small amounts of fungicide on the plant surface and re-deposits it onto untreated areas of the same or nearby plants. "The mesostemic mode of action represents an exciting opportunity because continued on page 8 GCSANE News From the GCSANE rln u 0 f New At left is a copy of the September 1943 Newsletter as published by the Greenskeepers Club of New England. England _ ^swwy^SL--—- -—- , „( the meeting a g r e ™ 7 B s s s f e „ s n t r ^ SaiiS«-*" ol w i t h p o w e r »p r : : j T - h i o s a n in - «is - "¿¡X^&SiiïSS&SàSfiS** D T h e Golf C o n m . U t e e c t a i r n » n " ^ _. „ r e m i t t e e cha ^ « - r i Y 0 A ana write 1 m t . „ „ r j ' u n e a t o C h a r U e anri the o t h e r f e g « ¿ 13th at the B r a e - now ^ ¡ ^ ^ Burn ( ^ Help m find fhe missing newsletters T h e 75th Anniversary Committee, during its research of the older Newsletters on file (through 1970), has determined the following months are missing from our archives: 1940 - December; 1941 - February, October, & December; 1942 - February, August, November, & December. (Feb. & Aug. may not have been published.); 1943 January; 1944 - March, May, & July; 1958 May & June; 1959 - January; 1962 - November; 1964 - June; 1965 - January; and 1967 - January & June Prior to 1940, all Newsletter issues indicated "volume and issue", since that time the practice has not continued. During the war years, in some cases, with the paper shortages, the "Missing Newsletters" may not have been even published. Hints in some Newsletter issues indicate November, December, January, and February issues in the late 1940s and 1950s were sometimes not published due to lack of advertising funds. We are not sure if some issues are missing or were never published. Please search your old files and locate our long lost friends. Please get the original or a copy to a member of the committee or send it to the GCSANE in Needham. Bob Healey, (508) 653-0625 Chairman, 75th Anniversary Committee Page 3 .I TIL UMass Research News UMms research project A s you may know, Pat Vittum and her turf insect group are trying to determine the distribution of white grubs throughout New England. Several species of grubs occur in the region, and each species has a slightly different life cycle. Perhaps even more importantly, different species respond to insecticides differently. So it is becoming increasingly important to know which grub species you are dealing with. To add to the confusion, it is not unusual to have more than one species in a given location. There are courses on Long Island with four different grub species on one fairway! We seem to be dealing with Japanese beetle, European chafer, oriental beetle, and Asiatic garden beetle grubs in various parts of New England. (There are also occasional outbreaks of June beetles in some areas.) For descriptions of the grubs and wsufs ymt grubs - dead © r alive our current understanding of their distribution, see our web page (www.umass.edu/ umext/turf) and click the "Pest ID" button. How Can You Help? We are trying to collect samples of grubs from as many locations in New England as possible. If you have a grub infestation and would like to know what species is involved, collect at least 50 of those grubs (100 grubs would be ideal) and send them to us for identification. We will identify each grub to species and let you know exactly what you have at least in that location! There are two options for preparing the grubs. You can send them alive by putting them in a piastic container with lots of soil. (Otherwise the grubs will get cranky and attack each other.) Or you can put them in rubbing alcohol to kill them and put them in a tightly sealed container. Tape the con- tainer very securely. Post office personnel get very upset when packages leak or smell! In either case send the package to us by overnight delivery. Live grubs will not stay alive forever, and will begin to suffer in the high temperatures of summer. "Pickled" grubs start to break down pretty quickly, so rapid delivery is crucial. Also do not mail on Thursday or Friday to ensure that the specimens will not spend the week-end in a mail room. Send them to: Dr. Pat Vittum, Dept. of Entomology, Fernald Hall, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003-2410. And please call us (413-545-0268) to alert us, so we know to look for the package. Thanks for your help. We hope to be able to refine our grub management recommendations once we have a better understanding of which grubs are where. DiWOT DRIFT...announcements...educational seminars...¡ob opportunities ...tournament r