! • 'i tvg^ t-vgAj ijjgjj aau lAjgAj ijjg^ t ^ j tjg^ tjggj ligjj ta^ aaij t-jg^j tjgaj Grasp an idea and work it out to a successful conc, That is a,bout all there is in life for any of us. -EDWARD § 1 *• s& | | H. B s HARRIMAN | | i This N E W S L E T T E R is published monthly by the Greenkeepers Club of New England, and sent f r e e to its members and their Green's Chairmen. Subscription price ten cents a copy, or a dollar a year. GUY C. W E S T Editor 312 Mt. P l e a s a n t St., F a l l R i v e r , M a s s . Arthur Anderson is looking worried these days. We wondered if his duties as chairman of our golf committee were the cause, but a little birdie reports that he is thinking of double harness soon! Bud Hayden tells us t h a t he is building a new tenth tee at Woodland. 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 , M a s s . September, 1935 Vol. 7, No. 9 Hoping to get some news of some of our members who haven't been around much this season, we wrote some twenty, asking them to send us news of themselves. Replies have been few, but we are including what we have! Jim Lawson of Misquamicut sends in the following as worthy of our attention : "The Good Indian's Landscaping is being done at Pakachoag Hill, with Tom Mattus putting in many Lombardy poplars and red pines in the areas between the fairways. Work f o r the Fall is to include the building of several new tees. Jim Sullivan, formerly of Waltham, is now building a new nine hole course a t the Jesuit College in Weston, Mass. He is to seed f o u r greens this Fall, and the rest in the Spring. Most of the new fairways are on old meadow land with sod of mostly colonial bent. Prayer" Oh Powers that be, make me sufficient to my own occasions. Teach me to know and to observe the Rules of the Game. Give to me to mind my own business at all times and to lose no good opportunity of holding my tongue. Help me not to cry f o r the moon or over spilled milk. Grant me neither to proffer nor to welcome cheap praise; to distinguish sharply between sentiment and sentimentality, cleaving to one and despising the other. Give to me to be always a good comrade, and to view the passing show with an eye constantly growing keener, a charity broadening and deepening day by day. "Help me to win, if win I must; but — a n d this, Oh Powers, especially—if I may not win, make me a good loser, Amen". F r a n k Robinson reports t h a t he has planted six thousand square f e e t of 14276 velvet f o r f u t u r e use. F r a n k also has experimented with this strain, cutting it into existing sod, and says that in two years his lawn which was formerly very poor, is now nearly filled in with the good strain. A story of his work during the past two years with this strain is promised us f o r the NEWSLETTER. Cliff Sowerby reports t h a t the course at Marlboro has been in wonderful shape this season, so good in fact t h a t the course record was broken, now being 68. Par has only been broken f o u r times previously. The 12th and 16th greens at Winchester are to be rebuilt this Fall. The procedure is to prepare the soil with the Tilivator, add 300 pounds of superphosphate, resod with 14276 velvet f r o m t h e nursery. Les Wildgust also is putting in a new nursery of this strain, 8000 sq. f t . in area, to give him 24000 sq. f t . total on hand. Les also told us of something of which we hadn't heard before. Every Fall he has his gang remove some two acres of sod f r o m his 3rd fairway, cart it away to store f o r the Winter, and the area is then flooded f o r skating and hockey. In the Spring the area is put into shape, and the sod put back, and in a short time the grass seems to be growing better than ever. Dr. T. E. Odland has planted the f r o n t lawn of his new house a t Kingston with Kernwood bent, using seed. This lawn should be well worth seeing in a couple of years! PLANT NEW AUGUST LAWNS OR IN LATE SEPTEMBER Howard B. Sprague, Agronomist New Jersey Agri. Exp. Sta. Home owners who contemplate seeding new lawns, or replanting old ones, are urged to carry out their plans in late August or in September. Lawns seeded in late summer and early fall have a greater opporunity f o r success than those planted at any other season of the year. The cool moist weather normally experienced during the fall months is ideal f o r germination and sturdy growth of the grass seedlings, and the turf improves rapidly in vigor during the spring growing period. Consequently, fall seeded lawns are able to endure drought and competition f r o m summer weeds f a r better than spring seeded areas. The seed bed should be carefully prepared, since the soil is more conveniently and inexpensively improved before planting than a f t e r w a r d . Drainage must be adequate f o r all grasses, both at the surface and in the subsoil. Areas which are chronically soggy will require the installation of agricultural tile drains, whereas heavy soils that merely drain slowly may be corrected by the incorporation of organic matter and lime. Light sandy and shaley soils with low w a t e r holding capacities benefit greatly by the incorporation of liberal amounts of spent mushroom soil, or compost containing substantial proportions of both clay and organic matter. The application of sufficient hydrated lime or ground limestone to correct excessive acidity will prove an excellent investment in maintaining the established t u r f . Practically all soils in this region are naturally deficient in humus, and therefore require the thorough incorporation of organic m a t t e r in the f o r m of well rotted manure, cultivated peat, or raw native peat. In addition to the foregoing treatment, 20 to 30 lbs. of a complete commercial fertilizer should be applied f o r each 1,000 square f e e t of surface. For convenience, the lime, organic matter, and fertilizer may all be mixed simultaneously with the upper 4 to 6 inches of soil. A f t e r the seed bed has been leveled and firmed, the upper inch should be finely pulverized by raking. Approxi- mately 4 pounds of a high quality lawn seed mixture will be sufficient for each 1,000 square feet, provided the seed is uniformly distributed and raked in lightly. The newly seeded area should be kept moderately moist f o r several weeks to permit ready germination of the_grass seed. Artificial watering must be in the f o r m of a fine mist-like spray to avoid formation of a hard crust on the^ soil surface. It is essential to moisten the soil thoroughly to a depth of a t least 4 inches when water is applied. Cheap lawn seed mixtures are a common cause of lawn failures. Such mixtures invariably are composed of grasses which soon die under regular mowing, and f r e q u e n t l y contain very large amounts of chaff and dirt. Lawn enthusiasts who p r e f e r turf made f r o m a single grass species rather than a mixture, are advised to plant Chewing's Fescue, Velvet bent, or Kentucky bluegrass, depending on the particular area in question. Attention to the purity and germination of all grass seed is a necessary precaution, since adulteration with inferior grasses and the presence of dead seed are not readily detected by the purchaser. Tests of representative samples of the seed made by a reputable seed analyst will reveal its true worth. GREEN LAWNS ON TERRACE SLOPES Howard B. Sprague, Agronomist New Jersey Agri. Exp. Sta. Terraced slopes are difficult locations on which to establish and maintain t u r f . Although the problems increase greatly with the steepness of the slope, success may be expected on the m a j o r i t y of terraces provided attention is given to the particular situation at hand. The more important f a c t o r s to be considered a r e : thorough preparation of the seed bed, the use of a suitable seed mixture, planting in early fall, and regular fertilization, watering, and mowing. Terraced lawns invariably suffer f r o m moisture shortage, since a large proportion of the water f r o m rains and artificial watering runs off the slope before it has an opportunity to enter t h e soil. To offset this condition, it is highly essential that the soil be adequately limed and organic m a t t e r incorporated at the time the seed bed is prepared. Acid soils tend to become impermeable to water entrance, whereas soils t h a t are made mildly acid _ or n e u t r a l by liming, admit water readily. Organic m a t t e r additions in the f o r m of well rotted manure, raw native peat, or cultivated peat, not only improve the ability of the soil to take in moisture b u t also increase the total water capacity of the soil. The successful grass seed mixture f o r terraces must consist of species which are deep rooted and tolerant of drought. Early fall is the most favorable season f o r planting terraced lawns, since the grass has an opportunity to become well established during the cool moist fall and spring months. Spring seedings generally suffer severely f r o m summer drought and competition with weeds, unless carefully watered and weeded frequently. Following the incorporation of the necessary lime and organic matter, the soil on the terrace slope should receive an application of approximately 25 pounds of a well-balanced, complete fertilizer, the material evenly spread over each 1,000 square feet and raked into the surface soil. To insure an even stand of grass, the lawn seed mixture recommended above should be scattered uniformly over the seed bed, at the r a t e of 4 to 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet, the area raked lightly to cover the seed, and rolled. In order to avoid washing of the newly seeded lawn by rains or artificial watering, the entire slope may then be covered with cheesecloth or some similar open-mesh inexpensive fabric. The cloth is held permanently in place by short stakes or staples placed a t f r e q u e n t intervals. The young grass plants grow through the cloth without difficulty, and the rotting fabric forms a mulch to protect the plants until well established. The terrace lawn will endure drought and other adversities to a greater degree if cut at 1 inch or longer, than if mowed closely. Periodic cutting at a 1-inch length permits vigorous root development in spring and fall and also improves the density of the t u r f . The addition of a complete fertilizer in early spring and early fall, the application of lime as needed to correct excessive acidity, and regular watering during periods of moisture shortage, are also important phases of turf main- tenance on the terrace slope. Where the incline is so steep that erosion of the soil by rain occurs, 1 or 2 top dressings of screened top soil or compost yearly will aid in maintaining a smooth surface. SUCCESSFUL LAWNS ON SHADED AREAS Howard B. Sprague Agronomist New Jersey Agri. Exp. Sta. The successful establishment of turf on shaded areas necesitates the use of shade tolerant grasses, the improvement of soil conditions to meet growth requirements, and seeding at a seasonable time of the year. All grasses require some sunlight daily f o r satisf a c t o r y growth, although certain species are considerably more tolerant of limited light than others. Where turf is desired on densely shaded areas, judicious pruning of the trees will f r e quently permit the entrance of sufficient sunshine, without i n j u r y to the beauty or health of the trees. The most favorable season f o r planting shaded areas is August 15 to October 15. This is particularly t r u e where shade is caused by deciduous trees, since the young grass plants continue growth a f t e r leaf fall, and become well established before new tree leaves a r e produced the following spring. Early spring seedings may also prove successf u l on shaded locations provided soil conditions are satisfactory and t h e shade is not too dense. The soil f o r the shaded lawn must have adequate drainage, since the turf suffers f r o m outbreaks of disease on soggy soils which are poorly lighted. Agricultural tile drains may be installed to remove excess soil water, if n a t u r a l drainage is not adequate. Excessive soil acidity should be corrected by the use of lime and organic matter, such as well rotted manure or cultivated peat, thoroughly incorporated with the upper f e w inches to improve soil structure. In addition, 20 to 30 pounds of a complete fertilizer should be applied per 1,000 square f e e t in preparation of the seed bed prior to seeding. The most valuable grasses f o r shaded locations are Chewing's fescue, Velvet y-6^ bent, and Poa trivialis. Home owners who p r e f e r lawns made f r o m a single species should plant Velvet bent or Chewing's fescue. Since seed of both grasses is sometimes impure or adulterated, particular attention to the purity of the seed purchased will be advisable. In planting the shaded lawn, 4 pounds of fescue are required f o r each 1,000 square f e e t of surface, whereas 1 pound of Velvet bent will prove entirely adequate f o r a similar area, due to the large number of seed per pound. Seeding rates in excess of the foregoing do not permit adequate development of individual plants and are t h e r e f o r e undesirable. Uniform distribution of seed is essential in obtaining a desirable stand. The area should be lightly raked to cover the seed not deeper than % to % inch. Newly planted areas should be kept moderately moist by watering with a fine mist-like spray until the grass is well established. NORTH WOODS BENT The recent issuing of Plant Patent No. 143 to Earle M. Barrows of Minneapolis f o r his new variety of putting green grass marks a forward step that has many angles of interest to all greenkeepers. The variety patented is a distinct and new variety of Agrostis stolonifera (Creeping b e n t ) , but it has many of the desirable characteristics of the velvets, so it is claimed. Grown formerly as Northland Bent, the variety is now known as North Woods bent. It is claimed f o r this new variety t h a t its texture and density are like a rather coarse velvet, the putting is as good or better than any velvet because it is a trifle slower and more uniform, produces turf as rapidly as Metropolitan and consequently heals very rapidly, upkeep is low as it requires very little top-dressing, and turf has no tendency to grain. The patenting of this strain of bent offers the thought t h a t in the f u t u r e there will probably be other strains perfected and patented. It t h e r e f o r e will behoove clubs which have nurseries in which they grow bent f o r their greens to examine closely as to the possibility of the strains which they are propagating having been patented, as a plant patent gives the patentee excellent protection, and damages can be collected f r o m even an innocent purchaser, with royalties collected f r o m anyone wishing: to grow their own stock. One can easily imagine the excitement if all the clubs which are now propagating Kernwood or No. 14276 velvet were forced to pay royalties to some patentee who had patented these strains earlier! The development of this new Northern grown, cross-bred, Velvet type of stolon turf makes us wonder as to how many more strains will be developed in the next f e w years. It seems that another interesting field is given publicity, f o r we now are told that several men have been experimenting along these lines f o r several years. We understand that the originator of this new strain has been working in this field f o r some twelve years. It probably will not be possible f o r many greenkeepers to find or to develop new strains of promise, but we may expect other strains to be developed now that the patenting of one strain has shown the possibilities of f u t u r e work. We believe t h a t most of the work done to date with this new strain has been in Minnesota, but that some data upon its growth in New England will be available in the next few years. WHAT By (Reprinted from ABOUT Ernest The TRAPS? Law Pacific Greenkeeper) Hazards, particularly sand traps, a r e much like old fashioned flivvers; people know more cuss words and f u n n y stories than they do anything else about them. Prom the standpoint of both the player and the superintendent they are the most universally bedammed thing about a golf course, because, no matter how they are constructed, their sandy bottoms absorb strokes and labor with alarming rapidity and show little effect a f t e r it's all over. The player and greenkeeper may lose sleep over the greens but it is the traps t h a t get the p r o f a n ity. Show me a golfer or a course superintendent who is proud of the traps on his course, and I will show you a hundred t h a t would rather point with expanded chest and brightening eye to greens, fairways, or tees. In addition to their other sins they cost like everything and are hard to maintain. So why have traps at all? Immediately to the f o r e come golfing tradition and course designers brandishing on high the following reasons as weapons to increase the difficulty of too easy holes, to punish poorly executed shots, to protect certain closed areas, to prevent the player f r o m getting into worse trouble (imagine t h a t ) , and to improve the appearance of the layout. Note that the whim of a reigning club official is omitted. Every course officer since time began believes t h a t the traps which he has ordered constructed or destroyed were justified on the grounds of course improvement. Long and heartwringing tales could be told of collections of bunkers and traps which change their outline annually with the change of club officialdom, but naught would avail and space would be wasted. Besides, this subject is tragic enough. It is too bad t h a t golf is not something like other games. In baseball the fielders move in or out or to one side according to the hitting habits of the man a t bat. In cricket the bowler can arrange the fielders to suit the kind of batting his bowling is liable to produce. But in golf the players, whether steady or erratic, hookers or slicers, tappers or wallopers, all are confronted by the same obstacles; obstacles which are not standardized as in tennis, but which vary on every course. As a result no t r a p is f a i r to everybody. I t is the job of the architect, then, to design a trapping system f o r a player who will never see the course; one who, in fact, does not exist, but is a sort of composite of all players. The chances are then t h a t all players will be discommoded in some degree. Realizing this many designers seem to have flung reason to the winds and have suited themselves as to how a particular hole should be trapped. It is the height of something or other that the traps thus produced are about as successful as any others. At any rate the results of trap design have been varied: some have been almost pleasing; some ghastly; and m a n y comical; but all have caused grief to somebody. Some please solely f r o m an aesthetic standpoint, but are expensive to maintain; others please the senses of no one, but are allowed to remain because they cost a lot to build. We hold this t r u t h to be self evid e n t : traps should not be constructed unless there is a reason f o r them. Yet how many exceptions to this axiom a r e there on your course? Plenty, unless it is an exceptional layout. Because the earliest golf courses were built on Scottish links where there was plenty of sand blowing about, it seems to have been necessary ever since to imitate those early golfing grounds. Progress has been made, of course. Most bunkers now are built by people who realize that rain sometimes may come, and so drainage is provided f o r . Traps can be seen now where once they were liable to snare the unsuspecting player's ball f r o m any point in the compass. And some of the more modern and radical architects are designing traps with the idea in mind of helping the greensman take care of them, and also of allowing players to go to the next tee without trampling through them. I t is entirely conceivable that some day course designers may realize t h a t trees, and shrubs, and grassy hollows incorporated in a golf course can make it just as difficult while being less expensive and more beautiful than one infested with holes filled with the beach's favorite product. For the sake of tradition, the sand and gravel companies, niblick manufacturers, and club officials who must have something to change, a f e w sand traps should be allowed on every course, but not more than a few. The August meeting of the Rhode Island Greenkeepers Association was held at the Louisquisset Golf Club on the 16th. Prizes a t the golf t o u r n a m e n t were won by Col. Milton and P r a n k Robinson. Following the business meeting a discussion on "Fairway Improvem e n t " was of interest. Dr. Odland of the R. I. Experiment Station pointed out that there could be improvement on soils that would hold water by liming if needed, applying phosphate, then nitrogen twice a year if possible. Lime probably would last 8-10 years and the phosphate about. 6 years. On gravelly knolls the final solution is water. For bluegrass fairways the acidity should not be below a pH of 6 and with fairways of bent and fescue should not be as low as 5.5. Martin Greene pointed out t h a t his experiences at Wanamoisett has proven that moisture was needed more than any other factor. T h e P l a n t e r of Seeds You Reap what You Sow ^ Many of us get very discouraged and think that our lives have missed their aims. I have an idea t h a t Nancy Hanks, the mother of Lincoln, who died at the age of 35, felt that her life had been in vain. The struggle. The worry. The disappointment. If she could but have lived to know t h a t her flesh and blood had given to the world one of its rarest and noblest men! I often think of the planter of seeds as I view a prosperous f a r m . I think we all have something in common with the "sower". A f a t h e r or mother looks into the eyes of their children and hopes f o r more happiness, more success, than they have had. They feel t h a t their lives have not been in vain if their standards have been raised and their ideas f o r usefulness advanced. We have history because there were planters of seeds in all countries, in all times, with courage, patience and vision. You k n o w , w e ' v e been t h i n k i n g how t r u e t h a t o l d s a y i n g is. We've been looking at some fine, v e l v e t y t u r f w h i c h r e s u l t e d f r o m t h e use of o u r VICTORY Fertilizer with the unique H u m u s base w h i c h d o e s so m u c h t o e n r i c h p o o r s o i l . Of course, t h e seeding w a s done w i t h o u r H O V E Y ' S g r a s s seed w h i c h always produces such gratifying results. In f a c t , w e h a v e n ' t e n o u g h s u p e r l a t i v e s to tell you how your greens will look if y o u use t h e s e t w o f i n e e s s e n t i a l s . L e t it s u f f i c e t o s a y t h a t y o u ' l l be d e l i g h t e d . Hovey & Company 1 5 0 Milk St. Han. Write for our haven't Boston, Mass. 1454 - 55 new price received list if you one. —George M a t t h e w A d a m s . M O D E R N SERVICE All who are Interested in Lawn Mower Repair Service are cordially invited to visit and inspect our Modern Service Shop and also our display of equipment OUR SERVICE INCLUDES: Every mower, including the engine unit in power mowers, is taken apart and completely REBUILT (not merely repaired). _ Every part is thoroughly cleaned and any worn parts replaced. Cylinder and bottom knife are reground. When assembled, the mower is greased and the blade is again ground in a specially constructed machine, assuring a perfect cutting edge. All mowers are painted without additional charge. We will examine your mower and funish estimate without cost. Truck service is maintained f o r collection and delivery within one hundred mile radius of Boston. IDEAL MOWER SALES and SERVICE 111 Cypress Street, Brookline, Mass.—Telephone Beacon 2898 We were pleased to receive the following f r o m Albert Clark of Keene. There may be something in it about which we can think a bit. In reply to yours of September first I wish to state, that I, like yourself and your carbon copy, have been exceedingly busy and there are, no doubt, many subjects on which I could write to a g r e a t extent and with some benefit to my fellow members, but "As brevity is the soul of wit" and time is precious, I will confine myself to a subject which is not, to anyone, a pleasant idea. That is to say, we often hear of "crabs" and there are a great many to be found in the Greenkeepers Club. (No personal offence intended.) My subject, however, will not be of this particular kind of crab but rather of a crab which is detested by all Greenkeepers namely, Crab GRASS. I leave it to your own good judgment to publish this in the Newsletter or not. For as there are no rewards offered it will be immaterial to me. I have had plenty of trouble with the last mentioned crabs the last three seasons and it gives me great pleasure to tell you just in what m a n n e r I have treated this particular sort of "crab", as it may help some members of the Club. My cure is to keep it well raked, so as to place the runners in a position to be clipped by the greensmowers in such a manner as to take the seed f r o m the r u n n e r s and by doing this twice a week, I believe f r o m experience you will kill your Crab GRASS entirely within two or three years. I feel t h a t I am stating a truth, when I say t h a t I have been less missed at the meetings, than I have missed the meetings. But I promise that in the f u t u r e I will even make greater efforts to attend and profit by your meetings. With the kindest regards to all members of the Greenkeepers Club. Martin Greene is planting 15,000 square f e e t of nursery f o r greens in the r e a r of the 17th green at Wanamoisett. Look this over at the October meeting, as it will held there on October 7th. POSITION wanted by an experienced greenkeeper with plenty of knowledge of economy in maintainence, and up to date methods with the newest of bent grass. Write X. Y. Z., care of the Editor. Some Excerpts FARMERS' Lawn From BULLETIN 1677 Management A f t e r proper attention has been given to starting a lawn, the care t h a t it receives has much to do with its success. In most parts of the country constant attention is necessary to maintain a good lawn. Fertilizing Proper fertilizing is essential to the development and maintenance of a satisfactory t u r f , but u n f o r t u n a t e l y this f e a t u r e is often sadly neglected. As most city lawns are relatively small, the cost of proper fertilizing is not great, One of the first requirements is a liberal supply of available nitrogen. Grasses do not demand so much phosphorus and potash, and since these elements are less soluble than nitrogen they are often present in the soil in sufficient quantities, though to avoid the possibility of a deficiency a fertilizer containing some phosphorous and potash should be applied occasionally. A fertilizer that has given satisfactory results and one t h a t is easily applied is a mixture consisting of 3 parts cottonseed meal and 1 p a r t sulphate of ammonia. Where the cost of cottonseed meal is prohibitive or where it is not available, sewage sludge may be substituted f o r it. Where neither can be obtained a complete fertilizer high in nitrogen such as 6—8—4 may be used. Any of these should be applied a t the rate of 15 to 20 pounds to 1,000 square feet. Experience indicates that the most liberal application of such fertilizers should be made early in the spring, as soon as the danger of hard freezes is over, as such application encourages a vigorous growth of grass t h a t tends to hold the weeds in check. An early fall application of 10 to 15 pounds to 1,000 square f e e t is also desirable. If the grass shows evidence of lack of vigor in late spring or during the summer, a light application of some quick-acting fertilizer can be made. For this purpose there is nothing superior to sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda, but unless applied carefully they are liable to burn the grass. Using 3 pounds of either to 1,000 square f e e t is sufficient f o r one application. It is sug- ^^ N Seed Prices Are LOWER but the Quality of Woodco Brand Seeds Remains Constantly HIGH Write For Prices Grass Seed Division F. H. WOODRUFF & SONS MILFORD, CONN. Y o u m a y also obtain our seeds NEW 1121 Washington ENGLAND Street TORO from COMPANY West Newton, Mass. NEW ENGLAND GROWN Winter-hardy, BENT Acclimated SEED Tested Seeds and for N e w England Golf Courses Fairway Fertilizer Direct from the farms of A. N, PECKHAM KINGSTON, R . 1. 85 STATE STREET BOSTON general discussion or has been so widely abused as the use of lime. Not many years ago heavy annual applications of lime were the usual thing. More recently, experiments indicated t h a t certain grasses do better on acid soils; and since general observations indicated t h a t weeds were less troublesome under such conditions, the pendulum swung to t h e other extreme, and efforts were made to produce extremely acid conditions in the soil in the shortest time possible. F u r t h e r investigations indicate, as is so often the case, that, everything conPine well-rotted manure or mushroom soil applied in the late fall or sidered, a course midway between these early winter is beneficial when com- two extremes is safest and that a soil paratively f r e e f r o m weed seeds and about neutral in reaction is likely to evenly distributed. I t should be sifted give the best results. Where soil is or otherwise finely divided, as coarse known to be acid, or sour, lime should manure may prove detrimental. High- be worked into it before the seed is grade pulverized poultry m a n u r e is also sown. It is not possible to make a quite effective and where available at specific recommendation as to t h e a reasonable cost can be used advan- amount, since requirements of different tageously. It should be applied a t the r a t e of 15 or 20 pounds to 1,000 square soils vary so widely. In the case of soils feet, preferably in the early fall. There of average acidity, 40 to 50 pounds per are many special brands of lawn ferti- 1,000 square f e e t should be ample. In lizers on the market. While usually ef- most cases lime used as a top-dressing fective, they are likely to contain more has not been very effective. Under the phosphorus and potash in proportion to impression that it is a fertilizer, many nitrogen than the grass requires when persons make annual applications of applied as surface applications to es- lime without adding any plant food. tablished lawns; their cost, too, is generally more than the fertilizing ingredi- Lime is not a fertilizer, as many seem to think; and even where it is used, ents purchased separately. the usual application of fertilizer should be made. Additions of lime alone, instead of improving the soil, are often Top-Dressing harmful, as it merely encourages the Most grasses are benefited by an oc- weeds without benefiting the grass. If casional top-dressing with a good com- the grass is not making satisfactory post consisting of about equal parts of growth a f t e r proper fertilizing, howmanure, sand, and heavy-textured top- ever, and if an examination shows the soil, as a clay loam. Mushroom soil or a good grade of garden loam is also suit- soil to be acid, an application of lime able f o r this purpose. If the lawn soil may be beneficial. consists largely of clay, the top-dressing should contain a higher percentage of sand; if very sandy, it should contain proportionately more clay. The topdressing should be applied to a depth of The annual club championship was one-fourth to three-eights inch about every two years in the fall. Where the held during a driving rainstorm on the lawn has small pockets and bare places 9th at the Winchester Country Club, as a result of heaving during the winter Winchester, Mass. Our new club chamand early spring, top-dressing will impion is James McCormack of Unicorn, prove the condition very materially. who scored a fine 86 in such conditions, with Walter Howe of Wellesley runnerLiming up with 87. Net prizes were won by H. C. Darling, Simeoe Braio, and Guy Probably no one f a c t o r in lawn maintenance has been the cause of more West. gested t h a t they be applied in mixture with good compost consisting of 3 parts of loam and 1 p a r t of finely divided m a n u r e or mushroom soil spread evenly over the surface. A f t e r the mixture is applied it should be watered thoroughly. Bone meal is extensively used as a fertilizer on established lawns, though it is not particularly desirable f o r this purpose since it is low in nitrogen and the plant-food elements are slowly available. When used it should be applied in the late fall at the rate of 20 to 25 pounds to 1,000 square feet. Throughout N e w England, golf c l u b s a r e t u r n i n g to N E W PROCESS fairway # because it p r o d u c e s more and healthier turf growth for less money. Balanced 6-6-4 formula plus 1 2 0 0 lbs. h u m u s forming tobacco stem base. General Chemical Company 543 Commercial 58 Weybosset St. St. Boston Providence How Demountable on Mower Rims Units 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 s t e e l 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 t i r e n e w w h e e l costing" a p p r o x i m a t e l y $6. T h e W o r t h i n g t o n s a v e s you $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 sure enough cutting down upk e e p costs. W e also m a k e a solid d e m o u n t a b l e rubber tread and a p n e u m a t i c tired wheel, for... u s e w h e r e in g o i n g f r o m one c u t t i n g location 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 used. Send f o r n e w book t e l l i n g other ways Worthingtons. Cut Cutting Costs. M a i n Office: STROUDSBLJRG Pennsylvania Wort&ir on Mower I crmpanu- ===1 about Down Sales A g e n c i e s in A l l P r i n c i p a l C i t i e s of U . S. A . It's The Service That Counts Most any first class machine shop can purchase the required parts a n d a s s e m b l e a l a w n m o w e r or e v e n a l a r g e u n i t f o r g o l f Then a little high powered advertising and special work. discounts t o t h e first b u y e r s w i l l p l a c e a f e w m a c h i n e s h e r e a n d t h e r e . The real test comes after a f e w years of operation of so-called m o d e r n and up-to-date, f a c t o r y to y o u classes of W h e r e can you get repair parts? these machines. W h e r e can you get repair service by a m a n or m e n w h o have w o r k e d on these m a c h i n e s and k n o w intricate working parts? do you wait W h a t will this service cost y o u ? How for repairs to come from some distant factory? What is t h e a c t u a l c o s t a d d i n g t h e s e e x c e s s c o s t s a n d t h e l o s s o f the machines? T h i n k it over. the long use Don't let $ 5 . 0 0 on the purchase price of a m o w e r lead y o u into $ 2 5 . 0 0 e x t r a l i f e - t i m e service cost. TORO products are known the world over for many O n e o f t h e m is t h a t T O R O m e n a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n y o u r use of the machines even a f t e r y o u have paid for them. always a TORO man and a TORO shop and T O R O There repairs easy reach and seldom over one day's shipping distance. never that need service purchase this service is w o r t h now many the working times season but the slight additional if we You may so, then cost S e r v i c e S t a t i o n is o p e n t w e l v e m o n t h s o f announce we are again machines you may have requiring a t tfhie ready to service the any Watch will attractive use of year TORO attention. Fall service price bulletins will shortly b e mailed to e v e r y owner. be is within time. Our T O R O but during reasons. satisfactory for them and send in y o u r w o r k early. and in line with high only G E N U I N E TORO PARTS. quality Our TORO prices workmanship T h e o n l y Official T O R O s e r v i c e s t a t i o n in N e w and England. NEW ENGLAND TORO COMPANY 1121 Washington West Newton. Street Mass.