PROCEEDINGS of the 13 th ANNUAL NORTHWEST TURF CONFERENCE Sept. 23,-24-25,1959 WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY PULLMAN, WASHINGTON NORTHWEST TURF MEMBERSHIP DUES PARK DEPARTMENTS L e s s than 150 A c r e s Total A r e a 150 A c r e s or More Annual Dues $20.00 $40.00 CEMETERIES L e s s than 4 0 0 Interments P e r Annum 4 0 0 - 6 0 0 Interments P e r Annum 6 0 0 - 8 0 0 Interments P e r Annum More than 800 Interments P e r Annum $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $40.00 GOLF COURSES L e s s than Eighteen Holes Eighteen Holes or More N u r s e r y , Landscaping and Ground Spraying F i r m s A r c h i t e c t s and Engineering F i r m s Equipment and M a t e r i a l Supply F i r m s Participating Membership Associate Membership A l l Others $20.00 $40.00 $20.00 $20.00 $20.00 $10.00 $ 5.00 $20.00 1. Annual Dues payable on or b e f o r e May 15th each y e a r . Dues a r e based on annual due date non p r o - r a t e d . 2. M e m b e r s h i p includes r e g i s t r a t i o n fee f o r one p e r s o n at Annual Turf C o n f e r e n c e . Other p e r s o n s f r o m m e m b e r organization r e g i s t r a t i o n fee $ 5 . 0 0 3. NO INITIATION FEES ARE CHARGED 4. Non m e m b e r s m a y attend the annual C o n f e r e n c e by paying a $ 1 0 . 0 0 r e g i s t r a t i o n f e e . F o r f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n on Dues, contact Northwest Turf T r e a s u r e r . Ex Libris RALPH W.MILLER Golf Library Industry Hills City of Industry, California NORTHWEST TURF ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Milt Bauman Overlake Golf C o u r s e , P . O. Box 97, Medina, Washington Paul Brown E v e r g r e e n C e m e t e r y , 111 E . A u r o r a , Seattle 33, Washington Dick Haskell Seattle P a r k Development 1 0 1 3 2 R a i n i e r Avenue, Seattle 88, Wash. Don Hogan National I r r i g a t i o n Consultants 1 9 1 0 Minor Avenue, Seattle 1, W a s h . Henry Land, Sr, Tacoma Golf & Country Club, 9 2 1 0 Winona Avenue, S . W . , T a c o m a , Washington Glen P r o c t o r R a i n i e r Golf & Country Club 222 So. 1 1 1 t h . , Seattle 88, W a s h . Ken Putnam Seattle Golf C o u r s e Seattle 77, Washington B y r o n Reed E . P . Baltz & Son 9 8 1 7 East B u r n s i d e , P o r t l a n d 16, O r e . Sam Zook W a v e r l y Golf & Country Club 1100 S. E. Waverly Drive P o r t l a n d 22, Oregon OFFICERS 1959 Don Hogan Glen P r o c t o r Henry Land, S r . J . K. Patterson 1958-59 President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary RALPH W. MILLER GOLF LIBRARY BOX 3287 CITY OF INDUSTRY, CALIFORNIA 91744 1958 Don Hogan Glen P r o c t o r Henry Land, S r . J . K. Patterson MEMBERSHIP WASHINGTON TURF ASSOCIATION Name Representing Address B a r c k e r t , Ray Washington Turf & Irrigation Spokane, Washington B a r r , Elgin Marine D r i v e Golf & Country Club 1 1 0 1 Woodland D r i v e V a n c o u v e r , B . C . (Mail) Bauman, Clayton Glendale Golf & Country Club B e l l e v u e , Washington 2036 9th S t . , S. W e K i r k l a n d , Washington Bauman, Milt O v e r l a k e Golf C o u r s e Medina, Washington 235 - 10th Avenue W . K i r k l a n d , Washington Bean, Lee Washington Turf & Irrigation C a l d w e l l , Idaho Spokane Golf and Country Club Route 5 Spokane, Washington Ed Short Company 234 Southwest 160th Seattle 66, Washington Evergreen Cemetery 1 1 1 East A u r o r a A v e . Seattle 33, Washington Spokane P a r k B o a r d 2707 West K i e r n a n A v e . Spokane 1 3 , Washington Ed Short Company 2 4 0 0 Sixth A v e . South Seattle, Washington Beardsley, Ncrris Borst, Fred R. B r o w n , Paul Brusseau, W. C. C a r p e r , John G. Chonle, Harold Washington Turf & Toro Y a k i m a , Washington C l a r k , Dave Point G r e y Golf &• Country Club 3350 S . W . Marine Drive Vancouver, B. C. Elliott, A r t h u r D ( Washington Turf & Toro 1200 S t e w a r t S t r e e t Seattle, Washington C a l d w e l l , Idaho Engle, G e r r y E c k h a r t , John J . Hemphill B r o s . , Inc. 3300 F i r s t A v e . South Seattle 4 , Washington E v e r h a r t , Cliff Manito Golf & Country Club Box 802 5 Manito Station Spokane, Washington Federspiel, Fred Oswego Lake Golf & Country Club 16755 S . W . P a c i f i c Hwy. Oswego, Oregon Fryer, P a c i f i c - A g r o Company 3308 Harbor A v e . , S . W . Seattle 6, Washington Lee Gettle, Richard L . Goddard, Murl Goetz, Norman Bellingham Golf & Country Club 1425 P a c i f i c Hy-way Bellingham, Washington Elks Golf Club 807 Ne 3rd S t r e e t Yakima, Washington Oregon State College Department of F a r m Crops C o r v a l l i s , Oregon Gourley, Boyd E v e r e t t Golf & Country Club Box 146 Pine h u r s t , Washington Gueho, E . M. Vancouver Golf & Country Club 611 Shaw Avenue New W e s t m i n s t o r , B .C . Hale, Martin Whitefish Lake Golf Club West Lake Shore Whitef i sh, Montana H a m m a r , George Caldwell P a r k Development 2 1 0 1 N, Illinois A v e . C a l d w e l l , Idaho Hamon, P e t e r King Brown Gardens C a l d w e l l , Idaho H a r r i s o n , George Nulife F e r t i l i z e r P . O, Box 883 Tacoma, Washington H a r r i s o n , John Hayden Lake Golf & C . C . Hayden Lake, Idaho Hart, J . C . Three Lake C o u r s e Wenatchee, Washington Haskell, Dick D i r e c t o r of Golf Seattle P a r k Department 1 0 1 3 2 R a i n i e r Avenue Seattle 88, Washington Head, J i m Washington Turf & Irrigation P o r t l a n d , Oregon Hogan, Don National I r r i g a t i o n Consultant 1 9 1 0 Minor Seattle, Washington Hoggatt, George Wenatchee Golf & Country Club Wenatchee, Washington Howie, John Multnomah Stadium P o r t l a n d , Oregon I s a a c s , O. B . Cushman S a l e s W . 923 24th Avenue Spokane 4 , Washington Jacklin, Arden J a c k l i n Seed Company Dishman, Washington Jackson, E . T. H. D. F o w l e r Company P . O e Box 3084 Seattle, Washington J a s l o w s k i , John B r o a d m o o r Country Club 2606 12th Avenue, N. Renton, Washington K e t c h e r s i d , W . H. P a s c o Municipal Golf C o u r s e City Hall P a s c o , Washington K o l a s s a , Don Washington Turf & I r r i g a t i o n 1200 S t e w a r t S t r e e t S e a t t l e , Washington Kuhn, C a r l H. H. D 8 F o w l e r Company Box 3084 Seattle, Washington Land, Henry, S r . Tacoma Golf & Country Club G r a v e l l y Lake D r i v e Tacoma, Washington Land, Henry, Sand Point Golf & Country Club 2 3 0 1 2 B r i e r Road Alderwood Manor, W a s h . Seattle, Washington Jr. F o r t L e w i s Golf C o u r s e 1 1 8 0 4 Woodbine Lane S . W . Tacoma 99, Washington Department of A g r o n o m y Washington State U n i v e r s i t y P u l l m a n , Washington Olympia Golf & Country Club 1 9 1 9 N. Madison Olympia, Washington Liotta, Al Pullman Golf C o u r s e P u l l m a n , Washington Macan, A . V . Golf A r c h i t e c t 1 1 1 0 Beach D r i v e Victoria, B. C. Malcham, Don H. D. F o w l e r Company P . O a Box 3084 Seattle, Washington McKay, Gordon Chilliwack Golf & Country Club Box 2 1 7 Chilliwack, B c C . L a t i m e r , Dean W e Law, Alvin G . Lawton, George M e m i n g e r , Tom C a l d w e l l , Idaho M i l l e r 9 Don J# Ground S p r a y e r 520 South 53rd Tacoma 8, Washington Mitchell, C h a r l i e C l a r k s t o n Golf & Country Club C l a r k s t o n , Washington Mock, George J r e Ground S p r a y e r 14756 27th A v e . Ne E . Seattle, Washington Munro, Highlands Gardens 7 622 Simonds Road Bothell, Washington Munzenmaier, L e J . DuPont Company P . O. Box 85 Palo Alto, C a l i f o r n i a P a t t e r s o n , Kenneth Department of A g r o n o m y Washington State U n i v e r s i t y P u l l m a n , Washington P i n g r e e , Gordon Ellensburg Golf & Country Club Box 442 Jerry P o t t e n g e r , Joe E. Yakima Golf & Country Club E l l e n s b u r g , Washington Box 1403 Yakim a , Washington P r o c t o r , Glen R a i n i e r Golf & Country Club 2222 S . 1 1 1 t h Seattle, Washington Putnam, Ken Seattle Golf & Country Club 145th & Greenwood Seattle, Washington Reed, B y r o n E . P . B a l t z & Son 43 N. E . 202nd Portland 30, Oregon R e g e r , Austin S. L i b e r t y Lake Golf Club Box 235 L i b e r t y Lake, W a s h . Ripley, C l a r e n c e W a n d e r e m e r e Golf C o u r s e R o g e r , Edward H. Northwest M o w e r s & Marine 7723 24th N. W . Seattle, Washington Rowe, Chen Tacoma Seed Company 805 P a c i f i c Avenue Tacoma 2, Washington Schaffer, William Salem Golf & Country Club S a l e m , Oregon Schmidt, Louis J . Indian Canyon Golf C o u r s e C o r n e r 6th & H S t r e e t s Spokane P a r k Dept. Spokane, Washington Scott, Robert Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club 1400 West 3 3 r d Vancouver, B. C. Smith, Harold Capilano Golf & Country Club W. Vancouver, B. C. Spaulding, Jack Inglewood Golf & Country Club Kenmore, Stone, W . V . Cushman S a l e s 1329 N. Ash S t r e e t Spokane, Washington Stotts, Chuck Washington Turf & Toro 1200 S t e w a r t S t r e e t Seattle, Washington S t r a h l , Bill Bentley Company 4 1 2 6 A i r p o r t Way Seattle, Washington W a l l a c e , Chuck Sunset Hills M e m o r i a l P a r k B e l l e v u e , Washington W a r n e r , Douglas E, Greenacres Memorial Park 1200 N. W . Road Bellingham, Washington Route #5 Washington Spokane, Washington W e r t h , Rudy 8023 27th N. W . Seattle 7, Washington White, A . Quentin, J r . E s m e r a l d a Golf C o u r s e E. 2 1 1 5 E v e r e t t Spokane, Washington White, Sidney The D a l l e s Golf & Country Club Route #3, Chenowith Rd. The D a l l e s , Oregon Z o l l e r , John Eugene Golf & Country Club Eugene, Oregon Zook, Sam W a v e r l y Golf & Country Club 1 1 0 0 S . E . W a v e r l y Dr ( P o r t l a n d 2 2 , Oregon TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME D r . George F i s c h e r 1 TODAY'S GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS QUALIFICATIONS E l m e r G. B o r d e r 3 RESEARCH PROGRESS REPORT Roy L . Goss 7 PROGRESS REPORT - OTHER HERBICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Roy L . Goss 15 CRABGRASS INVESTIGATIONS IN WASHINGTON Roy L . Goss and A l v i n G. Law 19 E F F E C T S OF GOLF SHOE TYPES ON PUTTING GREEN TURF Bill Bengeyfield 21 NEMATODE PROBLEMS IN TURF A R E A S W a l t e r J . Apt and Roy L . Goss 25 TURF DISEASE RESEARCH DURING 1959 IN WESTERN WASHINGTON C h a r l e s J . Gould 31 GLEANINGS FROM MIDWEST REGIONAL TURF FOUNDATION A l v i n G . Law 37 GLEANINGS FROM MIDWEST TURF ASSOCIATION Norman Goetze 41 ARE YOU GETTING YOUR MONEY'S WORTH? Verne C. Fish 45 MACHINERY MAINTENANCE M r . Brinkworth 49 THE TURF OF AN ENGLISHMAN A r t h u r D. Elliott 53 FACTORS IN THE DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE OF PARK AND RECREATION A R E A S Harold T. Abbott 55 TECHNIQUES OF GROUND SPRAYING George Mock 61 NEW TURFGRASS RESEARCH CENTER AT WESTERN WASHINGTON EXPERIMENT STATION Roy L . Goss 65 TURFGRASS WEED CONTROL - - CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS John Gallagher . . . 67 PRODUCING BETTER TURFS C . G. Wilson 71 SOIL TESTING PANEL A . R . Halvorson, M o d e r a t o r Roy Goss Henry Land, S r . Sam Zook 75 COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCES OF BLUEGRASSES FOR TURF PURPOSES J . K. Patterson 79 WELCOME D r , George F i s c h e r Acting Dean, College of A g r i c u l t u r e W 0 S 0 U . P u l l m a n , Washington I'm not sure a welcoming speech is n e c e s s a r y . I have many t i m e s been on your side of the fence and wished the speaker would finish so that we could get down to the business of the d a y . N e v e r t h e l e s s , it s e e m s to be c u s t o m a r y f o r some b r a s s hat, or r e a s o n a b l e f a c s i m i l e t h e r e o f , to make an a d d r e s s of w e l c o m e . Since D i r e c t o r Madsen is gone they asked if I would mind doing i t . I said, " S u r e I would be glad t o , " and h e r e I a m . It does, h o w e v e r , s e e m a little s u p e r f l o u s to m e . You know y o u ' r e w e l c o m e or you wouldn't be h e r e , and we don't host a f f a i r s like this u n l e s s we want them. N e v e r t h e l e s s , to those of you who need to be a s s u r e d that you a r e w e l c o m e , let me a s s u r e you here and now, and I hope that you find this Turf C o n f e r e n c e , as the 12 b e f o r e , r e s o u r c e f u l , p r o f i t a b l e , and e n j o y a b l e . I don't think I have to remind you that it does do me some good to r e a l i z e that once a y e a r when this c o n f e r e n c e c o m e s to pass attention is being given to turf and that recognition is being given to the importance of t u r f . When you stop to think about it, e v e r y w h e r e you look you see g r a s s . And while g r a s s , of any kind, m a y be accidental h e r e and t h e r e , good turf is not a c c i d e n t a l . Good turf c o m e s with the application of science knowhow - - what g r a s s e s to use under d i f f e r e n t soils and c l i m a t e s , how much f e r t i l i z e r to u s e , what kind to u s e , how to apply it, how much w a t e r to use and when to apply it, control of plant d i s e a s e s, s u p r e s s i o n of i n s e c t p e s t s . A l l those things enter into good t u r f , and as much as we know about ail those m a t t e r s of soil, c l i m a t e , f e r t i l i z e r s , d i s e a s e c o n t r o l , insect p e s t s , and what not, there still r e m a i n p r o b l e m s to s o l v e . T h e r e a r e still i s s u e s to be d i s c u s s e d , which is e x a c t l y why you gather here f o r this o c casion e v e r y y e a r . To this end we a p p r e c i a t e v e r y much the financial aid you have given us through r e s e a r c h grants during the past s e v e r a l y e a r s . You m a y wonder why a public - supported institution like this one should need additional money o v e r and above what the state l e g i s l a t u r e p r o v i d e s . This is a legitimate question. But the f a c t is that we n e v e r quite have enough money to support the r e s e a r c h that needs to be done. Whenever anything is demanded over and above the u s ual routine, then we t r y to get the organization that i s doing the demanding to put up some of the m o n e y . The r e s p o n s e is u s u a l l y quite generous, and I think all of us r e a l i z e that there a r e good dividends on the i n v e s t m e n t . I am glad to say that the joint e x p e r i m e n t station and extension position which you people helped to sponsor and f o s t e r at Puyallup has been established and that M r . Roy Goss is on the job as of the l a s t of J u l y . This is now a good, f i r m , permanent position, permanent so long as funds a r e appropriated by the l e g i s l a t u r e to support i t . But that same p r o v i s i o n also applies to my j o b . So Roy G o s s ' s job m a y be said to be as stable as m i n e . He will be r e s p o n s i b l e f o r all turf w o r k on the w e s t side of the state — the lawns and s o - c a l l e d nonc o m m e r c i a l turf as w e l l as f o r the c o m m e r c i a l t u r f s in the f o r m of the golf c o u r s e s , c e m e t e r i e s , and what not. In the e a s t e r n p a r t of the state, his domain will extend as f a r as it c o n c e r n s what we still call c o m m e r c i a l turf - - e v erything but the home y a r d and l a w n . Speaking of the n o n c o m m e r c i a l t u r f , I think it is well we recognize that turf has an importance o v e r and above a game of golf e I think the home owner has a v a s t i n t e r e s t in lawns that we who w o r k in state - supported institutions cannot a f f o r d to o v e r l o o k . We have tended in r e c e n t y e a r s gradually go change our e m p h a s i s f r o m the f a r m e r to the urban d w e l l e r . His p r o b l e m s of a y a r d , lawn, and garden a r e s m a l l . His holdings do not have much c o m m e r c i a l value perhaps f r o m the standpoint of i n c r e a s i n g or contributing to production, but they a r e of v a s t importance to h i m . With that in mind, we a r e glad to have our p e r sonnel give attention to lawns and to the p r o b l e m s of the urban d w e l l e r . With " p u r e " f a r m e r s becoming f e w e r and f e w e r and f a r m s becoming l a r g e r and l a r g e r , some people think that we should continue to devote ail of our attention to a bigger and bigger o p e r a t o r . I am among those that think that this is the wrong philosophy and that we owe just as much allegiance to the urban d w e l l e r or the s o - c a l l e d sundown f a r m e r who perhaps has a piece of t u r f , y a r d , or g a r den if nothing e l s e . I r e p e a t to you that if you need to be a s s u r e d that you a r e w e l c o m e , you a r e h e r e b y a s s u r e d , and I am glad to say it looks like we a r e going to have good w e a t h e r f o r you. We have had a m o s t m i s e r a b l e month of S e p t e m b e r , and you must live right to have the w e a t h e r turn out right j u s t when you a r r i v e • Thank you v e r y much. TODAY'S GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS QUALIFICATIONS E l m e r G. B o r d e r P r e s i d e n t , Golf C o u r s e Superintendents of A m e r i c a Los P o s a s Country Club, C a m a r i l l o , C a l i f o r n i a Today's golf c o u r s e superintendent is of n e c e s s i t y a man of numerous s k i l l s . He is a humble man f o r he knows full w e l l how f i c k l e m o t h e r nature can be. This humility is a d e t r i m e n t many t i m e s . If he w e r e m o r e outspoken, he would be better understood and better paid. Golf c o u r s e maintenance today is a combination of a r t , science, p e r s o n nel r e l a t i o n s , s a l e s m a n s h i p , and business a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . What a r e the qualifications of today's superintendent? 1. He m u s t be a teacher and a personnel r e l a t i o n s m a n . The quality of maintenance is controlled to a g r e a t extent by these two f a c t o r s . He must be a l e a d e r , not a d r i v e r . Those of you who a r e fortunate enough to r e c e i v e Bill Bengeyfield's Turf L e t t e r in which he highlighted, 44 How good a boss a r e y o u , " r e a l i z e how important this i s . I suggest that you get B i l l ' s questionnaire and r a t e y o u r s e l f . You m a y be s u r p r i s e d . I know I had a rude awakening. 2 . S a l e s m a n s h i p . You m a y have all the knowledge and know how to m a i n tain a f i r s t - c l a s s golf c o u r s e or o t h e r - t y p e turf a r e a , but if you a r e unable to sell your ability and ideas to the p r o p e r people, your knowledge and ability will be unappreciated. You m u s t sell y o u r s e l f . If you f e e l that you a r e lacking in this ability, why not take a c o u r s e in s a l e s m a n s h i p . It can be r e w a r d i n g . B e f o r e proceeding to the m o r e obvious knowledge n e c e s s a r y to being a good superintendent, I m u s t say that I believe i t e m s 1 and 2 a r e the p r i m a r y requisite s . 3 . The s u c c e s s f u l superintendent of today must be well grounded in the following a r t s and s c i e n c e s : h y d r a u l i c s , auto m e c h a n i c s , soil c h e m i s t r y , f e r tilization, fungicides, h e r b i c i d e s , drainage engineering, soils and plant pathology, a g r o n o m y , landscape design, a r b o r i c u l t u r e , dendrology, c a r p e n t r y , plumbing, painting, road construction, building construction, e l e c t r i c w i r i n g , pumping plant construction and maintenance, tennis court construction and m a i n tenance, r e f r i g e r a t i o n and a i r conditioning equipment s e r v i c i n g . To be able to handle these v a r i o u s things e f f i c i e n t l y , he must keep complete r e c o r d s of the entire operation and be able to submit an operational budget to c o v e r all these items. How does the superintendent a c q u i r e these a b i l i t i e s ? Through f o r m a l education, p r a c t i c a l e x p e r i e n c e , extension c o u r s e s and attendance at Turf Conf e r e n c e s both on a local and national b a s i s , by joining both your l o c a l and National Golf C o u r s e Superintendents A s s o c i a t i o n s w h e r e you exchange i n f o r m a t i o n with your fellow superintendents. This is an e v e r - c h a n g i n g and p r o g r e s s i n g p r o f e s s i o n , and we must continue striving to produce a better product. To s u m m a r i z e , m a y I r e p e a t : l s t - - g o o d human r e l a t i o n s ; 2 n d - - s a l e s manship; and 3 r d - - c o n t i n u e schooling by extension c o u r s e s , reading, attending c o n f e r e n c e s , and exchange of e x p e r i e n c e s with your fellow superintendents. You a r e p r o f e s s i o n a l men who a r e in charge of plants with a value of $ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 to $ 5 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . Be p r e p a r e d to maintain that plant the same as any manufacturing plant m a n a g e r would do, and by so doing you will be recognized by your e m p l o y e r s as well as having a feeling of self s a t i s f a c t i o n in a job w e l l done. Question and A n s w e r P e r i o d Question: Is there any indication that being a m e m b e r of the National Golf C o u r s e A s s o c i a t i o n will i m p r o v e the superintendent and his earning p o w e r ? A n s w e r : W e l l , n a t u r a l l y as he upgrades h i m s e l f , his earning power inc r e a s e s , and I could sight many i n s t a n c e s . I don't like to mention n a m e s . But this is countrywide, and C h a r l i e Wilson could v e r i f y this and so could Bill Beng e y f i e l d . A s these men become better acquainted with their jobs and with their fellow superintendents and a r e better educated^ they in turn i n c r e a s e their s a l a r i e s , and this is typically true of m e m b e r s of the National A s s o c i a t i o n . This has some e f f e c t on s a l a r y because all the h i g h - s a l a r i e d superintendents of the United States a r e m e m b e r s of this a s s o c i a t i o n . I can say this much: there a r e some superintendents now that draw as high as $ 1 7 , 500 per y e a r , and they go on down the s c a l e . I think that many t i m e s this is due not because they do not do a good job but they pay f o r ability up to a point. There a r e many clubs that do not pay according to a b i l i t y . But the m o r e knowledge you have the better able you a r e to p r e s e n t this knowledge to the people you w o r k f o r because the m o r e you attend these c o n f e r e n c e s the b r o a d e r your e x p e r i e n c e s become . The saying that t r a v e l broadens i s c e r t a i n l y c o r r e c t , and I might state that it hasn't been too many y e a r s ago that I w a s at a little 1 8 - h o l e country club like some of the r e s t of you a r e and it wasn't too good a club. One of m y b r e a k - i n s into this f i e l d to get into a better c l a s s of pay w a s back in 1951 when I took a week of my vacation and imposed on C h a r l i e W i l s o n . We got in a c a r , and we made 35 golf c o u r s e s in the next f i v e d a y s . We didn't sleep, I can guarantee that. I mean that we got to bed about 2 : 3 0 in the morning and w e r e up at 6:30 in the morning, and I saw how 3 5 people did their j o b . We saw the equipment they used and everything e l s e , and believe me this w a s the m o s t wonderful e x p e r i e n c e in my l i f e as f a r as gaining knowledge as a golf superintendent. That w a s the beginning and gave me an e x t r a urge to go ahead and t r y to b e t t e r m y s e l f in e v e r y f a c e t in this c a l l i n g . I have lots of room f o r i m p r o v e m e n t as e v e r y o n e e l s e , and I know my faults as I have said b e f o r e better than anyone e l s e knows t h e m . I continue to study day in and day out to t r y and do a better job and i n c r e a s e my earning p o w e r , and this is the way to do i t . Belonging to such organizations as this is one way to educate y o u r s e l f and to i n c r e a s e your earning p o w e r . Question: A r e you p e r m i t t e d to attend the National Turf G r a s s Show without being a m e m b e r of the National A s s o c i a t i o n ? Answer: difference. Question: Y e s , you pay $ 5 . 0 0 m o r e than a m e m b e r d o e s . That is the only Will there be a meeting this y e a r ? A n s w e r : Y e s , at Houston, T e x a s , F e b . 1 - 6 at the Shamrock Hilton Hot e l . I have a few copies of the national publication h e r e . S o r r y to say at the l a s t minute, in m y rush we ran out of August c o p i e s . The new September~October issue will not be out on this publication until a f t e r the 25th of this month. I w a s unable to get those, and this w a s the l a s t we had l e f t in the o f f i c e in J a c k s o n v i l l e , F l o r i d a , but as f a r as they go you a r e w e l c o m e to take t h e s e . See the type of periodical we put out in this publication. It is growing each and e v e r y day, and we hope to make it the magazine of 44 Turf G r a s s C u l t u r e " in the United States, and I don't think there is any question but that we a r e going to do it. We have hired as our executive d i r e c t o r , D r . Gene Nutter f r o m the U n i v e r s i t y of F l o r i d a , who has done e x p e r i m e n t a l w o r k down there f o r many y e a r s . He is well rounded in turf c u l t u r e , and he is now editor of this magazine as well as our executive d i r e c t o r , and we look f o r w a r d to r e a l l y great things in this o r ganization. We have taken in some 2 53 m e m b e r s a l r e a d y this y e a r , and we expect another 7 5 - 8 0 b e f o r e the f i r s t of J a n u a r y . Question: Where is the C a m a r i l l o Club l o c a t e d ? A n s w e r : It is 53 m i l e s north and w e s t of Los A n g e l e s . It is about 17 m i l e s south of V e n t u r a if that rings a b e l l . Question: Do you have a local golf c o u r s e superintendent's a s s o c i a t i o n ? A n s w e r : We have a local organization of about 120 m e m b e r s in southern C a l i f o r n i a and have a monthly meeting on the second Tuesday of e v e r y month. There is one in n o r t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a which is the same type, and I think it has s o m e w h e r e in the neighborhood of 105 m e m b e r s . All of our local a s s o c i a t i o n m e m b e r s a r e c l a s s A m e m b e r s of the National A s s o c i a t i o n a l s o . Question: E l m e r , a r e your m e m b e r s g e n e r a l l y m e m b e r s as individuals or is their m e m b e r s h i p a club m e m b e r s h i p they belong to? A n s w e r : The club in many c a s e s pays their dues to the National A s s o c i a tion and a l s o pays their expenses to the c o n f e r e n c e each and e v e r y y e a r . I think that m o r e than 50 per cent of the superintendents in the country now have their expenses paid to the c o n f e r e n c e and to the Annual National Turf C o n f e r ence and Show. You see we have quite an extensive show w h e r e e v e r y piece of equipment that is used in golf c o u r s e maintenance is shown and those which a r e not commonly used a r e shown at this show, plus the Education C o n v e r e n c e which l a s t s f o r f i v e d a y s . : RESEARCH PROGRESS REPORT Roy L . Goss Turf S p e c i a l i s t , Puyallup, Washington Since the l a s t Turf C o n f e r e n c e , new r e s e a r c h p r o j e c t s have been initiated and old p r o j e c t s continued or completed. This r e p o r t is intended to point out some of the turf r e s e a r c h that is going on and the p r o g r e s s which has been made up to this t i m e . A r s e n i c Studies The use of heavy doses of a r s e n i c a l s is not a new or uncommon p r a c t i c e in the P a c i f i c Northwest. In other a r e a s outside of the Northwest, this is an even m o r e common p r o c e d u r e . To set the stage f o r the d i s c u s s i o n to follow ^ let us r e v i e w some of the v a r i o u s instances w h e r e the a r s e n i c a l s have been r e c o m m e n d e d . 1 . The control of annual b l u e g r a s s . Amounts ranging up to 80 or m o r e pounds per 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t o v e r a 1 0 - y e a r period have been r e c o m m e n d e d . 2. Control of night c r a w l e r s . This would n e c e s s a r i l y r e q u i r e heavy d o s e s . 3. Crabgrass control. 4. Control of other weeds including p e a r l w o r t (Sagina s p p . ) . R e q u i r e s heavy doses to be e f f e c t i v e . The inorganic a r s e n i c a l s , to be e f f e c t i v e in the control p r o g r a m outlined above, must be applied in m a s s i v e doses in o r d e r to r a i s e the salt c o n c e n t r a tion" of the soil up to the phytotoxic l e v e l of the species to be c o n t r o l l e d . What happens to this applied a r s e n i c ? Inorganic a r s e n i c a l s ^ f o r all p r a c t i c a l p u r p o s e s , a r e p r a c t i c a l l y immobile in the s o i l . They cannot be leached, t h e r e f o r e r e m a i n indefinitely in the place w h e r e they w e r e applied. L i t e r a t u r e Review It is thought p r o p e r at this time to r e v i e w with you a s m a l l portion of the v a s t amount of l i t e r a t u r e pertaining to a r s e n i c toxicity s According to C l e m e n t s and Munson (1) a high l e v e l of phosphorus r e d u c e s but does not p r e v e n t the absorption of a r s e n i c . The degree of i n j u r y depends upon the amount of the toxic e l e m e n t a b s o r b e d . Higher absorption of phosphor u s tends to reduce the a r s e n i c i n j u r y . A r a t i o of 10 p a r t s of phosphorus to one p a r t of a r s e n i c reduced the yield of sudan g r a s s by 21 per cent. Hurd and K a r r e r (2), in nutrient solution studies, showed that phosphates produced a protective e f f e c t if the concentration w a s f i v e p a r t s of phosphorus to one part of a r s e n i c . M e y e r (3) states that calcium a r s e n a t e at 25 pounds per a c r e r e duced the yield of r i c e by 20 per cent and 200 pounds per a c r e by 60 per cent. Montgomery (4) r e p o r t s that 1 , 0 0 0 pounds per a c r e of white a r s e n i c applied to kill grubs in the soil caused reduction in cane y i e l d s of 50 per cent. Cabot (5) states that a r s e n i o u s acid is highly poisonous to plants, causing dwarfing and killing of r o o t s . An even m o r e interesting aspect is that l o w e r f o r m s of a n i m a l s (angle w o r m s included) a r e m o r e r e s i s t a n t than plants to the injurious e f f e c t s of a r s e n i c . W h e r e then does this c l a s s i f y a r s e n i c f o r w o r m c o n t r o l ? Cooper et a l . (6)made a s e r i e s of v e r y interesting e x p e r i m e n t s with h e a v y and l i g h t - t e x t u r e d s o i l s . They found that a r s e n i c in the amounts of 2 5 - 1 00 pounds per a c r e produced s e r i o u s e f f e c t s on Norfolk sand. It took c o n s i d e r a b l y m o r e a r s e n i c to produce this same e f f e c t on Davidson clay l o a m . When considering the soil movement of a r s e n i c , Jones and Hatch (7) point out that a r s e n i c a c c u mulation is s u r f a c e localized and p e n e t r a t e s to a depth of mechanical mixing only. Some found that However, w a s little other d i r e c t e f f e c t s on plants w e r e pointed out by G o u r l e y (8) who r y e w a s stimulated by low a r s e n i c concentration (les s than 20 p . p . m . ) . f r o m 3 0 - 9 0 p . p . m . , i n j u r y was evident; above 100 p . p . m . , there growth; and above 2 0 0 , there w a s none. F r o m the herbicide viewpoint, G r a f t s (9) points out that sodium a r s e n i t e is three t i m e s m o r e toxic than sodium a r s e n a t e . Macheis (10) found that addition of sodium a r s e n i t e to a nutrient solution caused immediate p l a s m o l y s i s of the r o o t s and wilting of the l e a v e s of Sudan g r a s s followed by d i s c o l o r a t i o n of the roots and n e c r o s i s of the leaf tips and m a r g i n s . This shows that a r s e n i c a f f e c t e d a sudden d e c r e a s e in the m o v e m e n t of w a t e r in the plant. F i n a l l y , Swingle (11) r e p o r t e d that a r s e n i c has a g e r m i c i d a l action toward n i t r i f i c a t i o n organisms. Greenhouse Studies at the W e s t e r n Washington Experiment Station Recommendations f o r the use of a r s e n i c have been made in s e v e r a l c a s e s w h e r e the accumulation in the soil will approach 3 , 0 0 0 pounds per a c r e of lead or calcium a r s e n a t e o v e r a 1 0 - y e a r p e r i o d . This g r e a t l y exceeds the r a t e s pointed out in the l i t e r a t u r e r e v i e w and points to the fact that this m a y u l t i m a t e l y lead into s e r i o u s t r o u b l e . To antagonize f u r t h e r this situation, on putting g r e e n s , we a r e concerned with soils which usually a r e c l a s s i f i e d as sands, and, as such have little buffering c a p a c i t y . Since little or no published data a r e available on a r s e n i c turf studies, pot t e s t s w e r e made to determine seedling r e s p o n s e to v a r i o u s l e v e l s of a r s e n i c (applied as lead a r s e n a t e ) to Puyallup sandy l o a m . Lead a r s e n a t e was weighed and mixed into the s u r f a c e one inch of soil so that seeds and roots would have to contact treated soil at all t i m e s or until the r o o t s extended below the a r s e n i c l a y e r e One hundred s e e d s , each of Poa annua and Colonial bent, w e r e seeded alone in six-inch clay p o t s . The a r s e n i c t r e a t m e n t s ran f r o m 5 pounds per 1, 000 square f e e t to 81 pounds per 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t . (It w a s a s s u m e d here that it is possible to accumulate 81 pounds per 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t in 10 y e a r s . ) A f t e r eight weeks 9 the existing growth was clipped to a height of 1/2 inch and weighed. The following tables show the mean clipping weights and any statistical significance. Table 1 . Poa annua Clipping Weights Treatment A v g . (4 r e p s . ) (wt. in g r a m s ) 1. 5#/1000 sq. f t . 10.50 2. 10#/1000 sq . f t . 13.75 3. 20#/1000 sq. f t . 8.00 4. 30#/1000 s q . f t . 10.25 5. 40#/1000 sq. f t . 8.25 6. 45#/1000 sq. f t . 9.00 7. 52#/1000 sq . f t . 9.75 8. 57#/1000 sq. f t . 8.25 9. 64#/1000 sq. f t . 9.75 10. 69#/1000 sq. f t . 8.00 11. 76#/1000 s q . f t . 7.75 12. 81#/1000 sq. f t . 5.50 13. 0 C. V. L. S.D. 11.50 21.6% .05 = 2 .87 .01 = 3 .85 Table 2 . B e n t g r a s s Clipping Weights Treatment A v g . (4 r e p s . ) (wt. in gra 1. 5#/1000 sq. f t . 4.75 2. 10#/1000 sq. f t . 4.00 3. 20#/1000 sq. f t . 3.00 4. 30#/1000 sq. f t . 3.50 5. 40#/1000 sq. f t . 1.75 6. 45#/1000 sq. f t . 1.25 7. 52#/1000 sq. f t . 1.25 8. 57#/1000 sq. f t . 2.00 9. 64#/1000 sq. f t . 1 .75 10. 69#/1000 sq. f t . 1 .50 11. 76#/1000 sq. f t . 1.50 12. 81#/1000 sq. f t . 1.25 13. 0 5.75 c. V . L. S . D . 34% - .01 = 2 .72 .05 = 2.03 Conclusions: F r o m this data the following conclusions can be made: 1 . The r a t e s of a r s e n i c tested produced a s t a t i s t i c a l l y significant growth reduction upon both the Poa annua and bent. 2 . The bent was m o r e s u p p r e s s e d in growth than was the Poa annua. (This w a s substantiated a l s o by stand counts, not shown h e r e . ) 3 . The application of a r s e n i c a l s f o r the s u p p r e s s i o n of Poa annua will r e main permanently in the s o i l . Even though no g r e a t e f f e c t is noted upon m a ture turf at medium a r s e n i c l e v e l s , no a s s u r a n c e is given as to the probable e f f e c t on seedlings in an o v e r s e e d i n g p r o g r a m . 4 . Soil applications of a r s e n i c a l s which will r a i s e the r e s i d u a l l e v e l o v e r 50 p . p . m . will not be recommended nor condoned in the P a c i f i c Northwest. R e f e r e n c e s Cited 1. C l e m e n t s , H. F . and Munson. Hawaii A g r . Exp. Sta. R e p t . , 1940. 2. Hurd, K a r r e r , A . M . Antagonism of C e r t a i n Elements Essential to Plants Toward C h e m i c a l l y Related Toxic E l e m e n t s . Plant P h y s . , 14: 9 - 2 9 , 1 9 3 9 . 3. M e y e r , A # H. E f f e c t s of Calcium A r s e n a t e on R i c e . A s s n . of Southern A g r . W o r k e r s , P r o c . 34th, 35th, and 36th A s s o c . Conventions, 2 4 1 , 1933-35. 4. Montgomery, R . P r o b l e m s of A r s e n i c Applications to S o i l s , Cane G r o w e r s Q u a r t e r l y B u l l . (Queensland), 5: 1 5 1 - 1 5 2 , 1 9 3 8 . 5. Cabot, R . The Influence of A r s e n i o u s Acid on Growing Plant T i s s u e . c h e m . Z t s c h r . , 98 ( 1 9 1 9 ) : 4 - 6 , 2 9 4 - 3 1 3 , 1 9 1 9 . 6. Cooper, H. P . et a l . The E f f e c t of Calcium A r s e n a t e on the P r o d u c t i v i t y of C e r t a i n Soil T y p e s . So. C a r o l i n a A g r . Exp. Sta. R e p o r t . 2 8 - 3 6 , 1931 . 7. J o n e s , J . S . and Hatch, M. B . The Significance of Inorganic S p r a y Residue Accumulations in O r c h a r d S o i l s . Soil S c i . , 4 4 : 3 7 - 6 1 , 1937 8. G o u r l e y , J . H. Toxicity of Lead and A r s e n i c F r o m Spray M a t e r i a l s to the Roots of Apple T r e e s and C o v e r C r o p s . Hort. Ohio A g r . Exp. S t a . Special C i r c u l a r No. 60 ( 1 9 4 8 ) . 9. C r a f t s , A . S . The Toxicity of Sodium A r s e n i t e and Sodium Chlorate in Four C a l i f o r n i a S o i l s . Hilgardia, 9: 4 6 1 - 4 7 8 , 1 9 3 5 . Bio- 10. Macheis, L . Accumulation of A r s e n i c in the Shoots of Sudan G r a s s and Bush B e a n s . Plant P h y s i o l . , 1 6 : 5 2 1 - 4 4 , 1 9 4 1 . 11. Swingle, D. B . Montana A g r . Exp. S t a . R e p o r t , pp. 2 4 - 2 5 , 1920. Question and A n s w e r P e r i o d Que stion: Did you fool around with Blue stone copper s u l f a t e ? A n s w e r : We didn't test the copper sulfate p r i m a r i l y f o r the r e a s o n that the line between toxicity and herbicidal activity is quite a fine one. There is evidence that it is being used all of the time in algae c o n t r o l , p a r t i c u l a r l y in municipal w a t e r d i s t r i c t s . But as f a r as applying it, no we didn't use i t . We w e r e looking f o r something possibly a little s a f e r to apply, but it is e f f e c t i v e . You have v e r y acid soil conditions o v e r t h e r e , and, of c o u r s e , that is w h e r e copper becomes toxic. Question: Did you do anything with daisy this y e a r ? A n s w e r : We have a b e l l i s perennis which is English lawn d a i s y . We have it in pots at the station. We took it off the Tacoma Country Club f a i r w a y s about four months ago and n e v e r have had time to run it up to Mt. V e r n o n w h e r e there is a green house s p r a y e r and w h e r e we can c a l i b r a t e f o r small doses f o r application to pot t e s t s . That is one of the f i r s t things on the agenda a f t e r we r e t u r n f r o m h e r e . Daisy will continue to advance f r o m now on through next s p r i n g . Again I might point out that on this p a r t i c u l a r weed v a r i o u s attempts have been made to control it with sodium a r s e n a t e , 2 , 4 - D , and combinations of 2 , 4 - D a n d 2 , 4 , 5 TP and NCP and v a r i o u s other concoctions with r e l a t i v e l y nothing to brag about as f o r r e s u l t s . That's what it amounted to so we a r e going to go at it s y s t e m a t i c a l l y with probably 2 5 - 3 0 d i f f e r e n t h e r b i c i d e s and r e p l i c a t e them and t r y to come up with something. We hope we will have something by next y e a r . Question: In your f a l l annual w o r k in your pots, did you make any other nutrient checks along with t h i s . In other w o r d s , did you check out phosphorus l e v e l s in that p a r t i c u l a r s o i l ? A n s w e r : No, we didn't - - p r i m a r i l y because we have plenty of soil tests on the a r e a w h e r e the soil came f r o m , all v e r y high in phosphorus. Question: Did this have any e f f e c t on the seed production of the poa annua? A n s w e r : The seed production w a s not a f f e c t e d even at r a t e s of up to 200 pounds of lead a r s e n a t e per 1 , 0 0 0 sq. f t . We have poa that is tall with v e r y nice heads on i t . I didn't check them f o r v i a b i l i t y . It is v e r y possible that they had no viability, but we did not go so f a r as checking the viability of the s e e d . Que stion: How long did you c a r r y this t e s t ? A n s w e r : We actually had the pots in the greenhouse f o r a period of three to four months, but we terminated on the clipping weights a f t e r about eight weeks. Wilson: The r e a s o n I mentioned that point is that a r s e n i t y does not stop these weeds f r o m germinating and with us in the Midwest and in the East at any r a t e it g e r m i n a t e s and looks j u s t fine until we e n t e r a period of s t r e s s . It can be e i t h e r r e a l cold w e a t h e r as of l a s t y e a r or v e r y hot w e a t h e r , and then suddenly the poa or the c r a b g r a s s , w h a t e v e r the case may be, will c o l l a p s e . G o s s : We have c a s e s of that now, and I have noticed no collapse to date of t r e a t m e n t on our putting g r e a t at the station. We have v e r y healthy and vigorous poa annua that has better than 20 pounds of a r s e n i c per 1 , 0 0 0 sq . f t . , i n c o r porated into our putting g r e e n . These g r a s s e s continue to get nothing but bett e r with time because the root s y s t e m extends below the a r s e n i c l e v e l , and that is another important thing. Now, u n l e s s you a r e going to i n c o r p o r a t e the a r s e n i c to a depth of the probable root s y s t e m of the s p e c i e s , then I think that you a r e going to get even a better growth than b e f o r e you had no s u p p r e s s i o n . Now I point this out on the b a s i s that I know of no d i r e c t e x p e r i m e n t a l r e s u l t s along that l i n e . If you can sight any evidence on it, I would v e r y much a p p r e ciate it f o r I am v e r y much i n t e r e s t e d in i t . Anytime we poison our s o i l s , as with a r s e n i c a l s , we a r e going to l i v e with it f r o m now on until we r e m o v e i t . Question: A r e you saying that a r s e n i c a l s have no place in our turf p r o gram ? A n s w e r : M a s s i v e doses of a r s e n i c a l s as such have no place in our p r o g r a m . Anything o v e r 50 p a r t s per m i l l i o n of applied a r s e n i c to soils have no place in our turf p r o g r a m in the P a c i f i c Northwest at p r e s e n t . PROGRESS REPORT OTHER HERBICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Roy L . Goss During the y e a r 1 9 5 9 , we have made a good s t a r t in two other a r e a s of weed r e s e a r c h . Lawn m o s s can c e r t a i n l y be c l a s s e d as a weed, but many people consider algae as something that grows in ponds and stagnant bodies of w a t e r and an o r g a n i s m that plant physiologists use in photosynthetic and r e s p i r a tion s t u d i e s . However, since algae is a m e m b e r of the plant kingdom and causes s e r i o u s p r o b l e m s in some t u r f s on the West C o a s t , we will r e f e r to it as a w e e d . Lawn Moss Control This has been a s e r i o u s weed in many turf a r e a s f o r a long time, but on intensively managed t u r f g r a s s a r e a s today, we should have v e r y little problem in the control of this plant. P e r h a p s the best control of lawn m o s s is a good nutrition p r o g r a m and adequate w a t e r i n g during the growing s e a s o n . As long as nitrogen l e v e l s a r e high enough and a r e a s o n a b l e balance of phosphorus and potassium a r e m a i n tained along with a suitable pH range f o r g r a s s growth, little trouble should be encountered with m o s s . If these conditions a r e m e t and m o s s is still a p r o b l e m , then one should investigate his watering p r a c t i c e s to see that the turf is in a vigorous growth condition during the s u m m e r . S u m m e r d r y a r e a s a r e probably the bad m o s s spots in the w i n t e r . S e v e r a l h e r b i c i d e s w e r e tested l a s t w i n t e r in an attempt to d i s c o v e r a cheap and p r a c t i c a l control of established m o s s . The following table will give some i n f o r m a t i o n on what has been done. Lawn Moss Experiment Product Rate (Product) NOXMOSS 10#/1000 sq. f t . in 10 g a l . of w a t e r Puraspray 16 oz/1000 sq. f t . in 10 g a l . of w a t e r Iron Sulfate 2#/ 1000 sq. f t . in 10 g a l . of w a t e r Iron Sulfate 4#/ 1000 sq. f t . in 10 gal. of w a t e r Ammonium Sulfatel ^5#:2#/1000 sq. f t . in 10 gal. of w a t e r Iron Sulfate * DSMA 5 o z / 1 0 0 0 sq . f t . in 10 g a l . of w a t e r 2 o z / 1 0 0 0 sq. f t . in 10 gal. of w a t e r Neburon % Control 70% 40% 60% 70% 60% 4 5% 50% It can be seen f r o m the above r e s u l t s that some m a t e r i a l s will help to r e duce m o s s c o n s i d e r a b l y . However, t r i a l s will be continued this f a l l and winter to find m a t e r i a l s that a r e even m o r e e f f e c t i v e . With better c o n t r o l s a v a i l a b l e , m o s s clean-up can be hastened, and f e r t i l i t y p r o g r a m s will be m o r e e f f e c t i v e . Algae Control We a r e p r i m a r i l y concerned with the control of one algae, which is a m e m b e r of the b l u e - g r e e n group. We r e f e r to this one as black algae, since g r e a t m a s s e s of this s i n g l e - c e l l e d plant appear as a black scum on b a r e soil s u r f a c e s or in thin t u r f . P e r h a p s the putting t u r f s in the Northwest r e p r e s e n t t u r f s that a r e m o s t damaged by this plant. The b l u e - g r e e n algae r e q u i r e high amounts of nitrogen f o r optimum growth and d e v e l o p m e n t . Whether the a r e a of infestation is on a putting green or lawn, ample nitrogen is u s u a l l y a v a i l a b l e on the s u r f a c e due to decaying organic m a t t e r and higher r a t e s of applied n i t r o g e n . Algae is a s e c o n d a r y o r g a n i s m in m o s t c a s e s . It seldom invades a turf a r e a w h e r e drainage and vigorous g r a s s growth a r e optimum. Hence, poor drainage, shade, l o s s of turf f r o m v a r i o u s c a u s e s a r e all linked together to encourage the invasion of algae e Once e s t a b l i s h e d , algae m u l t i p l i e s v e r y r a p idly, causing a slick scum on the s u r f a c e which e f f e c t i v e l y s e a l s off a i r and w a t e r penetration and becomes p r o g r e s s i v e l y w o r s e during wet w i n t e r months. Heavy t r a f f i c on turf a r e a s , e s p e c i a l l y on putting g r e e n s during the winter when g r a s s vigor is low and soils saturated, helps injure the g r a s s f u r t h e r and encourages a l g a e . E x p e r i m e n t s w e r e designed and conducted in three l o c a l i t i e s l a s t winter to find an e f f e c t i v e control f o r a l g a e . These locations w e r e Inglewood Golf and C . C . , Overlake Golf and C . C . in the Seattle a r e a , and the G r a y s Harbor Golf and C . C . at A b e r d e e n , Washington. The following table will r e v e a l the t r e a t m e n t s and r e s p o n s e . S i m i l a r r e s u l t s w e r e o b s e r v e d at all three l o c a t i o n s . Product Diuron Diuron Neburon Neburon Simazine Simazine Check Rate (lbs, active ingredient) 1 /4#/ac. 1 / 2 # / ac . l/2#/ac. l#/ac. l/4#/ac. l/2#/ac. 0 % Control (Avg. of 4 r e p s . ) 100 100 90 100 10 10 0 These t e s t s indicate that the substituted u r e a h e r b i c i d e s have g r e a t potentialities f o r the control of a l g a e . It should be pointed out, h o w e v e r , that the h e a v i e r r a t e of diuron c a u s e s some turf i n j u r y . F u r t h e r studies will be conducted this w i n t e r to d e t e r m i n e if the above products applied b e f o r e algae invades w i l l keep the a r e a clean and make some determinations as to the number of applications which must be made f o r the entire season. Question and A n s w e r P e r i o d Question: Any connections between lime and the lack of it on a l g a e ? A n s w e r : There probably i s . I don't know that this has been demonstrated p a r t i c u l a r l y , but I think the connection would be an indirect one in that w h e r e you do have low pH you would have other affecting f a c t o r s and so you would n a t u r a l l y have a l o s s of turf v i g o r . You could expect poor turf and better algae under those conditions. I think liming would possibly be one management p r a c tice you could put in that would help to o v e r c o m e algae conditions, but I don't think there is any d i r e c t connection because I can take you to a r e a s that have been limed v e r y heavily during the winter months w h e r e it is actually v e r y white on the s u r f a c e and there is plenty of active algae p r e s e n t . Question: What connection do you think there is between your feeding p r o gram and the f o r m i n g of the a l g a e ? A n s w e r : W e l l , you can have a c o r r e c t l y fed turf and you will still have a condition that will promote the growth of a l g a e . But assuming ail other f a c t o r s optimum such as your drainage and soil conditions, then I think that a n u t r i tional p r o g r a m is v e r y i m p o r t a n t . If you do have a v e r y vigorous turf with good drainage conditions even under high r a i n f a l l , you probably won't have the problem with algae that you would o t h e r w i s e . I should point out to you that algae r e q u i r e s high nutrition. Under high nitrogen conditions, you a r e going to have algae doing even b e t t e r , and under ail turf conditions you a r e going to have ample nitrogen g e n e r a l l y in the s u r f a c e soil, p a r t i c u l a r l y on the putting greens because they r e c e i v e a much higher l e v e l of nutrition than do our l a w n s . C l o s e r cut could be a f a c t o r , and shading is a f a c t o r . Algae can orient its c h l o r o p l a s t s and can do a lot better on a l o w e r light intensity than can some of the o t h e r s . Some algae has been known to get along on v e r y low intensity that no green would live on. Question: Have you done anything with Phygon X - L ? A n s w e r : I t r i e d Phygon X - L at the station and had no r e s u l t s with it at a l l . I think it c o m e s back to t h i s . I am not trying to knock neburon or other p r o d u c t s . We only a r e giving i n f o r m a t i o n on what we have a n s w e r s to at this p r e s ent t i m e . It looks as though neburon is probably one of the s a f e r ones, and I can c e r t a i n l y be one of the f i r s t to a s s u r e you that you can c e r t a i n l y go out there and burn up your turf with it if you want to put it on at seven t i m e s the recommended r a t e . Neburon is like 2 , 4 - D . You're dealing with c h e m i c a l s e v e r y day that a r e much w o r s e to handle than neburon. I know that m o s t of you m e a s u r e fungicides p r e t t y c a r e f u l l y , and when it comes to dealing with neburon you should m e a s u r e that p r e t t y c a r e f u l l y too. Question: Answer: You a r e mentioning this on a p e r - a c r e b a s i s ? Y e s , when I say this, it is all on a p e r - a c r e b a s i s . Question: On a p o o r l y drained a r e a , putting g r e e n , or soggy soil, did you notice any d i f f e r e n c e between organic and inorganic f e r t i l i z e r ? A n s w e r : In all c a s e s , we found that with o r g a n i c - t y p e f e r t i l i z e r s we have noticed a perceptible i n c r e a s e in algae conditions o v e r w h e r e m i n e r a l f e r t i l i z e r s have been the basic source of plant n u t r i e n t s . This can also be typed to the application of some of these m a t e r i a l s at the time when we hit the algae s e a s o n . I think the time would probably be during our d r i e r months and the place is anywhere you w i s h . I think we can v e r i f y this in a number of i n s t a n c e s . We did c a r r y out one e x p e r i m e n t in the plot on some v e r y young t u r f , and we noticed a v e r y perceptible build-up having moid on all organic plots and no mold on the inorganic p l o t s . This mold I didn't attempt to i d e n t i f y . CRABGRASS INVESTIGATIONS IN WASHINGTON Roy Goss and A l v i n G. Law This r e p o r t is intended to explain the C r a b g r a s s situation in w e s t e r n Washington and is one part of a joint r e p o r t made by me and by A . G. Law, who has conducted a s i m i l a r study in e a s t e r n Washington. This r e p o r t should point out the b e t t e r c o n t r o l s f o r the state as a whole and any t r e a t m e n t s that m a y be better in either w e s t e r n or e a s t e r n Washington which m a y be induced by climatic and species d i f f e r e n c e s . Both Digitaria sanguinalis (hairy C r a b g r a s s ) and Digitaria i s c h a e m u m (smooth C r a b g r a s s ) have been identified in w e s t e r n Washington. However, smooth C r a b g r a s s s e e m s to be m o r e p r e v a l e n t in the Seattle a r e a . It a p p e a r s that h a i r y C r a b g r a s s is m o r e dominant on lighter ( w a r m e r or e a r l i e r ) s o i l s of the Spanaway s e r i e s located in P i e r c e , Thurston, and Lewis counties. This y e a r , due to a cold, wet spring that extended up to July 10 in w e s t e r n Washington, no C r a b g r a s s seedlings e m e r g e d b e f o r e July 15, a f t e r which the development w a s n o r m a l . At the p r e s e n t t i m e , a full seed crop f r o m smooth C r a b g r a s s is maturing and should i n s u r e a good crop f o r next y e a r . P r e - e m e r g e n c e applications of h e r b i c i d e s w e r e applied at two locations in the g r e a t e r Seattle a r e a on A p r i l 2, 1 9 5 9 . P o s t - e m e r g e n c e s p r a y s w e r e applied on the same a r e a s on J u l y 27, 1959, when the seedlings w e r e in the two leaf stage. The following table will show the t r e a t m e n t s , r a t e s , and degree of c o n t r o l . No location is shown since s i m i l a r r e s u l t s w e r e experienced in both l o c a t i o n s . Timing Pre-emergence Pre -emergence Pre - emergence Pre-emergence Post-emergence Post-emergence Post emergence Product OR-1548 DAC - 8 9 3 Halts Neburon DSMA U-9613 M-1329 (Rate of Product) 20#/ 1000 sq. f t . 5 . 7 ounces/1000 6.25#/1000 2 ounces/1000 5 . 3 ounces/1000 35 C . C . / 1 0 0 0 8 ounces/1000 No. of % T r e a t m e n t s Control 1 40 1 100 1 60 1 40 2 30 1 20 1 30 Data f o r e a s t e r n Washington w e r e obtained f r o m e x p e r i m e n t s c o o p e r a t i v e with C h a r l i e Mitchell, C l a r k s t o n Golf and Country Club. The infestation t r e a t e d was h a i r y C r a b g r a s s growing in a f a i r w a y of creeping red f e s c u e , Kentucky b l u e g r a s s , and annual b l u e g r a s s . Data obtained w e r e as f o l l o w s : Timing Pre - emergence Pre - emergence Pre-emergence Pre -emergence^ Post-emergence Post-emergence Post-emergence Product DAC 893 Chlorodane Calcium arsenate Neburon D.S.M.A. A.C.P. PMAS Rate of product lbs . / 1 000 sq . f t . 8 ounces 20 pounds 18 pounds 2 . 5 ounces 5 . 3 ounces 22 ounces 2 .4 ounces % Control 90 90 90 40 75 50 50 Three t r e a t m e n t s at indicated r a t e a f t e r initial e m e r g e n c e of c r a b g r a s s . These data show p r e - e m e r g e n c e t r e a t m e n t s of DAC, Chlorodane, and Calcium a r s e n a t e gave good control of C r a b g r a s s . The equivalent r a t e s per a c r e of Chlorodane and Calcium a r s e n a t e a r e 90 and 688 pounds, r e s p e c t i v e l y . These a r e e x t r e m e l y high and m a y cause c o n s i d e r a b l e r e s i d u a l h a r m f u l side effects . The Dow product, M - 1 3 2 9 , a r r i v e d too late f o r p r e - e m e r g e n c e a p p l i c a tion, but will be tested as such this w i n t e r . F u r t h e r t e s t s will be conducted with all of these products in the next y e a r as w e l l as some new ones not tested this y e a r . The Diamond A l k a l i Company's product s e e m s to have g r e a t p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r C r a b g r a s s control 9 but due to some thinning of d e s i r a b l e s p e c i e s , m o r e w o r k will have to be done with r a t e s . It a p p e a r s at this time that the m a s s i v e - d o s e a r s e n i c a l s should not be used on l a r g e a r e a s due to the amount of a r s e n i c which r e m a i n s r e s i d u a l in the soil due to this t r e a t m e n t . E F F E C T S OF GOLF SHOE TYPES ON PUTTING GREEN TURF Bill Bengeyfield W e s t e r n D i r e c t o r , USGA, Garden G r o v e , C a l i f o r n i a Golf shoes with " r i p p l e " s o l e s l e a v e a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c m a r k on putting g r e e n s . When these shoes began to find f a v o r , many g o l f e r s w e r e concerned about their e f f e c t s upon putting g r e e n t u r f . At some golf clubs, p l a y e r s w e r e not permitted to w e a r shoes of this t y p e . Because of the need f o r a c c u r a t e i n f o r m a t i o n pertaining to the damage to be expected f r o m shoes of v a r i o u s t y p e s , a s e r i e s of tests w e r e inaugurated at Texas A & M College under the d i r e c t i o n of D r . M a r v e n F e r g u s o n , MidContinent D i r e c t o r and R e s e a r c h Coordinator of the USGA. The studies w e r e c a r r i e d out by two undergraduate students in the Department of A g r o n o m y who a r e r e c i p i e n t s of T r a n s - M i s s i s s i p p i Golf A s s o c . turf s c h o l a r s h i p s . This study had two o b j e c t i v e s : 1 . To d e t e r m i n e the extent of damage which might r e s u l t f r o m heavy t r a f f i c imposed by the sole types in question. 2 . To d e t e r m i n e the e f f e c t of s u r f a c e m a r k s l e f t by the " r i p p l e " sole shoe on the c o u r s e of a rolling b a l l . Procedure Tests w e r e conducted on a turf of Seaside Bent. The f i r s t objective w a s to study the e f f e c t of t r a f f i c imposed by the v a r i o u s sole t y p e s . The t e s t s consisted of three t r e a t m e n t s and a check or untreated s t r i p . Tests w e r e conducted in q u a d r u p l i c a t e . Each individual plot w a s one foot wide and 30 f e e t long. The plots w e r e t r a v e r s e d daily, with the two men exchanging plots on a l t e r n a t e d a y s . One man weighed 160 pounds and w o r e a size 9 1/2 shoe while the other man weighed 180 pounds and w o r e a size 11 shoe. Walking began on A p r i l 29 at 1 5 t r a v e r s e s per day and continued until May 13 at this r a t e . At that time the t r a f f i c w a s i n c r e a s e d to 20 t r a v e r s e s per d a y . This daily amount of t r a f f i c w a s continued until June 3 . Each of the plots r e c e i v i n g t r a f f i c w a s subjected to 630 t r a v e r s e s during this period of t i m e . Visual ratings of turf density w e r e made on May 13, 2 0 , 2 7 , and June 3 . In these n u m e r i c a l r a t i n g s , the check plot w a s undamaged and rated at 1 0 . The t r a f f i c - d a m a g e d plots w e r e given l o w e r r a t i n g s , depending upon the extent of the d a m a g e . Ratings w e r e made individually by the two i n v e s t i g a t o r s , and the w e e k l y ratings w e r e a v e r a g e d . Other evaluation methods w e r e e m p l o y e d . was one. The double quadrat method Another m e a s u r e m e n t of damage w a s c o n s i d e r e d to be the amount of compaction or s u r f a c e d e f o r m a t i o n that o c c u r r e d in each path. A straight edge w a s placed a c r o s s each path, and the c u r v a t u r e of the s u r f a c e w a s m e a s u r e d and plotted. The second objective of the e x p e r i m e n t w a s to d e t e r m i n e the e f f e c t of the ripple sole footprint upon the c o u r s e of a r o l l i n g b a l l . The ball w a s r o l l e d f r o m a c u r v e d aluminum tube and w a s r e l e a s e d f r o m a constant height. The point at which the ball came to r e s t w a s m a r k e d and l a t e r plotted to s c a l e . This test w a s conducted on a slight slope and under the following conditions: (1) unblemished t u r f , (2) one deep ripple sole footprint located t h r e e f e e t f r o m the end of the tube in the path of the bail, (3) one deep ripple sole footprint 6 . 7 f e e t f r o m the end of the tube in the path of the b a i l . The points w h e r e the ball came to r e s t w e r e plotted. D i s c u s s i o n s and Conclusions The visual density ratings showed a p r o g r e s s i v e i n j u r y to the turf as the e x p e r i m e n t continued. The ratings a l s o showed that the r e p l i c a t i o n s behaved u n i f o r m l y and that the individual ratings of the two i n v e s t i g a t o r s w e r e in c l o s e agreement. There w a s a gradual decline in the turf subjected to t r a f f i c until May 1 3 . During the week May 13 to May 20 t h e r e w a s a rapid decline of plots t r a v e r s e d by spike shoes and r u b b e r c l e a t s . The plots t r a v e r s e d by the ripple s o l e s continued to decline gradually . These r a t i n g s showed that all types of t r a f f i c p r o duced some i n j u r y e They f u r t h e r indicate that the m o s t s e v e r e damage w a s produced by the spikes and that i n t e r m e d i a t e damage w a s produced by the r u b ber c l e a t s . Turf with a rating below f i v e in this evaluation would be c o m p l e t e l y u n s a t i s f a c t o r y f o r putting. The double quadrat method r e s u l t s w e r e in f a i r l y c l o s e a g r e e m e n t with those obtained by the visual method. The third c r i t e r i a n of damage that w a s used is the m e a s u r e m e n t of c o m paction or s u r f a c e d e f o r m a t i o n . In each r e p l i c a t i o n , the ripple sole shoes made a slightly w i d e r path, and the spike shoes made a slightly deeper path. F r o m these ratings and m e a s u r e m e n t s , it is concluded that spike shoes w e a r out the turf m o r e quickly and m o r e c o m p l e t e l y than the other type shoes in the test and that ripple sole shoes produce the l e a s t d a m a g e . The second p a r t of the e x p e r i m e n t involved m e a s u r i n g the e f f e c t of ripple sole footprints on the d i r e c t i o n of t r a v e l of a rolling golf b a l l . A d i a g r a m m a t i c study r e v e a l e d that these footprints produce no a p p r e c i a b l e e f f e c t upon a rolling golf ball* The r e s u l t is the same whether the footprint is n e a r the point of r e l e a s e or near the point w h e r e the bail stops r o l l i n g . There is an interesting sidelight to this portion of the e x p e r i m e n t . It w a s found that to attain u n i f o r m i t y in d i r e c t i o n and r o l l , the ball m u s t be r e l e a s e d in p r e c i s e l y the same m a n n e r each t i m e . If the ball is r e l e a s e d in such a m a n n e r that it r o l l s straight o v e r , it is not e a s i l y d e f l e c t e d , even by s e r i o u s d e f e c t s in the putting s u r f a c e . The ball r o l l is so c e r t a i n that it is possible to place 23 out of 25 b a l l s in the cup f r o m a distance of eight f e e t even when it p a s s e s o v e r a v e r y deep f o o t p r i n t . On the other hand, when the bail is r e l e a s e d in such a manner that it has a slight sidespin (detected by a stripe around the bail) its path is u n p r e d i c t a b l e . The r e s u l t s of this e x p e r i m e n t indicate that according to these techniques and under these conditions, t h e r e is no r e a s o n for discriminating against ripple sole s h o e s . Question and A n s w e r P e r i o d Question: How do ripple soles r e a c t on a pivot? A n s w e r : They do l e s s damage than the spike. I don't think w e ' l l e v e r convince g o l f e r s that the ripple soles a r e the ones to u s e , but I think it points up the need to do something about the spike soles we h a v e . Question: Answer: What time of the day w e r e they putting on that ripple sole shoe? I can't a n s w e r that. I don't know. 44 NEMATODE PROBLEMS IN TURF AREAS 4 * * 2 W a l t e r J . Apt and Roy L . Goss Turf management, like the growing of many a g r i c u l t u r a l c r o p s , is beset by a multiplicity of p r o b l e m s , of which many a r e biological. They include a t tacks by v a r i o u s insect pests and d i s e a s e s caused by fungi, b a c t e r i a , and v i r u s e s . Within the past decade another type pest has been recognized as being p a r a s i t i c on turf g r a s s e s and m a y cause s e r i o u s damage; this pest is the nematode. B a s i c a l l y , a nematode is a w o r m - l i k e animal; it has been commonly called an 44 e e l w o r m , 4 4 or 44 t h r e a d w o r m , 4 4 but d i f f e r s f r o m w o r m s and c e r t a i n i n s e c t l a r v a e with which e v e r y o n e is f a m i l i a r , such as a n g l e w o r m s and w i r e w o r m s . One of the principal d i f f e r e n c e s is in s i z e . Nematodes r a r e l y exceed 2 m m . in length and g e n e r a l l y can be seen only with a m i c r o s c o p e . They a r e found in a l m o s t all soil e n v i r o n m e n t s as p a r t of the natural biologic complex and occur in e n o r mous n u m b e r s . One of the f a t h e r s of the science of nematology, D r . N. A . Cobb, is credited with the statement that if all other constituents of the e a r t h c o v e r w e r e r e m o v e d , we would still be able to t r a c e the contours of the e a r t h by the m a s s of nematode bodies; this statement gives some idea of their v a s t n u m b e r s . Although D r . Cobb4 s statement is figurative^ it can be s a f e l y said that e v e r y a c r e of cultivated land contains s e v e r a l hundred m i l l i o n n e m a t o d e s . However, many of these a r e not p a r a s i t i c to plants; in f a c t many a r e useful in the b r e a k down of organic m a t t e r , while some a r e p r e d a t o r y on other nematodes and on insect l i f e . The remaining nematodes, the plant p a r a s i t i c f o r m s , feed p r i n c i pally on the roots and other p a r t s of living p l a n t s . Nematodes a r e considered important plant pests because of their a s s o c i ation with the following s y m p t o m s : stunting, growth m a l f o r m a t i o n s , root r o t s , and v a r i o u s yield and growth d e c l i n e s . These symptoms a r e e x p r e s s e d when the nematodes 1. reduce the amount of available plant food by d i r e c t feeding; 2. d e s t r o y c e l l s and t i s s u e s leading to the malfunction, i n e f f i c i e n c y , and growth r e t a r d a t i o n of p r i m a r y and f e e d e r r o o t s ; and 3. cause m a l f o r m a t i o n of plant roots which i n t e r f e r e s with the passage of food and r e s u l t a n t plant growth. In addition to causing d i r e c t damage, the l e s i o n s or wounds f o r m e d by their feeding habits m a y become p o r t s of e n t r y f o r fungi and b a c t e r i a which cause root r o t s and other d i s e a s e s . Under such conditions, the s e c o n d a r y o r ganisms m a y cause m o r e damage than the n e m a t o d e s . Some f o r m s of n e m a todes (called e c t o p a r a s i t e s ) attack the s m a l l f e e d e r r o o t s and root h a i r s e x t e r n a l l y , while other f o r m s (endoparasites) move within the root to f e e d . In either C o o p e r a t i v e investigations of the C r o p s R e s e a r c h Division, A g r i c u l t u r a l R e s e a r c h S e r v i c e , United States Department of A g r i c u l t u r e , and the W e s t e r n Washington E x p e r i m e n t Station. 2 R e s p e c t i v e l y , A s s o c i a t e d Nematologist, C r o p s R e s e a r c h Division, A g r i cultural R e s e a r c h S e r v i c e , United States Department of A g r i c u l t u r e , and Junior A g r o n o m i s t and Extension S p e c i a l i s t in A g r o n o m y , W e s t e r n Washington E x p e r i ment Station, Puyallup, Washington. c a s e the r o o t s on which they feed a r e u s u a l l y shortened and become brown or necrotic or a f f e c t e d so as to f o r m galls e While nematodes have been investigated f o r many y e a r s on f i e l d and h o r t i cultural cropSj, it w a s not until 1951 that T a r j a n and F e r g u s o n (4) r e p o r t e d the f i r s t a s s o c i a t i o n of these pests with turf d e c l i n e . They d e s c r i b e d the d i s o r d e r as " y e l l o w tuft" d i s e a s e involving the stunt nematode (Tylenchorhynchus s p . ) . R e p o r t s by Troll and T a r j a n (5) in Rhode Island and by C h r i s t i e , et a l . (1) in F l o r i d a indicate that s e v e r a l species of nematodes m a y be causing s e r i o u s d a m age on both n o r t h e r n and southern turf g r a s s e s as either p r i m a r y or secondary plant i n v a d e r s . The s e r i o u s n e s s of the p r o b l e m w a s emphasized when r e s e a r c h w o r k e r s in F l o r i d a instigated an active nematode r e s e a r c h p r o g r a m in t u r f . In a r e c e n t r e p o r t . Nutter (2) r e v i e w s development of the nematode p r o b l e m in turf on a national scale and states " n e m a t o d e s a r e apparently w e l l distributed throughout the country, but recognized damage s e e m s to be m o r e p r e v a l e n t on the lighter soils in the w a r m e r c l i m a t e s . As such work continues and is e x panded to other a r e a s d undoubtedly new p a r a s i t i c s p e c i e s will be r e v e a l e d and the nature of p r e s e n t l y recognized f o r m s better u n d e r s t o o d . " In Washington, investigations of nematodes in turf w e r e not instigated until the s u m m e r of 1958 when a number of putting g r e e n s , in the Seattle a r e a , exhibited s e v e r e l o s s of vigor and in one c a s e 75 per cent l o s s of the g r a s s . Sampling of these g r e e n s r e v e a l e d v e r y l a r g e populations of p a r a s i t i c nematodes, e s p e c i a l l y on the g r e e n w h e r e damage had been s e v e r e . A number of d i f f e r e n t types w e r e identified, but the m o s t p r e v a l e n t w a s the s p i r a l nematode (Helicotylenchus s p . ) e This p a r t i c u l a r nematode has been r e p o r t e d in Wisconsin by P e r r y (3) as the cause of a d i s e a s e of Kentucky blue g r a s s (Poa p r a t e n s i s ) . F u r t h e r sampling in Washington has shown that s e v e r a l species of nematodes a r e p r e v a l e n t in turf a r e a s . These a r e (1) the stunt nematode (Tylenchorhynchus sp e ) p (2) the s p i r a l nematode (Helicotylenchus s p . ) , and (3) the l e s i o n nematode ( P r a t y l e n c h u s s p . ) 0 It is expected that continued s u r v e y s will r e v e a l additional p a r a s i t i c species in turf of the P a c i f i c Northwest. Nematode infestations in turf w i l l u s u a l l y m a n i f e s t t h e m s e l v e s in l o c a l i z e d a r e a s and spread outward f r o m those c e n t e r s . The turf w i l l exhibit a general l o s s of vigor and w i l l become thin and show a dieback or decline condition. In s e v e r e infestations the root h a i r s and f e e d e r r o o t s m a y be d e s t r o y e d , and living r o o t s m a y be reduced in depth to l e s s than two i n c h e s . With such conditions m o r e intensive management will be r e q u i r e d to maintain growth. If the damage continues to p r o g r e s s the turf will no longer respond to t r e a t m e n t and w i l l go into a s e v e r e state of decline in both a b o v e - and below-ground p a r t s . The root s y s t e m has been damaged to the extent that it is unable to supply the w a t e r and nutrient r e q u i r e m e n t s of the turf and is l a r g e l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the d i s e a s e d and declining condition of the above-ground p a r t s of the g r a s s . These symptoms alone should not be r e l i e d upon f o r nematode d i a g n o s i s . Numerous other f a c t o r s such as general nutrition, physical condition of the s o i ^ soil m o i s t u r e , and d i s e a s e - c o m p l e x m a y a l s o cause turf d e c l i n e . It is e s s e n t i a l that a p r o p e r determination of nematode infestation be made b e f o r e extensive control e f f o r t s a r e attempted. The m e r e p r e s e n c e of nematodes does not p r o v e cause of turf decline as the soil m a y contain many species of n e m a todes not p a r a s i t i c to plants and nematodes which a r e p a r a s i t i c on some plants but m a y not injure t u r f . The only positive method f o r determining infestation and identification is by submitting soil s a m p l e s to a qualified nematologist f o r observation. The condition of soil s a m p l e s is important f o r c o r r e c t determination of nematode i n f e s t a t i o n . If it is d e s i r e d to submit soil samples to state a g r i c u l tural e x p e r i m e n t stations or f e d e r a l l a b o r a t o r i e s f o r nematode diagnosis, a few r u l e s will give definite and a c c u r a t e r e s u l t s in the d e t e r m i n a t i o n s : 1 . Take s e v e r a l s a m p l e s to a depth of six inches i m m e d i a t e l y around the a r e a of g r e a t e s t damage and a l s o f r o m r e l a t i v e l y healthy a r e a s . 2 . Composite each group of s a m p l e s f r o m one a r e a and submit at l e a s t a pint of soil f o r nematode d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 3. Take s a m p l e s when soil is m o i s t (not saturated) and package in p o l y ethylene gabs which w i l l p r e v e n t l o s s of m o i s t u r e . It is e s s e n t i a l that s a m p l e s a r r i v e in m o i s t condition. In considering nematode c o n t r o l , turf a r e a s should be c l a s s e d into two groups: L a r g e - a c r e a g e - low maintenance a r e a s and s m a l l - a c r e a g e - i n t e n s i v e ly managed a r e a s . It is the l a t t e r in which s e r i o u s nematode p r o b l e m s m a y d e velop, and t r e a t m e n t m a y be n e c e s s a r y if the turf is to s u r v i v e . Low - m a i n tenance a r e a s a r e probably not as infested with nematodes, and the cost f o r treating such a r e a s would be high. With the d i s c u s s i o n d i r e c t e d toward the m o r e i n t e n s i v e l y managed a r e a s , the control of nematodes m a y be divided into t h r e e p h a s e s : (1) in the piantbed, (2) t o p - d r e s s i n g sanitation, and (3) in established t u r f . The Plant Bed Soil s t e r i l i z a t i o n should be a basic r e q u i r e m e n t w h e r e turf is being e s tablished in a r e a s found to be infested with p a r a s i t i c n e m a t o d e s . Fumigation with one of the r e c o m m e n d e d soil fumigants is the m o s t e f f e c t i v e and dependable means known at p r e s e n t f o r controlling these p e s t s . Soil to be used in valuable a r e a s such as g r e e n s , t e e s , and high-quality lawns m a y be s t e r i l i z e d in bins b e f o r e it is placed. However, it is m o r e p r a c t i c a l and e f f i c i e n t to s t e r i l i z e the topsoil in place a f t e r grading, l e v e l i n g , and mixing have been completed. A number of soil fumigants a r e available f o r this p u r p o s e . These include such m a t e r i a l s as D-D, Telone, E . D . B . , c h l o r o p i c r i n , and methyl b r o m i d e . D-D, Telone, and E . D . B . a r e r e c o m m e n d e d only f o r the control of nematodes and some soil i n s e c t s and have no a p p r e c i a b l e e f f e c t on soil fungi, b a c t e r i a , and weed s e e d s . Their cost is in the neighborhood of $30 to $50 per a c r e , or about $ . 7 0 to $ 1 . 2 0 per 1 , 0 0 0 sq. f t . Methyl bromide and c h l o r o p i c r i n cost upwards of $ 3 0 0 to $ 5 0 0 per a c r e , or about $ 7 . 0 0 to $ 1 2 . 0 0 per 1 P 0 0 0 sq. f t . ; h o w e v e r , they a r e r e c o m m e n d e d f o r control of soil i n s e c t s , fungi, b a c t e r i a , and weed seeds in addition to n e m a t o d e s . T o p - D r e s s i n g Sanitation A n e m a t o d e - f r e e turf m a y become infested with nematodes by the use of contaminated topsoil or t o p - d r e s s i n g m a t e r i a l s . T h e r e f o r e , it is good m a n a g e ment to s t e r i l i z e such m a t e r i a l s b e f o r e placing them on valuable turf a r e a s . This can be done with a soil fumigant such as methyl b r o m i d e , which has proved to be one of the m o s t e f f e c t i v e and p r a c t i c a l m a t e r i a l s f o r this type of s t e r i l i z a tion. Fumigation m a y be quickly and e f f i c i e n t l y done by spreading the soil or t o p - d r e s s i n g m a t e r i a l in a s m a l l pile upon the ground or c o n c r e t e slab, c o v e r i n g with a g a s - i m p e r v i o u s c o v e r such as a polyethylene tarpaulin, sealing the edges, and introducing the fumigant under the tarp by m e a n s of an inexpensive a p p l i c a t o r . This p r o c e s s m a y a l s o be done in s t e r i l i z a t i o n bins, if they a r e a v a i l a b l e . As p r e v i o u s l y stated, the use of methyl bromide functions not only as a n e m a t o cide 2 but a l s o r e d u c e s weed, d i s e a s e , and insect p r o b l e m s and thereby j u s t i f i e s its cost* Established Turf The control of nematodes in established turf p r e s e n t s a somewhat d i f f e r e n t problem as m o s t p r e s e n t - d a y soil fumigants a r e highly toxic to plants and cannot be used in their p r e s e n c e e However, two c h e m i c a l s which a r e much l e s s toxic and may be applied on established turf without i n j u r y to it have been developed 0 These a r e Nemagon ( e m u l s i f i a b l e formulation) and V C - 1 3 . Nemagon functions as a soil fumigant by the diffusion of v a p o r s through the soil m a s s 0 V C - 1 3 is a 75 per cent e m u l s i f i a b l e concentrate which m i x e s e a s i l y with w a t e r ; it i s not a soil fumigent and does not d i f f u s e through the soil as gas does 9 but is distributed through the soil by w a t e r m o v e m e n t or by mechanical means« Both of these m a t e r i a l s have been e x t e n s i v e l y tested on turf and in m o s t c a s e s have given promising r e s u l t s but have been disappointing in o t h e r s . The disappointing r e s u l t s a r e not n e c e s s a r i l y the fault of the m a t e r i a l s , f o r little is known concerning the nematodes that attack t u r f . Much additional w o r k needs to be done with each s p e c i e s of nematodes found to be a s s o c i a t e d with t u r f : their l i f e c y c l e s , m o b i l i t y , host p r e f e r e n c e , r e s i s t a n c e , and ecology should be studied Q Nutter (2) has v e r y e f f i c i e n t l y listed a number of steps as suggestions f o r approaching the nematode problem on established t u r f . These suggestions a r e presented until expanded r e s e a r c h supplies i n f o r m a t i o n f o r m o r e specific recommendations, 1) 44 Maintain the turf under a good nutritional status with p r o p e r r e g a r d f o r pH and m i n o r element balance e area 2) Be thoroughly f a m i l i a r with the d i s e a s e and i n s e c t p r o b l e m s of the their symptomology, environmental r e l a t i o n s h i p s and c o n t r o l . 3) Maintain p r o p e r soil m o i s t u r e aeration relationships. paction^ w a t e r logging and m a t f o r m a t i o n . Avoid c o m - 4) Make periodic inspection of the root s y s t e m a If appearance suggests nematode damage and the above f a c t o r s a r e not involved, have nematode t e s t s conducted by a qualified nematology l a b o r a t o r y * Follow good sampling p r o cedure o 5) If nematodes a r e found which a r e known p a r a s i t e s on turf g r a s s e s , set up a spot test on a s m a l l section of infested a r e a , using Nemagon and V C 13 nematocide s 0 6) Be sure that the soil is m o i s t b e f o r e application of the nematocide and that a l i b e r a l amount of w a t e r (1/2 to 1 a c r e inch) is applied i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r the c h e m i c a l . This w a t e r seal p r e v e n t s evaporation of the toxicant and aids in c a r r y i n g the toxicant into the root z o n e . Use high gallonage application. Generous quantities of a good wetting agent will i m p r o v e wetting and p e n e t r a tion of the nematocide into the s o i l . 7) Base f u r t h e r control e f f o r t s on r e s u l t s of the spot t e s t s . Be s u r e to allow sufficient time f o r the m a t e r i a l s to r e a c t b e f o r e making e v a l u a t i o n s . 8) Following t r e a t m e n t , p r a c t i c e c a r e f u l sanitation with topdressing m a t e r i a l s and equipment to avoid r e - c o n t a m i n a t i o n of treated a r e a s . 9) Keep in contact with Turf R e s e a r c h C e n t e r s and c o m m e r c i a l r e p r e sentatives f o r l a t e s t i n f o r m a t i o n on nematode p r o b l e m s and control r e c o m m e n dations on turf g r a s s e s . " L i t e r a t u r e Cited 1. C h r i s t i e , J . R . , J . M. Good, J r . and G. C . Nutter. Nematodes a s s o c i a ted with i n j u r y to turf in F l o r i d a . F l o r i d a A g r i c u l t u r a l J o u r n a l S e r i e s 3 5 1 , 1954. 2. Nutter, G. C . Nematode p r o b l e m s in t u r f . 26(7): 5 - 9 , 1 9 5 8 . 3. P e r r y , V . G. A d i s e a s e of Kentucky blue g r a s s incited by c e r t a i n s p i r a l n e m a t o d e s . Phytopathology, 4 8 : 3 9 7 , 1 9 5 8 . 4. T a r j a n , A . C . and M. H. F e r g u s o n . Observations of nematodes in yellow turf of b e n t g r a s s . U . S . G . A . J o u r n a l , 4 ( 2 ) : 2 8 - 3 0 , 1951 . 5. T r o l l , J . S. and A . C . T a r j a n . Widespread appearance of plant p a r a s i t i c nematodes on golf g r e e n s in Rhode Island. Plant D i s e a s e R e p o r t e r , 38(5): 342-344, 1954. The Golf C o u r s e R e p o r t e r , Question and A n s w e r P e r i o d Question: A r e there two types of Nematodes? A n s w e r : That* s r i g h t . You need the roots and the soil and the top b e cause to give you one f u r t h e r explanation we have two d i f f e r e n t t y p e s , endo and an e c t o . The endo l i v e s within the r o o t s and spends m o s t of its l i f e ' s c y c l e in the r o o t s so we need the r o o t s and we a l s o need the soil because many of them a r e e c t o p a r a s i t e s ; they feed on the outside of the roots except f o r the a c tually piercing the root i t s e l f , and they n e v e r enter other than j u s t their head portion so we need both the root and the s o i l . Question: Does a e r i f y i n g help? A n s w e r : To tell the truth, I couldn't a n s w e r that question because m y e x p e r i e n c e with turf a r e a s i s so l i m i t e d . It is e s s e n t i a l that we get to fuming it down in there whether we use neburon or B . C . 1 3 . It has to be an e m u l s i f i able f o r m u l a t i o n so that it goes down with w a t e r . A e r i f i c a t i o n perhaps will distribute it much b e t t e r . As f o r m y s e l f , I have not gone into that, and I c a n not truthfully a n s w e r that question. * TURF DISEASE RESEARCH DURING 1959 IN WESTERN WASHINGTON C h a r l e s J . Gould* The D i s e a s e P i c t u r e in 1959 The d i s e a s e situation in 1959 w a s n o r m a l with Red Thread and FairyRing d i s e a s e s being common on l a w n - t y p e turf during the spring and f a l l . F u s a r i u m Patch appeared b r i e f l y in the spring on golf green turf and then d i s a p peared until e a r l y S e p t e m b e r , when it r a p i d l y became s e r i o u s on untreated g r e e n s . Brown Patch appeared f o r a few days on one golf c o u r s e during an unusually w a r m period in the s u m m e r . Both Helminthosporium and C u r v u l a r i a w e r e isolated f r o m indefinite yellowed a r e a s on golf g r e e n s , but their pathogenicity has not y e t been e s t a b l i s h e d . The s u r v e y of turf d i s e a s e s is continuing in cooperation with D r . Maksis Eglitis of our l a b o r a t o r y . Control of Red Thread (Corticium f u c i f o r m e ) Another e f f o r t was made to find fungicides e f f e c t i v e in controllings Red T h r e a d . Applications w e r e s t a r t e d in May of 1959 and continued at two- or f o u r - w e e k i n t e r v a l s on a f e s c u e plot donated by D r . Herman A u s t e n s o n . None of the t r e a t m e n t s has yet given outstanding control of the d i s e a s e , but the e x p e r i m e n t is being continued. Our main recommendation f o r the control of this d i s e a s e continues to be the judicious use of nitrogenous f e r t i l i z e r s . Control of F u s a r i u m Patch ( F u s a r i u m nivale) Based on r e s e a r c h in a plastic greenhouse and in f i e l d e x p e r i m e n t s on greens in w e s t e r n Washington, the following f a c t s can be s u m m a r i z e d : 1 . C e r t a i n m e r c u r y and cadmium compounds have given best c o n t r o l . Cadmium fungicides produce a thicker turf than do m e r c u r i a l s . 2 . Of the m e r c u r i e s , phenyl m e r c u r i c acetate (PMA) types have u s u a l l y given better control than other types of m e r c u r i e s . However, c o m m e r c i a l p r e p a r a t i o n s of PMA w e r e found to d i f f e r in their phytotoxicity. 3. R e s e a r c h with PMAS (10% PMA) has shown that 2 a . 3/4 o z . in 10 gal/ 100 f t . is sufficient f o r d i s e a s e control; 1/2 o z . is "marginal" 1 and 1 1/2 o z . a r e too phytotoxic and do not give any better d i s e a s e control than does 3/4 oz. 2 b. 3/4 o z . in 5 gal/1, 000 f t . burns turf much m o r e than does 3/4 o z . in 10 g a l . 2 Co 3/4 oz/10 gal/ 1 , 0 0 0 f t . e v e r y two weeks gives as good control as e v e r y 10 days; t h r e a t m e n t e v e r y three weeks is " m a r g i n a l , " and t r e a t m e n t e v e r y four w e e k s is inadequate. ^Plant Pathologist, Washington State U n i v e r s i t y , W e s t e r n Washington E x p e r i m e n t Station, Puyailup, Washington. d9 Addition of neburon (for algae control) to PMAS d e c r e a s e d d i s e a s e control* e* Addition of i r o n sulfate did not reduce the phytotoxicity. f. Addition of nitrogenous compounds to P M A S reduced the burning when used at c e r t a i n r a t e s . However, the type of nitrogen used is important; U r e a , f o r e x a m p l e , i n c r e a s e d the d i s e a s e . 4 C R e s e a r c h with cadmium fungicides has shown that cadmium chloride gives much better control than the other types of cadmium t e s t e d . Since it has produced a thicker turf than have the m e r c u r y compounds, it is being r e c ommended f o r t r i a l use ( p r e f e r a b l y alternating with PMA) at 1 o z . of Caddy/ 10 gal/1, 000 f t . e v e r y two w e e k s . 5* P e n n c r o s s continues, in g e n e r a l , to appear to be r e s i s t a n t to F u s a r i u m Patch 0 F a i r y Ring M r . Ted F i l e r , a graduate student in the Department of Plant Pathology, has begun an investigation of F a i r y Ring, p a r t i c u l a r l y into the r e a s o n why the fungus r a r e l y grows back into the a r e a p r e v i o u s l y i n f e s t e d . If he can d e t e r mine this, the knowledge should aid us g r e a t l y in finding an e a s i e r method of control* General R e p o r t s f r o m England (Sports Turf R e s e a r c h Inst e ) indicate that: (1) F u s a r i u m Patch in Poa annua w a s i n c r e a s e d by applications of l i m e and (2) damping off of young seedlings w a s reduced by treating seed with captan. Spraying of the seedlings with this m a t e r i a l might a l s o help. Observations indicate that s p r a y s of t h i r a m a r e a l s o beneficial in controlling damping o f f . Both m a t e r i a l s should be tested at r e g u l a r s p r a y r a t e s . In r e s p o n s e to s e v e r a l r e q u e s t s , we have p r e p a r e d the following c h a r t on turf d i s e a s e s in Washington* The r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s a r e based on our own r e s e a r c h findings and on the m o s t r e c e n t r e p o r t s in the l i t e r a t u r e . Suggestions about the c h a r t will be welcomed 0 This r e s e a r c h has been aided by grants f r o m the United States Golf A s s o c i a t i o n Greens* Section, Northwest Turf A s s o c i a t i o n , Northwest Golf C o u r s e Superintendents* A s s o c i a t i o n , Oregon Golf C o u r s e Superintendents* A s s o c i a t i o n (through the Northwest Turf A s s o c i a t i o n ) , C a l i f o r n i a S p r a y - C h e m ical C o r p o r a t i o n , O* M. Scott Seed C o . , and W* A . C l e a r y C o r p o r a t i o n . It has been c a r r i e d on in cooperation with Roy G o s s , V . L . M i l l e r , D r s . Eglitis and Herman Austenson of the W e s t e r n Washington Experiment Station, and Golf C o u r s e Superintendents John J a s l o w s k i , Henry Land, S r . , and George Lawton* To all of them - and many o t h e r s unlisted - I e x p r e s s my s i n c e r e appreciation f o r their a s s i s t a n c e . 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XI a <•0 " aj 4) °> Ma < bo £ •r-l N?H £ u c o 3 5 ^ H << Cu| U H CO a)v !h -M .2 a; CO ^— rj { CO Ci ^ cr gd >oj(U o3 ^ S3 o IH^ u a> cs W W tf 2 CO a (L) d cr C rrj a; CO a 03 C a) o co c G £ o a s >> co Jh XI •r-l ^ s O3 X g CO U > H • r-4 OJ O ffi X! CO CO 0 C § 0) 5 ^ U 1 fM ^a; o0 ^s O 03"d fl I in ^ X3 "-I n ^ < iH rQ V C^+ ^ co ^XI £ o Moa a 1 J. o O CO pxia) ^ C 3 c ™ Jh ° a d X! ^ S CL U CO u a s CO 1-H S3 H H U O i •H O H oj t^ o slm k CO o u co < a D H O o pcj s a o CO CO txO a .Soflfi >S a ^ Q^ u CO ^ VH bO.r-l O C CO l ^ - 2 oO C i >a; CO c wd o CI Sd 03 oj O > Q GLEANINGS FROM MIDWEST REGIONAL TURF FOUNDATION A l v i n G. Law, P r o f , of A g r o n o m y , P u l l m a n , W a s h . At the invitation of D r . Daniel, on behalf of the Midwest Regional Turf A s s o c i a t i o n , I attended and took part in the 1959 Turf Conference at Purdue University. That this meeting is the l a r g e s t of its kind in the North A m e r i c a n continent is a tribute to D r . Daniel, Purdue U n i v e r s i t y , and the people in that a r e a concerned with t u r f . There w e r e 537 in attendance; 277 golf c o u r s e s r e p r e sented, 63 sod and landscape s e r v i c e s , 27 parks and industrial grounds, 11 c e m e t e r i e s , 8 school ground's groups, and 1 1 5 turf m a t e r i a l and s u p p l i e r s . These people w e r e f r o m six states adjacent to the host state, Indiana. Golf c o u r s e superintendents, park people, and the supply houses f u r nished 75 per cent of the p r o g r a m , counting number of p a p e r s . The p r o g r a m c o v e r e d Student Training, Soils and Construction, G r a s s Utilization and P e r f o r m a n c e , Weeds and Weedy G r a s s Control, and Management. In addition to such f a m i l i a r names as Noer, Wilson, Watson, there w e r e invited s p e a k e r s f r o m New J e r s e y , M a r y l a n d , T e x a s , and Washington. One of the things that stands out in this extensive p r o g r a m operated jointly by the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation and Purdue U n i v e r s i t y is the student training p r o g r a m . A student m a j o r i n g in the Turf Management option at Purdue has academic training in Equipment Maintenance and Operation, Soil F e r t i l i t y , Soil P h y s i c s , Soil and Plant A n a l y s i s , Turf Management, Plant and Animal C h e m i s t r y , Insect C o n t r o l , N u r s e r y and Greenhouse Management, Plant D i s e a s e s , and Weed C o n t r o l . In addition each student must w o r k at l e a s t one s u m m e r in some activity r e l a t e d to the turf field in o r d e r to acquire p r a c t i c a l e x p e r i e n c e . In addition each student must work on the Turf R e s e a r c h P r o g r a m at Purdue U n i v e r s i t y during the f o u r - y e a r c o u r s e of study. The 14 undergraduate students c u r r e n t l y enrolled in this option will be a r e a l a s s e t in the f i e l d . An important aspect of this p r o g r a m is the recognition given turf by the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a m a j o r in this f i e l d by Purdue U n i v e r s i t y . A second standout at this c o n f e r e n c e w a s the paper by Layton Boyd, Superintendent of the C a m a r g o Golf Club, Indian Hill, Ohio. M r . Boyd d e s c r i b e d a turf s e r v i c e his crew p r o v i d e s f o r its m e m b e r s . Started in 1947, the income to the club maintenance division has jumped f r o m $ 1 , 100 to $ 1 7 , 8 0 0 in 1 9 5 8 . He r e p o r t s that the d i r e c t golf c o u r s e maintenance w a s reduced by about $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 as a r e s u l t of the p r o g r a m . M o r e o v e r , a r e g u l a r crew is kept y e a r - r o u n d . Any kind of w o r k involved in grounds operation is done. This includes l a w n s , t r e e s and s h r u b s , f e r t i l i z e r s , i n s e c t i c i d e s and fungicides, r e g a r d i n g , equipment r e p a i r , till l i n e s , blacktop r e p a i r , seeding, e t c . The club handles all billing f o r the w o r k . A r e g u l a r schedule of costs has been developed o v e r the y e a r s that is s a t i s f a c t o r y to the club and to the c u s t o m e r s . How s a t i s f a c t o r y is indicated by the fact that school lawns and p l a y f i e l d s a r e r e g u l a r c l i e n t s . Over the y e a r s a " b i b l e " has been developed that helps keep the s e r v i c e on a top-notch b a s i s . I would guess there a r e c o u r s e s in the Northwest that could p r o f i t by a s i m i l a r a r r a n g e m e n t . I found our mutual f r i e n d s annual b l u e g r a s s and c r a b g r a s s w e r e p r o b l e m s f r o m New J e r s e y to F l o r i d a to C a l i f o r n i a to Washington. It is impossible to r e p o r t all the work being done on these two *4 T e r r o r s of the T u r f . " Success in t r e a t m e n t depends on the total management p r o g r a m , soil type, t e m p e r a t u r e , f e r t i l i z e r l e v e l , kind of d e s i r a b l e g r a s s e s p r e s e n t , time of application, i r r i g a tion p r a c t i c e s , and possibly the r e l i g i o u s p r e f e r e n c e of the a p p l i c a t o r ! In New J e r s e y , Engel found 1/2 pound of endothal per a c r e applied in e a r l y spring reduced annual b l u e g r a s s and c l o v e r in b e n t g r a s s . Sodium a r s e nite is used s u c c e s s f u l l y by W o l f r o m on the Maple Lane Golf Club, W a r r e n , Michigan, in accordance with the following: Daytime T e m p e r a t u r e Sodium A r s e n i t e lbs/acre 40 - 50 F 2 50 - 65 F 1.5 65 - 75 F 1.0 in 75 gal/H 2 0 Above 75 F don't He u s e s t h r e e t r e a t m e n t s between September 1 and May 1 . This e l i m i n a t e s grubs, r e d u c e s w o r m c a s t s , chickweed, and annual b l u e g r a s s . On g r e e n s he r e d u c e s the above r a t e s by 60 per cent f o r g r e e n s t r e a t m e n t s . Calcium a r s e n a t e at 2 0 - 2 4 pounds per 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t has s u c c e s s f u l l y controlled annual b l u e g r a s s in the Purdue a r e a . Reseeding has been d e s i r a b l e following t r e a t m e n t . Used on g r e e n s , Daniels r e c o m m e n d s 16 pounds per 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t in three applications of six pounds in e a r l y spring, six pounds one month l a t e r , and four pounds in the e a r l y f a l l . This should then be followed by annual applications of four pounds per 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t . The a r s e n i c a l s become l e s s e f f e c t i v e on soils high in phosphorus. M o r e o v e r , they a r e expensive so the s e a r c h f o r other chemical c o n t r o l s is continuing. A s u c c e s s f u l herbicide will be one that will gradually weaken the annual b l u e g r a s s with no h a r m f u l e f f e c t s to the d e s i r a b l e perennial g r a s s e s . This will p e r m i t a gradual elimination of the annual b l u e g r a s s and a buildup of the turf by good m a n a g e ment. More extensive data a r e available regarding c r a b g r a s s . Considering f i r s t p r e - e m e r g e n c e e x p e r i m e n t s , in New J e r s e y chlorodane at 80 pounds per a c r e applied m i d - M a r c h to m i d - A p r i l gave good c o n t r o l . A r s e n i c a l s w e r e l e s s s a t i s f a c t o r y in New J e r s e y . In the Purdue a r e a , calcium a r s e n a t e at 12 pounds per 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t applied in the fall has r a i s e d havoc with c r a b g r a s s . A f t e r initial use annual applications of three to four pounds p e r 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t a r e needed. Lead a r s e n a t e at 24 pounds per 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t has been equally e f f e c t i v e . Chlorodane and the a r s e n a t e s a r e e f f e c t i v e against c r a b g r a s s in other a r e a s . However, at the r a t e s r e q u i r e d they a r e e x p e n s i v e . A l s o there is the e v e r - p r e s e n t danger of h a r m f u l buildup in the s o i l . Thus the s e a r c h goes on f o r l e s s e x p e n s i v e , l e s s dangerous, and equally e f f e c t i v e t r e a t m e n t s . Some promising leads a r e d i s c u s s e d in the r e s e a r c h section of this r e p o r t by Goss and L a w . P o s t - e m e r g e n c e t r e a t m e n t s of v a r i o u s c h e m i c a l s have been p r o m i s i n g . These n o r m a l l y r e q u i r e two or m o r e applications a f t e r the c r a b g r a s s g e r m i nation period has s t a r t e d . P o t a s s i u m cyanate is an old standby and with r e peated application at the m a n u f a c t u r e r s recommended r a t e will reduce i n f e s t a tion. PMAS at one to two ounces of 10 per cent solution e v e r y 10 days has been e f f e c t i v e in New J e r s e y . Some i n j u r y to the turf m a y occur so the rate will have to be adjusted. A l s o high t e m p e r a t u r e s i n c r e a s e the chance of burning. The e f f e c t i v e n e s s of these and other p r e - e m e r g e t r e a t m e n t s a r e r e p o r t e d by Goss and Law in the r e s e a r c h section. GLEANINGS FROM THE MIDWEST TURF ASSOCIATION Norman Goetze, Extension A g r o n o m i s t Oregon State College, C o r v a l l i s , Oregon At the C o n f e r e n c e we had around 500 people, so we had only p a r t of the time when we all m e t in one group. We tried to put a group of r e n e g a d e s together f o r the p r o g r a m , and we put A1 in on that p a r t i c u l a r p r o g r a m . Needless to s a y , he stole the show. He w a s in his p r i m e that a f t e r n o o n . Al did a r e m a r k a b l e job in telling the people in the Midwest about the seed industry and some of the p r o b l e m s you have in seed production and in raising turf h e r e in the N o r t h w e s t . Those of you who have not t r a v e l e d out of this a r e a should understand that the concept of the man who l i v e s in the Midwest is that there is nothing out h e r e a f t e r you get past D e n v e r ; that when you get to Denver you just go o v e r the hill and t h e r e is the P a c i f i c . I think that Al r e a l l y helped straightened out some of those people to the fact that there a r e some people living out h e r e and that we a r e doing some things. He r e a l l y helped our standing in that r e g a r d . Al has asked me to talk about the turf p r o g r a m at Purdue as f a r as t r a i n ing is c o n c e r n e d . It is j u s t s t a r t i n g . It has been in operation f o r about 8 or 10 y e a r s ; w e ' v e now f i n a l l y got some students i n t e r e s t e d in the p r o g r a m ! We have both graduate and undergraduate t r a i n i n g . We have c u r r e n t l y about 15 undergraduate students training in t u r f . They w o r k d i r e c t l y with D r . Daniel and o t h e r s who a r e active in turf extension on the s t a f f . These boys u n f o r t u nately e i t h e r go on into graduate w o r k or into i n d u s t r y , so the number of boys who have graduated in this p r o g r a m and have stayed in turf at the applied l e v e l has been r a t h e r f e w . The m a j o r i t y of them a r e now working as technical r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f o r i n d u s t r i e s . That is v e r y good. I think they a r e doing as much or m o r e in that a r e a as they would on an individual golf c o u r s e , but it has been r a t h e r disappointing to the golf c o u r s e superintendents. I think that will c o r r e c t itself v e r y s h o r t l y , because it has been r a t h e r unusual at P u r d u e . Our a g r i c u l t u r a l e n r o l l m e n t this y e a r is up 12 per cent, and that m e a n s that we a r e going to have m o r e students in t u r f , w h e r e a s m o s t other a g r i c u l ture schools this y e a r a r e down in e n r o l l m e n t . In graduate w o r k we have turned out quite a few m a s t e r s * d e g r e e s in t u r f . Some of those boys have now gone into industry; o t h e r s have gone out into their own p r i v a t e business; and we f i n a l l y l e t one P h . D . fellow out. I think they got tired of me a f t e r four y e a r s , and they turned me loose about two w e e k s ago! I quickly got back out to m y home a r e a , and n e e d l e s s to say I am glad to be back out h e r e in the Northwest working with you f e l l o w s , and I hope to become acquainted with you and your p r o b l e m s as soon as p o s s i b l e . I find that things have p r o g r e s s e d v e r y quickly while I have been gone, and I am looking f o r w a r d to getting r e acquainted with Roy and the o t h e r s who w o r k out in the Puyallup station as well as working with John E l l s w o r t h h e r e . F o r m y two minutes that a r e l e f t , I would like to throw m y two bits into this a r s e n i c thing while we a r e talking a bout i t . You folks h e r e in the Northwest a r e going to become i n c r e a s i n g l y concerned with c r a b g r a s s , I think. There is only one way that the amount of c r a b g r a s s can grow, and that is up, and it is n e v e r , I b e l i e v e , going to be as s e r ious as it is in other p a r t s of the c o u n t r y . P a r t of the r e a s o n f o r that is that your season f o r c r a b g r a s s is s h o r t e r ; in other w o r d s , you don*t have c r a b g r a s s f o r many months as other p a r t s of the country do. As a r e s u l t I think that some of these m a t e r i a l s that we have thrown away in the Midwest as f a r as being p r a c t i c a l solutions in c r a b g r a s s control m a y w o r k h e r e because you have a s h o r t e r s e a s o n . Secondly, I don't believe that you have such tough conditions f o r breakdown of those m a t e r i a l s on the soil s u r f a c e . I am r e f e r r i n g now spec i f i c a l l y now to chlorodane. We don't think much of chlorodane f o r c r a b g r a s s control in the Midwest because it does not give us a permanent f u l l - s e a s o n cont r o l . But h e r e in the Northwest it m a y because you don't have such high soil t e m p e r a t u r e s , you don't have such high m o i s t u r e as we do back there in m i d s u m m e r , and I believe that it m a y r e m a i n m o r e active throughout the s e a s o n . That m a y in p a r t explain the r e a s o n why you a r e not f o r c e d into using a r s e n i c s f o r c r a b g r a s s control as we a r e in the Midwest. We r e a l l y don't like to use those high amounts of the m a t e r i a l , but we have been f o r c e d into it because other m a t e r i a l s have not been e f f e c t i v e as we would like to have t h e m . C h l o r o dane under Midwest conditions, if we would use it at 120 pounds to the a c r e of active m a t e r i a l , is e f f e c t i v e . It is j u s t a little on the expensive s i d e . D r . Daniels f o r about six y e a r s has had c o n s i d e r a b l e e x p e r i e n c e with the a r s e n i c m a t e r i a l s and their a c t i v i t y , and he hasn't gone into it quite as deeply as the boys at Puyallup have, but he has gone into it in a m a n n e r of r e ducing the toxicity once you build it up too high. He has found a d i r e c t r e l a t i o n ship between a r s e n i c and the amount of phosphorus that is in the s o i l . F o r e x a m p l e , if you a r e on an e x t r e m e l y old putting green which has r e c e i v e d lead a r s e n i c h i s t o r i c a l l y o v e r a long period of t i m e , he finds that it takes a conside r a b l e amount of lead a r s e n i c to give good activity against poa. The higher amount of phosphorus you used s e e m s to tie up the activity of the a r s e n i c , but just r e c e n t l y during the l a s t y e a r we have some p r e l i m i n a r y r e s u l t s that it takes just a s m a l l amount of calcium a r s e n i c to r e l e a s e the activity of that lead a r s e n i c that is in the old s o i l . Now this is p r e l i m i n a r y , so we can't talk much about it y e t , but it looks like the calcium a r s e n a t e m a y give us much activity f r o m the old r e s i d u a l lead a r s e n a t e that is still t h e r e . We a r e going to w o r k m o r e on this to check it out, but it does look r a t h e r i n t e r e s t i n g . Now, what happens if you slip up. What happens if you put on too much a r s e n i c and what can you do? You don't n e c e s s a r i l y have to l e a v e the county and you don't n e c e s s a r i l y have to find a new j o b . If you r e a l l y get in a pinch, you can apply m o r e phosphorus, because this phosphorus then ties up the a r s e n i c . How f a r you can go building one on top of the other we don't know. We do know, h o w e v e r , that additional amounts of phosphorus will cut down the a r s e n i c toxicity in g r a s s . Now this is not true in some of these old o r c h a r d s that have been abandoned h e r e in the W e s t . Some of those c r o p s a r e much m o r e s u s c e p t i b l e . How much to use depends upon soil conditions. I don't have enough e x p e r i e n c e h e r e yet to r e a l l y s a y . So, w h e r e b y Roy has some v e r y good data h e r e , I would a g r e e with them c o m p l e t e l y , e s p e c i a l l y in r e g a r d to B e n t . There is no question in anyone's mind that a r s e n i c definitely slows up Bent g r a s s e s . If you don't believe that, go out on a putting green that has r e c e i v e d a lot of a r s e nic, e s p e c i a l l y c a l c i u m . Calcium is much m o r e dangerous to use than lead, and on a hot d r y afternoon if you haven't sprinkled at noon along about three or f o u r in the afternoon you look into the sun at that g r a s s and you can spot a v e r y good looking blue c o l o r . That g r a s s is j u s t on the v e r g e of going. If you know what you a r e looking f o r , you can spot that d a m a g e . We a l s o have found that we can e f f e c t i v e l y control poa annua in Bent g r a s s under those conditions if we get enough a r s e n i c in t h e r e . In many c a s e s w h e r e the phosphorus l e v e l s a r e a l r e a d y high, it j u s t takes an ungodly amount of a r s e nic to do the j o b . Unfortunately some of these other m a t e r i a l s that we have tried will also do the j o b . I had some beautiful t r i a l s out of St. Louis, at the Sunset Country Club. Neburon has v e r y good a c t i v i t y on poa annua. F o r poa annua control in b l u e g r a s s , there is no question in my mind that neburon is the chemical to use because b l u e g r a s s w i l l t o l e r a t e a lot of neburon and the annual b l u e g r a s s will be r e m o v e d . But Bent g r a s s under our conditions is quite s u s ceptible to neburon. I think out h e r e e s p e c i a l l y , on the w e s t side of the mountains, we m a y find that Bent g r a s s is m o r e r e s i s t a n t to neburon than in this particular a r e a . Question and A n s w e r P e r i o d ful? Question: What m a t e r i a l s did you use in St. Louis that w e r e so s u c c e s s - A n s w e r : Vegetex is the m a t e r i a l I u s e d . It has some activity on poa annua. Unfortunately it a l s o has some activity on Bent g r a s s , but I p e r s o n a l l y f e e l that the activity it has on Bent g r a s s is not due to the vegetex itself but to the oil that is f o r m u l a t e d in the m a t e r i a l s . It is nothing to r e c o m m e n d at this t i m e , but if you a r e r e a l l y d e s p e r a t e and want to get ahold of some, t r y i t . I was just trying some on some s m a l l n u r s e r y a r e a s . P e n n c r o s s back there is a g r a s s that they can seed again. You can put it into a damaged green without c o m p l e t e l y renovating the whole thing. One of the p a r e n t s in P e n n c r o s s is Pennlu. Some people in the Midwest like Pennlu, but the golf c o u r s e superintendents have not liked i t . A s a r e s u l t we a r e not using m u c h . With the use of Pennlu they did not have to s p r a y so often. It did, h o w e v e r , need to be f e r t i l i z e d m o r e heavily than the other g r a s s e s to keep the d a r k - g r e e n c o l o r . R e m e m b e r that P e n n c r o s s is a p o l y c r o s s , meaning that it has a lot of types in i t . A f t e r you use P e n n c r o s s f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s , the p a r ticular types in that m i x t u r e that a r e best suited to your soil and your m a n a g e ment a r e the ones that a r e going to s u r v i v e . On y o u r neighbor's c o u r s e Pennc r o s s m a y act c o m p l e t e l y d i f f e r e n t in two or three y e a r s . Don't be confused by that; it is still P e n n c r o s s . D i f f e r e n t types will probably s u r v i v e and s e g regate out under your conditions. isfe:-? • i § r. . . . • • -J ARE YOU GETTING YOUR MONEY'S WORTH? Verne C. Fish Service Representative Toro Manufacturing C o r p o r a t i o n A r e you getting your money's worth f r o m your g r a s s - c u t t i n g equipment? You say, y e s , no? How do you know? If you stop to think a few minutes, you might be s u r p r i s e d to l e a r n that you don't know the a n s w e r to this vital question. F i r s t of a l l , l e t ' s e s t a b l i s h T o r o ' s i n t e r e s t in this subject. Machines that w e a r out p r e m a t u r e l y through i m p r o p e r c a r e and maintenance do r e s u l t in an i n c r e a s e in p a r t s b u s i n e s s . The i m p r o p e r machine f o r the job and abuse do r e s u l t in e a r l y r e p l a c e m e n t of the equipment. This should make Toro happy. It doesn't. Choose the c o r r e c t machine f o r the job and then take c a r e of i t . We can wait f o r your r e p l a c e m e n t . Here's a simple f o r m u l a which might help you determine whether or not you a r e getting your m o n e y ' s worth f r o m your mowing m a c h i n e r y . Machinery operating c o s t s = Original cost + r e p a i r c o s t s Time L e t ' s take this f o r m u l a a p a r t and look at it a piece at a t i m e . F i r s t , original c o s t . Why does a t r a c t o r cost so much money and still need r e p a i r s and r e placing? Actually your g o l f - c o u r s e t r a c t o r is p r a c t i c a l l y hand-made, not a production-line t r a c t o r such as a f a r m t r a c t o r . There is m o r e labor involved, thus higher p r i c e . The g o l f - c o u r s e t r a c t o r is engineered to eliminate as much damage to turf as possible and still equal or better the power and durability of other types of t r a c t o r . A c t u a l l y , it c o s t s around $ 2 , 600, which is about the same as you pay f o r a m e d i u m - p r i c e d c a r , l e s s a c c e s s o r i e s . On the a v e r a g e , you turn that c a r in at 30 to 35, 000 m i l e s . L e t ' s see what happens to the t r a c tor during its l i f e span. T r a c t o r s u s u a l l y run about seven hours a day and f i v e and one-half days a w e e k . Allowing six full months f o r idleness in a y e a r , the t r a c t o r totals about 924 hours per y e a r . When pulling gang m o w e r s , the t r a c t o r t r a v e l s a p p r o x i m a t e l y f i v e m . p . h . which equals 4 , 6 2 0 m i l e s per y e a r . However, t r a c t o r s pull m o w e r s in second and third g e a r . T r a c t o r time in third gear (70 per cent) or 647 h r s / y r . at 8 1 0 r . p . m . T r a c t o r time in second gear (30 per cent) or 277 h r s / y r . at 1480 r . p . m . If you combine the engine speed, plus the hours run in each r . p . m . c a t e g o r y , apply the r e s u l t to an a v e r a g e (high gear) of an automobile, the net r e sult will be equivalent to 22, 057 m i l e s per y e a r . T r a c t o r s a r e used on your c o u r s e a minimum of f i v e y e a r s or an equivalent of 1 1 0 , 2 8 5 m i l e s . This $ 2 , 600 t r a c t o r now a p p e a r s to be doing its s h a r e f o r the budget. W e l l , maybe the above is t r u e , but $ 3 9 5 . f o r the 21 inch P o w e r G r e e n house sounds d a r n high. And b e s i d e s , we a r e a l w a y s buying bedknives and bushings f o r i t . How c o m e ? PGM s t a t i s t i c s a r e of little value unless applied in such a manner that they c o m p a r e against some other piece of equipment. PGM's actually run substantially m o r e than you might think. a. f i v e cuttings per week at three hours per cutting equals 15 hours per week. b. 26 weeks per y e a r of cutting equals 360 rolling o p e r a t i v e hours per year. c. at an a v e r a g e mowing speed of t h r e e m . p . h . that machine t r a v e l s a a total of 1 9 170 m i l e s per y e a r . These rolling 1 , 1 7 0 m i l e s mean actual operating w e a r . If we adjust downward 10 per cent f o r transporting p u r p o s e s - - g r e e n to g r e e n - - the following f i g g u r e s begin to come to light. a. 1 j, 170 m i l e s mean the r e e l bearings must d e l i v e r a c c u r a t e to within o 002 inches some 7 , 9 4 9 , 800 revulutions p e r y e a r . b. The bedknife r e c e i v e d 55, 5 9 8 , 4 0 0 cuts per y e a r , and a lot of that cutting is being done under wet and sandy, hot and d r y , conditions, not to mention loose spikes dropped f r o m some m e m b e r ' s golf s h o e s . c. The f r o n t r o l l e r s , which a r e constantly being exposed to sand and g r i t , along with the c o r r o s i v e e f f e c t of c h e m i c a l s , must d e l i v e r to within 1/64 inch a c c u r a c y some 2 , 2 0 5 , 4 9 2 r e v o l u t i o n s . Assuming that your club has six power G r e e n s m o w e r s , we multiply the above unit s t a t i s t i c s by six and an obvious pattern of w e a r shows up. Six PGM's cost a p p r o x i m a t e l y $ 2 , 4 0 0 . This is n e a r l y the same cost as that $ 2 , 600 t r a c t o r . However, the six PGM's t r a v e l a total y e a r l y m i l e a g e of 7 , 0 2 0 or n e a r l y 2 , 4 0 0 m o r e m i l e s than the t r a c t o r (actual rolling m i l e s ) , or about 35 per cent m o r e m i l e a g e than the t r a c t o r . As you probably know, a club which has six G r e e n s m o w e r s r e c e i v e s a longer l i f e span f r o m its equipment and e x p e r i e n c e s l o w e r maintenance costs than if it w e r e to use three G r e e n s m o w e r s f o r the same amount of w o r k . The r e a s o n f o r this is that when all the g r e e n s a r e being cut with only a s m a l l number of m a c h i n e s , each machine has to be run f a s t e r . These e x c e s s i v e speeds not only i n c r e a s e w e a r , but the o p e r a t o r does not have time to notice h a r m f u l objects such as sticks, stones, spikes f r o m golf shoes, and c o i n s . It is our feeling that enough machines should be used at the club to p r e v e n t abuse or o v e r u s e of the equipment. Actually you can operate on f e w e r d o l l a r s by spending m o r e f o r equipment. These f i g u r e s a r e quite r e a l i s t i c and c e r t a i n l y give us an idea as to the type of p e r f o r m a n c e that i s expected of your equipment. Building this p e r f o r m ance into g o l f - c o u r s e mowing m a c h i n e r y is T o r o ' s j o b . Our e x p e r i m e n t a l and product engineering d e p a r t m e n t s a r e continually striving f o r Q U A L I T Y - P E R FORMANCE AND LONGEVITY. They subject the machines to many t e s t s such a s : dropping them f r o m v a r i o u s heights, driving them down flights of steps, mowing nails with r e e l m o w e r s , and mowing down 2 x 4 ' s with r o t a r y s , and o c c a s i o n a l l y they even t r y them on g r a s s . S e r i o u s l y though, it is not a s m a l l job to decide which brand of machine is best f o r your p u r p o s e . We know that TORO's THE BEST YOU CAN B U Y . A s s u m e you've bought Toro equipment. You now ask y o u r s e l f , " A M I GETTING MY MONEY'S WORTH?" We don't know until we look at r e p a i r c o s t . During the l a s t w a r it w a s d i s c o v e r e d that automobiles would p e r f o r m f o r s e v e r a l thousand m i l e s m o r e than w a s anticipated. P r e w a r c a r s w e r e junked at 30 to 35, 000 m i l e s . These same c a r s w e r e run 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 and m o r e m i l e s when it became n e c e s s a r y . This, of c o u r s e , was due to p r o p e r c a r e and maintenance. The same is true with g r a s s - c u t t i n g m a c h i n e r y . Naturally, there a r e c e r t a i n moving p a r t s that a r e going to w e a r out, but we can o f f e r suggestions to help prolong their l i v e s . These suggestions a r e f o r the m o s t p a r t outlines in the Owners* and O p e r a t o r ' s manual, which comes with each machine . A. Daily checks 1. 2. 3. B. Lubrication 1. 2. 3. C. oil l e v e l and a i r c l e a n e r s z e r k fittings check gear c a s e l e v e l s Adjustments 1. 2. 3. 4. D. loose bolts and nuts belts and chains cleaning m o w e r s follow f a c t o r y r e c o m m e n d e d p r o c e d u r e s c o r r e c t tools w e a t h e r conditions r e g u l a r adjustment Training the Operator 1. 2. 3. d i f f e r e n c e in o p e r a t o r s c o r r e c t instructions induce p e r s o n a l pride One common r e a s o n f o r a shortened l i f e span and high maintenance c o s t s is the use of the right machine in the wrong j o b . F o r example, in m o s t c a s e s a d i s t r i b u t o r has no j u r i s d i c t i o n to w h e r e s m a l l home owner type machines a r e sold. The s a l e s f o r c e is cautioned about selling these machines to c o m m e r c i a l u s e r s . A small machine is used by the home owner about 20 w e e k s a y e a r with an a v e r a g e use of two to three hours per w e e k . The machine will l a s t the home owner perhaps 10 y e a r s , which m e a n s 500 hours running t i m e . This 500 hours means about 12 w e e k s of use to c o m m e r c i a l u s e r s . In many instances the m a chine is w o r n out b e f o r e the w a r r a n t y has e x p i r e d . ered: In choosing your equipment, h e r e ' s a few things which might be consid- 1 . Consider the a r e a to be c u t . Is it wooded, rough cutting, hilly or f o r m a l a r e a s ? Then decide if a r e e l - t y p e or r o t a r y - t y p e or s i c k l e - t y p e m a chine is to be p u r c h a s e d . 2 . Consider the amount of u s a g e . P e r h a p s the machine will be used in l a r g e extensive a r e a s and f i g u r e s a r e available as to the capacity of the m a chine. If the machine is to be used f o r t r i m m i n g purposes and the usage is not too e x t e n s i v e , a s m a l l , light-duty machine can be used, but high maintenance costs must be e x p e c t e d . 3 . Simplicity of design is v e r y i m p o r t a n t , as a complicated machine has many moving p a r t s and will have a high maintenance c o s t . A l s o it m a y be d i f f i c u l t to adjust, and a trained e x p e r t m a y have to be used f o r adjustment and repair. 4 0 Constructions and d u r a b i l i t y . The machine should be substantially built, w e l l - b r a c e d with good b e a r i n g s . The s i d e - f r a m e s , handles, or d r a w b a r s should be heavy enough to do the j o b . The bed b a r s , r e e l s , and blades should be r i g i d l y c o n s t r u c t e d 0 When you've made your decision, then check with your d e a l e r . He w i l l p r o b ably have suggestions f o r y o u r c o n s i d e r a t i o n . We have now purchased TORO Equipment and set up s y s t e m s f o r maintenance and r e p a i r . Now we ask again, " ARE YOU GETTING YOUR MONEY'S WORTH?" You still don't know - no records. It i s w i s e f o r e v e r y u s e r of heavy equipment to keep a r e c o r d of operation and m a i n t e n a n c e . Over a period of y e a r s , it w i l l pay dividends. This r e c o r d should show the following: 1 . name of machine 2. s e r i a l number 3. date p u r c h a s e d , d e a l e r and p r i c e 4. all lubrication points 5. accumulative running hours 6. p a r t s r e p l a c e d due to w e a r or breakage and cost 7. total l a b o r f o r installing p a r t s At the end of the cutting season, this r e c o r d should show the number of hours your equipment has run, plus the cost of m a i n t e n a n c e . It will a l s o s e r v e as a r e c o r d to help promote new equipment. There is not set l i f e span f o r any machine, because there a r e too many intangibles. The questions of " c o s t per machine per y e a r " and " useful l i f e span" can only be a n s w e r e d by you. The v a r i a t i o n is t e r r a i n on which the m a chine is used, the type of lubrication it r e c e i v e s , the c o r r e c t n e s s of r e p a i r , the t r e a t m e n t by the o p e r a t o r , s t o r a g e , a c c u r a c y of r e c o r d s , all have bearing, and in f a c t d e t e r m i n e the a n s w e r to these q u e s t i o n s . C o m p a r i s o n of your own f i g u r e s o v e r a period of y e a r s w i l l enable you to see when machines should be r e p l a c e d due to high maintenance c o s t s . A l s o it will show the l i f e expectancy of any piece of equipment at the time of p u r c h a s e . Buy QUALITY equipment! Buy the right machine f o r the right j o b ! Operate and maintain it p r o p e r l y ! Keep adequate r e c o r d s ! MACHINERY MAINTENANCE M r . Brinkworth S o m e t i m e s we talk about p r e v e n t a t i v e maintenance, but I think today we a r e concerned about the c a u s e s of our t r o u b l e s . This is s i m i l a r to the lady that went to the doctor and complained b i t t e r l y of having 14 c h i l d r e n . She m e n tioned definitely that she was not going to have any m o r e . The doctor w a s quite i n t e r e s t e d to know how she knew so definitely, and she said that now she knew what w a s causing i t . So that is what we a r e mainly h e r e today to do - find out what c a u s e s i t . Pve got some slides that I know some of you have seen b e f o r e ; I've tried to get some new ones, concerning the old job of r e p a i r i n g m a c h i n e r y . You m u s t keep it running, and, of c o u r s e , in the e y e s of the f a c t o r y too long s o m e t i m e s . But if equipment is p r o p e r l y maintained and p r o p e r l y c a r e d f o r with daily checks, a d j u s t m e n t s , lubrication, and by choosing the p r o p e r machine f o r the p r o p e r job, you a r e operating s a f e l y . Of c o u r s e , one way that we can a s s u r e this is by the p r o p e r training of our o p e r a t o r - by t r a i n ing the o p e r a t o r to clean and store this equipment p r o p e r l y . Now turf can be made to look beautiful by a number of w a y s . You f e l l o w s know how to grow g r a s s and how to c a r e f o r i t . But the final thing you do to g r a s s is to cut it, and it is actually how it looks a f t e r this operation that s o m e t i m e s keeps us in our j o b s . At a motel in Phoenix, I w a s sure a competitive machine had cut the lawn until I checked with the superintendent, and he notified me it w a s one of o u r s . So it gives you an idea of how it m a k e s you f e e l . But this machine, believe m e , w a s j u s t i n c o r r e c t l y adjusted. We checked into the m a t t e r and found out that the o p e r a t o r had no idea how to adjust it and kept no daily r e c o r d of its r u n . So we brought to his attention that a booklet comes with his m o w e r . It had some v e r y d e s c r i p t i v e p i c t u r e s of the unit and had some v e r y fine tips on how to set up a r e c o r d on this type of equipment. Then you can cost account and f i g u r e your maintenance, c o s t , working hours right on a r e c o r d , and know j u s t whether or not you a r e getting your dollars* w o r t h out of your m a c h i n e . You can a l s o anticipate p r o b l e m s by having these r e c o r d s . Now we all know that the a i r l i n e s do a bang-up job in keeping their r e c o r d s intact. If they don't, we r e a d about it in the n e w s p a p e r . Now l e t ' s s t a r t with daily c h e c k s . This is something that the o p e r a t o r should be trained and taught to do, because in daily checks a lot of p r o b l e m s show up that would n o r m a l l y r e s u l t in breakdowns during y o u r operation and cost you e x t r a m o n e y . Make s u r e that he goes o v e r his machine e v e r y morning, checking f o r loose b e l t s , nuts, p r o p e r g r e a s i n g , e t c . A l s o make sure that r e p l a c e ment p a r t s go in ahead of a f a i l u r e , because again a breakdown h e r e cannot only strip off a gear but can damage a chain as w e l l . These things mount up v e r y r a p i d l y , and in the daily checks l e t ' s make sure that even if we do have an excellent maintenance p r o g r a m that t h e r e is not something out of place with the equipment. Now if we look c l o s e r h e r e we w i l l notice that this man did a beautiful job of cleaning, painting and keeping up his equipment. But you will notice that this r e e l is in b a c k w a r d s . The p e r s o n that did this is in the r o o m . I am not going to mention his name; I told him I wouldn't, but anyway you will notice that nuts and bolts that a r e loose at a v e r y important point on this equipment could e a s i l y cost a lot of money not only f r o m the l o s s of the bolt but a l s o the damage to the r e e l because of the bearing hanger does p e r f o r m a v e r y i m portant p a r t in the daily operation of that m a c h i n e . Make sure that even if it c o m e s out of the shop f o r a chain r e p l a c e m e n t that it lines up. You will notice that this chain is out of l i n e . This can cause w e a r to the sprockets and the r o l l e r and chain, and all the time it is operating puts undue s t r e s s on the equipm e n t . These a r e j u s t some of the tools that I would like to i n c o r p o r a t e with a daily check e s p e c i a l l y on your g r e e n s m o w e r s . In the height of cut set, make s u r e that you a r e cutting at the p r o p e r height setting your r e e l to bed knife adj u s t m e n t s e Use a g r e a s e gun, and J i m Watson l i k e s to see e v e r y o n e sharpen those g r e e n s m o w e r s as often as p o s s i b l e . J i m would like to see it once a day, and C h a r l i e will go along with this because the s h a r p e r the m o w e r the bett e r job it will do in helping your g r a s s grow b e t t e r . Now we get into the a d j u s t m e n t s . I think we have s p e c i f i c a l l y t h r e e types of equipment that we a r e concerned with regarding a d j u s t m e n t s . Now the r e e l to bed knife adjustments a r e the m o s t delicate of all r o t a r y m o w e r a d j u s t m e n t s . Oil is one v e r y important p a r t of the machine that should be checked. Make s u r e that the height is at the p r o p e r l e v e l and that a good clean oil is u s e d . We don't r e c o m m e n d any specific kind, although I have heard it argued back and f o r t h on detergents v s . nondetergents and the 10, 30 o i l . You can get into quite a d i s c u s s i o n when you s t a r t talking about o i l . We r e c o m m e n d a good 30 weight oil in any f o u r - c y c l e engine under h e a v y - d u t y w o r k . Change the oil f r e q u e n t l y , because this is a s m a l l crank c a s e , and if it shows a little w e a r in the engine you r a p i d l y build up the carbon in the o i l . A good way to check it is with a white pan because you will notice the carbon r e s i d u e build up on the pan as you let it run down. Another way to see if it is n e c e s s a r y to change the oil or not is to dip s o m e thing into the crank case or put a drop on a piece of white p a p e r . Let it run down and hold it up to the light. You can see the carbon building up in the o i l . Now a lot of men say change the oil e v e r y 30 h o u r s . If you a r e operating in a dusty region, this is not often enough, and I think many f a c t o r s have proved that dust getting into the engine does a c c e l e r a t e the w e a r v e r y quickly. Now l e t ' s keep a sharp look, and if it is e v e r y f i v e hours that we have to change the oil l e t ' s change i t . But l e t ' s check to see if it needs changing. Now how do we change i t ? Do we j u s t d r a i n it out the morning b e f o r e we go to w o r k ? I think this is a poor idea because nine t i m e s out of ten the d i r t has settled to the bottom of the crank c a s e . When you d r a i n out your clean oil leaving the r e s i d u e in the bottom of your crank c a s e , you add the new oil to this d i r t , and the d i r t condition still e x i s t s . A good p r a c t i c e is to let the engine w a r m up and let it run f o r f i v e minutes then drain it or d r a i n it a f t e r a day's o p e r a t i o n . I think that you will find that you will get a better cleansing of the crank case doing it this w a y . Now h e r e ' s j u s t a little example of how carbon can build up and again we send you back to the o w n e r ' s manual because this f e l l o w ' s excuse w a s that he didn't know that he had an oil f i l t e r on his t r a c t o r . We a l m o s t had to use powder to get that out. B e l i e v e me it weighed about four pounds, j u s t loaded with carbon; this w a s building up r a p i d l y , w e a r i n g his engine to the point w h e r e it cost a v e r y pretty sum to get the engine put back in shape. Hydraulic S y s t e m s Hydraulic s y s t e m s when they a r e working, and you a r e going to find a lot m o r e of your h e a v i e r type of equipment coming equipped with hydraulic s y s t e m s , must be kept c l e a n . I think that d i r t around a hydraulic s y s t e m can cost no end of m o n e y . There a r e s c r e e n s in there f o r s m a l l amounts of d i r t , but not f o r d i r t that is w e l l accumulated. I think you a r e running an e x t r a chance of letting it get in the actual r e s e v o i r , and again I s a y , that with hydraulic equipment, you a r e going to have to go by the specification as laid down by the m a n u f a c turer . Greasing I've seen g r e a s e on equipment, I've seen people g r e a s e it, and there is a point of c o n t r o v e r s y e v e r y w h e r e I go. How often should I g r e a s e the ends of these r o l l e r s ? Well again, it is like the crank c a s e on your engine. It's the condition that you a r e operating under that is i m p o r t a n t . I think that if you a r e operating under d r y , dusty conditions, m o r e f r e q u e n t greasing is n e c e s s a r y . Is t h r e e t i m e s a day often enough? I would say that it would be a minimum of g r e a s i n g . Even though m o s t m a n u f a c t u r e r s now equip the bushings with optional equipment that will l a s t , the bearings need g r e a s e . It's not that it takes g r e a s e to keep them running. It is a flushing action that we a r e doing. We a r e flushing that d i r t out m o r e than we a r e adding g r e a s e . Do a bang-up job of greasing the e n d s . Here is one place that I wish everybody would lay off g r e a s ing, because it i s right next to a clutch or next to a b e l t . It s e e m s that these e a s y to get next to fittings get the m o s t attention, and the g r e a s e is loaded on. But p a r t s down underneath, w h e r e a guy has to get down on his knees, a r e s o m e t i m e s neglected. Here is a common cause of belt w e a r and d e t e r i o r a t i o n of rubber on the b e l t . This is an example of o v e r g r e a s i n g and, of c o u r s e , again it's a convenient place to get to. I can't tell you how c a r e f u l you have to be about greasing r o l l e r s . We a r e w e l l a w a r e that g r e a s e k i l l s g r a s s and l e a v e s an ugly s c a r on golf g r e e n s . When you do g r e a s e at this point, be sure to wipe off any e x c e s s that you might a c c u m u l a t e . Then g r e a s e in the gear b o x e s . This is a good consistency of g r e a s e that I happened to show h e r e . Here the o p e r a t o r punctured a hole in his side plate and instead of taking it off and having it welded, he went m e r r i l y along. He let sand and d i r t accumulate in the gear box until it f o r m e d an e m e r y compound grinding out his g e a r s and the end of his r e e l s h a f t . It j u s t cut i t . Instead of a $3 welding job on the plate he wound up with a $70 or m o r e maintenance bill on this p a r t i c u l a r unit. Bed Knife Adjustment This is the m o s t important adjustment on the entire m a c h i n e . In doing the adjustment as you see h e r e with a long-handled w r e n c h , you can r e a l l y get lots of torque on t h e r e . Our e n g i n e e r s built a lot of s t r e s s into this opposing adjustment, but with a long-handled w r e n c h you can strip off the b o l t s . If it gets to the point w h e r e you have to get a long-handled w r e n c h to make that a d j u s t m e n t , something is w r o n g . L e t ' s go back again and look at i t . What a r e we doing w r o n g ? W e l l , f o r instance, we a r e not bringing the bed knife up to the p r o p e r position, but l e t ' s say that maybe we have gone past the sharpening date. Maybe we a r e trying to get an e x t r a week out of a sharpening job, and when we came in l a s t night it w a s ragged cutting. We thought, " W e l l , w e ' l l j u s t sock her down j u s t a little m o r e to get the final adjustment out of it, and w e ' l l send it out because w e ' r e b u s y . " H e r e ' s what happens under those conditions. You tightened it down, and then a chain r e a c t i o n s t a r t s throughout your whole m a c h i n e . (1) A tight r e e l to a bed knife will r i f l e b a r r e l your bed k n i f e . (2) Undue s t r e s s is put on the belt d r i v e , driving m e c h a n i s m . (3) Undue s t r e s s is put on shaft a s s e m b l y and undue w e a r on your s p r o c k e t s and c h a i n s . F i n a l l y your m o t o r o v e r l o a d s . By tightening this adjustment too tight, and I don't c a r e on what type of equipment w e ' r e talking about if this r e e l to bed knife adjustment is too tight, you a r e putting undue s t r e s s on your entire machine, plus the fact that you a r e damaging your g r a s s . You a r e damaging your g r a s s s e r i o u s l y by bruising it instead of cutting i t . I see m o r e p l i e r s and channel grips on many j o b s . I think these should be filed under X and kept away f r o m equipment. Use the p r o p e r tools in making r e p a i r s and a d j u s t m e n t s . A s p r i n k l e r is a s e r i o u s danger to a r e e l on a l a w n m o w e r , and can knock pieces out of it. What's causing some of the w e a r on our m a c h i n e s ? Let's be able to r e c ognize what is happening instead of j u s t adjusting something and thinking that is all there is to i t . Consult your o w n e r - o p e r a t o r m a n u a l . Keep gas, oil, and g r e a s e away f r o m b e l t s . E v e r y m a n u f a c t u r e r puts an adjustment on to compensate f o r the w e a r in the chain. W h e r e I see a good maintenance p r o g r a m in e f f e c t , I can u s u a l l y pick the places to go. All f a c t o r y men like to go to s a t i s fied c u s t o m e r s e Another headache of turf men is an o p e r a t o r running with a leaking gas line, and not noticing it until it is too l a t e . Gas is a permanent way to get rid of g r a s s . Choosing the P r o p e r Machine Don't t r y and make one machine do all the w o r k . I don't know of a m a chine that w i l l do e v e r y kind of g r a s s and weed cutting. P r i m a r i l y , the r o t a r y is made f o r cutting the r o u g h s . It is a rugged unit and w i l l stand a lot of guff. The old hand scyth s o m e t i m e s has to be u s e d . The gang m o w e r should be used in the f a i r w a y s . Some g r a s s conditions a r e due to the s o i l . You men should be able to recognize these conditions, so l e t ' s look a little f u r t h e r than at j u s t the mechanical side of p r o b l e m s . Safety 1. Make sure that your o p e r a t o r knows the function of the m o w e r . 2 . Don't l e a v e your machine parked with the s t a r t e r rope tied to the handle when t h e r e might be children a r o u n d . Children get hurt and hurt badly when they don't know a thing about this equipment. 3. Get off your machine when you a r e going to load i t . 4. Stay c l e a r of running m a c h i n e r y . Don't walk in f r o n t of i t . 5. Don't t r y and make an adjustment when the o p e r a t o r has his foot on the clutch. It could v e r y e a s i l y slip o f f . THE TURF OF AN ENGLISHMAN A r t h u r D. Elliott P r e s i d e n t , Washington Turf and Toro Co. Seattle, Washington I don't r e a l l y have enough time to do j u s t i c e to this or any subject, as I'm m o r e or l e s s a 4 4 r i n g e r " filling in some open scheduled p r o g r a m time due to a c a n c e l l a t i o n . However, I have accepted the p r i v i l e g e of saying a few w o r d s about a trip I took to England and Scotland this s u m m e r . While t h e r e , I called on a few golf c o u r s e and park superintendents, and on the Moulton A g r i c u l t u r a l Institute. I a l s o called on R a n s o m e , S i m m s and J e f f e r i e s , the l a r g e s t mowing equipment m a n u f a c t u r e r s in England. Since I am a m e r c h a n t , and not a turf a g r o n o m i s t , m y v i s i t w a s p r i m a r i l y f o r the purpose of discussing the use of turf equipment, both mowing and i r r i g a t i n g . The best-looking turf I found in the p a r k s - - m o r e s p e c i f i c a l l y , on the bowling g r e e n s . Some of these bowling g r e e n s w e r e known to have been in the same location f o r o v e r 300 y e a r s . Mowing these g r e e n s is done daily, m o s t l y with 12 inch hand m o w e r s . Compared with U . S . labor f o r this w o r k , it is i n e x pensive, and many of the e m p l o y e e s have followed their f a t h e r s who had f o l lowed their f a t h e r s - - working in the same p a r k s and on the same golf c o u r s e s . G e n e r a l l y speaking, it s e e m s to me that it is not p r a c t i c a l to t r y to d i s c u s s intelligently the c o m p a r a t i v e u s e s of turf equipment without getting into the agronomy a s p e c t s of i t . F o r instance, a d i s c u s s i o n of the use of s p r i n k l e r s and i r r i g a t i o n equipment soon brings up the subject of w e a t h e r , soil p o r o s ity, types of g r a s s seed, e t c . The use of mowing and aerating equipment as opposed to r o l l e r s and compaction, soon again brings up the subject of w o r m c a s t s , soil t e x t u r e , and p o r o s i t y and again the p r e v a i l i n g r a t e s of precipitation, involving turf growth and f r e q u e n c y of mowing i t . The general consensus of opinion, h o w e v e r , w a s that England, g e n e r a l l y speaking, has an e x c e l l e n t c l i m a t e and soil condition f o r the growth of good t u r f , and lots of cheap l a b o r f o r f r e q u e n t mowing and lots of gentle rain f o r cheap i r r i g a t i o n . Despite all their advantages, I found that, except f o r g r e e n s , both golf c o u r s e and bowling, our turf in the P a c i f i c Northwest compared v e r y f a v o r a b l y . While it s e e m s to me that it has been the custom h e r e in the P a c i f i c Northwest to c o m p a r e English turf with P a c i f i c Northwest due to the s i m i l a r i t y of w e a t h e r and c o m p a r a b l e latitude, the Englishmen hastened to point out to me when making this c o m p a r i s o n that their soil w a s *4 o l d e r " and t h e r e f o r e much better and in this r e s p e c t , at l e a s t , the s i m i l a r i t y of conditions diluted by 50 per cent. The golf c o u r s e f a i r w a y s and open park a r e a s which I visited w e r e poor pasture g r a s s , and the roughs a r e r e a l l y rough - - full of p r i c k l y Scotch broom tail w e e d s . A golf ball l o s t in this rough is r e a l l y l o s t . Maybe that is the r e a s o n they a r e good g o l f e r s . They have to stay in the f a i r w a y s or buy m o r e golf b a l l s . The g r e e n s w e r e m o r e p r e v a l e n t l y bunkered than m o s t of the golf c o u r s e s of the P a c i f i c N o r t h w e s t . The m a t t e r of cutting turf maintenance operating costs through the use of better equipment f o r the m o s t p a r t f e l l on deaf e a r s . This I attributed to the f a c t that who would you f i r e ; m o s t of the men have spent their l i v e s on this c o u r s e or in this park and at their job and they know their job and do it w e l l . " T h e s e economics might be all right f o r A m e r i c a but w h e r e not n e c e s s a r i l y p r a c t i c a l f o r economics in England" w a s a f r e q u e n t c o m m e n t . A l l of this brings us to the point, I suppose, that English turf is a product of English soil and English w e a t h e r and English turf men; and that Northwest t u r f , l i k e w i s e i s now and is going to continue to be a product of Northwest soil, Northwest w e a t h e r , and Northwest turf m e n . With this somewhat unlikely c o m p a r i s o n as a b a s i s , it would s e e m to me that continued support and growth of the Northwest Turf A s s o c i a t i o n which we can use to c o m p a r e notes, have s e m i n a r s and exchange good ideas among o u r s e l v e s , involving our own soil and our own w e a t h e r and our own economic p r o b l e m s , is the m o s t w o r t h y contribution we can make to the continued i m p r o v e m e n t of the turf i n d u s t r y of this g r e a t and growing P a c i f i c Northwest a r e a . FACTORS IN THE DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE OF PARK AND RECREATION AREAS Harold T . Abbott A s s o c i a t e P r o f e s s o r of Landscape Design Washington State U n i v e r s i t y F r o m a casual r e f e r e n c e to this subject, " D e s i g n and M a i n t e n a n c e , " it is quite obvious that the many implications which such a topic p r e s e n t s cannot be adequately c o v e r e d within the limited scope of this d i s c u s s i o n . The many details governing the standards set f o r t h f o r the p r o p e r design of s p o r t s f a c i l i ties alone, including baseball diamonds, tennis c o u r t s , running t r a c k s , or golf c o u r s e s , might v e r y w e l l occupy our attention to the exclusion of all c o n s i d e r a tion of the equally important a s p e c t s of boulevard development, bridge a p p r o a c h e s , a r b o r e t u m s , or r o s e g a r d e n s . Such details as a r e r e q u i r e d in the play lot or the neighborhood playfield only your individual l o c a l i t i e s can d i c t a t e . R e c ommendations based on general r e s e a r c h and e x p e r i e n c e a r e c o v e r e d m o s t adequately in George B u t l e r ' s "New R e c r e a t i o n A r e a s . " With such a volume and s e v e r a l f r e e evenings, a v e r y complete picture of the f a c t s t h e m s e l v e s , such as the size of this or that f a c i l i t y , the orientation, the fundamentals of good construction, and how to go about building a w e l l - r o u n d e d r e c r e a t i o n a r e a , can be gained. In the consideration of the design and maintenance of park and r e c r e a t i o n a r e a s , it is n e c e s s a r y to commence by a s s u r i n g o u r s e l v e s that we a g r e e on the t e r m s . F o r the sake of b r e v i t y , I shall assume that the d i f f e r e n c e s , if any, which e x i s t between the t e r m s park and r e c r e a t i o n have been s u f f i c i e n t l y thrashed out in your r e s p e c t i v e c i t i e s . I shall a s s u m e that you have f i n a l l y agreed that no i s s u e e x i s t s . May I conclude a l s o that the t e r m a r e a has been brought down to e a r t h so that we can a p p r e c i a t e its true meaning, n a m e l y , " a n y plane s u r f a c e , as of the f l o o r of a room or church, or of the ground w i t h in an e n c l o s u r e , or an open space in a b u i l d i n g . " That e m b r a c e s a wide t e r r i t o r y , and we have little d i f f i c u l t y in visualizing plenty of e x a m p l e s of A R E A . On the other hand, we have another t e r m which is now being used with e x t r e m e f r e e d o m and without too much s e r i o u s thought. This w o r d is used by park and r e c r e a t i o n people about as l o o s e l y as is the p h r a s e " j u v e n i l e d e l i n q u e n c y . " I r e f e r to our use of the t e r m " f a c i l i t y . " According to W e b s t e r of d i c t i o n a r y f a m r , a f a c i l i t y is " t h a t which p r o m o t e s the e a s e of any action or c o u r s e of c o n d u c t . " It is j u s t as simple as that; yet j u s t stop to evaluate how g r e a t a scope it e n c o m p a s s e s . F a c i l i t i e s a r e as v a r i e d as the i n t e r e s t s of the people who use t h e m . A lawn in a p a r k , a lighted tennis c o u r t , a scenic o v e r l o o k , a swimming pool, or a m a g n i f i c e n t old t r e e affording w e l c o m e shade; all these a r e f a c i l i t i e s . Their value as f a c i l i t i e s depends upon our ability to a p p r e c i a t e and to d e m o n s t r a t e their p r o p e r use in providing r e c r e a t i o n f o r the people. The m e r i t s of a f a c i l i t y a r e f i r s t judged by the principal use f o r which it w a s designed, and second by the w a y s in which it might s e r v e other a c t i v i t i e s . It has been proved by e x p e r i e n c e that i d l e n e s s or infrequent use r e s u l t s in u l t i mate abuse, neglect, and final abandonment. It s e e m s that in a l m o s t e v e r y instance a f a c i l i t y which is not used either has no r e a s o n f o r existing, i s uns a f e , is i m p r o p e r l y designed f o r its intended u s e , or p r o p e r d i r e c t i o n f o r its use is lacking. We have been i n f o r m e d that, r e g a r d l e s s of c i r c u m s t a n c e s , p l a c e s , or p e r s o n s , r e c r e a t i o n is r e f r e s h m e n t of body or mind. When it comes to the c r e a t i o n of such r e f r e s h m e n t , we know that beauty of environment and physical e x e r c i s e m u s t not be d i v o r c e d . In the p r o p e r design of a r e a s f o r physical c o m petitive s p o r t s , e x p e r i e n c e has shown that the m e r e p r o v i s i o n of the f a c i l i t y f o r the sport itself is not s u f f i c i e n t . Swings f o r s m a l l c h i l d r e n , a soft ball diamond f o r t e e n a g e r s , and tennis c o u r t s f o r adults have, in many c a s e s , been neglected or abandoned w h e r e v e r a t t r a c t i v e surroundings have not been provided at the same t i m e . The adjacent t u r f , shade t r e e s , and planted w i n d b r e a k s a r e as i m portant adjuncts to the f a c i l i t y as the drinking fountain, r e s t r o o m s , or s p e c t a t o r s ' b e n c h e s . The f i n e s t golf c o u r s e in the country would be f o r e v e r unpopul a r if only the f a i r w a y s , t e e s , and g r e e n s w e r e p r o v i d e d . The p r e s e r v a t i o n of existing t r e e stands, or the planting of new t r e e s , is e s s e n t i a l not only to add i n t e r e s t to an o t h e r w i s e monotonous c o u r s e , but to provide background f o r the g r e e n s , to define the f a i r w a y s , to accentuate v a r i a t i o n s in topography, or to provide needed shade f o r p l a y e r s on a hot d a y . While we a r e on this subject of plant m a t e r i a l s , the i m p o r t a n c e of turf in the design of any r e c r e a t i o n a r e a is e s s e n t i a l to full enjoyment of that a r e a . T u r f , like all plants, has a definite purpose in the design, and the e f f e c t i v e n e s s of it is governed by a c a r e f u l study and p r o p e r planning of the s e p a r a t e units of the design in r e l a t i o n to the whole s c h e m e . A l l plant m a t e r i a l s having been i n troduced f o r the i n t e r e s t in plants t h e m s e l v e s m u s t a l s o p e r f o r m definite f u n c tions as w e l l . They a r e used f o r screening of u n a t t r a c t i v e f e a t u r e s in the landscape; they s e r v e to e n f r a m e distant views or p o s s i b l y s h o r t v i s t a s of a r c h i t e c tural i m p o r t a n c e ; they aid in separating one use a r e a f r o m another; and in c o m bination they s e r v e to c r e a t e pleasant t r a n s i t i o n s between the horizontal and v e r t i c a l lines of topography and a r c h i t e c t u r e , r e s p e c t i v e l y . If we should turn back the pages in the h i s t o r y of r e c r e a t i o n a r e a s , we would find that many changes have taken place in the design of not only p a r k s and playgrounds, but of c e m e t e r i e s , school grounds, p a r k w a y s , stadiums, public s q u a r e s , and even golf c o u r s e s . F o r the m o s t p a r t , the r e q u i r e m e n t s a r e the s a m e , the need is the s a m e , but the m a n n e r of solving the p r o b l e m s has changed. If we w e r e to examine the accounts of p l a n n e r s of the late 19th and e a r l y 20th c e n t u r i e s , we would see that much e m p h a s i s w a s placed on the c r e a t i o n of r e s t r i c t e d play and a country a t m o s p h e r e within the confines of heavy b o r d e r plantings. The general layout of a park w a s a complex thing, with m a s s plantings of a g r e a t many s p e c i e s of plants; l a r g e expanses of turf w e r e c r e a t e d to provide strolling a r e a s f o r c r o w d s who did not have a h o r s e and buggy or one of the e a r l i e r h o r s e l e s s c a r r i a g e s . It w a s a time when l a r g e lawn a r e a s w e r e used f o r group a c t i v i t i e s c a r r i e d on without the use of p e r m a nent f a c i l i t i e s . It w a s a time when l a b o r w a s cheap and plentiful with much time devoted to the maintenance of e x t e n s i v e l y planted grounds. In 1 8 9 3 , C h a r l e s Eliot emphasized c e r t a i n p r i n c i p l e s f o r the guidance of f u t u r e park boards and the e x e c u t i v e s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the c r e a t i o n of park s y s tems . "Municipal p l e a s u r e g r o u n d s , " w r o t e M r . Eliot, " c o m p r i s e all such public open spaces as a r e acquired and a r r a n g e d f o r the purpose of providing f a v o r a b l e opportunities f o r healthful r e c r e a t i o n in the open a i r . A s there a r e many modes and means of o p e n - a i r r e c r e a t i o n , so there a r e many kinds of public p l e a s u r e grounds. A g r e e a b l e and numerous o p e n - a i r n u r s e r i e s and playgrounds f o r s m a l l children p r e s e n t a m o r e complex, but perhaps m o r e n e c e s s a r y , type of public ground. V e r y few public open spaces suitably a r ranged f o r this special purpose a r e to be found in A m e r i c a n c i t i e s . P l a y grounds f o r youths a r e needed, but these m a y be f u r t h e r r e m o v e d f r o m the crowded p a r t s of towns. Public f l o w e r gardens a r e s o m e t i m e s provided; but these a r e l u x u r i e s , and ought to be opened at the public expense only a f t e r the m o r e e s s e n t i a l kinds of public grounds have been s e c u r e d . P r o m e n a d e s , conc e r t grounds, outdoor h a l l s , n u r s e r i e s , playgrounds, gymnasia, and gardens m a y , of c o u r s e , be combined with one another, as opportunity o f f e r s . " In specifying the m a n n e r in which such park s y s t e m s should be a d m i n i s t e r e d , Eliot s a y s , 44 The d i r e c t i o n of park w o r k s m a y probably best r e s t with a small body of cultivated men, p u b l i c - s p i r i t e d enough to s e r v e without pay, who should r e g a r d t h e m s e l v e s , and be r e g a r d e d , as a board of t r u s t e e s , and who, as such, should make it their f i r s t duty to hand down unharmed f r o m one generation to the next the t r e a s u r e of s c e n e r y which the city has placed in their c a r e . " In the day of M r . Eliot the purpose of p a r k s w a s , of c o u r s e , the p r e s e r vation of s c e n e r y in urban d i s t r i c t s which w e r e becoming rapidly and congestedly built up. There w a s a keen r e a l i z a t i o n on the p a r t of M r . Eliot that p r o p e r environment was e s s e n t i a l f o r e f f e c t i v e r e c r e a t i o n a l a c t i v i t y . He w a s a w a r e that the youth of his day could not be happy and contented at play if that play couldn't be c a r r i e d on in clean^ a t t r a c t i v e s u r r o u n d i n g s . The e m p h a s i s was placed on r e c r e a t i o n in the open a i r r e g a r d l e s s of whether it w a s s w i m ming at the beach and playing baseball in the s u m m e r , or skating and tobogganing in w i n t e r . A s f a r as adults w e r e concerned, the working day w a s long, and t h e r e w a s little d e s i r e to participate in indoor r e c r e a t i o n at the end of the day's exhausting l a b o r . Our e a r l y park boards had their beginnings as the r e s u l t of public d e mand that the c i t i e s should not develop at the expense of the l o s s of beauty. Upon such boards w e r e placed the immediate r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of holding in t r u s t these f a s t - d i s a p p e a r i n g r e s e r v a t i o n s , scenic f e a t u r e s , w a t e r w a y s , ponds, l a k e s , v i s t a points, bridge a p p r o a c h e s , l a r g e t r a c t s f o r athletic f i e l d s , sites f o r stadiums, swimming pools, golf c o u r s e s , and, m o r e r e c e n t l y , community buildings. The park w a s the a l l - i n c l u s i v e a r e a f o r r e c r e a t i o n , and f r o m the e a r l i e s t t i m e s t h e r e w a s no thought on the p a r t of such men as M r . Eliot that there should be any segregation of agencies concerned with public p l e a s u r e grounds. At that t i m e , m o s t of the men qualified to a d m i n i s t e r public open spaces had been trained and had had e x p e r i e n c e p r i m a r i l y in h o r t i c u l t u r e . Men p r o f e s s i o n a l l y trained to c o n s t r u c t and a d m i n i s t e r public r e c r e a t i o n a r e a s w e r e not a v a i l a b l e . The s u p e r v i s i o n of a c t i v i t i e s w a s l e f t to volunteer social w o r k e r s , t e a c h e r , or willing p a r e n t s during s p a r e t i m e . Playgrounds w e r e b a r r e n a r e a s adjacent to school buildings w h e r e g r a v e l playing s u r f a c e s w e r e r e g a r d e d as sufficient f o r a v e r a g e s p o r t s a c t i v i t i e s . Turf and t r e e s w e r e considered unessential l u x u r i e s in connection with the school playground. The park board then a s s u m e d the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of providing l a r g e turf a r e a s as a w e l c o m e r e l i e f f r o m the hot pavements and dust, but due to p r o b l e m s of m a i n tenance, c e r t a i n a r e a s w e r e set aside f o r u n r e s t r i c t e d use by the public while o t h e r s w e r e designated f o r p u r e l y esthetic p u r p o s e s with the c u s t o m a r y " K e e p off the G r a s s " s i g n s . The r e s u l t s of this p r a c t i c e w a s the ultimate setting up of s e p a r a t e c o m m i s s i o n s f o r p a r k s and f o r r e c r e a t i o n , with the attendant duplication of f a c i l i t i e s and s e r v i c e s . F o r t u n a t e l y , many of these d i f f e r e n c e s in the a i m s of park and r e c r e a t i o n i n t e r e s t s have r e s u l v e d t h e m s e l v e s , and c i t i e s which have been operating with the appointed park boards appear to have w e a t h e r e d the s t o r m s of change m o s t s u c c e s s f u l l y . In c i t i e s of Washington, such as Seattle and Spokane, planning w a s done many y e a r s ago to provide f o r the acquisition of lands f o r future park r e q u i r e m e n t s . The f i r s t r e q u i s i t e w a s the development the guaranteed maintenance of a park s y s t e m which provided all phases of r e c r e a t i o n as it w a s known in those d a y s . The playground a s s o c i a t i o n s w e r e unorganized, and in m o s t instances w e r e unable p r o p e r l y to a d m i n i s t e r and maintain the a r e a s assigned to their u s e . The park boards a s s u m e d the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r continuing the w o r k of these g r o u p s . Standards f o r the location and s p e c i f i c a t i o n of p l a y grounds in t e r m s of the individual neighborhoods led to the placing of r e c r e a tion units within close walking distance of e v e r y h o m e . Along with such standa r d s a r o s e public demands f o r equal benefits at budget time f o r new f a c i l i t i e s in a c c o r d a n c e with the new national s t a n d a r d s . Emphasis w a s placed on g r e a t e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n of the youth, m o r e and m o r e p e r s o n a l attention to each child using the playground. There w a s m o r e talk on the p a r t of civic organizations to the e f f e c t that " o u r young people a r e being n e g l e c t e d , " and 4 4 1 didn't have these things when I was a kid, but I'll see to it m y own kids have e v e r y o p p o r t u n i t y . " With the i n c r e a s e in l e i s u r e t i m e , park b o a r d s w e r e confronted by the demands f o r extended hours of park and playground operation, the demands f o r indoor p r o g r a m s during the w i n t e r and y e a r round indoor night a c t i v i t i e s f o r our citizens of all a g e s . Organizations c l a m b o r e d f o r m o r e and m o r e sup e r v i s i o n , at the same time making equally insistant r e q u e s t s f o r additional f a c i l i t i e s , and a higher d e g r e e of m a i n t e n a n c e . Although it is d e s i r a b l e to acceed to the r e q u e s t s of enthusiastic groups, there is a l i m i t to which the maintenance d o l l a r can be s t r e t c h e d . The p r o b l e m s r e l a t e d to the maintenance and operation of p a r k s a r e unique. The park executive is called upon to consider a g r e a t e r number of details such as s e r v i c e s , engineering, public r e l a t i o n s , h o r t i c u l t u r e , a e s t h e t i c s , cultural a c t i v i t i e s , m u s c l e building s p o r t s , h y d r a u l i c s , and finance than any other municipal d e p a r t m e n t . The budgeted d o l l a r is divided any number of w a y s f r o m c o n s t r u c tion of a swimming pool, laying out of a p a r k w a y , planting t r e e s , constructing lawns and g a r d e n s , to s u p e r v i s i o n of an athletic event, conducting a square dance, or protecting the public's i n t e r e s t in an incomplete land acquisition p r o g r a m . The budgeted d o l l a r is now spread so thinly that the physical park s e t up is s u f f e r i n g . The demands on the p a r t of p r e s s u r e groups f o r i n c r e a s e d s e r v i c e s must be m e t in one of these w a y s , by additional r e v e n u e f r o m a p p r o p r i a t i o n s , by income f r o m f e e s and c h a r g e s , or through bond i s s u e s to r e l i e v e the annual capital outlay budget. It i s even possible that p r e s e n t i n c r e a s e in v a n d a l i s m might be reduced if the public is obliged to support m o r e d i r e c t l y through modest c h a r g e s the f a c i l i t i e s which they p a t r o n i z e . P a r k boards have a s s u m e d added r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s as a r e s u l t of the changes in the standards and s p e c i f i c a t i o n s f o r f a c i l i t i e s . Even our youngest participants a r e insisting on f a c i l i t i e s which a r e r e g u l a t i o n . Lighted f i e l d s which a r e not s c i e n t i f i c a l l y c o r r e c t f r o m the standpoint of the lighting engineer a r e the s o u r c e of complaints f r o m the baseball and softball l e a g u e s . The t e x ture of the playing s u r f a c e m u s t s a t i s f y the m o s t d i s c r i m i n a t i n g tennis p l a y e r when he e n t e r s a c o u r t , even if that c o u r t is f u r n i s h e d to him without c h a r g e , net and a l l . No ball game or other athletic events a r e enjoyable a n y m o r e unl e s s the a r e a is turfed and u n l e s s the w a t e r i n g has been done in s u f f i c i e n t advance of the game to a s s u r e a d r y f i e l d . Even the m o s t m o d e s t park a r e a m u s t be furnished with tables and benches f o r a picnic f r e e of c h a r g e , and t h e r e m u s t be accommodations f o r a l l . We a r e obliged to m e e t the changes in health r e q u i r e m e n t s as they p e r t a i n to swimming pools, although many t i m e s we have not been p e r m i t t e d to accumulate a r e s e r v e fund to m e e t the evil day when modernization is u r g e n t . The bond i s s u e idea is e x c e l l e n t f o r schools or when the l i f e of the park s y s t e m is threatened, but o t h e r w i s e we a r e urged to put off the inevitable under the p r e s s u r e of alloting r e v e n u e s f o r s o - c a l l e d 44 e s s e n t i a l s e r v i c e s . " National athletic organizations change f r o m y e a r to y e a r the dimensions of use a r e a s , although this p r a c t i c e has been a l m o s t negligible in the l a s t few y e a r s . M o r e o v e r , with the tremendous p r e s s u r e brought to b e a r to provide m o r e and m o r e playgrounds in our r a p i d l y growing communities, there a r i s e s a doubt as to the a v e r a g e c i t y ' s ability to develop and maintain r e c r e a t i o n grounds a d jacent to schools at the same r a t e as the development of the school s t r u c t u r e s t h e m s e l v e s . Where a bond i s s u e c o m p a r a b l e to that of the schools is not a v a i l able f o r playgrounds, there s e e m s to be no r e a l r e a s o n why the schools should not undertake the entire r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . F a r too little e m p h a s i s has been placed on the park board's continued r e s p o n s i b i l i t y to e x e r c i s e j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r the s t r e e t t r e e s of the c i t y . It f a i l s to these boards to acquire f o r f u t u r e development such a r e a s as bridge a p p r o a c h e s , r i v e r banks, scenic d r i v e s , p r o p e r t i e s outstanding f o r their rich soil conditions, p r o p e r t i e s suitable f o r future golf c o u r s e s , f o r park d r i v e s and boulev a r d s , and p r o p e r t i e s which should be held m e r e l y to prevent encroachment on established or proposed public i m p r o v e m e n t s . We m u s t c l a r i f y in the minds of the c i t i z e n s , and p a r t i c u l a r l y of city c o m m i s s i o n e r s , the point that p a r k s and r e c r e a t i o n a r e not s e p a r a t e functions and that t h e r e m u s t be a p r o p e r b a l ance in the distribution of public funds f o r new development and f o r maintenance. This p r o p e r balance is s t r e s s e d in the following w o r d s of Ralph C o r n e l l , consultant to the P a r k and R e c r e a t i o n Department of Los A n g e l e s : 44 No city can say that it has too much park a r e a . Changing conditions w i l l d e t e r m i n e how f a r we shall go in plans a l r e a d y made, but is definitely a problem of planning and ail a s p e c t s of park planning should be considered e qually. 4 4 Do not d e s t r o y the urban b a l a n c e . Overdevelopment of one m e m b e r of the urban body at the expense of any other m e m b e r is inviting m o s t s e r i o u s consequences. No a r e a set aside f o r a definite purpose should be a l t e r e d , a bandoned or s a c r i f i c e d in any way at the expense of the f a c i l i t y , use of purpose f o r which it w a s o r i g i n a l l y set a s i d e . 44 We a r e in an age demanding m o r e and m o r e the benefits of a t t r a c t i v e surroundings and whether we a r e a w a r e of it or not, the beautification of a playground is as n e c e s s a r y as the f a c i l i t i e s provided t h e r e i n . We will continue to have p u r e l y park a r e a s as w e l l as those f o r multiple use and they a r e ail e s sential in the p r o p e r l y planned c i t y . " We have a challange b e f o r e us to p r e s e r v e the park s y s t e m s which have been designed to provide r e c r e a t i o n f o r ail a g e s . The park board today must decide whether the public funds shall be used to maintain established f a c i l i t i e s or whether g r e a t e r e m p h a s i s shall be placed on m o r e f a c i l i t i e s l e s s adequately maintained in o r d e r to f u r n i s h at the same time e v e r i n c r e a s i n g s u p e r v i s o r y s e r v i c e s . Shall the c i t i e s spend funds f o r those things which the people should provide f o r t h e m s e l v e s ? A s the Milwaukee J o u r n a l m o s t c o r r e c t l y stated some y e a r s ago: When you fail to keep up your plant or make public i m p r o v e m e n t s that a r e becoming n e c e s s a r y , you a r e borrowing against the f u t u r e as s u r e l y as if you floated bonds or went out and negotiated a cash l o a n . 44 A city run down to the point w h e r e its v e r y existence is threatened is not d e b t - f r e e even though it m a y not owe a d o l l a r . It has mortgaged its future and has to m e e t that m o r t g a g e . " There is t r u l y a g r e a t challenge to the s t e w a r d s of public park s y s t e m s . We must endeavor to s e a r c h f o r w a y s in which the public may a s s u m e some of the r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s now t h r u s t upon our municipal agencies * Through the schools, our c h u r c h e s , our p r o g r a m s of outdoor education in the p a r k s , the people of our communities m u s t soon r e a l i z e their r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s in the use and protection of public r e c r e a t i o n f a c i l i t i e s . If they do not a s s u m e their r i g h t ful s h a r e of cooperation in our municipal p a r k s , I am s u r e that all too soon the statement of Annette R i c h a r d s which appeared in the Reader* s Digest, r e g a r d ing the abuse of our national h e r i t a g e in p a r k s , will r e s u l t in a d m i s s i o n c o s t s f o r all f o r m s of r e c r e a t i o n in the c o u n t r y . 44 L e t ' s put an end to i t ! " s a y s Miss R i c h a r d s . 1 4 A m e r i c a n s can l e a r n not only to i m p r o v e their outdoor m a n n e r s but to take pride in their r e c r e a t i o n l a n d s . They can l e a r n to use and not abuse, to enjoy and not d e s t r o y . They can take to h e a r t the f o r e s t - f i r e slogan: 4 This is God* s Country - Don't Make It Look Like Hell!*" TECHNIQUES OF GROUND SPRAYING George Mock P r e s i d e n t , Washington Ground S p r a y e r s The need of spraying f o r control of i n s e c t s , plant d i s e a s e s , w e e d s , brush, or s o i l - b o r n e o r g a n i s m s is a p r o b l e m which confronts a l m o s t e v e r y p e r s o n h e r e . During this period of e x t r e m e rapid advancement, none of us can achieve the d e g r e e of p r o f i c i e n c y we d e s i r e . Many of you h e r e find y o u r s e l v e s in the position of needing to become good general p r a c t i t i o n e r s in the field of applying c h e m i c a l s and c h e m i c a l l y t r e a t e d m a t e r i a l s . We a r e m o s t fortunate to have within our State U n i v e r s i t y , s p e c i a l i s t s who a r e constantly working on a l m o s t all phases of a number of our m o s t d i f f i c u l t p r o b l e m s . The e v e r - i n c r e a s i n g amount of c o - o p e r a t i o n among t e s e a r c h , extension, and the people who m u s t use this new-found i n f o r m a t i o n must not be o v e r l o o k e d . Continuation of this fine p r o g r a m will lead to m o r e s a t i s f a c t o r y r e s u l t s f o r each of us in his own p a r t i c u l a r f i e l d . Test data a r e no m o r e valuable than the organization's o r individual's ability to use the p r o p e r techniques of a p p l i c a tion. Let us attempt to d i s c u s s a n e a r - n o r m a l y e a r in a p a r k , golf c o u r s e , or c e m e t e r y . B e f o r e we evaluate the c h e m i c a l s to be used and the method of their application, l e t us note that nothing takes the place of good cultural p r a c t i c e s . By this we r e f e r to (1) p r o p e r soil s t r u c t u r e with adequate drainage; (2) selection of g r a s s e s and other plant m a t e r i a l s suited to soil and c l i m a t i c conditions; (3) i r r i g a t i o n r e q u i r e m e n t s ; (4) p r o p e r amounts of f e r t i l i z e r ; (5) the c o r r e c t mowing, t r i m m i n g , or pruning schedule as the case m a y b e . P r o p e r s p r a y equipment is n e c e s s a r y if good r e s u l t s a r e to be f o r t h c o m ing. Separate units should be used f o r the application of weed m a t e r i a l s . Only too often timing and r a t e of application a r e not c a r e f u l l y o b s e r v e d . Without a thorough and even application on the plant, t r e e , or turf a r e a being t r e a t e d , the f i n e s t chemical cannot do its j o b . Let us begin with some of the c o n t r o l s that can be e f f e c t e d in the f a l l . In t u r f , weed control can be enacted v e r y s u c c e s s f u l l y at this t i m e . F o r the control of broadleaf weeds and c l o v e r , the use of 2 , 4 - D amine and some good wetting agent is r e c o m m e n d e d . If you have a buttercup p r o b l e m , add M C P . Combinations of 2 , 4 - D and 2 , 4 , 5 - T amine will give good r e s u l t s on m o u s e - e a r checkweed and a j u g a . Endothal, a product of Penn Salt, is looking v e r y good to us on V a r o n i c a . T r e a t m e n t f o r weeds should be applied about the time when you would n o r m a l l y m o w . Do not cut the g r a s s f i r s t - - allow t h r e e to f i v e days a f t e r spraying b e f o r e you m o w . B e s t r e s u l t s will be noted if spraying is done by the t w i c e - o v e r method. Reduce the r e c o m m e n d e d dosage by one-half and s p r a y turf twice, using a 90 f t . s p r a y pattern (north to south and then e a s t to west). In the event F u s a r i u m in a p r o b l e m f o r you at this time, P h e n y l - m e r c u r y acetate has been doing a good job f o r u s . C r a b g r a s s t r e a t m e n t is probably too late as m o s t seed is r i p e . C a r e m u s t be taken to control c r a b g r a s s as it has made g r e a t inroads into our a r e a in the l a s t two s e a s o n s . Disodiummethola r s e n a t e does control (with some g r a s s damage) in the p o s t - e m e r g e n c e t r e a t ment (two to t h r e e s p r a y s F a i r y ring t r e a t m e n t a p p e a r s to be limited to Methol B r o m i d e . All other methods have shown v e r y little r e s u l t s . A general f a l l s p r a y on o r n a m e n t a l s f o r control of sucking and chewing i n s e c t s as w e l l as a number of fungus d i s e a s e s , is c e r t a i n l y in o r d e r . The spider mite population w a s slow to build up in w e s t e r n Washington this y e a r . Counts on hemlock, s p r u c e , j u n i p e r , and many other c o n i f e r s indicate the need of a good a c a r i c i d e . Aphis and the l a r v a of many chewing i n s e c t s a r e much in e v i d e n c e . Combinations of an organic parathion phosphate and a DDT chlorinated h y d r o c a r b o n will control both types of i n s e c t s . Adult w e e v i l control w i l l be s a t i s f a c t o r y if generous amounts of this s p r a y a r e applied to the ground as well as on the p l a n t s . C a r e f u l handling of s y s t o x can be an u n p a r a l leled aid in this type of w o r k . Mildew, scab, a r b o r v i t a e blight, c o r i n i u m blight, and many other fungi should be t r e a t e d at this t i m e . Bulbs that a r e dug and stored should be protected f r o m i n s e c t s and d i s e a s e . Those of you who have greenhouses or other types of indoor plantings should check them and enact n e c e s s a r y control m e a s u r e s . A g r e a t number of other topics could be noted f o r f a l l p r o j e c t s , but l e t us move now to the next s e a s o n . Winter in Washington w i l l r e q u i r e slight v a r i a t i o n s in timing of some of our p r o j e c t s . Seasonal a s p e c t s and geographical location w i l l dictate the month of your f i r s t f e r t i l i z a t i o n , and if you a r e f r o m w e s t e r n Washington, we would strongly r e c o m m e n d if you have m o s s that you t r y F e r r o u s Amonium Sulphate. R e s u l t s of the past three y e a r s on turf we maintain indicate r e a l value f r o m this m a t e r i a l on c e m e n t , g r a v e m a r k e r s , or b o r d e r p l a n t s . C r a b g r a s s p r e - e m e r g e n c e s p r a y s will be t i m e l y any time a f t e r our f r e e z i n g w e a t h e r is o v e r . Do not o v e r l o o k this portion of your s p r a y p r o g r a m if you have o b s e r v e d c r a b g r a s s in any a r e a of your turf at any time in the p a s t . Winter m a y allow the time to apply m a t e r i a l s f o r growth c o n t r o l . The growing season u s u a l l y is so packed with other p r e s s i n g p r o j e c t s that few of us a r e putting to good use the advantages of some of our better soil s t e r i l a n t s . Simizan is a good one f o r g r a v e l paths and g r a v e l d r i v e w a y s (20 to 4 0 l b s . per acre). Simizan a l s o is showing fine r e s u l t s as a weed and g r a s s control in permanent plantings in which annuals a r e not being planted ( 4 - 8 l b s . p e r a c r e ) . C a r e should be taken to i n s u r e e x t r e m e l y close c a l i b r a t i o n and even d i s t r i b u tion of this m a t e r i a l . If you have a brush or b l a c k b e r r y p r o b l e m which has been on the b o r d e r line because of the s a f e t y f a c t o r due to potential h a z a r d s of v o l i t i l i t y , why not s p r a y during the d o r m a t s e a s o n ? 2 , 4 , 5 - T and d i e s e l oil used as a basel s p r a y w i l l do the j o b . Dormant spraying of t r e e s , plants, s h r u b s , and hedges is b a s i c . Need f o r control of the eggs of aphids, spider m i t e s , and scale along with fungi, lichen, m o s s , and algae designate this as one of our m o s t important control p e r i o d s . Combinations of oil and fungicides a r e v e r y p r a c t i c a l . Peach leaf curl in W e s t e r n Washington r e q u i r e s two s p r a y s with a good fungicide b e f o r e the leaf buds open. The extensive damage by apple scab this y e a r to a l m o s t all of our ornamental c r a b t r e e s indicates definite need f o r a c a r e f u l l y planned s c a b - c o n t r o l p r o g r a m . Some of you w i l l p r e f e r to apply a d e l a y e d d o r m a n t s p r a y . This is e f f e c t i v e in m o s t c a s e s and in a few c a s e s f a r m o r e e f f e c t i v e than a f u l l - d o r m a n t application. Pine s c a l e , juniper s c a l e , c a m e l i a s c a l e , spruce aphids, and some spider m i t e s that e m e r g e f r o m the soil r e spond f a v o r a b l y . Spring brings new l i f e , and with it come slugs, bugs, c u t w o r m s , leaf m i n o r s , sod w e b w o r m , c a t e r p i l l a r s , m o r e w e e d s , and fungi. Our state is b l e s s e d with s o i l s and climate allowing f o r the growth of numerous species of plant m a t e r i a l . Each has its own specific p r o b l e m s , and it is our r e s p o n s i b i l ity to know what they a r e and how best to t r e a t t h e m . C o v e r s p r a y s should be started as e a r l y as is p r a c t i c a l . C a r e should be e x e r c i s e d in the p r e s e r v a t i o n of insect and p r e d a t o r balance. Too little is being w r i t t e n on the p r a c t i c a l a s p e c t s of this subject. In g e n e r a l , l o n g - t e r m c o n t r o l s have their drawbacks if they do not provide some s a f e g u a r d s against upsetting n a t u r e ' s b a l a n c e . Spring s p r a y s a r e the key to how s e r i o u s many of your s u m m e r p r o b l e m s will b e . Do not c r e a t e the need f o r additional s p r a y ing by the use of i l l - a d v i s e d combinations of m a t e r i a l s . Cost of m a t e r i a l s a r e not a v e r y l a r g e f a c t o r when we take a l o n g - r a n g e look at the r e s u l t s . Control of leaf m i n o r s m u s t be a p r e v e n t a t i v e m e a s u r e . Holly, l i l a c s , p r i v i t , and boxwood ail r e q u i r e t r e a t m e n t . Although aphids a r e not too s e r i o u s a problem in e a r l y spring, s u c c e s s of your o v e r - a l l p r o g r a m depends on not a l lowing a m a j o r build-up to o c c u r . We have as of the l a s t y e a r i n c o r p o r a t e d an a r a r a c i d e in all c o v e r s p r a y s with e x c e l l e n t r e s u l t s . The addition of this m a t e r i a l helps us to p r e v e n t an unbalanced picture between p r e d a t o r s and spider m i t e s . Control of cut w o r m s , w e e v i l , and slugs can be accomplished s i m u l t a n e o u s l y . Apply A l d r i n or Toxaphene and S l u g - F e s t in an o v e r - a l l ground application. Scab and mildew control a r e a m u s t , and s t a r t b e f o r e the i n f e c tion is too d e e p - s e a t e d . As we move on into the s u m m e r months, our p r o g r a m r e m a i n s v e r y s i m i l a r . If turf s p r a y s a r e being applied, t r y adding r a t h e r l a r g e amounts of s u r f a c e - t e n s i o n reducing a g e n t s . This will help to reduce the p r o b l e m of getting w a t e r to penetrate e v e n l y . Aphids will a l w a y s become a s e r i o u s pest by about the f i r s t week in J u n e . F i v e y e a r s of f a i r l y general use of s y s t e m i c s p r a y s f o r sucking insect control l e a d s me to believe that the time has a r r i v e d when people such as y o u r s e l v e s can be r e a d i l y a s s i s t e d by the i n c o r p o r a t i o n by s y s t e m i c s p r a y s in your p r o g r a m . Systox as a c o v e r s p r a y at the rate of one pint to 100 gallons of w a t e r will give aphid control f o r four to f i v e w e e k s under m o s t conditions and on m o s t p l a n t s . Soil d r e n c h e s a r e of p r a c t i c a l v a l ue if e x t r e m e c a r e is taken not to o v e r d o t h e m . Caution is the byword to a n y one who toys with the idea of s y s t e m i c injection. A f t e r three y e a r s on this type of w o r k I suggest that until f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h is done, don't t r y to do any of i t ! work. A s a closing w o r d l e t me s a y , there is no substitute f o r good r e s e a r c h The need f o r p r o p e r techniques by the applicator has made ground s p r a y ing a p r a c t i c a l s c i e n c e . • ||J , • - NEW TURFGRASS RESEARCH CENTER AT WESTERN WASHINGTON EXPERIMENT STATION Roy L . Goss Turf S p e c i a l i s t , Puyallup, Washington A t u r f g r a s s r e s e a r c h center w a s established at f a r m No. 5 of the W e s t e r n Washington E x p e r i m e n t Station this s u m m e r . Much r e s e a r c h can be a c complished on contributed or loaned a r e a s by p a r k s , golf c o u r s e s , c e m e t e r i e s , e t c . , but true r e s e a r c h f r o m the basic approach can only be accomplished under conditions w h e r e absolute control of the a r e a can be maintained. A l s o , it is often the case w h e r e p r e v i o u s p r a c t i c e s a r e not known or cannot be r e m e m bered in s u f f i c i e n t detail to be r e l i a b l e f o r e x p e r i m e n t a l w o r k . And, perhaps one of the m o s t important r e a s o n s f o r establishing this center is to have plenty of r o o m at home which g r e a t l y r e d u c e s t r a v e l time between e x p e r i m e n t a l a r e a s . A c t u a l l y , this alone w i l l pay f o r the a r e a in a v e r y short t i m e . And l a s t , but not l e a s t in i m p o r t a n c e , is the possibility and probability in many c a s e s that turf will be injured or killed due to c e r t a i n t r e a t m e n t s . Since an i r r i g a t i o n s y s t e m had to be i n s t a l l e d , it w a s decided that an automatic s y s t e m would be the m o s t d e s i r a b l e unit as this will allow better w a t e r control and better utilization of the a v a i l a b l e i r r i g a t i o n w a t e r . M r . Don Hogan, Civil Engineer, designed the s y s t e m in a c c o r d a n c e with the type of control that we wanted. This s y s t e m is p r e s e n t l y installed and is operating as planned. An a r e a covering 1 1/2 a c r e s w a s designed to accommodate e x p e r i m e n t s on both lawn type and putting g r e e n t u r f . F o r the putting green a r e a , A s t o r i a (Colonial) bent w a s chosen to r e p r e s e n t that type since that is the p r e v a l e n t type in this a r e a and because P e n n c r o s s w a s too expensive f o r planting an a r e a of 30, 000 square f e e t . This w a s planted at the r a t e of 3 pounds per 1 , 0 0 0 square f e e t . The lawn a r e a w a s seeded to a m i x t u r e of 2 pounds of creeping red f e s cue (Pennlawn v a r i e t y ) and 1 pound of Colonial bent. B e f o r e planting the putting g r e e n a r e a , it w a s s t e r i l i z e d with methyl b r o m i d e . This w a s accomplished in four days by using f o u r t a r p s 20 f e e t x 100 f e e t . Only 1 pound of methyl bromide per 100 square f e e t was used since t e m p e r a t u r e s w e r e ranging o v e r 8 5 ° F . and soil m o i s t u r e was adequate. Excellent r e s u l t s w e r e achieved, and according to nematode counts made by D r . W a l t e r J . Apt, there w e r e none living f r o m s a m p l e s down to one f o o t . The g r a s s e s w e r e seeded on J u l y 28, with the m o s t appreciated help of s e v e r a l golf c o u r s e superintendents (Henry Land, S r . and J r . , Glen P r o c t o r , B e r n i e Higgins, George Lawton, and John J a s l o w s k i ) . In f a c t , 3 0 , 0 0 0 f e e t of putting turf w a s seeded, mulched with p e a t m o s s , and r o l l e d in two h o u r s . I r r i g a t i o n and f e r t i l i t y e x p e r i m e n t s w i l l be conducted f o r the f i r s t twothree y e a r s and possibly l o n g e r . Determination will be made on turf quality as it is a f f e c t e d by v a r i o u s f e r t i l i t y l e v e l s and s o u r c e s of n u t r i e n t s . D i f f e r e n t amounts of i r r i g a t i o n w a t e r w i l l be applied to four s e p a r a t e l y controlled a r e a s . F r o m this, some i n f o r m a t i o n w i l l be gained a s to the e f f e c t of f r e q u e n c y , r a t e , and amount of application on turf quality. The e f f e c t of i r r i g a t i o n on root d e velopment w i l l a l s o be studied, and c o r r e l a t i o n s will be made between i r r i g a tion l e v e l , nutrient l e v e l , and root and top growth. L a t e r , compaction studies w i l l a l s o be m a d e . A soil s t e r i l i z a t i o n study is still in p r o g r e s s to d e t e r m i n e the optimum r a t e s and e f f i c i e n c y of methyl b r o m i d e , bapam, cyanamid, and mylone in the control of weeds p r i o r to planting. These s t e r i l a n t s have been applied at the m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s s p e c i f i c a t i o n s , 1/2 r a t e , and double r a t e . A l l t r e a t m e n t s have been r e p l i c a t e d four t i m e s . An a r e a f o r a turf n u r s e r y has been set aside f o r selecting and p r o p a g a t ing new or better adapted s p e c i e s , or selections f o r P a c i f i c Northwest condit i o n s . It is the belief of the w r i t e r that the best place to s e l e c t turf g r a s s e s which a r e best adapted to the Northwest is under our own p a r t i c u l a r conditions. With this point in mind, Johnny H a r r i s o n of the Hayden Lake Golf and Country Club sent in a plug (four inches in d i a m e t e r ) of a bent that w a s v i g o r ous and had a v e r y good t e x t u r e . We then took plugs f r o m vigorous bent s t r a i n s on two of Milt Bauman's O v e r l a k e Golf and Country Club g r e e n s . Boyd G o u r l e y sent in a bent and Poa selection f r o m his E v e r e t t Club. With these t h r e e , we clonally divided and planted them in f l a t s in the greenhouse l a s t w i n t e r . The number of f l a t s w e r e i n c r e a s e d by stolonizing, and at the p r e s e n t t i m e , we have s e v e r a l hundred f e e t of stolons in production. Next spring, these stolons will be used f o r establishing turf plots f o r mowing to evaluate f u r t h e r the selections f o r quality, v i g o r , and d i s e a s e r e s i s t a n c e . While these selections a r e being v e g e t a t i v e l y propagated, a p a r a l l e l line will be c a r r i e d f o r seed production. If these s e l e c t i o n s w i l l r e p r o d u c e true to type by seed and set a good crop of seed, they should be w e l l adapted f o r this r e g i o n . Many other experimerts w i l l be conducted on this f a r m as time goes on, but f o r the p r e s e n t , herbicide investigations w i l l be confined to the a r e a s w h e r e the p r o b l e m e x i s t s , that i s , on outlying a r e a s . TURFGRASS WEED CONTROL - - CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS John Gallagher - A g r . C h e m . D i v . Amchem Products - Ambler, Pennsylvania The total volume of turf g r a s s w e e d - c o n t r o l information is l a r g e . In some i n s t a n c e s , such as f o r c r a b g r a s s control, it could and does f i l l books. In o t h e r s it is v e r y limited - - perhaps a single o b s e r v a t i o n of secondary nat u r e . But taken in its e n t i r e t y , we have available a n s w e r s to many turf g r a s s weed-control problems. A v a i l a b i l i t y and common usage often a r e s e v e r a l y e a r s a p a r t . Those of us who w o r k with w e e d - c o n t r o l c h e m i c a l s often have three or m o r e y e a r s ' t e s t ing b e f o r e the m a t e r i a l b e c o m e s common knowledge to the ultimate c o n s u m e r . What I plan to do h e r e is to d i s c u s s the c h e m i c a l s now being recommended f o r w e e d - c o n t r o l p r o b l e m s in t u r f . They m a y not all have reached the stage of common usage, but all have r e s e a r c h w o r k to support r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . Phenoxy Compounds Phenoxy compounds make up the basic chemical f o r broadleaf weed cont r o l . They a r e g e n e r a l l y a v a i l a b l e as amine salts or e s t e r s and a r e f o r m u l a t e d f o r spraying or s p r e a d i n g . C e r t a i n cautions m u s t be o b s e r v e d when using phenoxy compounds. Spray to avoid d r i f t to d e s i r a b l e o r n a m e n t a l s , use half r a t e s when treating b e n t g r a s s , and thoroughly clean s p r a y equipment if it is to be used f o r other purposes than turf s p r a y i n g . Phenoxy compounds a r e m o s t e f f i c i e n t l y s p r a y e d with low v o l u m e s . 2,4-D acre. Weeds e a s i l y controlled at r a t e s of 1/2 - 1 1/2 l b . acid equivalent per Dandelion (Taraxacum o f f i c i n a l e ) , n a r r o w leaf plantain (Plantago l a n c e o lata), broad leaf plantain (Plantago m a j o r ) , self heal ( P r u n e l l a v u l g a r i s ) , ground i v y (Nepeta h e d e r a c e a ) , and many other common regional broadleaf weeds. Weeds hard to control r e q u i r e specific f o r m u l a t i o n s or r e p e a t t r e a t ments . Wild g a r l i c and onion - 2 , 4 - D e s t e r f o r m u l a t i o n s . Eradication c o v e r s a t h r e e - s e a s o n s p r a y p r o g r a m . Knotweed (Polygonum a v i c u l a r e ) , c u r l e d dock (Rumex c r i s p u s ) , and wild c a r r o t (Daucus c a r o t a ) r e q u i r e r e p e a t t r e a t m e n t at three-week intervals. 2,4,5-T Weeds e a s i l y controlled at r a t e s of 1/2 - 1 l b . / A Most c l o v e r s p e c i e s , white dutch ( T r i f o l i u m repens), hop c l o v e r ( T r i folium procumbens), and black medic (Medicago lupulina) . Weeds hard to control r e q u i r e r e p e a t t r e a t m e n t s . Oxalis (Oxalis s t r i c t a ) , young knotweed (Polygonum a v i c u l a r e ) , and veronica species. 2 , 4 , 5 - T Propionic Weeds e a s i l y controlled at 1 - 1 / 2 l b . acid equivalent per a c r e . Common chickweed ( S t e l l a r i a media), f i e l d chickweed ( C e r a s t i u m a r v e n s e ) , henbit (Lamium a m p l e x i c a u l e ) , spotted spurge (Euphorbia supina), oxalis (Oxalis s t r i c t a ) , and c l o v e r . Weeds hard to control r e q u i r e at l e a s t two t r e a t m e n t s at the 1 - 1 / 2 l b . per a c r e r a t e . Y a r r o w (Achillea m i l l e f o l i u m ) and m o u s e - e a r chickweed ( C e r a s t i u m vulvatum). F o r weeds other than spotted spurge make applications during the c o o l e r seasons of the y e a r . M a t e r i a l s Other Than Phenoxy Compounds Neburon (1) F o r chickweed s p e c i e s and p e a r l w o r t , 4 l b . 50 per cent m a t e r i a l per a c r e at t e m p e r a t u r e s no higher than 8 5 ° . Endothal Knotweed (Polygonum a v i c u l a r e ) , v e r o n i c a f i l i f o r m i s , poa annua - 1/2 2 l b . per a c r e . Spring application two applications m a y be needed. G r a s s Killing C h e m i c a l s — S e l e c t i v e Organic a r s e n i c a l s - DMA - disodium monomethyl a r s o n a t e , A M A amine (dodecyl) methyl a r s o n a t e available as liquids, soluble powders and d r y v e r m i culite f o r m u l a t i o n s . Weeds c o n t r o l l e d - - P o s e - e m e r g e n t applications. C r a b g r a s s (Digitaria s p . ) , w i t c h g r a s s (Panicum c a p i l l a r e ) , b a r n y a r d g r a s s (Echivochloa c r u s g a l l ) , foxtail (Setaria s p . ) , and dallis g r a s s (Paspalum dilatatum). In m o s t c a s e s multiple applications at r a t e s of 2 . 1 - 3 . 5 l b . f o r young plants. 7 - 1 0 l b . f o r m a t u r e and hard to kill s p e c i e s such as dallis g r a s s . T r e a t m e n t number and i n t e r v a l v a r i e s - - 2 - 3 at 5 - 7 day i n t e r v a l s most common. Caution - - Turf g r a s s e s can be i n j u r e d . Fineleaf f e s c u e s p e c i e s e x t r e m e l y s u s c e p t i b l e . Applications made at t e m p e r a t u r e s of 8 5 ° or higher will cause discoloration. Phenyl m e r c u r i c a c e t a t e - - P M A F o r c r a b g r a s s and s e t e r i a species 0 . 7 5 l b . / A or 5 - 7 pints of a 10 per cent m a t e r i a l . needed. T h r e e applications at s e v e n - d a y i n t e r v a l s on seedling plants Contact C h e m i c a l s P o t a s s i u m cyanate, kocn, and sodium a r s e n i t e . Na A a 2 0 3 # Contact k i l l e r s r e l a t i v e l y n o n - s e l e c t i v e , producing burn on m o s t t u r f g r a s s e s . Control is achieved by r e p e a t t r e a t m e n t s on annual s p e c i e s . Weeds controlled - P r e - e m e r g e n t Sam species except dailis g r a s s A r s e n i c a i s - A r s e n i c toxicity f a c t o r of 3 - 5 l b . m e t a l l i c a r s e n i c p e r 1 , 0 0 0 sq. f t . (2) Calcium a r s e n a t e - 10 l b . 85 per cent or 12 l b . 73 per cent a r s e n i c trioxide. Lead a r s e n a t e - 24 l b . / 1 , 0 0 0 sq . f t . The above m a t e r i a l s p r e v e n t Poa annua vigor and s u r v i v a l . spring applications. Fall to Chiordane 6 0 - 1 0 0 l b . technical per a c r e . Spring application m o s t s a t i s f a c t o r y . V e r m i c u i i t e f o r m u l a t i o n s show advantage. Dow M - 1 3 2 9 , 1481 and Diamond A l k a l i Chemical Company DAC 893 f i e l d tested this y e a r show e x c e l l e n t control of Digitaria species with a high degree of s e l e c t i v i t y . Dow 1329 is a 2 lb./gallon liquid f o r m u l a t i o n , Dow 1481 is an per cent v e r m i c u i i t e f o r m u l a t i o n and DAC 893 is a wettable powder f o r m u l a t i o n . G r a s s K i l l e r s - Non-selective Dalapon - amino t r i a z o i e , TCA - Specific c h e m i c a l s f o r the nonselective r e m o v a l of g r a s s e s around t r e e s , sand t r a p s , d r i v e w a y s , and other a r e a s w h e r e complete kill of g r a s s e s is d e s i r e d . Dalapon - 1 0 - 2 0 l b . / A Amino t r i a z o i e - 1 6 - 2 4 l b . / A TCA - 6 0 - 1 0 0 l b . / A The range of r a t e s is given to c o v e r d i f f e r e n t conditions of g r a s s species and d e n s i t y . Soil fumigants and s h o r t - t e r m s t e r i l a n t s . S o m e t i m e s the best w e e d - c o n t r o l p r a c t i c e is to s t a r t f r e s h with a w e e d - f r e e seed bed. The following m a t e r i a l s w i l l provide such a condition. Each has its advantages and d i s a d v a n t a g e s . The choice depends on the situation. Vapam - 100 gallons/A Methyl bromide - 4 3 5 l b . / A (poison gas) Mylone - 327 l b . / A Calcium cyanamid - 4 , 8 6 0 l b . / A This is a brief s u m m a r y of the c u r r e n t turf g r a s s w e e d - c o n t r o l picture; it is constantly changing at the r e s e a r c h l e v e l . Now u s e s a r e being found f o r old c h e m i c a l s , and solutions a r e being found f o r problem w e e d s . PRODUCING BETTER TURFS C . B . Wilson, A g r o n o m i s t Milwaukee Sewerage C o m m i s s i o n To produce better turf one m u s t f i r s t understand the eight basic f a c t o r s that govern plant growth. In f a c t , when the "big eight" a r e in balance one does not have better t u r f , he has p e r f e c t t u r f . The f i r s t is the right g r a s s suited to the local climate and w e a t h e r . Obviously bermuda or z o y s i a has no place in the land of the n o r t h e r n l i g h t s . C o n v e r s e l y , c o o l - s e a s o n g r a s s e s in the t r o p i c s a r e equally out of place e x cept, p e r h a p s , as an o v e r seeding f o r w i n t e r c o v e r . The point overlooked by the l a y m a n is the tremendous v a r i a t i o n in w e a t h e r in a r e s t r i c t e d a r e a . D r . Keen, K a n s a s State U n i v e r s i t y , t e l l s us a plant transplanted f r o m the north to the south side of a home in his zone can be the equivalent of a 5 0 0 - to 6 0 0 m i l e j o u r n e y due south! Secondly, g r a s s m u s t have light to t h r i v e . Kentucky blue g r a s s and bermuda a r e good e x a m p l e s of sun-loving p l a n t s . Where shade is a f a c t o r , one's choice should be r e d or chewings f e s c u e in drouthy s o i l s , or Poa t r i v i a l i s under m o i s t , shaded conditions in cool, humid a r e a . In the south, z o y s i a s and St. Augustine a r e noted f o r their ability to do well under p a r t i a l shade. If light is e x t r e m e l y l i m i t e d , ground c o v e r s must be used instead of grass. The third f a c t o r is f a v o r a b l e a i r t e m p e r a t u r e . This might be likened to the o p p r e s s i v e heat e x p e r i e n c e d in many m e t r o p o l i t a n c e n t e r s on a hot s u m m e r day as compared with the r e l a t i v e c o m f o r t of a suburb in the same a r e a . On golf c o u r s e s the trouble g r e e n s i n v a r i a b l y lie in a pocketed a r e a . Often, the c l e a r i n g of u n d e r b r u s h and t r e e s in the line of prevailing b r e e z e s will c o r r e c t the bad condition becuase a i r m o v e m e n t l o w e r s the t e m p e r a t u r e . We have listed enough w a t e r as f a c t o r number f o u r , although in this l i s t each f a c t o r is as important as any o t h e r . None can stand by itself in attaining out goal of p e r f e c t t u r f . About 80 per cent of growing g r a s s is w a t e r . It has been e s t i m a t e d that it takes 1, 000 pounds of w a t e r to produce one pound of d r y m a t t e r on a bent g r a s s putting g r e e n . Yet m o s t turf i l l s r e l a t e to the i m p r o p e r use of w a t e r . When the voids between soil p a r t i c l e s a r e saturated with w a t e r , vital oxygen is exluded. G r a s s r o o t s m u s t have a i r as well as w a t e r . In f a c t , g r a s s can wilt when standing in w a t e r . Ail of this e m p h a s i z e s the i m portance of deep, infrequent w a t e r i n g . F r e q u e n t , shallow i r r i g a t i o n s e n c o u r age d i s e a s e , compaction, and w e e d s . F a c t o r number f i v e is a f a v o r a b l e soil e n v i r o n m e n t . To be t r u l y p r o ductive, soils m u s t be u n i f o r m and as deep as g r a s s roots a r e capable of g r o w ing. G r a s s will grow on any textured s o i l . Excellent turf is maintained on the peats of Minnesota, the sands of F l o r i d a , and the adobe c l a y s of C a l i f o r n i a . Man e r r s in attempting but seldom succeeding in his e f f o r t s to m o d i f y s o i l . Topping an a r e a composed of any of the aforementioned with two or three inches of garden loam b e f o r e planting is a c r i m i n a l p r a c t i c e in our opinion. Roots will be r e s t r i c t e d during periods of s t r e s s because l a y e r s of any kind hamper d r a i n a g e . This does not mean to imply that c l a y , sand, or peat is a better medium f o r growing g r a s s , or that modification is n e v e r n e c e s s a r y . Ideally, g r a s s grows best on a medium sandy l o a m . When p r o p e r l y mixed it will contain about 50 per cent solids of which f r o m 10 to 15 per cent is organic m a t t e r . This l e a v e s 25 per cent f o r w a t e r storage and 25 p e r cent f o r a i r . Such a soil drains r e a d i l y , y e t still acts as a storehouse f o r needed plant food e l e m e n t s . On i n t e n s i v e l y used a r e a s like putting g r e e n s and play f i e l d s e v e r y attempt should be made to approach this goal. P r e f e r a b l y , the ingredients of this soil should be mixed " o f f site" and allowed to compost or w e a t h e r b e f o r e u s e . Again it m u s t be u n i f o r m l y deep. Some m a y be s a t i s f i e d with a rooting depth of o n e - f o o t . However, it is interesting to note that r e s e a r c h at the U n i v e r s i t y of C a l i f o r n i a ' s Davis Campus indicates Kentucky blue g r a s s is capable of sending out l i v e r o o t s to a depth of a l m o s t four f e e t . Bent and f e s c u e will root to two f e e t , and bermuda f e e d s below six f e e t on u n i f o r m s o i l . This, by the w a y , is on turf plots mowed between 1/2 and 1 - 1 / 2 inches depending on the g r a s s . Number six is f a v o r a b l e soil r e a c t i o n . Soils can be too acid or too a l k a like to support good growth. A pH range of slightly acid 6 . 0 to slightly a l k a line 7 . 5 ( 7 . 0 is neutral) is considered ideal by turf e x p e r t s . The p r o f e s s i o n a l turf g r o w e r should have a soil a n a l y s i s made p e r i o d i c a l l y by a competent l a b o r a t o r y . Sampling depth should n e v e r v a r y (we s p e c i f y exactly two inches), and the r e s u l t s m u s t be i n t e r p r e t e d by a turf authority to be m e a n i n g f u l . When soils a r e too acid, t r a c e element toxicity can o c c u r , and one l o w e r s the e f f i ciency of nitrogen use by the g r a s s . Under alkaline conditions sodium, c a r bonates, and soluble sulphates and c h l o r i d e s can p r e v e n t growth. Only a chemical soil a n a l y s i s will provide this i n f o r m a t i o n along with c o r r e c t i v e procedures. The seventh f a c t o r is a f e r t i l e s o i l . Nitrogen is considered the key e l e ment in growing g r a s s since it is r e q u i r e d in g r e a t e r amounts than any of the o t h e r s . A c t u a l l y , some 14 or 15 e l e m e n t s a r e needed. The plant m a n u f a c t u r e s three of these - - c a r b o n , hydrogen, and oxygen. The r e m a i n d e r m u s t be supplied. Needs f o r phosphorus and potash a r e d e t e r m i n e d by soil a n a l y s i s as a r e those f o r calcium and m a g n e s i u m . Overlooked by some is the fact that turf r e q u i r e s as much sulphur as phosphorus. The s o - c a l l e d m i n o r e l e m e n t s a r e p r e s e n t in m o s t s o i l s or a r e provided as a f r i n g e benefit in a few of the natural organic f e r t i l i z e r s u s e d . Iron is probably the m o s t important m i n o r e l e m e n t , although copper, zinc, molybdnum, m a n g a n e s e , and boron a r e a l s o needed in t r a c e amounts. Most of these a r e subject to " t i e - u p s " in the soil that make them unavailable to the plant. This is another r e a s o n to have soil t e s t s made p e r i o d i c a l l y , and adjust soil r e a c t i o n to p r e v e n t this f r o m happening. Our final f a c t o r is protection f r o m i n j u r y . Even the best-maintained turf is subject to attacks f r o m i n s e c t s and d i s e a s e s , and an i m p r o p e r l y adjusted m o w e r can ruin e x c e l l e n t g r a s s in a m a t t e r of h o u r s . When i d s e a s e , or an i n s e c t , or t r a f f i c , or a poor mowing job thins out the t u r f , weeds inv a r i a b l y e n t e r . P r e v e n t i o n , then, is the best approach to the protection f r o m i n j u r y f a c t o r . There a r e s e v e r a l good fungicides and i n s e c t i c i d e s a v a i l a b l e , and the use of a e r a t i o n tools to a l l e v i a t e compaction is commonplace today. Mower m a n u f a c t u r e r s and their d i s t r i b u t o r s f u r n i s h operating manuals with each piece of equipment. It is foolish when one doesn't follow their suggestions on equipment maintainance to the l e t t e r . And l a s t but not l e a s t , when weeds invade there a r e many s e l e c t i v e weed k i l l e r s at your d i s p o s a l . In our " b a r r e l d i a g r a m " we mention another f a c t o r - - s o u n d maintenance p r a c t i c e s . A c t u a l l y , this involves all of the o t h e r s . The f a c t o r s n e v e r change whether one l i v e s in A l a s k a or A l a b a m a . However, timing or knowing when to do the job depends on location. A s an e x a m p l e , f a l l is the p r e f e r r e d month f o r seeding in the n o r t h . In the south, spring or e a r l y s u m m e r is the p r o p e r time to plant. Thus the importance of management cannot be o v e r s t r e s s e d . Toro Manufacturing Company's D r . Watson noticed the f i r s t three l e t t e r s (MAN) and suggested they be c a p i t a l i z e d . The MAN of management i s , of c o u r s e , y o u . You m u s t decide when to plant and when to f e r t i l i z e , or whether it is a bug or a d i s e a s e that needs t r e a t i n g . The next t h r e e l e t t e r s spell A G E . This r e f e r s to e x p e r i e n c e . Dollar spot d i s e a s e and sodwebworm i n j u r y can look the s a m e . Experience t e l l s you which one is causing the t r o u b l e . MEN f a l l s next in l i n e . Most of you do not grow g r a s s alone. Your l a b o r , or m e n , m u s t w o r k f o r you and not against y o u . Any knowledge or enthusiasm that you pass on to them is a d i r e c t m e a s u r e of your s u c c e s s in growing g r a s s . This l e a v e s the l e t t e r T to complete the w o r d M A N - A G E - M E N - T . It stands f o r Thoroughn e s s to each and e v e r y f a c t o r that m a k e s up p e r f e c t t u r f . Their e f f e c t can be likened to the capacity of a b a r r e l . The amount of w a t e r it can hold is governed by the s h o r t e s t s t a v e . A s each short stave is lengthened, the next s h o r t e s t d e t e r m i n e s the c a p a c i t y . The same p r e v a i l s with g r a s s . S a t i s f a c t o r y p e r f o r m a n c e can only occur when all f a c t o r s affecting growth a r e f a v o r able . SOIL TESTING PANEL A . R . Halvorson, M o d e r a t o r ; Roy G o s s , Henry Land S r . , and Sam Zook Halvor son: Question: Roy, you mentioned something Sam brought up this morning; w e r e you r e f e r r i n g to these other t e s t s ? A n s w e r : Y e s , f r o m other a r e a s . There a r e quite a number of c o m m e r cial l a b o r a t o r i e s , of c o u r s e , or tests f r o m other s t a t e s , and I would like to point this out f i r s t that many of these c o m m e r c i a l l a b o r a t o r i e s a r e doing a good job of testing, and I would like to state that if you get test r e s u l t s f r o m a c o m m e r c i a l l a b o r a t o r y and f r o m us be c a r e f u l in comparing t h e m . I m e a n , f o r instance our t e s t s r e p o r t s m a y show 24 l b s . of phosphorus per a c r e and a c o m m e r c i a l l a b o r a t o r y m a y show 125 l b s . That doesn't mean that one is wrong and one is r i g h t . There a r e many d i f f e r e n t s o i l - t e s t i n g m e t h o d s . The important thing i s : c o m p a r e to see if it is low, m e d i u m , or high. The numb e r s don't m e a n anything in t h e m s e l v e s , only as they r e l a t e to the low, m e d ium, or high l e v e l . I would like to s t r e s s that. I have had test r e s u l t s brought to me f r o m a c o m m e r c i a l l a b o r a t o r y , and this thing has come up. It is said that one tested 2 5 and another tested 1 6 0 . I looked at the r a t i n g s , and f o r t u n a t e l y both of us had rated them high but with d i f f e r e n t testing m e t h o d s . Those n u m b e r s a r e only a m e a n s of rating them low, medium, or high. Question: How a r e r e p o r t s i n t e r p r e t e d ? A n s w e r : Weil, our i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s a r e based on actual r e s u l t s f r o m e x p e r i m e n t s , of c o u r s e . Roy is conducting e x p e r i m e n t s , Ai and P a t t e r s o n h e r e have been conducting w o r k f o r a number of y e a r s , and the ratings that we give on the r e s u l t s a r e based upon actual t r i a l s in the f i e l d . Roy, A i , and P a t t e r son w i l l take these r e s u l t s , and they will w r i t e the r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s based on their e x p e r i e n c e with r e s u l t s f r o m this r e s e a r c h w o r k . Now, how these other l a b o r a t o r i e s operate I do not know. That i s their p r o b l e m , of c o u r s e , whether they have s p e c i a l i s t s or their s a l e s m e n do it I don't know. I w i l l say this, that many of them do a p e r f e c t l y good job of running a chemical a n a l y - ' s i s - - t h e i r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , how they do it, that is something e l s e . You f e l l o w s m a y have m o r e e x p e r i e n c e with that than I do. I f e e l it is better f o r us to have the s e r v i c e s of Roy Goss or somebody in the turf field r a t h e r than s o m e body in the selling f i e l d . Question: Is there any way that Roy Goss h e r e at this college can do it the same as Oregon State, or they could get together and make their t e s t s identical ? A n s w e r : Norm, you can help m e out on this, but Oregon State College has a s o i l - t e s t i n g s e r v i c e about like o u r s . In some c a s e s their t e s t s a r e a little bit d i f f e r e n t , and I wouldn't w o r r y about that. There a r e many d i f f e r e n t testing methods, and even if they use a d i f f e r e n t method it would evaluate the soil the same w a y that o u r s d o e s . In other w o r d s , it would r a t e it low, m e d ium, or high. The number m a y be 16 in the case of Oregon, and it might be 30 in our c a s e . It doesn't make any d i f f e r e n c e . The important thing is the low, m e d i u m , or high. Norm Goetze: I think it is being done at the C e n t r a l Station but please don't quote me on t h i s . One change we might make is to run the soil s a m p l e s through a turf s p e c i a l i s t . This has been done at Purdue f o r about f i v e or six y e a r s and has w o r k e d out v e r y w e l l . In our station h e r e Norm, Roy takes c a r e of it on the w e s t side, and Pat and Al take c a r e of h e r e on the e a s t s i d e . Standardizing l a b o r a t o r y techniques between the two states might be a little d i f f i c u l t . I b e l i e v e Glen's question was that we could maintain a little h a r m o n y between the r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s so that I'm not up h e r e shouting one thing and y o u ' r e not down t h e r e shouting another thing and we a r e at odds on i t . I don't see how that could happen if we a r e b a s ing our r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s on s o i l - t e s t i n g r e s u l t s . There a r e bound to be d i f f e r e n t r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s in Washington and in Oregon because there a r e d i f f e r ences in nitrogen now, But next spring you could r e a d i l y go at it and a l s o if your phosphates a r e down or your potash is down go right ahead, in one c a s e you might r e c o m m e n d 2 l b s . of potassium sulphate or 1 - 3 / 4 l b s . m u r a t e of potash applied at e v e r y two-week i n t e r v a l s . If I get a soil test f r o m Al h e r e and it s a y s potash is v e r y low, why I'd j u s t as soon r e c o m m e n d to you that e v e r y time you put on nitrogen then to put on 3/4 l b . actual potash K2O with each application of nitrogen so you can achieve balance, then we can taper off, and that is the way we r e c o m m e n d to you and that's the r e a s o n r e c o m m e n dation might v a r y f r o m one p e r s o n to a n o t h e r . We won't make p o s s i b l y the same r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s to anybody in all c a s e s . It is based upon the need and the time of y e a r the r e c o m m e n d a t i o n is being m a d e . Question: A r e there any t e s t s f o r some of the m i n o r e l e m e n t s ? A n s w e r : There a r e many f a c t o r s that a f f e c t how w e l l turf will do, and one of them is the f e r t i l i t y l e v e l in the s o i l , the balance of nutrients in the s o i l . But t h e r e a r e other f a c t o r s that w i l l a f f e c t this such as m o i s t u r e , and b e f o r e I get into that we want to turn that o v e r to R o y . But we do run special little t e s t s o c c a s i o n a l l y on p r o b l e m s on a l k a l i . I've had some s a m p l e s f r o m M o s e s Lake, P a s c o , Richland, and that a r e a . A lot of these a r e a s a r e high in a l k a l i . We test the soil to see if it has an alkali p r o b l e m or if it is a salt p r o b l e m which at t i m e s is hard to tell without a t e s t . Then we also have the p r o b l e m of a r s e n i c . We get s a m p l e s f r o m the Wenatchee a r e a , an old o r c h a r d a r e a , and maybe somebody wants to put in a l a w n . We can test f o r that and give the rating of low, m e d i u m , or high of the a r s e n i c l e v e l s in the s o i l . We have had some s a m p l e s in f r o m these turf a r e a s w h e r e a r s e n i c a l weed k i l l e r s have been used or the l e v e l w a s high enough so that nothing would g r o w . The soil w a s s t e r i l e , and believe me when you get a soil s t e r i l e f r o m a r s e n i c it i s going to stay s t e r i l e f o r a long t i m e . A r s e n i c does not move in the s o i l . It has fixed itself to the soil, and it is going to stay t h e r e . T h e r e a r e these special t e s t s . If you do run into p r o b l e m s and f e r t i l i t y is not the p r o b l e m , there is a chance that it could be a l k a l i , high s a l t s , or o c c a s i o n a l l y we will run into these high a r s e n i c s o i l s . I mentioned that we t e s t f o r phosphorus, p o t a s s i u m , c a l c i u m , and the only m i n o r element we test f o r is boron. L a t e r on I want to get into the r e a s o n we do not test f o r nitrogen and some of these other things. Roy, do you want to say anything at this point? Roy: W e l l , we run into quite a few of those p r o b l e m s that quite often you can have a d i s e a s e condition that tends to indicate a f e r t i l i t y condition. You're getting v e r y poor growth on your g r a s s e s , and, of c o u r s e , it could be d i s e a s e in some c a s e s . Other t i m e s you could have d r y spots, you could have c l a y spots, and pockets, organic l a y e r s , a l m o s t anything if you have an organic a r e a . You know in lawn construction many people a r e putting in g r e a t amounts of sawdust. W e l l , there is a case w h e r e those things a r e going to have to be straightened out o v e r t i m e . Anyone is going to have a problem on his hands f o r quite a long t i m e . He is doing a r e a l good job of handling i t . Incidentally, he r e a l i z e s it, and t h e r e f o r e he's treating f o r i t . But we have all of this o r ganic m a t t e r in the soil, but you can have a deficiency appearing and have a r e a s o n f o r it if you get in there and find out. I get all s o r t s of c a l l s on " I have a d i s e a s e on this g r a s s . " You can't tell what it is on the phone. The only way you can tell is by going to look. You w a s t e about four hours looking and find that there is a big sawdust pocket. Sure enough, it w a s j u s t as d r y as a bone. I think a p e r s o n should know their a r e a w e l l , and you could much m o r e intelligently tell what you w e r e a f t e r . That's right, R o y . I wanted that to be brought out v e r y c l e a r l y , because we have had on occasion people who wonder why their soil test shows high. I'm sure it is a f e r t i l i t y p r o b l e m , but it can be some of these other p r o b l e m s . I wanted to mention at this point, too, some of the t e s t s we do not r u n . The f i r s t one is n i t r o g e n . Why don't we run a test f o r n i t r o g e n ? Let's suppose you i r r i g a t e your a r e a thoroughly today, and you take the soil sample tonight or t o m o r r o w m o r n i n g . The a v a i l a b l e source of nitrogen is v e r y s o l uble. You put on w a t e r , and it m o v e s it right down so that when you take your sample the nitrogen m a y be j u s t below w h e r e you s a m p l e d . The other thing is that you test the soil even if you don't do so right a f t e r an i r r i g a t i o n . You take a sample and test it, and you find v e r y little nitrogen in the s o i l . Yet your turf m a y be doing p e r f e c t l y w e l l . T h e r e m a y be an adequate supply of nitrogen f o r that plant. The r e a s o n f o r that i s that the source of nitrogen in the soil is f r o m organic m a t t e r other than f e r t i l i z e r . Organic m a t t e r l i b e r a t e s nitrogen as it r o t s . Sam Zook: I had soil s a m p l e s taken l a s t y e a r . In the sample it showed a low pH, and I would hate to quote the exact pH because I am not p o s i t i v e . The r e c o m mendations w e r e f o r an application of a ton and a half of l i m e to the a c r e so f i r s t I a e r i f i e d and then applied, and whether it's true or not, I feel that I got some benefit out of i t . Roy: W e l l , I think if there is some i n f o r m a t i o n on that it would be well to bring out. Al: We do know that l i m e m o v e s v e r y , v e r y s l o w l y . It is v e r y highly i n s o l uble, m o r e or l e s s . If you don't place it w h e r e the plant can get it, you a r e apt to wait 20 y e a r s , as C h a r l i e s a y s , f o r it to get t h e r e . It's f o l l y to do any construction without knowing the nutrient l e v e l of the soil that you a r e using. F o r e x a m p l e , if you a r e building your own lawn, any l a n d s c a p e r that doesn't know something about the soil he is working with (the pH l e v e l , the phosphoruspotassium l e v e l s ) then he is in a p r e t t y poor position because he is doing no m o r e than guessing as to what he n e e d s . If it is low in pH then he wants to r a i s e it up a bit so he can i n c o r p o r a t e this to the depth that he is w o r k i n g . If it i s on established turf t h e r e is only one way you can get it down and that is by a e r i f y i n g f i r s t and then attempting to get as much of it down the a e r i f y i n g holes as p o s s i b l e . It isn't too hard to distribute it two to three inches deep. Al: I would like to bring out an important point h e r e in connection with soil testing in testing f o r l i m e . In this c a s e , Sam, if you took a soil sample next y e a r and wanted to have that checked f o r l i m e you can see the p r o b l e m s you might run into. You might pick up a sample of soil and pick up a chunk of lime in the s a m p l e . That would come into the l a b o r a t o r y and be ground up and would bring the pH up, w h e r e a s the pH in the total soil might not be that high. So this r e l a t e s to what I said about the i n f o r m a t i o n s h e e t . If you state on the i n f o r m a t i o n sheet that this w a s l i m e d l a s t y e a r , we will watch and be c a r e f u l to see that there a r e no l i m e chunks in this s o i l . Henry, you've had some e x p e r i e n c e with soil testing. Do you have a n y thing you would like to tell about how you got the sample and how it w o r k e d out f o r you and how long did you have to wait f o r the test r e s u l t s ? Henry: Roy. It took about one month, and I r e c e i v e d it back with a full r e p o r t f r o m COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCES OF BLUEGRASSES FOR TURF PURPOSES J . K . P a t t e r son, A g r o n o m i s t W . S . U . P u l l m a n , Washington Some y e a r s ago, the Plant M a t e r i a l s Center planted some b l u e g r a s s r e c e i v e d f r o m an introduction tracing back to seed r e c e i v e d in 1934 f r o m Denm a r k . A f t e r growing and replanting f r o m seed through four generations, a space planting w a s made in 1 9 5 2 . In this space planting, there w e r e s e v e r a l dwarf or s h o r t - t y p e b l u e g r a s s e s . During a tour of the v a r i o u s plantings and r e s e a r c h plots, J . K . P a t t e r s o n , A . G. Law, and John Schwendiman selected four of these plants f o r consideration as a turf g r a s s . Richard A d l a r d saved seed f r o m these plants, and a space planting w a s made adjoining some s p a c e planted m e r i o n b l u e g r a s s . These plants showed s e v e r a l d e s i r a b l e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . They greened up somewhat e a r l i e r than the M e r i o n b l u e g r a s s p r e m a i n e d green l a t e r into the s u m m e r (these w e r e d r y - l a n d plantings and soil m o i s t u r e w a s depleted by m i d July), and w e r e a l m o s t e n t i r e l y f r e e of powdery mildew that attacked all of the M e r i o n p l a n t s . Seed w a s h a r v e s t e d f r o m these plantings and designated by the n u m b e r s 105, 2 0 5 , 4 0 2 , and 602 to keep the four original plants s e p a r a t e . This seed w a s used f o r turf t r i a l s at P u l l m a n , and seed w a s a l s o sent to other r e s e a r c h people around the United States (Ohio, Indiana, K a n s a s , Oregon, Maryland); some to B r i t i s h Columbia, Canada; and to other r e s e a r c h w o r k e r s in our own s t a t e . R e s e a r c h plots at P u l l m a n proved that all s t r a i n s 105, 2 0 5 , 4 0 2 , and 602 could " t a k e " the clipping t r e a t m e n t s r e q u i r e d of a turf g r a s s . Clippings w e r e made once each week to the 1/2-inch height and to the one-inch height by Roy G o s s , as a p a r t of his r e s e a r c h . These s t r a i n s also proved to have e x c e l l e n t turf quality; they maintained an e x c e l l e n t , d a r k - g r e e n c o l o r , w e r e low growing, and gave a l m o s t a complete ground c o v e r . In 1 9 5 8 , when we had one of the w a r m e s t s u m m e r s on r e c o r d , leaf r u s t attacked many of our b l u e g r a s s . These s t r a i n s s u f f e r e d to some extent, but much l e s s so than did M e r i o n b l u e g r a s s and somewhat m o r e so than the Newport b l u e g r a s s . Other tests in Indiana, Oregon, and Canada supported evidence of this and other d i s eases resistance. Table 1 . Variety P e r f o r m a n c e of B l u e g r a s s at W o o s t e r , Ohio - (R. R . Davis) Seedling/sq. f t . inch Oct. 1956 P.N.W.* Merion Park Delta Penn (Kl)* Minn Common Iowa Common LSD. 05 1.4 2.4 3.2 2.1 1.7 4.6 2.2 1.3 Weeds/sq.ft. Weeds/sq.ft. Oct. 1958 Sept. 1957 7.1 2.6 5.0 8.4 5.3 4.8 7.5 2.3 1.0 0.8 2.8 4.3 0.4 3.0 5.5 2.1 Helminthosporium Leaf Spot ** 2.8 1.0 5.5 4.2 1.0 8.8 6.0 1.8 * Seeded at 1/2 l b / 1 0 0 0 sq . f t . ( r e s t seeded at 1 Ib./lOOO sq . f t . ) ** 1 = l e a s t d i s e a s e . 9 = m o s t d i s e a s e . In spite of a l o w e r seeding r a t e , P . N . W . shows e x c e l l e n t establishment in 1956 and good r e s i s t a n c e to weed invasion by the f a l l of 1 9 5 8 . P . N . W . shows some l e s s r e s i s t a n c e to Helminthosporium than Merion and Penn ( K l ) but significantly m o r e r e s i s t a n c e to this d i s e a s e than the other common b l u e g r a s s . W . E . P . Davis at A g a s s i z , B r i t i s h Columbia, Canada, m a k e s this statement concerning the b l u e g r a s s e s under his conditions. " M e r i o n and P . N . W . a r e d i f f i c u l t to s e p a r a t e on the b a s i s of their r e s p o n s e to conditions at A g a s s i z . Newport has only been tested this s e a s o n . It a p p e a r s to be m o r e open and l e s s r e s i s t a n t to weed invasion than M e r i o n . " M e r i o n , P . N . W . , and Newport a r e ail susceptible to r u s t , c l o s e c l i p ping r e d u c e s the infection, they have a v e r y high demand f o r n u t r i e n t s . This type of b l u e g r a s s is rated highly h e r e . " J . M . Duich at Penn State U n i v e r s i t y m a k e s this statement concerning b l u e g r a s s e s under t e s t in P e n n s y l v a n i a . " W e have had Newport under test since 1954 and w e r e quite pleased until the l a s t two y e a r s . The d i s p l e a s u r e is due to susceptibility to leaf spot (Helminthosporium vagans). A l s o , under cool spring conditions it m a k e s seed heads and the turf becomes s t e m m y f o r s e v e r a l w e e k s . We still r a t e it appreciable better than Delta, P a r k and A r boretum under our n o r t h e a s t conditions. We definitely f e e l that it r a t e s above common Kentucky and above the named s t r a i n s but not s u p e r i o r to M e r i o n . " T e s t s on seedling vigor w e r e run since one of the p r o b l e m s in turf is in its e s t a b l i s h m e n t . (Merion is notorious as a " w e a k s i s t e r " in this r e s p e c t . ) In all of our g r e e n house and f i e l d t r i a l s , these s t r a i n s w e r e outstanding in seedling v i g o r . We even t r e a t e d some of these seeds with G i b b e r e l l i n (a growth s t i m u l a t o r ) to see what might happen. The new g r a s s showed some r e s p o n s e . M e r i o n , h o w e v e r , responded much m o r e , but still did not grow as f a s t or as w e l l as the new s t r a i n s under t e s t . Table 2 . B l u e g r a s s E m e r g e n c e Test RATE OF EMERGENCE 50 Seeds a f t e r 1 w e e k , 1957 0 trt. Gibberellic Treated 402 30 37 602 28 37 205 34 36 Merion 11 19 P . N . W . s e e m s to have its own built-in growth stimulator and doesn't need a s s i s t a n c e f r o m gibberellic acid to exhibit its v i g o r . G r a s s seed t r i a l s a r e now under way at P u l l m a n , P r o s s e r , and C o r v a l l i s , Oregon. The P . N . W . s t r a i n outyielded other b l u e g r a s s e s a t C o r v a l l i s l a s t y e a r but w a s below M e r i o n and Delta b l u e g r a s s at P u l l m a n . ( P r e s e n t indications would indicate that all seed y i e l d s will be higher in 1959 e s p e c i a l l y f o r the P . N . W . s t r a i n . ) Table 3 . Variety Seed Yield B l u e g r a s s 1958 (Pound per a c r e ) Oregon 1 9 5 8 * Washington Merion 220 Troy 275 Park 243 PNW 294 Newport 265 Delta 198 Common 237 LSD. 05 77 66 CV % 21 10 % shatter a f t e r 7 day W a s h . 346 47 211 6 464 27 * P . N . W . and Newport w e r e p r a c t i c a l l y f r e e of r u s t while the o t h e r s w e r e h e a v i l y i n f e s t e d . ( P . N . W . showed only a t r a c e of leaf r u s t at P u l l m a n . Delta and M e r i o n w e r e s e v e r e l y i n f e s t e d . ) H. H. Rampton m a k e s these r e m a r k s concerning seed yield of blueg r a s s e s in 1959 • " Y i e l d s of our b l u e g r a s s v a r i e t i e s a r e low this y e a r . We have had a tremendous infestation of stripe r u s t (Puccinia S t r i i f o r m i s ) and it has r e a l l y knocked the yield of b l u e g r a s s seed in the Willamette v a l l e y . The l a t e r maturing v a r i e t i e s such as M e r i o n and P . N . W . m a y not have been so s e v e r e l y damaged as w e r e the e a r l y v a r i e t i e s , but all w e r e hit h a r d . " M e r i o n has been one of the m o s t susceptible of the b l u e g r a s s e s to stripe smut in the e a s t e r n United S t a t e s . This Smut (Ustilago S t r i i f o r m u s ) reduced M e r i o n by 32 per cent in a m i x t u r e with r e d f e s c u e during a o n e - y e a r period and thinned stands of turf planted to M e r i o n o n l y . Seed y i e l d s will be s e c u r e d at P r o s s e r f o r the f i r s t time this y e a r . One new bit of i n f o r m a t i o n on seed habit w a s d i s c o v e r e d , h o w e v e r ; the P . N . W . s t r a i n withstands seed shattering v e r y w e l l , in f a c t it's one of the best of the g r a s s e s in this r e s p e c t . It held its seed about one month a f t e r r i p e n i n g . The seed c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s g r a s s e s ; they a r e about 20 per silks at the b a s e . This m a k e s should be of benefit to the seed a r e somewhat d i f f e r e n t than the other bluecent l a r g e r and have much l e s s of the fuzz or the seed e a s i e r to t h r e s h and m i l l , which g r o w e r and p r o c e s s o r One of the p r o b l e m s encountered in handling some of the b l u e g r a s s e s is the d i f f i c u l t y of getting p r o p e r germination within the f i r s t few months a f t e r h a r v e s t (the seeds seem to have a definite d o r m a n c y period). Seed of t h r e e of the new s t r a i n s along with M e r i o n , Delta, and Newport b l u e g r a s s w a s s e c u r e d f r o m plantings at P u l l m a n in 1 9 5 8 . Official germination tests w e r e run, at the seed l a b o r a t o r y at Pullman,^ beginning in August until the present time (28day testing period f o r each test^. P l e a s e note the r e s u l t s : Table 4 . Germination of B l u e g r a s s V a r i e t i e s Test ending on: Sept. 15 Oct. 12 Nov. 11 D e c . 10 J a n . 6 May 5 June 12 July 23 Av. 205 72 77 67 86 91 83 81 87 81 402 72 79 86 84 88 79 83 87 82 602 72 86 81 82 88 78 86 89 83 3 5 2 3 1 14 31 55 15 23 32 35 29 29 35 4 59 31 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 24 3 Merion Delta Newport The P . N . W . s t r a i n s germinated quite r e a d i l y i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r h a r v e s t , but the other v a r i e t i e s did not begin to b r e a k d o r m a n c y until a l m o s t 10 months a f t e r h a r v e s t - - much a f t e r the n o r m a l t u r f - g r a s s use time of M a r c h and A p r i l of the spring following h a r v e s t . In an e f f o r t to break the d o r m a n c y , the seed w a s placed in cold storage f o r seven days; this definitely helped M e r i o n , Newport, and D e l t a . In three t e s t s , F e b r u a r y 6, M a r c h 13, and A p r i l 17, Delta a v e r a g e d 51 per cent g e r mination, Newport 37 per cent, and M e r i o n 23 per cent 0 This w a s appreciable above their p e r f o r m a n c e without the cold storage t r e a t m e n t , but h a r d l y s a t i s f a c t o r y . The new s t r a i n s w e r e not changed or i m p r o v e d in germination by the cold t r e a t m e n t . It is interesting to note that r e g a r d l e s s of t r e a t m e n t , the new selections s t a r t e d off germinating well s h o r t l y a f t e r h a r v e s t and w e r e p e r f o r m i n g better than the other v a r i e t i e s into the spring and s u m m e r of 1 9 5 9 .