MEETING NOTICE
Date:
Place:
Lunch:
Golf:
Cocktails:
Dinner:
Program:
Host:

May 18th, Thursday
Scarsdale Golf Club, Hartsdale, New York
After 12 noon
After 12:30
6-7 PM
7 PM
Business and Membership meeting
Everett Wood will be our host. “Woody” is a
graduate of the University of Massachusetts Turf
School and has been at Scarsdale for eight years.
Woody and his wife Gail reside with their two
children in Hartsdale. Woody has been active in the
M.G.S.A.A. for many years holding the office of
Secretary and is presently our President.
Directions: From Cross Westchester Exp. (287) take exit No. 5.
Turn left at end of ramp and go to first light and
turn left. Go to second light and turn right on to
Central Ave. Proceed on Central Ave. for \ lA miles
and turn left on Hartsdale Ave. Proceed through the
town of Hartsdale and turn right just after Railroad
Station on to Club Way.
NOTE:
Please remember to return your postcards.
PLEASE NOTE: Luncheon, bar & dinner will be on cash basis.
Coming Events:
June 6th
Conn. G.C.S.A. at The Farms Country Club
June 22
Tentative meeting of MGCSA. Unfortunately at this
time we do not have a club for this meeting. Anyone
who is interested in hosting this meeting, please
contact Harry Nichol at LY 2-6608 (o) or 268-9370

(h>.
July 18
July 20
August 10
August 24
August
September

N.J.G.S.A.A. Montclair Golf Club
M.G.C.S.A. Championship, Mt. Kisco
Rutgers University Field Day
OPEN: Please contact Harry Nichol
Tentative Field Day MGCSA
Invitational, Whippoorwill Club

MGCSA News:
It certainly was a great joint meeting at Dellwood C.C. We had
close to 125 in attendance. Jerry Scafa was a wonderful host. The
return cards numbered over 100, so let’s keep up the good work
on returning your post card.
Well, we certainly haven’t had an opportunity to try out the
irrigation system. A1 Caravella has just about had his new

automatic system completed at Brae Burn. Ted Horton should
have five holes automated with a Toro system at Winged Foot.
Ted will also be hosting the US Women’s Open in late June.
Now that warmer days are here and with all the rain the grass
is really moving and it looks like we will be using all our mowing
equipment for the next month. Drainage looks like the key again
to being able to mow. Looking back we have hardly dried out
since late July last year.
Jim Fulwider gave an excellent talk at a recent PGA seminar at
Westchester — “Superintendent and Golf Professional
Relationships” .
We hope to have a few of the forms necessary for the New
Labor Law available to our members.
We certainly had our eyes opened a little by Professor Foss at
Dellwood on the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Lucas’s Corner
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to you
David Marmelstein, the new Superintendent of the Candlewood
Valley Country Club in New Milford, Conn. For the past three
years Dave was with the Honey Hill Country Club in Newport,
New York and is a graduate of the University of Mass. Winter
School. Dave will be residing with his wife Linda and son Aaron
in New Milford.
$ $ ^

^ ^

Bob Lippman of Andrew Wilson Company has moved to
Somers, New York. Bob will be servicing the same accounts as
before. Bob’s new home phone number is (914) 248-5790.
Buying a new Car? According to the National Association of
Fleet Administrators, not initial price nor miles per gallon, but
resale value, is the prime factor considered. “The top factor in car
selection is how much the car will sell for after its period of use is
over.”
Other factors, in order of importance, are initial cost,
serviceability and percentage of depreciation, a recent NAFA
survey shows.
“Year after year, resale value heads the list,” NAFA says.
Nation’s Business, March 1972
Boston’s John B. Haynes Civic Auditorium will be the site of
the 1972 G.C.S.A.A. National Conference and Show. The
Sheraton-Boston Hotel will serve as the headquarters hotel and
the Haynes Auditorium will house the exhibitions. The dates are
January 7 through 12th, 1972.

RESEARCH REVIEW
By Wayne C. Morgan

Editorial Staff
Garry Crothers
Pat Lucas
Al Tretera

Co-Editor
Co-Editor
Advertising Manager
OFFICERS

Everett Wood, Scarsdale G.C.
Office 914-723-2840, Home 914-472-0174
Harry H. Nichol, Elmwood C.C.
First
Office 914-592-6608, Home 914-268-9370
Vice President:
Ronald Boydston, Rockland C.C.
Second
Office 914-359-5346, Home 914-359-2910
Vice President:
Edward C. Horton, Winged Foot G.C.
Secretary:
Office 914-698-2827, Home 914-835-1181
Garry N. Crothers, The Apawamis Club
Treasurer:
Office 914-967-2100, Home 914-666-7126
Sergeant at Arms: Anthony Altomaro, Greenwich C.C.
Office 203-869-1000, Home 203-661-7019
President:

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Office 914-834-3042
Home 914-273-8955
Office 914-279-4777
Patrick Lucas, Jr., Back-of-Beyond
Home 914-279-4701
Office 203-869-2350
Gus Powell, Round Hill Club, Inc.
Home 203-531-5826
Office 203-637-3210
Anthony Savone, Innis Arden C.C.
Home 203-637-4475
Office 914-631-4560
John Sundholm, Green Rock Corp.
Home 914-631-4458
Office 914-472-1467
Allan Tretera, Fenway G.C.
Home 914-241-2169
Past President: John Madden, Engineers C.C.
Office 516-621-5350
Dominick DiMarzo, Bonnie Briar C.C.

N ot copyrighted. I f there is good here, we want to share it with
all chapters - unless author states otherwise.

“Rooting of Annual Bluegrass, Perennial Bluegrass, and
Creeping Bentgrass at three degress of Soil Compaction.”
Annual bluegrass (Poa annua) has become a major weed
problem in fine turf. Its characteristic light color, indeterminate
flowering habit, and susceptibility to heat, drought, disease, and
nutrient deficiences have made Poa annua control a principal
concern in many turf programs.
Some valuable information was presented on the rooting
ability of Poa annua compared to Kentucky perennial bluegrass
and Penncross creeping bentgrass under three degrees of Soil
Compaction by J. F. Wilkinson and D. T. Duff of the University
of Rhode Island. It was presented in the January-February issue
of the Agronomy Journal.
Poa annua is often found in areas where the more desirable
permanent grasses do not persist because of soil compaction or
excessive watering. Under these situations it is unable to produce
a substantial root system. However, with proper temperatures,
Poa annua often can survive with restricted root growth, resulting
in an exaggeration of its susceptibility to heat, drought, and
nutrient deficiencies. Consequently, Poa annua has gained the
reputation of being an inherently shallow-rooted grass.
Root growth can be greatly influenced by the level of soil
compaction. Given a great enough range in bulk density (soil
compactability), a parabolic relationship exists between root
growth and bulk density. Soils with low bulk densities (loose
soils) are well aerated and provide little resistance to root
penetration. However, root growth may be limited because of low
water-holding capacity.
Soils with high bulk densities (compacted soils), on the other
hand, limit root penetration by actual physical resistance and low
oxygen diffusion rates (ODR). Lutz concluded that apparent bulk
density alone is not the limiting factor. Pore size must also be
considered. At any given bulk density, clays offer more physical
resistance than sandy soils.
The ability of plants to grow in soils with a low ODR also
varies greatly. Grasses have been found to be tolerant of low ODR
values, while tomatoes and legumes are sensitive.
Sprague and Burton measured the root growth of Poa annua
under loose (a soil under cultivation for many years) and
compacted (a pathway untilled for several years) soils. They
concluded that Poa annua root growth was substantial compared
to that of the more permanent grasses when grown under
favorable soil conditions. Root growth was significantly reduced
in the compact soil. It was speculated that Poa annua occupies
compacted areas only during cooler seasons when the oxygen
requirements of roots are lowered.
Experiment

Jobs Wanted:
Richard Hurley
109 Ocean Road, Apt. 10
Narragansett R.I. 02882
BS in Agronomy at University of
Rhode Island. MS in June in
Agronomy. Interested in working
under
an
experienced
Superintendent in the Metropolitan
area. Resume upon request.

Despite the work of Sprague, and Burton, many still consider
Poa annua a shallow-rooted grass, based solely on casual
observation of its growth in compacted soils. The objective of this
research was to examine more fully the root growth of annual
bluegrass compared to that of the more permanent turfgrasses it
often invades, Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and creeping
bentgrass (Agrostis Palustris Huds.) under controlled levels of soil
bulk density.
Results and Discussion
Under similar conditions of soil compaction, the root growth
of all grasses was statistically the same at any given depth. Root
growth of each grass decreased with depth at all bulk densities.
There was no significant increase in root weight between 8 and 12

weeks at any one depth or bulk density. At a bulk density of 1.1
(low compaction) Perennial bluegrass produced less root growth
than creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass. Although this
difference was significant 8 weeks after germination, it was not so
after 12 weeks. Total root weight of all grasses was the same after
8 and 12 weeks at higher bulk densities (greater soil compaction)
of 1.25 and 1.4.
P. annua is often believed a shallow-rooted grass based on
observation of its growth on compacted soils. Many often
consider P. annua invasion an indication of poor soil conditions.
Several objections to its presence, i.e., susceptibility to heat,
drought, disease, and nutrient deficiencies, may have risen as the
result of a shallow rooted one in compacted soils. However,
Youngner has demonstrated P. annua is more dependent upon
available soil moisture than bermudagrass and Beard found P.
annua to be less resistant to heat than Kentucky bluegrass or
bentgrass.
Generalizations such as these in regard to P. annua may be
erroneous. Gibeault lists numerous ecotypes (botanical varieties)
and later collected five plants exhibiting completely different
growth habits. Tolerance to environmental conditions certainly
may vary between ecotypes.
The ability of P. annua to compete with the more permanent
grasses and to survive in compacted soils is probably the result of
several factors: continuous seed production and renewal of
growth during cooler seasons when not under heat or drought
stress has shown that perennial ecotypes do exist in addition to
the many annuals; several ecotypes that poses creeping stems,
increasing their ability to compete with the more permanent
grasses have been found; and, P. annua is not an inherently
shallow-rooted grass as commonly believed. Under similar soil
conditions the root growth of P. annua was equal to that of P.
pratensis and A. palustris.
No evidence was found to indicate that P. annua was more
tolerant of compacted soils. It does produce a shallow root
system in compacted soils. This is a response that might be
expected under these conditions, and not an inherent feature of
its ability to produce roots. Restriction of P. annua’s roots to the
soil surface is characteristic of poor soil conditions. The mere
presence of P. annua in a turf situation is not indicative of
compacted soils.

I.

II.

CONTROL OF ALGAE AND AQUATIC WEEDS
Classification
Suggested Chemicals for
Control*
ALGAE
Copper compounds which are
1. Plankton
cleared by Environmental
2. Filamentous
Protection Agency
3. Branched
AQUATIC WEEDS
1. Free floating
2. Emersed**
i. monocots

Diquat (should not be
used in irrigation water)

Dalapon (CAUTION: Will
also kill turfgrass)
2,4-D
ii. dicots
Endothall systems
3. Submersed
Diquat (should not be
used in irrigation water)
*The names listed are the common technical names of
the active ingredients.
**Monocots (monocotyledonous plants) have parallel-veined
leaves, like grasses; dicots have net-veined leaves like
dandelions.

NUISANCE VEGETATION IN GOLF COURSE PONDS
By William G. Paterson
3M Company
3M Center
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101
Excessive growths of aquatic vegetation in golf course ponds
are undesirable for several reasons: the esthetic beauty of the
pond is ruined, pumping systems become clogged, unpleasant
odors often develop, golfers are unable to locate and retrieve their
lost balls, and in extreme cases, waterfowl can be driven away.
Two major factors which contribute to excessive growth are: (1)
high nutrient levels in the water, and (2) shallow water which
becomes very warm and accelerates plant growth rates.
Aquatic vegetation growths can be broadly divided into two
groups: algae and weeds.
Algae are primitive plants with no true roots, stems, leaves or
flowers. Plankton algae are minute, free-floating plants which
impart a green color to the water when present in excess.
Filamentous algae appear as moss-like tufts on the pond bottom
and also as drifting or floating scums of hair-like strands.
Branched algae (usually chara) are erect plants attached to the
bottom which resemble submersed weeds. A manual should be
consulted for positive identification.
Aquatic weeds are conveniently divided into three
classifications. Free-floating weeds usually grow on the water
surface and are not attached to the soil bottom. The most
common example in northern states is duckweed. Emersed weeds
are those which grow in shallow water (or unusually moist soil)
with leaves and stems extending out of the water. Familiar
examples are cattail, bulrush, arrowhead, and water lily.
Submersed weeds are almost always rooted or attached to the
bottom and have most or all of their leaves below the water
surface. Pondweed, coontail, water milfoil, and elodea are very
common.
Two useful, inexpensive and easy-to-obtain manuals on aquatic
plants are the following:
1. “Common Aquatic Weeds”
Agriculture Handbook No. 352
*
Available for $0.50 from:
Superintendent of Documents
U. S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D. C. 20402
2. “Aquatic Plants of Illinois”
Available for $1.25 from:
Illinois State Museum Society
Illinois State Museum
Springfield, Illinois 62706
The accompanying table lists the most effective herbicides for
control measures for each major classification of algae and
aquatic weeds. For example, 3M Company manufactures Aquatic
Herbicide System E (E for endothall) and Envirocap-C Controlled
Release Algicide (C for copper sulfate). It is imperative that all
chemicals which are applied to a golf course pond have an
appropriate government clearance printed on the label. A golf
course superintendent should also be a good ecological neighbor
and be sure that all products used in his ponds have a proven wide
margin of safety to fish, non-target aquatic organisms and
wildlife.
Some aquatic plants like lotus are desirable because of their
beauty and can be left as part of the landscape, Similarly, cattails
can provide an attractive backdrop for ponds, and are useful in
maintaining an ecological balance by storing nutrients.
Superintendents should bear such factors in mind before they
initiate their control programs.

77 r

\ x 'i'

Edward C. Horton, Secretary
145 Crotona Avenue
Harrison, New York 10528

;

‘¡ i'P

First Class
M E L V IN

B LUCAS JR

garden

c it y

g o lf

a

CLUB

3 1 5 STEWART AVE
GARDEN C ITY NY
11530

Dow Chemical U.S.A., Ag-Organics Dept., Midland, Michigan 48640

It Will,
and It Won’t
What do we mean by that? Well, DURSBAN* insecticide
w ill give broad spectrum control of chinch bugs, sod
webworms, earwigs, cutworms, grasshoppers and mosquitos
in turf. In doing so, it w on't leave objectionable odors. It
w ill give long residual control — from 8-12 weeks. It w on't
cost you an arm and a leg — only $12 per acre. DURSBAN
insecticide is easy to apply, and readily available from most
tu rf products suppliers. Try it on your course this year.

^Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company.

MILORGANITE AND ECOLOGY
The Milorganite concept is
a major anti pollution factor.
Recycling is the key.
For Further information write:

Milorganite and Ecology
Box 267
Hawthorne, N.Y. 10532

Anthony Grasso
John G. Wistrand

Area code 914 769-7600