Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-19
MEET TOMORROW
TO DISCUSS GRASS
Linksmen Owe Debt to U. S.
Notwithstanding
Machine Tests Turf.
BY WALTER r. McCALLUM.

- little spots of brown grass
on the putting green's Of
your golf course, about as
big as a silver dollar, scattered all
over the green? Naturally you
have, and have you wondered
what they are, and whether put
ting green's need to suffer from
this malady?
over at the turf gardens Of the De-
partment of Agriculture, where golf
course grass research has become al
most an exact science, group OF
earnest men, who pore day after day
over tiny sprouts of grass, have just
about put these brown spots under
control, and are steadily working
toward the time when the so-called
drown patch" which now infests put
ting greens in this locality, will be a
thing of the past, or so era at1iy1 so
that its ravages no longer Will be
noticeable.
In case you do not know just what
As being done by the scientists OF the
Department of Agriculture to make
your golf course more enjoyable
place on which to play, journey over
there tomorrow morning ana listen IN
on the learned discussions of the group
of men who will gather there at 10
o'clock at a national meeting to dis
ctlss golf course turf and the prob
lens of keeping 1t in good shape Tor
the proper digging of divots. For to-
morrow, out at the Arlington turf gar
dens, will be held one of the most i'm
portant meetings of the year from
course upkeep standpoint, and one That
may be productive of helping your
golf course and mine.
Find the Causes.
There YOU may see the standard
cuttinp machine. a machine that hits
a golf bali with deftly regulated
strength over all kinds of grass. You
NAV learn why certain strains OF bent
have been made highly resistant to
brown patch; why certain strains are
not fitted for putting green use in this
climate; why your new l.68xl.o 90 go1
ball hops on the green and score: more
new reasons why golf balls act nSs
they do. These men are scientists and
with true scientific zeal have gone into
the why's and wherefores of putting
green grass to such an extent That
putting greens generally, as result
Of their research work, are better to-
day throughout the country than ever
before.
Not so many years ago the De-
partment of Agriculture took only
desultory interest in putting green
grass work.
DEVELOPMENT of new strains of grass
and new treatment TO prevent the
various kinds of fungi that attack the
delicate grasses was incidental to the
other work of the department. But
early in the last decade Drs. C.. V.
Piper, r. A. Ookley and Karl Keller
man decided that further research
might reveal some facts about put
their Standard. And along about that
time the United States Golf Associa-
ton, which had worked along with the
department in somewhat loose jointed
fashion, started an agitation to or
9anize a greens section which would
be a part of the golf association, but
would have the facilities OF the de-
rartnent's scientific staff to aid. Out
of this has grown an organization
which covers the country.
Advice Open to All.
Folks in Kalamazoo, or Seattle, or
Boston can get the same Sc1entif1c ao-
vice on putting green grasses that we
obtain here in Washington, where the
headquarters of the department are
located.
out there in the turf gardens at
Arlington. a stones throw from where
the new Arlington Bridge is being built,
have been developed several strains OF
putting green grass that now are stand
ard And the end is nowhere In
sight New strains are being developed
each year and ultimately the hope is to
find a strain that will be SO highly re-
sistant to brown patch-with the treat
ments that are given the graSs-thst
no more shall we be bothered by brown
spots on our putting green's. 1t SOUNDS
innocuouS when We say that meeting
is to be held tomorrow at the turf gar
den, but in reality much OF the scien-
tific brains of the country at work on
golf course grasses will be gathered at
Arlington tomorrow, Where DR.. John
Monteith and his corp of assistants
will marshal group of visitors through
the garden.
Use Several Strains.
Down on a bank of the Potomac
River. under conditions well suited to
propagation of brown patch. the scien-
fists have constructed a putting green,
using several strains of grass which will
be shown for their resistant qualities,
and may be taken far out from Wash
ington as examples Of how to cure all
ing putting green's.
Over there at Arlington was devel-
oped the famed Washington strain of
bent, discovered by Prof. Piper on one
Of the green's at the Washington Golf
and Country Club many years ago.
From this original strain have gone out
Throughout the country many stolons
Of this bent. and countless putting
green's now are planted with Washing
ton bent from the Stringy little stolons
developed at Arlington. This is just an
example of the work done over there.
The average golfer has little knowledge
and cares less about the work of these
men but II he knew what 1t means to
him and his pleasure. he would feel
dep debt of gratitude to them for the
labors that have virtually eliminated
brown patch as major cause of golf