October 14, 1916 



HORTICULTURE 



525 



SOUR SOILS, THEIR CAUSES AND 

 TREATMENT. 



This is a subject that applies more 

 to inland courses than those situated 

 by the sea, as the soil is of a heavier 

 nature and consequently apt to get In- 

 to a sour condition. There are several 

 reasons for soil becoming sour and the 

 following are some of the principal 

 ones: 



The first and rcost important is want 

 of proper drainage. It is absolutely 

 essential, if the soil is to be kept in a 

 sweet conditiop suitable for the main- 

 tenance of a good healthy turf, to have 

 proper drainage. In making a new 

 course this is a very important point 

 that should be carefully gone into and 

 a systematic scheme of drainage car- 

 ried out. 



Grass will not thrive on wet sour 

 soil no matter how much money and 

 labor may be expended on fertilizers, 

 etc. It will gradually and surely go 

 back and weeds of all kinds will soon 

 take its place and in a short time the 

 greens will not be fit to play upon. 

 The second cause of sourness in soils 

 is one that is brought about by in- 

 judicious watering. 



It is most important to have a liber- 

 al supply of water at hand, but this 

 does not imply that it should be used 

 indiscriminately even if there should 

 be a good system of drainage, as time 

 and again even on sandy soils where 

 drainage was perfect I have seen the 

 surface turned into a wet, sour con- 

 dition simply because the watering 

 had been overdone. As it does not 

 rain every day then why should it be 

 necessary to water every day; it is not 

 natural. It is this sprinkling that does 

 the harm and creates a sour surface. 

 Soak the green well, say twice a week 

 if it should require water, as by thor- 

 oughly soaking it the water will get 

 down to where it is wanted, at the 



^ 



IMP. 

 SOAP SPRAY 



Is • ■clentifleally prepared fmmponnd 

 thAt !■ htrhl7 efflelent for ALL lasMi 

 peit*. Why bother with several aprayt 

 when this will answer CTary parpas* 

 thronchout the year? 



LOOK FOB THB IVT LEAS' TRADB 

 UASK. 



A9k your dealer or write 



EASTERN CHEMICAL CO., BOSTON | 



NIKOTEEN 



For Sprayinc 



APHIS PUNK 



For Funii0ating 

 Xdc Your D«Kkr For It. 



inOOTWE MFG. 00. 



ST. LOUS 



Hammond's Thrip Juice No. 2 



REGISTERED 



A Contact Insecticide, Useful and Reliable, Used for 30 Years in Green- 

 houses, and on Plants, Grape Vines, Trees and Shrubs 



Some common Sucking Insects, mai^nified. 



HANNOND'S PAINT & SLUG SHOT WORKS, Beacon, N. Y. 



roots, and the surface will be kept 

 open. 



Another reason for soil becoming 

 sour is too much rolling. Especially 

 when the surface is wet a great deal 

 of harm can be done by rolling. Grass, 

 like a human being, must have air, so 

 if the surface is rolled into a condi- 

 tion resembling cement, sourness will 

 soon appear and the grass, especially 

 the finer varieties, will soon die out. 



There is another reason for ground 

 becoming sour. It has been said that 

 worms are the natural drainers of the 

 soil and if exterminated the turf will 

 assuredly suffer. I have proved this to 

 be absolutely wrong and have arrived 

 at this bold assertion from years of 

 experience. Take a putting green or 

 fairway that has been used for a few 

 years and observe how the worms 

 have multiplied as compared with the 

 sides that have had no attention be- 

 stowed on them. Tliey have thrown 

 up their casts all over and to make 

 play at all possible sweeping and roll- 

 ing has to be resorted to. This 

 continual sweeping and rolling must 

 undoubtedly change the character 

 of the surface and sourness will 

 set in if continued. My advice in this 

 case is get rid of the worms and kill 

 them entirely it a good healthy grass 

 is desired. This cannot be obtained if 

 they are allowed to burrow and throw 

 up their casts all over the surface. 



In conclusion I may say that if grass 

 is to thrive the ground must be kept 

 sweet and yet so that the air can reach 

 the roots: this can only be done by 

 drainage below and proper treatment 

 above. Roll with light wooden roller 

 it rolling is necessary, use plenty of 

 lime, feed the grass well to keep it 

 strong and healthy and water discreet- 

 ly. If these points are carefully seen 

 to, no trouble need be feared from 

 sourness in the soil and a fine carpet 

 of turf should be maintained at all 

 times. — The Golf Course. 



BUSINESS TROUBLES. 



The disparity between the assets 

 and liabilities of some of the firms 

 figuring in our "business troubles" 

 notes is often a subject of comment. 

 They seem to have some of the same 

 sort across the water for we read in 

 the English journals of a nurseryman 

 whose statement at the meeting of his 

 creditors discloses liabilities of over 

 $13,000 and assets of "a metal chain 

 valued at one shilling!" Can you beat 

 it? 



Th« B«coi7ilxe4l Standard Inaeetlold*. 

 A iBTtj remedy for Kre«D, black, whit* 

 fly, tbrlpi and aoft scale. 



Qutft, (1.00; Gallon, M.M. 



NIKOTIANA 



A 1116 nlcotlDo •olitlon properly <llBt«< 

 for («mltatlB( or Taporlalng. 



Qaart, fl.M; Oano^ tiJM. 

 Until fnrther notlc« ablpmenta on oar 

 prednets ITlfOIIfK, TBRMIXB tB4 SOA- 

 Lnra will be ■■bjact t« cmAIUmu el *• 

 cbaialeal market. 



Prompt iblpmenti can be giiaranteed ea 

 APHUTB aal lOKOTIAjrA. 



Aphine ManufacttiriDf Ce, 



MADISON. N. J. 





Unequalled for Greenhouse and 

 Landscape Fertilizing 



THE PULVERIZED MANURE CO. 



31 Union Stock Yards, Chicago 



Whys and Wherefores 



of Fall Spraying 



is the title of ri little booklet, giving Seven 

 rca.sons, official :ind non-official, why it is the 

 best tiuu: to spray. Thisbo<jklet wjllbcsent 

 out by the H. O. Pratt Co., .'ioChur.-h St., 

 New York, raanufacturersof the well-known 

 "SC.Vl,KClI)K"atavcryearlyd.ite. If you 

 arc not on their mailing li.st, send them a 

 postal today giving the numberof your trees 

 and your dealer's name and you will re- 

 ceive a copy free. Address Dept. 12 



