1953 MCHS CLASS IN REUNION - A large number of members of the MCHS class of 1953 gathered for their second reunion recently. A cocktail hour preceded dinner at the Hunter Country club, Richmond. Following a program which included films of the 1963 ten-year reunion, dancing was enjoyed. A round The Garden By Matthew S. Rosen Instructor - Ornamental Horticulture McHenry County College "Green grass, whatever happend to it? Why, I can almost make a color wheel from the various, shades and hues polka dotting my lawn. I have purplish-gray spots, powdery white areas, and bleached-out blotches of turf. You name it. I've got it: insects crawling, moths flying.If you teach turf care, Mr. Rosen, you should seriously consider bringing your class out to see my yard. I think that if grass plants could get housemaid's knee or dishpan hands, mine would have it. Pests just seem to thrive on my property. Oh yes, I do have an occasional pure green blade of grass, but, believe me, they are the ex ception and not the rule." Dear garden%r: Your lawn does indeed seem to support a "who's who" of grass pests. If there was a class in turfgrass management taught during the summer, I feel quite certain that the instructor would very much like to schedule a field trip to your house. Fortunately, as you shall see, there are relatively easy, uncomplicated, corrective measures for each problem. Caused by a fungus in the genus Sclerotinia, dollar spot is undoubtedly the most common warm weather turf malady. Characterized by the rapid development of bleached-out areas, the size of a silver dollar, the disease is capable of oc curring on any of the commonly grown lawn grasses. If left unchecked, the dollar spots tend to coalesce, forming large, irregular, light tan patches. Dollar spot is readily diagnosed by its typical symptoms and signs. Infected blades always have a whitish area bordred on top and bottom by a thin, dark red line. If growing actively, the pathogen's fine, white, cobweb-like mycelium can often be seeh lying on the grass in the early morning while the dew is still present. Two or three weekly applications of Dyrene, Daconil 2787, or Kromad generally provide excellent control. All of the recent warm, cloudy, at least partly rainy days are ideal for the development of powdery mildew. Although the white, powdery fungal growth living on top of the blades is unsightly, damage is almost always neglibible unless the condition persists for prolonged periods of time in which case injury due purely to shading can occur. Control is a snap: one or two applications of Actidione- Thiram, and poof the fungus will disappear. Slime mold, caused by a non parasitic fungus, is one of, if not the, strangest turf "hap pening". During periods of hot, wet weather, purplish-gray pustules form on grass blades. What little damage does occur, results from mechanical smothering or shading. Nor mally, slime mold will vanish with the onset of dry weather. Because of the short-lived, generally insignificant, nature of the "disease," the ex penditure of money for chemical control is not warranted. Brushing infected LAWN-BOY Sales & Service BR00KW00D GARDEN CENTER 4505 W. Rte. 120 McHenry (just across from Foremost) Phone 385-4949 areas with a stiff broom will temporarily remove the fungus. If the wet weather persists, an application of Dyrene or Daconil 2787 will give good control. Fusarium roseum, a soil borne fungus, has, in the last ten years, caused more damage to grass than any other turf pathogen. Strictly a summer disease, infected grass first turns yellow in circular, crescent-shaped, or streaked patterns. Gradually, the color of the turf fades to a dull tan. In the last stages, stricken areas are a light straw color. Because patches of green, apparently healthy grass exist within the browned-out circles, Fusarium blight is commonly called frog's eye leaf spot. As soon as symptom expression appears lawn areas should be sprayed weekly with Benomyl. Three or four applications usually do the trick. About one inch long, and whitish-gray or brown in color, adult sad webworm moths are easily disturbed by walking across a lawn in the evening. The moths are readily iden tified by their short, jerky^ zig zag flight pattern. Although not directly capable of damaging lawns, the moths do lay eggs around the lower parts of grass stems, or drop them randomly as they fly over the grass at night. The culprit is the im mature form of the mother. Ranging from one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch long, the caterpillar, a voracious eater, is light brown in color. Waiting for the cool of evening before setting down to dinner, this rather cute little fellow chomps down grass blades like there is no tomorrow. As a result of its gluttony, irregular brown patches form in the lawn. Since many caterpillars may be munching away at the same time, large areas of infested turf are often injured. (By the way, sod webworm caterpillars are not picky eaters. As far as they are concerned, any lawn grass makes a good meal.) A close examination of the damaged area will reveal a loosely woven, silken web, containing bits of green grass. By following the web down into the soil, you can, during the day, find the critter resting peacefully in a short, silk lined tunnel. Monthly applications of Sevin now through September will keep this pest under con trol. Brown spots in bentgrass or zoysia lawns are frequently caused by chinch bugs. Small, no more than a quarter inch long, the adult is black, and can easily be recognized by the broad, white "X" on its back. The immature stages vary from pink to reddish-brown in color. All have a thin, white line running horizontally across their backs. Possessing sucking mouthparts, these insects concentrate in limited areas, feeding on a »grass plant until all of the available juice has been extracted. Working outward from centers of in festation, chinch bugs destroy the turf as they advance. Generally most severe in hot, dry locations exposed to direct sunlight, control of these critters can be obtained by spraying now with Sevin or Diazinon. Since a second generation hatches out in mid August, another application of the insecticide may be necessary at that time. One cultural note before I go: If you have not fertilized your lawn since the spring, now is a good time. In order to .avoid burning, use a material that is 50 percent or more organic in nature. Contrary to popular opinion, there is no one best turf fertilizer. Apply any non-acid forming, complete fertilizer at the rate of one pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet of lawn. How do you figure out the correct amount of material to use? Simple. By law, every fertilizer bag must show the chemical analysis of the product expressed in terms of the per cent nitrogen, P205, and potash. Thus, you would apply 10 lbs. of a 10-6-4 fer- tilizer-1000 sq. ft., or 20 lbs. of a 5-10-5 material. Should you have a question on the material covered, or just a horticultural point of in formation you would like verified, why not drop me a line? The address: McHenry County College, 6200 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014. Suggestions on future topics are always appreciated. The human brain, if properly used, is a great labor saver. Flame Resistant Sleepwear You can't assume that all chil dren ? sleepwear now on the mar ket is flame resistant. A Com merce Department flammability standard requires that all chil dren's robes, pajamas, and night gowns -- in sizes 0 to 6X -- man ufactured after July 29, 1973 must be made from flame resis tant fabrics. In addition, the Commerce Department is con sidering a proposal to develop a similar standard for children's sleepwear in sizes 7 to 14. Un fortunate^ there will still be many articles of sleepwear on the market that have been manufac •ured before that date (sleep Wv. v made of untreated fabrics maao fo • July ^.0. 1973 must be clearly 'L»eled by a Com merce Department standard that the garments are not flame re sistant). All in all, children's sleepwear requires consumers to keep their eyes open for lots of labels. The garments hang-tag identifies sleepwear that is flame resistant. The garment's care label gives the washing instructions which must be carefully carried out to keep the garment flame resistant. After all that, you must still keep your eyes on your young sters to protect them from fire hazards. Don't put all the re sponsibility on flame resistant sleepwear. S h i r t w a i s t s t y l e d r e s s e s c o n t i n u e t o b e h i g h f a s h i o n f o r d a y t i m e o r d i n n e r w e a r - d e p e n d i n g o n t h e k i n d o f m a t e r i a l u s e d . MEDAL FOR CARTOON . . . Kennison Keene, right, art director and cartoonist for Community & Suburban Press Service, received the George Washington Honor Medal awarded annually by Freedoms Foundation At Valley Forge to individuals who write, say or do something to make Americans proud of America. Keene's cartoon, "For All To See," depicted Uncle Sam holding a scroll which proclaimed the United States to be . . . "In 1072, as in 1776, a nation of free men . . . struggling to perpetuate the spirit of freedom." The cartoon was published during Freedom Week, 1972 by hundreds of weekly newspapers serviced by the Frankfort, Ky. based newspaper service. Albert Dix, publisher of the Frankfort State Journal, made presentation at annual con vention of Kentucky Press Association. TOCJQ/'S Health News Published by the American Medical Association Health hazards of pets . . . All pets can get sick, but sometimes they can pass their problems on to humans. Ringworms, intesti nal parasites, and ticks are only a few of the hidden dangers to man. To find out more about the health needs and hazards of common family pets, Today's Health consulted with Pat Brad ley, D.V.M., at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital. Here's what ycrur favorite Felix looks like, when seen through the doctor's eyes. •Cats -- life expectancy of up to 15 years. Cats should be given feline distemper vaccinations at 8, 12, and 16 weeks and boosters every yfear, as well as rabies vac cinations. Potential human problems in clude ringworm and intestinal in fection. The infection passes out in the cat's .feces and can cause congenital disease, including brain lesion, in infants. To pro tect against this possible hazard, pregnant women should have someone else clean the litter box every day until they have given birth, Dr. Bradley cautions. •Dogs -- life expectancy from 10 to 15 years, depending on breed. Pups should have their first innoculation against distem per, leptospirosis, and hepatitis at 5, 8, and 12 weeks. Grown dogs need the same shots yearly. They should also be innoculated against rabies as often as required by state law. Hazards to humans in clude rabies, intestinal parasites, ringworm, and ticks. •Birds -- life expectancy var ies: parakeets may live 10 years, while parrots have lived beyond 100. The two potential problems of birds are feather mites and intestinal parasites. Special haz ards include psittacosis, an infec tious disease marked by diarrhea and wasting (although the bird may not show any symptoms at all). If transferred to humans, the disease can cause nausea, fever, and bronchial pneumonia. •Rabbits -- generally live 5 to 10 years. Rabbits can be bothered by both worms and ear mites. TTiey also can carry fur mites, which can be irritating to human skin. Wild rabbits brought home from the woods sometimes carry tularemia, an infectious disease of rodents, man, and some domes tic animals. In man, it produces toxic symptoms, such as fever. But animal lovers needn't be too disconcerted. Millions have owned pets and never had any problems. If you keep your pet healthy and are aware of its needs, says Dr. Bradley, you'll help protect your health, too. WANT MORE INFORMATION? Write Today's Health Magazine CF, 535 North Dearborn Street Chicago, lllinoit 60610 ABOUT YOUR i Bee st ings can be fatal . Watch for symptoms such as respiratory diff icult ies, nau sea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. To prevent crushed col lars on shir ts when packing for vacation, place socks in the ring of the collar . HOME A paper towel in the crisp- er drawer of your refr igerator wil l keep the drawer clean and absorb moisture. To keep your swimsuit bright wash i t often (but gently) to remove chlorine from pools and sal t from ocean water . FOR YOUR ADDED CONVENIENCE ... OUR DRIVE-IN WINDOW IS OPEN WEDNESDAY 9 A.M. - 2 P.M. McHENRY S A V I N G S TIM SERVING ALL OF GREATER McHENRY COUNTY McHenry Savings AND LOAN ASSOCIATION 1 2P9Jiorth Gr««n Str««! McH«nry.Illmon 60050 8l 5 385 3000 D E P O S I T S I N S U R E D U P T O $ ? 0 , 0 0 0 B Y T H E F E D E R A L S A V I N G S & L O A N I N S U R A N C E C O R P O R A T I O N K V sVŝ Consumers' Corner PAGE 3-PLAINDEALER-WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1973 EVERY REGULAR PRICED SHEET - PILLOW CASE ON SALE B E N • F i ^ A N K l I N WHITE SALE FOR 5 DAYS ONLY THURSDAY-FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY-MONDAY JULY 26 THRU JULY 30 ONLY OUR ENTIRE STOCK FIRST QUALITY SHEETS • CASES REDUCED. TWINS FULLS • QUEENS - KINGS I J ' i l l \ . ( . 1 ( 1 I N S I M , 1 1 1 \ K \ . I l l \ () \ i : | KII \ | ) | N | \s i IK i \ SI OKI Shop 1 l iese Addit ional Hours: I ai i ' Mnal <u:li l< u;h ii tnplcU' 1 ) 1 1 S C I A 1 I' i d a v s h i ! ) p . m . S u n d a y s 1 1 1 t o 1 p . m . 1