1939-40

RECREATION GROUNDS
665
Watering operations are best not done when the sun is out,
but in the early morning or late evening, when there is little loss
through evaporation, and the turf is not liable to be affected by
drop of temperature.
Do not water to a time-table, but only when the soil is found to
be drying out and there is a tendency for the grass to wilt through
lack of water. Too much watering encourages shallow rooting.
A good soaking say once a week when conditions demand is much
more effective than a daily sprinkling.
TURF NURSERY
All Recreation Grounds should have a Turf Nursery, which should
be carefully worked up and attended to on similar lines to the most
important sections of the ground, to ensure that the turf is in a
healthy and vigorous condition.
Care should be taken that there are no trees overhanging.
Having turf available for patching Tennis Courts, footholds in
Cricket Wickets, and Goalmouths is invaluable. To attempt to
repair these areas by sowing will only produce unsatisfactory
results, as the seed never becomes sufficiently established to stand
up to excessive wear and tear.
Where no available or suitable space exists for a nursery, and
good, well-established turf cannot be bought, patching is best done
with turf taken from the outskirts of the ground ; this should be
systematically worked up before being lifted, and replaced either
with seed or turf.
DESTRUCTION OF MOLES
Much damage and inconvenience is caused through moles work-
ing in various parts of a Recreation Ground. There are a number
.of methods employed in their destruction, such as introducing
worms dressed with Red Squill powder or paste, or by blowing into
the runs prussic acid gas. The gassing method is very simple to use
and calls for no special knowledge, though a simple foot pump is, of
course, needed.
Mole traps are often used but the placing of a trap by anyone who
is not familiar with the habits of the mole may lead only to repeated
failure. In most districts there are professional trappers, who, for
a nominal sum, will carry out the necessary work.
MOSS
The appearance of moss on Recreation Grounds which are par-
ticularly subject to excessive wear and tear is not always an indication
that drainage is at fault. It will probably be found that this particular
section of the ground is in a " hide-bound " condition, and piercing
with a straight-pronged graip or fork will greatly assist. However,
the root of the trouble is more likely to be that the soil is out of
condition and generally caused by poverty; compost dressings or
the application of artificial fertilisers will generally overcome this
difficulty.