OJ Noer Memorial Collection | Current Featured Acquisition

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Noer Collection Featured Acquisition
Turn-of-the-Century Lawn Care

The year is 1909. According to T. W. Sanders, state-of-the-art lawn care means being particular about your manure and putting padded boots on the horses that pull your mower. Essential equipment includes turf beaters, birch brooms (most economically bought by the dozen, without handles) and the "Wykeham Weed Eradicator." Sodding a tennis court costs £45 in sod and labor, over twice as much as seeding it - and Sanders warns that these prices are out of date and have certainly gone up!

All this essential information is found in Lawns and Greens: Their Formation and Management, recently purchased for addition to the Noer Collection with the support of the O.J. Noer Research Foundation. This early item is unusual in that it encompasses a variety of turf topics. All aspects of lawn care are covered, from mowing to weed control - with extra chapters on how any group of interested individuals can build a golf course, bowling green, cricket court or other sporting facility.

The 1909 and 1920 editions of this rare book are housed in the Special Collections Division of the MSU Libraries. TIC is also seeking a copy of the 1911 edition.

View the complete TGIF record for the 1909 edition

View the complete TGIF record for the 1911 edition

View the complete TGIF record for the 1920 edition