BRITAIN’S LAWNS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21554, 17 January 1940, Page 8

BRITAIN’S LAWNS

DANGER OF DETERIORATION LONDON. December 19. Britain’s million acres of turf, the finest in the world, is in danger of destruction. Since the last war the acreage of the country’s lawns and sports grounds has been nearly doubled. Now the calls of national service have so reduced the 250.000 people, from research chemists to jobbing gardeners, who are usually engaged in maintaining British turf, that costly neglect is unavoidable. At the outbreak of war. apart from tens of thousands of private lawns, the country boasted 500 golf courses, 1200 bowling greens, 3000 cricket pitches, 3500 football grounds and 50,000 tennis courts. Mr C. E. Littlefield, secretary of the National Association of Groundsmen, said this week:—Serious deterioration in our 100 per cent turf standards would be a virtual disaster. From the purely financial standpoint £4,000,000 of capital value could be reduced by half within two years. We consider the proper upkeep of all types of recreational turf land as of the highest importance in war-time. It is essential that the nation should maintain the highest standard of fitness. This can only be achieved through outdoor recreation.”