110 UNDER THE OPEN SKY 



THE RUNNER HABIT 



Seeds are, of course, the usual provision 

 against such danger, and are used by all 

 higher plants unless interfered with by over- 

 cultivation, as in the case of the banana and 

 some oranges. But the runners are un- 

 common. These are long, slender branches 

 whose leaves have degenerated into scales. 

 They stretch out just above the ground and 

 root at the end. Then a new plant springs 

 up from this point, and later the link con- 

 necting it with the original stalk dies, as 

 may the parent plant itself. But when this 

 is gone, there are left round about it half a 

 dozen baby plants. The interesting point 

 about these shoots is that, being actual parts 

 of a single parent, they are as much like it 

 and each other as it is possible for plants to 

 be. Hence, when the gardener bfes produced 

 a fine strain of berries, he "keeps it true" by 

 propagating it by runners. In this way no 

 new blood is brought in, and, with proper 

 care and nourishment, the plant may keep up 

 all its good qualities for many generations, 

 if generations they may properly be called. 



