R. M. KELLOGG CO.'S OFFICE FORCE. 
HERE is a part of our force of clerks and stenographers who assist us in taking care of tlie correspondence 
which the Thoroughbred strawberry plants bring to us in an increasing flood as the years go by. AiLswer- 
ing questions in a way that will assist our friends better to succee i in growing big crops of fancy berries is a great 
pleasure. We can give you still better service, however, if you will, when sending questions, put them on a 
separate sheet from that on which the letter is written, and numbering them. And don't fail to write your name 
and address plainly. If you don't hear from us when you write, you may be sure the fault is not at this end. 
Removing Runners 
AFTER the plants have been taken safely 
through the blooming season, the next 
thing to guard against is excessive runner 
making. To know just when a plant is in prime 
condition to produce offspring requires a little 
study of the plant's physicial condition, and if 
judgment is not used at this time there is dan- 
ger of overtaxing them beyond their strength. 
When we consider that it requires the same 
effort for plants to give off young as it does for 
animals to perform this great function, we can 
better reali'/.e the necessity of restricting this line 
of effort. Another thing we must bear in mind 
is that "like begets like" in plants the same as 
in animals. Therefore, if a plant is allowed to 
send out runners before it has made a vigorous 
start and before it has become strongly estab- 
lished in its new quarters, the plant itself is not 
only endangered, but the offspring is weakened 
as well; and the more runners they make the 
weaker they get, causing a small crop of berries. 
Here is where that "run out" idea again comes 
in. A runner first starts near the base of a leaf 
in the form of a bud. This continues to grow 
in length until it becomes from four to twelve 
inches long, according to variety. At the end 
of this a node is formed; then this new bud, or 
node, bursts into life, sending up small leaves, 
and if soil conditions are favorable, roots will 
start down, and the chances for good offspring 
largely may be increased by placing dirt on the 
runner just back of the node, which will hold 
it to place, and also will retain moisture that 
will encourage the roots to take hold and feed 
on mother earth. Until then it must draw its 
sustenance from the mother plant through 
this runner wire, which performs the same func- 
tions in the plant as does the umbilical cord in 
animal life before birth. In the case of 
the animal, should this cord be disconnected 
prematurely from any cause, death would 
be the result. After birth, the young 
starts feeding from its mother by a different pro- 
cess, when the navel cord ceases to be of use 
and withers away. This method of feeding 
will continue until the young is able to take food 
independently, when the mother refuses to fur- 
nish her support. This is called weaning. Just 
as soon as this weaning takes place, the drain 
22 
