34 Transactions British Mycological Society. 
tion of Neottia. In 1902 in his thesis “‘ Etude sur la tubérisation”’ 
he mentions that orchid seeds can germinate only in the presence 
of the root fungus and that the seedling is infected from:its 
earliest stages. Realising the importance of this fact he turned 
his attention to investigating it thoroughly and following the 
various ramifications of the subject. Bernard’s great work, 
“L’évolution dans la symbiose. Les Orchidées et leurs Cham- 
pignons commensaux,” appeared in 190g. In the same year a 
comprehensive work by Burgeff was published entitled ‘‘ Die 
Wurzelpilze der Orchideen.”’ Both these investigators succeeded 
in isolating the fungus from the orchid root and growing it on 
nutrient media. Orchid seeds germinated without difficulty on 
having the appropriate fungus supplied to them. In describing 
the course of events full use has been made of the work of : 
Bernard and Burgeff, this being supplemented by observations 
made by the late Mr J. Charlesworth and the writer. 
JOSEPH CHARLESWORTH (1851-1920). 
It will probably not be considered out of place here if I venture 
upon a few remarks concerning my friend the late Mr Joseph 
Charlesworth. In the year 1913 I was invited to Haywards 
Heath to see his results in raising seedlings by what he styled 
the ‘‘pure culture method.’ He had succeeded in eliminating 
many sources of error and had achieved remarkable and con- 
sistent results in raising Odontoglossum and its allies by sowing 
seeds on nutrient media in which the appropriate fungus was 
growing. The probability that the mycorrhizal fungus in some 
way affected the germination of orchid seeds had influenced him 
for many years and he had earned his great reputation as a 
hybridist by his success in raising hybrids by modifications of 
the methods in common use. In an account of a visit to his 
establishment in 1906 it was written “‘ Here is a veritable seedling 
land, thousands and thousands of them,’”’ and in 1909 “The 
raising of Odontoglossum and allied genera has become a very 
important business, and there are thousands of seedlings in 
existence. Messrs Charlesworth are reducing it to a system.” 
It was to one so successful by the older methods that Bernard’s 
work made such a strong appeal, and he eventually decided to 
adopt the system. His culture flasks were sufficient testimony 
to the success of the laboratory method when placed upon a 
commercial scale. One was not prepared to find, however, that 
at the same time he had, after the age of sixty, become so 
embued with the new spirit as to have purchased microscopes, 
microtomes, ovens, stains, books, etc., and become proficient 
in microscopic technique. (The photomicrographs illustrating 
this paper are all taken from his preparations.) Naturally 
