252 SYMBIOSIS 



matter, tend in the direction of non-attachment of partners. 

 Prof. Bernard's Symbiosis must be considered as exceptional, 

 in other words, because it is a form tending to a reversal of true 

 Symbiosis. More especially is this the case when it is " Symbiose 

 continue," which represents, I believe, merely the success of 

 partnership in Saprophytism, which in reality unfits both, orchid 

 and fungus, for the demands of genuine Symbiosis, and is, hence, 

 a factor prejudicial to cross-fertilisation by insect agency and 

 detrimental to higher developments generally. Once a plant 

 has contracted the in-feeding diathesis, such diathesis is apt to 

 grow inordinately. Either, therefore, the orchid, seeking to 

 increase its indulgences, makes excessive demands upon the 

 fungus, often destroying it altogether, or, the fungus becoming 

 immoderate in its turn, sets up active disease in the plant. In 

 either event the conditions due to Symbiosis proper are unfulfilled. 



In a previous chapter I have shown that the usual method 

 of Domestication, as too one-sided exploitation, is equivalent to 

 a divorce of the exploited organism from its true symbiotic bond 

 in Nature, from Norm-Symbiosis in fact, and that this results in 

 disease, so that it is futile to think that to such or similar methods 

 pride of place could be accorded amongst factors of evolution. 

 And so it is here where similar substitutions are taking place. 

 Though the abuse of an oft-times useful relation is thus of frequent 

 occurrence, even in Nature, it is yet very essential that we do not 

 mistake such abuse for the use. The progress in one-sided 

 exploitation, though still an " adaptation," no more represents 

 the norm of evolution than the production of alkaloid poisons (in 

 defence against such exploitation) represents the norm of 

 vegetable manufacture. 



Seeing that Prof. Bernard fails to make such distinctions, I 

 cannot attach the same importance as he does to his discoveries 

 with regard to " equivalents " of Symbiosis. They amount to 

 this : In the absence of fungi, the orchids may be made to 

 germinate and to develop " autonomy " if certain organic solu- 

 tions are supplied in high concentration, which, however, may 

 only mean an equivalence of service rather than " physical " or 

 " chemical " equivalence. For man here takes the place of the 

 fungus, and he supplies that which under ordinary "infected" 

 circumstances the orchid receives through the accustomed 

 stimulations of its fungal partner. Service is the most valid 

 equivalence in Symbiosis. 





