72 THE SUM IMPRESSION 



are attracted by the berries, fruits, and seeds, other 

 birds which are attracted by the caterpillars come 

 there and build their nests. Without the flowers 

 the bees would be starved ; without the bees or 

 other insects the flowers would not be fertilised and 

 the tree would not perpetuate itself.* 



The lives of all individuals, whether plants, 

 beasts, or men, are thus curiously interwoven with 

 and interdependent on one another. They are also 

 dependent upon the chemical elements in the soil 

 and air. And even then the dependence does not 

 cease, for they depend, too, upon the light and 

 heat from the Sun. And the Sun itself, and this 

 Earth as well, are subtly connected with the whole 

 Stellar Universe. 



It is only within limits that any individual can 

 be regarded as a distinct and separate entity. It 

 has its own unique individuality, it is true. But it 

 is also connected with all the rest of the forest and 

 with all the rest of the Earth, of the Solar System, 

 and of the Universe. Each individual is to some 

 extent dependent upon all other individuals. All 

 influence and are influenced by all the rest. There 

 is mutual influence everywhere. And all are con- 

 nected in a whole — the whole influencing each 

 individual and each individual influencing the 

 whole. 



So besides the resistance of individuals to one 

 another, there is attraction. Besides conflict there 

 is co-operation. Besides independence there is 

 interdependence. 



* I take this illustration from Rodway's " In the Guiana 

 Forest." It applies equally to any tropical forest. 



