Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 56 — page 126: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SYMBIOSIS would be before the first shoots would show their leaves. Time passed and the seeds germinated, shot their tender, fleshy leaves a few inches into the air and started to grow with almost feverish speed. To John’s annoyance his own work began to take him away from his home. A series of research conferences had been organised to cover the next few years. It was a new idea in progressive and co-operative research which had been suggested as a more efficient method of clearing some interesting problems which the botanical world found engrossing. He wanted his laboratory to be included, and he found himself working with divided loyalties. George and Rayson sym- pathised with him at this time and did their best when- ever he was away to send him full details of the pro- gress of the plants. “They are seven feet tall and appear to be keeping pace with one another,’ George 125 wrote on one occasion. “The leaves are difficult to describe. They combine the fleshiness of the cactus with the deli- cacy of the palm frond, though how they do it I cannot tel]. These leaves are long and they also seem to know us. At first they curled away or lifted to let us pass, but when I went into the Crystal Palace the other morn- ing the strangest thing was happening. Rayson was stand- ing beside one of them, with a queer expression on his face, At first I did not under- stand, then I saw one of the leaves was ‘caressing’ him. I don’t know if this is the sort of thing we want, but we have the oddest plants that man has ever conceived. We are looking forward to seeing you soon and hope you are fit. Rayson and I are putting on some weight and I noticed the other day that my hair is not so grey as it was. I’m probably imagining things, but I feel younger since the plants have come.” There was a great deal comicloooks.com