Next is a farm story, if you likebut this is no ordinary farm.
Under the bucolic surface of this tale of another planet, with its
consistent and beautifully worked out details, there is a tricky
problem, about which I will give you one or two hints;
Ecology is something human beings can adapt to suit their own
purposes; right? But human beings in an environment are part
of its ecology . . .
Or: if an experimental animal alters its responses in order to
get food from the experimenterwho is conditioning whom?

BALANCED ECOLOGY

James H. Schmitz
The diamondwood tree farm was restless this morning, llf
Cholm had been aware of it for about an hour but had said
nothing to Auris, thinking he might be getting a summer fever
or a stomach upset and imagining things and that Auris would
decide they should go back to the house so llf's grandmother
could dose him. But the feeling continued to grow, and by now
llf knew it was the farm.
Outwardly, everyone in the forest appeared to be going
about their usual business. There had been a rainfall earlier in
the day; and the tumbleweeds had uprooted themselves and
were moving about in the bushes, lapping water off the leaves.
llf had noticed a small one rolling straight towards a waiting
slurp and stopped for a moment to watch the slurp catch it. The