THE ORCHID REVIEW. 21 
is now proved to be a natural hybrid between them. The dorsal sepal is 
reflexed at the sides, as in the former, and has some purple nerves and a 
white margin, though it has the green disc and smaller size of the latter. 
The lip and staminode are also most like the latter, while the petals are 
quite intermediate, both in shape, colour, and spotting, the spots being 
smaller and more numerous than in C. callosum, and not confined to the 
upper margin. The discovery is a most interesting one. 
R. A. ROLFE. 
WILLOW ROOTS AS SUBSTITUTE FOR PEAT. 
DEAR Sir,—As it may be of interest to your readers, I send you by post 
a sample of willow roots, which I have used for the past two years, in 
conjunction with sphagnum moss, for potting Orchids, with the greatest 
success; finding it superior to peat, fern root, or any other substance of 
like nature. I am not aware that it has been used previously, and it was 
only by chance that I discovered it. I have a number of willow trees whose 
roots find their way through the banks into a small stream, and for a 
number of years these roots have been regularly cut to prevent it choking 
the flow of the water. As.my gardener was not satisfied with the peat he 
was able to obtain in the district, owing to its deficiency in fibre, I suggested 
he should try the willow roots, and now, after two years’ trial, he is satisfied — 
that no better substance could be obtained, as the Orchids have thriven in 
a way they never did previously. The advantages appear to be that perfect 
drainage is secured ; that the fibre does not become sour or rot ;-and that 
the roots of the Orchids take to it most kindly, penetrate it, and grow freely, 
and show no symptoms of decay, although potted for a long time. It also 
seems to retain a sufficiency of moisture in conjunction with the sphagnum 
longer than other substances. 
ALEXANDER ANNANDALE. 
Bielside, Dunbar, N.B. 
[The sample sent is good fibrous material, and we cannot see any reason 
why it should not answer the purpose pointed out. On being pulled to 
pieces when dry, a certain amount of fine soil—evidently dried mud—fell 
out, leaving the fibre clean. Probably this is discarded in potting. Those 
who have the material readily accessible should certainly try it. We should 
like to see a few selected plants, say of Odontoglossum crispum, potted in 
this material and grown side by side with others in polypodium fibre, and in 
. good fibrous peat, under otherwise identical conditions for a couple of years, 
so as to test their relative values as potting materials for epiphytal Orchids. 
No doubt some of our readers will make the experiment and report results. 
—ED.| 
