372 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [ DECEMBER, 1907. 
A FUNGUS RESULT. 
THE accompanying photo represents a common mushroom (Agaricus. 
campestris), one of many firmly and socially growing on some imported 
and .unpotted plants of Odontoglossum crispum. 
When recently carrying out some experiments with Fungus cultures,. 
the thought occurred to me that if any fungus was necessary for the 
germination or future existence of Orchids it should be found growing 
with them in a natural state, and might possibly be imported with the 
species. 
Accordingly some recently-imported plants were placed on a quantity 
of oak leaves, which had been gathered last Autumn, believing that, if 
present, the mycelium would spread into the leaves, and thus make a 
pabulum or breeding ground, to be afterwards used for experimental 
purposes in seed raising, &c. 
_ After a few weeks of genial treatment the long expected and welcome 
symbiotic fungus made its appearance, spreading, not from the Orchids to- 
the leaves, but from the latter to the former, with the result that for my 
tender care bestowed on the crispums I was in return given a requisite 
supply of mushrooms, which were duly assimilated one morning for break- 
fast. ‘Ye gods, what a glorious feast !” 
If the common mushroom so elevates its lowly growing place from the 
turf to an exotic, it is not to be wondered at that the Queenly crispum 
shows the same desire to improve its social position, for it certainly has of 
late been frequently changing its habitat in search of something. 
Haywards Heath. GURNEY WILSON. 
e 
HABITAT OF ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISPUM. 
IN an article on ‘* The Habitat of Odontoglossum crispum” at page 328 it 
is pointed out that M. Forget cannot agree with M. Claes in depreciating 
the Odontoglossum crispum collected in the Velez district. I have been 
collecting O. crispum in the district alluded to for about ten years, including 
a few years for Messrs. Charlesworth & Co., which I think speaks well for 
the type. Velez is really a centre, and there are certainly places around 
Velez where inferior types are found, but, as Mr. Black remarks, the same 
applies to Pacho, and that was my experience in collecting there in 1895. 
M. Claes has himself collected in the Velez district, and had a collection 
there, so that it is difficult to see why he does not like the Velez type. 
The village that Mr. Black was unable to find on the map will probably 
be Simacota. Here O. nobile or Pescatorei grows, but I am notaware that — 
O. crispum reaches this place. 
Alderley Edge, Cheshire. J. BircHENALL. 
Dai eee i aa Py eh ie a | 
es a 
oa oe CaS ta EID oe aren es 
