These plants are subject to the attacks of a small white scale insect, which, if allowed to get established, is very troublesome, but which can be easily kept under by sponging. If the plants are in a healthy state there is not much fear of their going wrong; but if the scale should be found on them it must be taken in hand in good time. The best plan is to get a little soft soap and make a lather, and rub this over the leaves, allowing it to remain until the next day; then to wash it off, when it will be found that the scales will come off easily. The cultivator should, in fact, never allow his plants to get infested with the scale. We do not find that any other insects attack them, excepting the green fly, which sometimes makes its appearance when they are in flower, and this may be removed with a fine hair brush. Vandas should never be smoked, as it causes the lower leaves to drop off, which is a great disfigurement to the plants.
PL. 78. ZYGOPETALUM ROSTRATUM.
ZYGOPETALUM ROSTRATUM.
[[Plate 78].]
Native of Demerara.
Epiphytal. Pseudobulbs oblong-ovate, subcompressed, furrowed, enveloped at the base by pale brown membranaceous bracts. Scapes on the young growth, one to two flowered, issuing from the axil of the bracts which invest the immature pseudobulbs. Leaves lanceolate acute, plaited, about six inches long. Flowers large, six inches in depth, the dorsal sepal with the two petals directed backwards, the lateral sepals standing right and left behind the lip; sepals linear-lanceolate, three inches long, half an inch wide at the base, tapered to an attenuated point where they are bright green, whitish at the base, slightly stained along the median part more than halfway up with dull brownish purple; petals similar in size, form, and colouring; lip ovate acuminate, recurved, nearly three inches long and over two inches wide, pure white, yellowish behind the disk, which is furnished with a small angulate planted frill or ruff, of a pale lilac purple, and marked with a few (about ten) lines of the same colour, half an inch long, which radiate from the front part of the ruff. Column white, arching, semi-cylindrical, with rounded wings near the apex, where it terminates in a short projecting beak.
Zygopetalum rostratum, Hooker, Botanical Magazine, t. 2819 (as Zygopetalon).
Zygosepalon rostratum, Reichenbach fil., Annales Botanices Systematicæ, VI., 666.
We are now about to bring under the notice of our readers one of our oldest Orchids, and, withal, one of the most rare. Its foliage is pleasing, and its flowers are not only large and showy, but of the most charming character, as will be seen from the accompanying representation, for the opportunity of securing which we are indebted to Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., in whose well-known superb collection at Burford Lodge, one is at all times certain to find a grand display of rare Orchids in bloom such as will well repay a visit. This Zygopetalum makes a grand specimen for exhibition purposes; we used to exhibit it many years ago at the Regent’s Park and Chiswick Shows, with twenty or more of its handsome flowers upon the plant, and we may add that it was greatly admired. It produces flowers from every growth, and keeps a long time in good condition, so that we could always depend upon it for the May and June exhibitions.
Zygopetalum rostratum is a compact-growing evergreen plant, with small pseudobulbs; it attains the height of eight inches, and produces its flowers with the young shoots sometimes twice and even three times a year, according as it makes its growth. The sepals and petals are of a yellowish green; the lip large, two inches across, white, with a pale purple or lilac ruff, and slightly striped at the base with the same pale purple colour. The flowers last in perfection for several weeks, providing they are kept dry.
This plant is best cultivated in pans, as it has a rhizome or creeping stem that likes to root over the surface of the soil. It is of free growth when it obtains the requisite treatment. We have found it to thrive best in the East Indian house, on a side table, as near the light as possible, but not exposed to the sun, as the leaves are tender and easily get spotted. When a suitable place is found, let it remain in it. It requires to be kept constantly moist at the roots, as it is nearly always growing. We cultivate it in rough fibrous peat, with the addition of sphagnum moss, and give good drainage. It does not require much material to grow in, and it will repay all the pains bestowed upon it, as it produces such a number of flowers.
The plant can be divided when strong and in vigorous growth, as it makes roots quickly. It must be kept free from insects.