THE GARDENING WORLD 
543 
April 20, 1901. 
wise lined with crimson on a white ground. A 
similarly formed flower is Pinzon, of a rich crimson- 
scarlet. The inner as well as the outer segments 
are very broad, making a wide departure from the 
original introductions. Zoilus is of a soft orange- 
scarlet, with broad, white rays extending about two- 
thirds down the segments of a regular, well shaped 
flower, to which the name Knight's Star would be 
very applicable. Quite of a different type isTaxila, of 
a maroon-crimson, and paler towards the edges, with 
very marked veins. 
Evidently the flowers of this handsome garden 
race are still capable of improvement in the widen¬ 
ing of the segments, if all are to be brought up to 
the dimensions of Dolores, a huge, wide open flower 
of a rosy-scarlet. The outer three segments of the 
flowers are 4J in, wide, yet the bulb is a very small 
one. The stems of Aladin are remarkably stout, 
while the flowers are rose, slightly flushed, with 
scarlet, and having rose-coloured rays to the inner 
segments. A beautifully shaped flower is Orneus, of 
a fiery scarlet, shaded with maroon in the throat. 
These dark flowers seem to find great favour with 
the public, which, independently of their beauty,may 
be due to their relative scarcity by comparison with 
the average run of Hippeastrums. All the same the 
Chelsea collection is rich in these colours, and the 
high quality of many other collections in the country 
is due to crossing with dark varieties raised here. 
The bell-shaped flowers of Titan are pure white, 
with the exception of a few rosy veins on the upper 
segments. A bold contrast to it is found in Marathon, 
which has brilliant scarlet flowers, shaded with 
maroon towards the base, large, bell shaped and well 
expanded. The port wine colour of Geticus shows 
off the six-rayed white star, making a strikingly 
distinct combination. The broad segments are 
slightly undulated at the edges. Acadia is white 
with rosy veins. The flowers of Arturo are of huge 
size and bright scarlet. Media has red veins on a 
white ground, and is shaded with scarlet at the tips. 
Another wide open crimson scarlet flower is 
Opertus, shaded with maroon. The remarkably 
stout stems are purplish and glaucous. 
Nearly the whole of the above are new varieties 
flowering for the first time; and although we selected 
them as the best, one must always make a little 
allowance for the taste or necessities of collectors, 
who might select many others equally as beautiful or 
desirable as the above. Nearly all of the flowering 
bulbs are arranged on the elevated and wide central 
staging so that they present a striking and gorgeous 
display quite unlike any other class of garden 
flowers. The young bulbs are also grown in pots, 
plunged on the'side benches, and even in this case 
some of them are producing flower spikes. 
-•*•- 
HAILSTORM INSURANCE CORPORA¬ 
TION, LTD. 
The annual meeting of this corporation was 
held on Friday last at their Head Office, 4r and 42, 
King Street, Covent Garden, when the sixth annual 
report on the business of the corporation for the 
year ending February 23rd, igor, together with the 
audited accounts, were submitted to the share¬ 
holders. 
Mr. Harry J. Veitch (see portrait) of Messrs. 
James Veitch &Sons, Ltd., Chelsea, was in the chair, 
and, in moving the adoption of the report, called 
attention to the increased strength and satisfactory 
growth of the corporation. During the past year 
thirteen claims were paid, and as the chairman 
pointed out there is no certainty when claims may be 
made, as last year the dates of the storms ranged 
from February to October, and the districts where 
damage was done, from the farthest north to the 
south coast. One claim was paid last year at Kirk¬ 
wall, in the Orkney Isles. 
The revenue account showed a substantial increase. 
The expenditure was a little heavier than last year, 
but this was owing to the expenses incured by moving 
in to larger offices, and the payment of the thirteen 
claims, none being claimed the previous year. 
The assets show a slight depreciation, but it is 
hoped that the investments will soon be up again to 
their cost price, as the principal is in Consols and 
India 3% and 3^% stock which accounts for the 
depreciation. The other investment in freehold 
ground rents stands well. The report was pro¬ 
posed for adoption and seconded by Mr. J. 
Rochford. It was proposed and carried unani¬ 
mously that the trustees should be paid £1 is. for 
each attendance. TheBoard was re-elected en bloc. The 
auditors, Messrs. Baker, Haward, and Watson, 
members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, 
were re-elected at a fee of £10. A vote of thanks 
was given to the agents and representatives for their 
valuable assistance. A dividend at the rate of 5% 
Mr. Harry J. Veitch, F.L.S.,F.R G.S., F.Z.S., &c. 
per annum for the past year on the paid up capital, 
and also a bonus of i\% free of income tax, amount¬ 
ing altogether to £750, was recom mended by the 
directors ; they also suggested that a sum of £840 
be placed to the reserve fund, thus making up the 
reserves to £3,500, and that the balance of 
£576 12s. 3d. be carried forward. 
There have been hailstorms of exceptional severity 
during the past year. On July 20th, a hailstorm 
occurred at Northampton which practically wrecked 
every glass roof in the district. Some of the hail¬ 
stones weighed six or seven ounces. On the 12th of 
June, during a storm, hailstones measuring if in. in 
diameter fell in Lincolnshire, causing wholesale 
devastation amongst the nurseries. A special advan¬ 
tage offered by this corporation, and of which 
increasing numbers of insurers are availing them¬ 
selves, is that those insured can replace immediately 
their glass broken by hail, the Corporation paying 
them promptly. They can also cover wholly or 
partially the value of the contents of their glass¬ 
houses by increased insurance of their glass. This 
is an advantage offered by no other insurance 
company. 
The insurers are valuing their glass at 4d., 6d., 
7d., and in cases 8d. per square foot. 
The growth of the business during the six years 
has been gradual and progressive, year after year, as 
shown by the figures for each year ending Febru¬ 
ary 23 rd. 
Yr. 
Policies in force. Sq. ft. 
1896 
235 
10,408.161 
1897 
346 
13,886,095 
1898 
55° 
20,098,104 
1899 
749 
25,619,760 
igoo 
825 
28,855.076 
1901 
925 
30,826.958 
Value. 
£ s. d. 
132.215 16 0 
179,366 11 1 
263,590 19 1 
343.439 7 8 
391,202 15 4 
418,644 2 3 
Premiums. 
'£ s. d. 
681 i g 
889 11 5 
1360 17 o 
1736 0 6 
1962 0 1 
2092 1 10 
The working expenses amounted to a ratio of £21 
per cent, on the income for the year. 
The interest on invested funds had increased from 
£20 16s. in 1896 to £426 ns. iod. in the year just 
ended, and would be sufficient during the next year 
to pay 41$ per cent, on the paid up capital without 
touching premium income. 
The balance-sheet showed the satisfactory fact that 
after the payment of the proposed dividend there 
would be £1 8s. invested or in cash for every £1 of 
paid up capital. 
The cost price of invested funds amounted to 
£14,427 13s. 3d. 
-%• - 
The Cinchona Tree grows at elevations between 
7,000 ft. and 10,000 ft. in the Andes, Quinine is ex¬ 
tracted from the bark. 
THE APIARY. 
In the British bee journals of the past few weeks 
there has been a great discussion in regard to sec¬ 
tions Can our popular 4J x 4J x 2 be improved 
upon ? A few good practical bee-men think that it 
can, and they advocate one 4J x 5 X if. 
Amongst others they claim the following advan¬ 
tages : In a poor season the bees draw them out 
more readily, filling them better than the old style. 
They have a better appearance and therefore com¬ 
mand a readier sale, " which if true is a great point 
in their favour ” ; and by nailing a strip of wood 
| thick on top of the old section racks they will hold 
twenty-four of the new sections. This section is 
used to a certain extent in America and appliance 
dealers in this country are importing a few 0 them 
for trial the coming season. Those of a go-ahead 
nature should order a few for trial seeing that they 
are little or no extra expense. 
Uniting Bees. —Any weak stocks in the apiary 
should be'joined now as soon as possible provided 
they are healthy. One strong stock is always better 
than two weak ones, and it is a foolish idea to try to 
keep them separate and expect honey from them, 
except in a very favourable season. Various 
methods are employed in joining stocks together, and 
I will give one or two of the most popular. In the 
first place special stress is laid on the following 
pointsStocks to be joined should be together for 
a day at least. They should be as near the same 
condition as possible. Both should have queens; 
the inferior one may be removed when joining or it 
may be left for themselves to settle. If one has 
brood and the other none, give it a frame to ensure 
success. 
First method: If the stocks to be joined are a 
distance apart they should be gradually brought 
together, shifting a yard every flying day until they 
are close together. Choose a warm day for the 
operation, when bees are flying freely. Give both 
stocks a puff or two of smoke at the entrance, and 
spread a piece of pack sheet in front of hive—right 
up to the entrance—that you wish to join all the 
bees to. Give a little more smoke and remove roofs 
and quilts from both hives ; take a frame alternately 
from each hive and shake the bees from each upon 
the racksheet, brushing the stragglers off the comb 
with a feather. The bees are so confused and 
frightened that they never thmk of fighting, and by 
the time all are into hive they are good friends. 
Give them no more frames than they will comfort¬ 
ably cover and place slow feeder on top. 
Second method : Bring stocks together as before, 
give a little smoke, and take frames from one hive 
with adhering bees, give them a dusting of flour 
from pepperbox, and mix frames well amongst 
others, giving both lots another dust of flour ; close 
up and feed slowly. 
Third method : When the hives are together, 
remove all frames from the two stocks, except two 
or three at the most. Place the frames with bees, 
of the one you are to join, in centre of hive, and 
cover lightly with quilts. Early next morning, the 
cooler the better, provided there is no wind, go to 
the hives, give no smoke, but remove roofs and 
quilts quietly, seize the two frames, or three, with 
thumb and keep apart with fingers, lift all bodily at 
once, and place at back of others, then close up. 
This can be done without a bee taking flight. Pack 
up warm and give slow feeder.— Doonfoot. 
METHODS OF PROPAGATION. 
[Continued pom p. 488.) 
Ringing 
is another mode practiced by cutting an inch or so 
of bark clean away around the branch or stem, and 
placing soil over it or tying moss up, and keeping it 
well moistened. Dracaenas, Crotons, Aralias, Vines, 
Roses, and many others, are increased in this way, 
but in all these methods just mentioned make quite 
sure there are plenty of roots made before severing 
the tops from the mother plant; and even then it is 
sometimes necessary to give the plants, taken off a 
close frame for a week or so, to avoid any foliage 
being lost with such stove plants as have just been 
enumerated. 
Leaves 
make still another way, and much of late has been 
written anent this mode of propagation, in one of 
our gardening papers. It is usually plants under 
glass that come under this heading, such as Begonias,. 
