March  31,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
287 
Hoya  bella,  and  some  Ixoras,  Jasminum  Sambac  fl.-pl.,  J.  gracillimum, 
Plumbago  rosea,  Tabernmmontana  coronaria,  Liiium  trigynum,  and 
Hedychiums.  On  the  Sikkim  Himalayas,  at  elevations  of  from  8000  to 
14,000  feet,  the  Himalayan  Rhododendrons  are  found  as  great  trees.  A 
cool  temperature  and  great  humidity  of  atmosphere  is  the  requirements 
of  this  genus.  This  saturated  state  of  the  atmosphere  in  Sikkim  is 
caused  by  the  monsoon,  which  blows  steadily  from  the  ocean  from  May 
to  October,  and  there  is  a  current  from  the  Gangetic  delta  during  the 
remaining  portion  of  the  year. 
The  flora  of  the  Khaysia  Mountains  is  the  richest  in  Asia,  and  includes 
Orchids,  Palms,  Bamboos,  Balsams,  and  Scitaminae.  Amongst  the  Orchids 
are  Vanda  coerulea,  Dendrobium  Parmori,  D.  Dalhousianum,  D.  Devoni- 
anum,  Coelogyne  cristata,  Crypripedium  insigne,  Cymbidium  eburneuni, 
and  Pleiones.  Luculia  gratissima  is  found  in  the  valleys  of  Nepal  below 
5000  feet. 
Taking  into  account  the  abnormal  rainfall  of  the  Khaysia  Mountains, 
all  plants  from  there  should  have  water  throughout  the  year  and  copious 
supplies  during  summer.  Those  from  moderate  elevations  on  the  Neil- 
gherry  Hills  and  on  the  Himalayas  below  6000  feet  should  have  a  period 
of  rest  extending  over  three  or  four  months.  The  rainfall  of  Ceylon  is 
from  60  to  80  inches,  which  falls  during  six  months  of  the  year,  the 
remaining  portion  being  dry.  Cochin  China  has  no  distinct  rainy  or  dry 
season,  and  the  hygrometric  readings  are  always  high.  Gardenias,  Ixora 
coccinea.  Clerodendron  fragrans  fl.-pL,  Cycas  revoluta,  Musas,  and  some 
Nepenthes  occur  here.  The  Malay  Peninsula  has  an  average  of  190 
rainy  days  spread  throughout  the  year,  and  an  average  of  100  to 
130  inches  of  rain.  Cypripedium  barbatum  is  found  on  Mount  Ophir. 
Burmah,  on  its  coast,  and  the  mountain  slopes  of  Moulmein,  have  a  rainy 
and  dry  season  ;  the  annual  rainfall  is  200  inches.  Cypripedium  villosuni, 
Dendrobium  formosum  giganteum,  D.  infundibulum,  D.  Pierardi,  an(l 
Thunia  Bensonias  are  found  on  the  mountains  of  Moulmein. 
Borneo  has  no  marked  rainy  or  dry  periods.  There  is  no  day  in 
which  it  rains  incessantly,  and  no  day  in  which  there  is  not  a  shower.  In 
Borneo  are  many  fine  Nepenthes.  All  tropical  fruits  luxuriate  ;  Pines, 
Mangosteens,  Guavas.  Tamarinds,  Pomegranates,  and  Musas.  Hoya 
Imperialis  is  found  here.  Of  Java  the  annual  rainfall  is  78  inches,  and 
nearly  one-half  of  this  falls  during  the  three  months  of  December, 
January,  and  February  ;  the  remainder  is  distributed  throughout  the 
other  portion  of  the  year.  Phalsenopsis  amabilis,  P.  Schilleriana,  and 
many  ASschynanthus  are  epiphytal  on  trees  ;  whilst  on  the  mountains,  at 
elevations  of  3000  feet,  the  original  species  from  whence  have  sprung  the 
Javanicum  hybrid  Rhododendrons  are  found.  The  Philippine  Isles  have 
their  year  divided  into  a  rainy  and  dry  season.  The  rainy  season  extends 
over  113  days,  or  four  months  ;  the  average  fall  is  66  inches.  Medinilla 
magnifica  and  Nepenthes  Rafflesiana  are  natives  of  these  islands. — 
F.  Street. 
(To  be  concluded.) 
LOROPETALUM  CHINENSE. 
Though  this  early-flowering  shrub  has  been  in  cultivation  in  this 
country  for  many  years,  it  does  not  appear  to  be  generally  known  or 
grown.  It  is  very  seldom  one  meets  with  it  in  gardens,  notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  it  is  very  charming  and  distinct  from  other  shrubs  that  are 
grown  in  similar  positions.  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  the  intro¬ 
ducers  of  the  plant,  have  shown  it  at  the  Drill  Hall  several  times  during 
the-  spring  months,  and  it  has  always  been  much  admired.  L.  chinense 
(fig.  59),  possesses  the  merit  of  being  quite  hardy,  and  growing  to  a  height 
of  about  3  or  4  feet,  produces  its  narrow  petalled  white  flowers  with  the 
greatest  profusion.  It  is  a  shrub  to  which  more  attention  should  be 
accorded,  as  it  is  very  ornamental,  and  almost  certain  of  extensive 
appreciation. 
THE  NURSERYMEN,  MARKET  GARDENERS’  AND 
GENERAL  HAILSTORM  INSURANCE  CORPORATION,  LTD. 
Report  to  be  presented  to  the  shareholders  at  the  third  ordinary 
general  meeting  to  be  held  at  Simpsons’  Ltd.,  101,  Strand,  London,  W.C., 
on  Thursday,  the  31st  day  of  March,  1898,  at  3  o’clock,  P.M. 
The  directors,  in  submitting  to  the  shareholders  their  third  annual 
report  on  the  business  of  the  Corporation  for  the  year  ending 
23rd  February,  1898,  together  with  the  audited  accounts,  have  to  state 
that  no  alteration  in  the  amount  of  capital  issued  has  taken  place  during 
the  past  year. 
Hailstorms. — The  hailstorms  which  occurred  during  the  year  1897 
will  long  be  remembered  for  their  extreme  violence,  for  the  large  area 
over  which  they  fell,  and  for  the  devastation  and  ruin  which  they  wrought, 
more  than  eighty  nurseries  being  very  seriously  damaged.  On  the 
16th  April,  1897,  severe  storms  caused  considerable  damage  to  glass  and 
crops  at  Luton,  Dunstable,  and  Bedford,  as  well  as  in  Lincolnshire, 
Cambridgeshire,  and  North  Herts,  On  the  24th  .lunc,  1897,  hailstorms 
of  unprecedented  violence  occurred  simultaneously  in  Essex,  Hertford¬ 
shire,  a-d  Middlesex,  the  results  being  most  disastrous  at  Chelmsford, 
Ingatestone,  Ponder’s  End,  Enfield  Highway,  Waltham  Cross,  Enfield, 
New  Barnet,  Heston,  near  Hounslow,  and  Harrow.  The  glass  houses  at 
over  sixty  nurseries  were  wrecked  by  these  storms,  and  crops  in  several 
localities  were  completely  destroyed.  Many  of  the  nurserymen,  market 
gardeners,  and  farmers  were  not  insured,  their  losses  amounting  to  many 
thousands  of  pounds.  In  Essex  alone  the  damage  to  glass  and  crops  was 
estimated  at  over  £,'j0y000.  On  the  other  hand,  the  owners  of  thirty 
nurseries  whose  glass  houses  w'cre  severely  damaged  had  insured  with 
this  Corporation,  who  immediately  surveyed  the  properties,  assessed  the 
damages,  and  paid  the  claims  within  six  days  of  the  storms  occurring. 
When  it  is  known  that  these  nurseries  are  situated  at  considerable 
distances  from  each  other,  that  the  total  length  of  the  glass  houses 
exceeds  twenty-five  miles,  that  every  house  had  to  be  carefully 
examined,  and  every  pane  of  glass  broken  or  cracked  by  hail  counted, 
the  fact  that  all  were  surveyed,  the  claims  satisfactorily  assessed  (one 
amounting  to  £886  Is.)  and  settled  within  six  days,  demonstrates  the 
prompt  and  satisfactory  manner^^in  w'hich  this  Corporation  carries  on 
its  business.  The  vast  amountlof  damage  done  by  these  hailstorms. 
Fig.  59.— Loropetalum  chinense. 
together  with  the  prompt  and  satisfactory  manner  in  which  the  claims 
were  assessed  and  paid,  have  resulted  in  the  operations  of  this  Corpora¬ 
tion  becoming  much  better  known  and  appreciated. 
The  directors  are  also  pleased  to  draw  attention  to  the  fact  that 
though  the  Corporation  had  only  been  established  so  short  a  time,  the 
whole  of  the  claims  were  pai  l  without  any  further  call  on  the  share¬ 
holders  being  made. 
Every  possible  effort  has  been  made  to  inform  the  public  of  the 
special  advantages  and  reduced  premiums  offered  by  this  company,  and 
the  directors  are  gratified  to  be  able  to  announce  that  the  premium 
income  this  year  is  more  than  50  per  cent,  over  that  of  the  preceding  year. 
The  directors  again  desire  to  draw  attention  to  the  special  advantage 
of  insuring  with  this  Corporation, — viz ,  that  those  insured  can  replace 
immediately  their  own  glass  broken  by  hail,  the  Corporation  paying  them 
at  the  rate  per  square  foot  at  which  the  glass  is  insured.  Another 
special  advantage,  and  of  which  several  insurers  are  availing  themselves, 
is  that  of  being  able  to  cover  wholly  or  partially  the  value  of  the  contents 
of  their  glass  houses  by  increased  insurance  of  their  glass — an  advantage 
offered  by  no  other  insurance  company. 
Twenty -nine  additional  agents  have  been  appointed  during  the  year, 
making  101  in  all — viz.,  ninety-five  in  the  United  Kingdom  ;  five  in  the 
Channel  Islands  ;  and  one  in  the  Scilly  Isles.  All  agents  are  paid  by 
commission  only.  The  directors  invite  applications  from  gentlemen  who 
would  undertake  agencies  in  those  districts  not  yet  represented. 
The  Board  of  Directors  meets  not  less  than  once  in  every  three 
months,  whilst  a  Committee  of  six  of  the  Board  meet  as  often  as  may  be 
necessary  to  carry  on  the  business  of  the  Corporation.  The  total  number 
of  meetings  held  during  the  year  has  been  twelve. 
In  accordance  with  clause  92  of  the  articles  of  association,  no 
directors’  fees  have  been  paid. 
[It  appears  from  the  financial  statement  that  claims  to  the  value  of 
upwards  of  £1500  have  been  paid  during  the  year.] 
