FLO It- led fof this purpose, is yellow deal, thorough}) seasoned j which, it well laid, will for a long time re- tain its colour ; whereas the white sort, bv frequent washing, becomes black, and presents a di appearance. The joints of the boards arc usually made plain, so ns barely to touch each other : but, iis the materials are not always per- fectly thy, the boards not unfre- quentlv shrink, and the water runs through them every time they are waslied, by which the ceiling un- derneath is injured. To remedy this inconvenience, they should al- ways be made cither with edges, so as to fold over each other about half an inch, or with what is called dove-tails : in the latter case, the lower edge is nailed down, and the next driven into it, so that the nails are effectually concealed. In tiie habitations of the labour- ing classes, the floors are generally made of loam. The best materials for this purpose are two-thirds of lime, one of coal-ashes, and a small portion of clay. The whole of these ingredients is to be well tempered with water, and left to subside for a week or ten days, when it is to be worked up again. This operation should be repeated in the course of three or four days, till the mixture become smooth and glutinous, -when it will be tit for use. After the ground is made perfectly level, the composition is to be laid on to the depth of two and a half, or three inches, and carefully smoothed with a trowel. The hottest season of the year is the most proper for applying this mixture, which, when completely dried, will make a most durable floor, especially for malt-houses.— See Country-Houses. FLOUNDER, or Pkurowctes FLO !>7 ,/7r<;/c, 1. n fish, which abounds in all parts of the British sea, and i3 also found in risers, at a consi- derable distance from the shore. It may be easily distinguished from , or any other fish belonging to the same genus, by a row of! small, but sharp spines, which sur- round its upper sides, and are placed at that part where the fins arc united to the body : a similar row marks the side-line, and extends half May down the back. The up- per part of the body is of a pale brown, which is sometimes mark- ed with a few spots of greasy yel- low. Flounders seldom grow to any size in the rivers, few exceeding the weight of rive or six pounds ; they are, however, preferred to those which are caught in the seaj being much sweeter, and at the same time having a more delicate flavour. FLOUR, the meal of wheat, rye> &c. finely ground and sifted. We have already stated, that corn is the prey of a variety of in- sects : when converted into flour, it is subject to the depredations of another race of destroyers, whicJS multiply in it so rapidly, that in a very short time they wholly con- sume its substance. These insects are of an oblong, slender form; their heads are provided with 9. kind of proboscis or snout, with which they take in their food ; their body is composed of several rings. They do incalculable da- mage to the flour deposited in ma- gazines for armies or other public uses ; and after they have insinu- ated themselves into any parcel, the only method that can be adopted for saving the whole quantity is, to convert it immediately into bread. In order to prevent such noxi- X 2 ©us
