HOU Common Grcal Hound's- i ittga , or Dog's-tongue, which is frequently found on road Bides, and anions rubbish ; where it fl nvers ill June. — It is eaten bv j, bul refused by sheep, horses, . and eows. — lis seen! is very disagreeable, and resembles the odour of mice'. This plant has a bitter taste, and is so powerfully narcotic, that per- wiio had eaten it as a culinary v i ible, were laid into a pro- fouhd ^leep tor fourteen hours ; and others died in consequence. The roots, however, were, ac- cording to Ray, employed by Dr. Hulsk, who prescribed a decoc- tion of them internally, and cata- plasms externally in scrophulous j. The leaves and roots have likewise been recommended for the same purposes, and also for coughs, dysenteries, &c. on ac- count of their mucilaginous, astrin- gent, and sedative qualities, of which we have had no experi- ence. Hound's-tree. See Cornel- tree. HOUR, a measure of time, equal to the 24th part of the na- tural day, or that space of time which the earth requires to per- form its diurnal revolution round its axis. The hour is divided into 60 minutes, each of which is divid- ed into 60 seconds, as every second is into 60 thirds. — See Time, and "Watch. HOUR-GLASS, a kind of chro- nometer, employed by navigators, as well as by some artisans and mechanics; to measure the passing of time, by means of the descent or running of sand, out of one glass into another. The best hour-glasses are those which are filled with egg-shells, •.NO. VIII.— VOL. II. H.O U [ 497 well dried in aa oven, finely pnl- eri/.ed, and sifted; as they shew the passing of time with greater < -.u rness than common sand. HOUSE, a habitation or edifice suited with conveniencics for the abode of man. The chief requisites in con- structing houses are, situation, du- rability, and convenience, of which we have already treated under the article Building ; we shall there- fore only notice an expired patent granted in 1786 to Mr. Dennis M'Cakthy, for his then new- invented compound, applicable to the formation of tiles. The patentee direfts three bushels of Thames sand, or any white flux- ing sand, to be mixed with a bushel of salt, and calcined in a kiln or furnace till it become a hard sub- stance. These ingredients are then to be ground fine, and one bushel of them mixed with an equal quan- tity of white clay, or whiting, to. which are to be added one bushel of calcined ground flint, or ground glass ; plaster of Paris may also be mingled with the clay, if the latter article cannot be easily pro- cured ; and, by the addition of smalt, the compound may be made of a beautiful slate colour. When the ingredients are mixed together, and moistened with wa- ter, they should be worked till they acquire a consistence proper for casting them into moulds. The pieces, or tiles thus formed, are next to be burned in a furnace, or kiln, the fire being confined by funnels or muffles. The size of these tiles depends on the distance of the rafters, on which they are to be placed in such a direction, that the joints may meet in the centre, and either fold over, or fix into each other exactly; in which & k state
