in Roman antiquity, a festival in honour of Flora, observed on the 29th of April, or the fifth of the calends of May, at which time games were celebrated in the Campus Martius, which were proclaimed by sound of trumpet. These games were celebrated in a very scandalous manner: and were in some sense the festival of the courtezans. To hide the shameful origin of this festival, the senate made the people believe Flora was a goddess, who presided over flowers; and that, in order to have a good crop, it was necessary to honour that goddess every year.

FLOOR, in architecture, the under side of a room, or that part we walk on.—Floors are of several sorts; some of earth, some of brick, some of stone, and some of wood. See ARCHITECTURE, n°116, and PAVING.

Floor of a Ship, as much of her bottom as the reefs upon when she rests on the ground.—Such ships as have long and broad floors, lie on the ground with most security; and those that are narrow in the floor, cannot be grounded without danger either of being overset, or at least of hurting their sides.