Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VIII.djvu/850

 832 IIOKSETAIL HORTENSE cryptogamous or flowerless plants. They have rush-like, hollow, jointed stems, with toothed sheaths at the joints, and terminated by a sort of cone of shield-shaped scales; the spore cases or parts concerned in reproduction are Common Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) Scales and Spores, and Barren and Fertile Stems. attached to the under side of these scales ; each spore has attached to it four long elastic filaments, which coil closely around it when moist, and uncoil when dry ; these motions, which may be induced at will by breathing upon the spores, render them interesting ob- jects for the microscope. The cuticle of these plants abounds so largely in silex that some are used in polishing ; hence scouring rush is the common name for some species. The most common or field horsetail, E. arvense, is a plant of wide distribution, it being found in every continent and from the Arctic zone to Africa ; this species is of interest chiefly as it is alleged to be poisonous to cattle. Like some others, it produces two sorts of stems; the fertile ones, which appear in very early spring, especially in moist places, are 4 to 10 in. high, simple, succulent, of a light brown color with black sheaths, and wither soon after the spores are discharged. The barren stems appear later, and are green and ribbed, appearing quite un- like the others ; they bear numerous generally simple branches at each node, and have so much the appearance of a young seedling pine- tree that in some localities the plant is called low pine and ground pine. The plant is very generally regarded by farmers as poisonous to animals, but in this, as in other cases of plants reputed to be injurious, it is very difficult to procure positive evidence. It would seem to be quite certain that the dried plant is not poisonous, as it is often cut with the grass when mown for hay, and we have known hay largely mixed with horsetail to be fed without injury. The sterile stem of this is also annual. There are several perennial-stemmed species, the largest of which, E. robustum, 3 to 6 ft. high, grows along the western rivers. IIOKSF1EL1), Thomas, an English traveller and naturalist, ~born about 1773, died in 1859. He went to Java in 1802 under the auspices of the Dutch colonial government, and remained there during its temporary occupation by the East India company. After having thorough- ly studied the natural history of the island, he returned to England in 1817 with a large collection of animals and plants. The former are described in his "Zoological Researches in Java and the Neighboring Islands" (4to, 1821-'4) ; the latter in a work entitled Plantce Javaniccs rariores (1838-'52). IIORSLEY, John Callcott, an English painter, born in London, Jan. 29, 1817. His father was the musician William Horsley. He became known for his genre pictures, gained in 1843 a prize of 200 for his cartoon representing " St. Augustine Preaching," and subsequently exe- cuted many frescoes for the houses of parlia- ment. Among his best known works are " L' Al- legro and II Penseroso," painted for Prince Albert, "A Scene from Don Quixote," "Under the Mistletoes," and " Caught Napping." HORSLEY, Samuel, an English prelate and scholar, born in St. Martin's-in-the-fields, Lon- don, in 1733, died in Brighton, Oct. 4, 1806. He was educated at Cambridge, took orders in 1759, and held successively several impor- tant livings. In 1788 he was made bishop of St. Davids, in 1793 of Rochester, and in 1802 of St. Asaph. For this rapid and unusual preferment he was in part indebted to his con- troversy with Dr. Priestley on the divinity of Christ. He published an edition of Apollonius Perga3us (1770), and of the works of Newton (!779-'85). From 1773 he was for several years secretary of the royal society. Among his works are : " Critical Disquisitions on the 18th Chapter of Isaiah;" "Hosea, a New Translation, with Notes ;" a translation of the Psalms; "Biblical Criticism;" elementary trea- tises on mathematics ; essays on the prosodies of the Greek and Latin languages; and nu- merous papers in the " Philosophical Transac- tions." His theological works have been pub- lished in 6 vols. 8vo (London, 1845). HORTA, a town, capital of the island of Fayal, one of the Azores, situated on the S. E. coast of the island, on a wide bay between two rocky headlands; pop. in 1864, 8,549. Its port is defended by several forts. It carries on a considerable trade in wine. HORTENSE, Queen. See BEAUHABNAIS, HOE- TENSE EUGENIE. END OF VOLUME EIGHTH.