HORN MANITFAOTORES COMBS.—Horns which are to be manufactured are first thrown into water, by which slight putrefaction is caused, ammonia is liberated, and the horn begins to soften ; the softening is then continued by immersion in an acid bath, for a period of about 2 weeks. When sufficiently soft, they are cleaned, and split into two parts by a circular saw. These slices are introduced between heated plates, and the whole is subjected to a pressure of several tons a sq. in. The plates may bear devices, or be of varying form, thus producing at once any desired effect. The horn may then be dyed black or brown by dipping it into a bath containing a weak solution of mercury or lead salts, and rubbing on hydrosulphate of ammonia ; or it may be mordanted in an iron-bath, and dyed by logwood. Fancy markings are produced by immersing the horn in a bath of lead salt, and then in hydrochloric acid, thus forming white lines in the interstices of the horn.
The manufacture of combs is by far the most important application of horn. The lamivatory character of the horn, its very diversely running grain, and the raising up of the fibres by the use of the various tools, render it very difficult to apply machinery in its converaion, and the large amount of band-labour required helps to cause the proportionately high price of the manufactured article.
The softened horn is first split lengthwise in the direction of the grain. The split horn is then warmed in hot water, opened out flat, laid between cold iron plates, and pressed level. If the goods are to be subsequently stained, the slices are further placed between hot steel plates, and very strongly pressed, to reduce the thickness and deatroy the superficial grain. The prepared slices are next stamped out by cutters, arranged to form as many combs as possible, of various sizes and shapes, so as to fully economize the material. The slices are again pressed and straightened, and ground, ready for cutting the teeth, which operation is performed by a "parting-engine," or die-stamping machine, in the case of coarse combs, and by circular saws in that of fine-toothed combs.
Commerce in Horns.—Vienna exported 22,604 metric centners (of 1101 lb.) of horns iu 1877, and 32,255 in 1878. Poti exported 17 poods (of 36 lb.) of buffalo-horns, and 155 poods of deer-boros, in 1877-8. Canton exported horns to the value of 17,218 taels in 1878. Newchang exported 1095 pairs of old deer-horns in 1877, and 1034 in 1878. Hankow exported 1935 piculs (of 1333 lb.) of cow-horns in 1878. Taiwan exported 47 cwt. of cow- and buffalo-horns in 1878. Kiungchow, exported 2751 piculs of horn in 1877, and 432 piculs in 1878. Shanghae exported, in 1878, 2854 piculs of cow- and buffalo-horns, 175 piculs of chamois-horns, 298 pairs of young deer-horns, and 48 piculs of old deer-horns. Algiers exported 1,274,019 kilo. of horns and hoofs in 1877, and 1,415,850 kilo. in 1878. Guatemala, in 1878, exported 368 quintals to the United States. Peroambuco, in 1877-8, exported 520 hundreds of horns to Great Britain, and 59 hundreds to Portugal. Santos, in 1879, exported 44,430 kilo. of ox-horns to Europe.
Our imports of horns in 1879 were as follows :—From Bengal and Burmah, 654 tons, value 21,00114 Bombay and Scindc, 569 tons, 19,1921. ; Australia, 485 tons, 14,1021. ; United States, 451 tons, 67781. ; Madras, 373 tons, 15,1721. ; Straits Settlements, 305 tons, 11,5501. ; France, 270 tons, 10,2851. ; Argentine Republic, 245 tons, 70491. ; British S. Africa, 223 tons, 11,3651. ; Brazil, 178 tons, 66701. ; Uruguay, 137 tons, 52071. ; Ceylon, 96 tons, 55561.; other countries, 654 tons, 17,8821. ; total, 4640 tons, 151,8091. The approximate values are :—S. American ox, 35-80s. a 100 ; ditto cow, 15-35s. ; Cape, 35-120s.; Australian, 6-65s. ; Deer, E. Indian, 40-120s. u cwt.; Buffalo, E. Indian, 20-60s. ; tips, E. Indian, &c., 18-40s. ; ditto, N. American, 10-75s.
(See Bones ; Celluloid ; Ivory.) HOSIERY.—See KNITTED FABRICS.