HORN.
212
HORN.
HoB.vy TissiE appears as a variety of tumor
upon JilVerent regions of llic liunian skin, but
esiK-cially upon the faiv, and occasionally in
dcrniKid cysts. Tlicse nianilcslations are con-
sidered iin «arls, of which the epidermal cells
are inliiiiutely united in llie same uuinner as in
the nails; and they are classed with warts, corns,
and some nicvi, under the term corneous papil-
lomata. The tendency to Imrny excrescences on
the r.kin is rare, and lielongs to advanced
a;.'e. Thero is a disease of the skin called
'liystricisnius,' wlii
er cent, of earthy
matter, while bones have over .")0 per cent. Horn
can Ik? softened and split into thin layers or
lamina-, or pressed into molds. As it recovers
its peculiar character of flexibility, toughness,
and transparency when cold, it is particularly
adajiteil for a great variety of purposes. It can
also he dyed various colors. A solution of gold
in aqua regia dyes it red; a solution of nitrate
of silver in nitric acid, black; a paste of red
lead, made with a solution of potash, colors it
brown; so that with a pro|»"r arrangement and
application of these materials, the most admir-
able imitations of the nnich more costly tortoise-
shell can he produced, which, indeed, it resembles
in structure. The more common vegetable dye-
stuffs, as logvood, Brazilwood, harwood, saffron,
indigo, etc., will also color horn, but neither so
pennanently nor so brightly as the metallic ma-
terials.
By long-continued soaking, the horns of all the
animals above mentioned can be softened, and
those of the shec-p and goat can easily lie split
into several layers after they have been soaked
and boiled. These layers can not only be flat-
tened out by putting them l)etween smooth iron
plates heated and plac<'d in a press, but can be
welded together firmly by pressing their edges to-
gether between polished copper plates, and then
plunging them for some time into boiling water
and then into cold water. This property enables
the horn-worker to use tip the smallest cuttings
with profit, .
other valuable property of liorn is
that when heated it can lie pressed into a die,
and not only takes a beautiftil sharp impression.
but if left in the die until cold it retains it. In
dies, after which they are buffed and polished.
The value of the horns and hoofs imported into
the I'nited States to be consumed in domestic
manufactures in recent vears has been as follows:
S'Xi. .>i.">.-)4,'J02; 18!I4, $2:i.5.2:J2 ; 181)5, $2ti8,800;
18!Mj. .$.508,445; 1897, .$150,134.
HORN. A musical instrument, belonging to
the family of bra.ss wind instnnnents and dis-
tinguished by a cupped mouthpiece, a llaring bell,
ar.d a narrow, conical tube which is between nine
and eighteen feet long, and is twisted back on
itself. The natural or French horn (q.v. ), al-
though having an exceedingly tender, sonorous
tone, was a very imperfect instrument, and is
now entirely superseded by the valve horns. The
horn is built in almost any key; there are horns
in A. Bp. C. D, Eb, E. F, G. " Its range is from
C — c As the horns (except the one in C) are
transposing instruments, lower tones than C can
be obtained by using different horns. For in-
stance, on the low Bp horn the note C sounds Bb,
on the Elj horn E[), etc. The music for horns is
always written in the G clef, except the very low
tones. Strange to say, the tones written in the
bass clef are always written an octave luucr
than the actual sound. In the smallest orchestra
there are always two horns. The ordinary
symphony orchestra has four, and Wagner em-
ploys as many as eight. When four horns are
used the first and third are written on the same
staff ii the score, and the second and fourth to-
gether on another staff. What kind of horns are
employed dejiends upon the tonality of the com-
position and also to some extent upon the modu-
lation within the tonality. Thus a composer
writing in C major might employ two horns in C
and two in F, or two in C and two in G. Some
modern masters use the F horns for all keys. A
peculiarity in writing music for horns is that no
key signatures are used. All music is written in
C and everv' chromatic alteration is specially
marked. Muted tones can also lie prtxluced upon
the valve horns. They have a peculiar ominous
sound, and are sometimes employed in dramatic
works to express situations of fear, horror,
mystery, etc. In the Xibelungen Wagner has an
efTective phrase on muted horns whenever Wo-
tan's ravens are mentioned. I^nfortunately. these
muted tones have been abused and are used with-
out sufficient reasons in the works of the Xen-
German school. Of the early composers. Weber 
