—The manufacture of horns into manufactured articles is a highly specialized work and rarely undertaken by the packer as a commercial possibility. Horns are used for the manufacture of combs and various other ornamental articles. In the course of manufacturing, the tip is sawed off to the hollow part of the horn. It is then split open, the horn is steamed, softened and flattened by pressure, usually hydraulic pressure. Any checks or flaws in the horn damage it for manufacturing purposes. If submitted to excessive heat in drying or stored in a room that is hot and dry they are sure to become damaged. When in storage they should be placed in a cellar or room where there is some moisture, but not enough to cause them to mold.
FIG. 60.—CATTLE HEAD SPLITTERS.
Skulls.
—The treatment of skulls in process is as follows: The cheek meat is removed from the head, the jaws pulled out, the head split and brain removed, and the skull is ready for the cooking vat. The brain is an edible product, for which there is a ready sale in most markets, consequently they should be properly taken out. The illustration, [Fig. 60], is of a machine with a hollow knife intended for splitting the skull but not damaging the brain. With this machine the heads are split after the jaws are pulled. The head is laid on the table with the teeth up. The knife is made with a semi-circular space in the sharp edge which comes down over the brain without touching same as the balance of the blade is forced through the skull, leaving the brain intact while separating the skull bones. Where a large number of heads are handled in this manner it saves a great deal of labor. It is desirable to remove the brains before cooking the skulls, as the bones become discolored if the brain is left in the skull.
Cooking.
—After the skulls are placed in a tank they should be kept covered with cold water until collected in sufficient quantity for cooking. They should be thoroughly washed, as there is a large amount of clotted blood usually adhering to the skull, and if not well washed the grease derived from the cooking is discolored and injured. In connection with the washing, it is always well, when the vat is filled, to heat the water to a point about 90° F. and draw this water off. The vat is then filled with water sufficient to cover the skull and the steam turned on, the temperature raised to 200° F. The steam should be graduated so as to hold this temperature eight and one-half or nine hours, when the heads will be found to be cooked sufficiently. The steam is then shut off and the oil cooked from the heads is allowed to collect on the surface, after which it is skimmed and strained, and allowed to settle. It is then ready for tiercing.
Cleaning.
—The skulls should be kept covered with water until ready for washing. This is done by passing through a reel screen arranged with a central hollow axle or a perforated pipe suspended in the top, used for spraying the revolving bones with a plentiful supply of warm water for cleansing them.