36 Forestry Quarterly 



carefully, and take a great many other precautions to avoid de- 

 tection. In line with this second point, these marks serve to 

 prevent the accidental sale of another's stock, and also the acci- 

 dental marking of stock not owned by the brander. Sometimes, 

 in a big round-up and branding "bee," the "boys" will fail to 

 notice that a stray cow has a calf, and when the final count is 

 made, the calf may show up with the wrong brand on it. Such 

 accidental brandings should not be classed as "rustling" for 

 at times the corral may contain over 800 cows and calves and to 

 locate the mother of each calf would be impossible. With big 

 herds of cattle, long use of a brand gave rise to a natural ex- 

 tension of its use as a trade mark. At first my father's ranch 

 was called "Peter's Ranch," then our herd took the name of the 

 PV (read "P\ ^ bar") outfit, and finally our ranch was known as 

 the "PV Ranch." 



The literature on brands, earmarks, and other marks used on 

 livestock in the range country is very much limited. Of this 

 supply, the book that seems to cover the subject best is "Western 

 Grazing Grounds," by W. C. Barnes. In 390 pages Mr. Barnes 

 treats the history of the livestock industry in the west, the range 

 management, the present day livestock industry, diseases of 

 livestock, saddle horses, and range equipment. In chapter IX he 

 treats quite fully of brands and earmarks, as well as of brand- 

 books, and this portion of the book should be of considerable 

 help to the beginner. The official "Brand Books" of the Montana 

 Stock Growers' Association, Western Livestock Association, and 

 similar organizations, and of the bureaus of the western states, 

 contain a varied and almost endless list of brands and earmarks. 

 Such books also often include information as to the owner's 

 headquarters and his range. When the beginner has become 

 acquainted with the contents of a few of these books, he would 

 do well to turn to the old stockman for further information. 

 The Forest Service at present has in employ quite a number of 

 men once in the cattle business, and such men, if properly ap- 

 proached, will teach the green man more than he could ever hope 

 to get from books. 



Earmarks — The word earmark is applied, not to some mark put 

 on an ear of an animal, but to a certain shaped section which is 

 removed from the ear, usually when the animal is under a year 



