218 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



ship. Many of the brands are well known to the rancheros 

 over a large portion of the state ; and by looking at the ani- 

 mal, they will tell where it was born, and who have owned it 

 at different times. The hips and shoulders on both sides are 

 often covered with brands. Sometimes the brands grow with 

 the animals ; in other cases they remain nearly of their original 

 size. A brand well burned into the skin is perceptible as long 

 as the animal lives, though it grows less and less distinct witn 

 the advance of years. 



In the fall there is another season of rodeos, to brand such 

 calves as may have escaped notice at the spring rodeos, or may 

 have been too small to be branded. 



The rancheros sometimes have a mark in addition to their 

 brand, such as slitting the ear or cutting a notch in the dew- 

 lap. A drawing of the mark must be deposited in the county 

 recorder's office. It is contrary to law to cut off the end of 

 the ear, or to cut it on both sides so as to bring it to a point ; 

 for those modes of marking would give opportunities to cut 

 away the marks of other people. The bull-calves are usually 

 altered at the rodeos, as well as branded and marked. The 

 cattle on many ranches are touched only twice in their lives 

 by the hand of man — first, when they are branded ; and next, 

 when they are slaughtered. 



§ 160. Early Maturity of Calif ornian Coics. — The cows 

 calve almost invariably before they are two years old, frequent- 

 ly before they are eighteen months, and sometimes before four- 

 teen months. They generally arrive at maternity a year sooner 

 than in the Atlantic states. It is said that suckling heifers 

 have been seen to take the bull. The Spanish rancheros have 

 eight or ten bulls to a hundred cows ; the Americans usually 

 four or five. The calves suckle from six to ten months ; that 

 is, from January or February, when they are born, until No- 

 vember, when the pasturage is very scanty. The Spanish cows 

 have small udders, and yield httle milk ; and notwithstanding 

 their great number in the country, butter, milk, and cheese 

 were very rarely seen on the table previous to the coming of 



