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 lou 
as the animal lives, though it grows less and less distinct ae 
the advance of years. 
Tn 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. Harly Maturity of Californian Cows.—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 little 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 
