Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-08-22
SEARCHING FOR BRANDS.
New Brands Recorded Average More Than
One thousand Year.


One thousand Year.
The advice whichSecretary Preuitt,
OF the Montana Stock Growers assO-
citation, has been giving for anumber
OF years to stockgrowers to have
their brands recorded, IL bearing
fruit these days. In fact II Is bearing
so much fruit that Mr.. Preuitt has
now added to 1t the request; "In-
vent some new brands and some
new places in which To put them"
For several years past the number
OF new brands recorded each year has
been more than 1000, but this year
promises to break the record, says
the Independent. The stockgruwers
seem to have just awakened to the
full benefits to be derived from hav-
ing their brands recorded, and so far
more than 1000 have been put on
record this year. 1t Is great show
ing and the only problem that con-
fronts the recorder OF marks and
brands is what he will do when he
reaches the end OF his string in the
brand line.
To the ordinary individual it ap-
pears TO be an easy thing to select
brand and have il recorded. But
when he understands il he finds that
it Is not so easy as Il seemed. The
man who starts in thecattle business
selects his brand for its simplicity
and position on the animal so that
it can be easily seen. He has 1t all
nicely figured out and he goes to the
recorders office with his 81, ready to
complete the transaction.
Just there his troubles begin.
THAT brand" says Clyde e. Smith,
the clerk in the Office. "is already on
record, and it Is recorded for every
part Of the animal on which IL is pos
sible to put brand"
Then the new man suggests some
other simple brand, or combination,
only to be told the same story, and
after he has exhausted his stock of
suggestions he calls upon Mr.. Smith.
The latter always has new brand
or an old brand for an unoccupied
place, and finally the grower leaves
with brand on record, but il is one
he had not thought Of, and perhaps
on the part OF the animal he did not
want.
When ii Is said that there are now
on record over 5000 brands il will
be realized that when Mr.. Preuitt
says he wants suggestions, he is real
ly up n stump. Five orsiX years ago
MI. Preuitt said he had nearly reach
ed the end OF the brand business; but
! the ingenuity OF himself and Mr..
Smith has STAYED the evil day of un-
til now. He is OF the opinion now
that the end Is in sight, but Joseph
Scott, the Custer county stockgrow-
err, is not convinced OF the fact, be-
cause he says that IL what Mr.
Preuitt said five years ago, land he
still keeps finding new brands, or
new places to put them, he added.
There are now ten places on an
animal where brand can be put.
That means that one brand can be
used for ten different owners. For
many years the recorder confined
himself to six places. These were the
ribs, shoulders and thighs. Recently
he has added to his list the jaw and
neck, and this gives him four more.
These ten places give many chances
for combinations OF old brands and
new ideas, but even the deepest well
may run dry Ii used too lavishly.
There is no man in the state who
has made more brands, and the prob
ability is there is no one who has
made , per cent rs many as has Clyde
c. Smith, the clerk ia Mr.. Preuitt's <
Office. He IL an expert at the busi-
ness, and his book of records and
brands presents as iinenn appearance
as the best work of the artists with
the pen. Not only has he recorded
thousands OF brands in the brand
books, but before recording he has
made fac SMILES OF many OF them on
slip OF paper TO show the man who
wanted to record brand how IL
would look. In addition he has
made other thousands on the remit
tance blanks which have carried hun
dreds OF thousands OF dollars to the
owners Of stray cattle that have
been sold on the eastern markets.
To give him more practice and make
him more expert, he has cut in the
metal for the annual brand book
published by the recorder the brands
recorded for the year. And that has
not been all. He has made these
same brands with pen and ink on
tke copy furnished theprinter. Take
it altogether. In the nine years Mr..
Smith has been in the office Of the
recorder OF marks and brands. he
has made hundreds OF thousands Of
brands.