The Coconino sun., 1920-07-30
MUCH PIONEER HISTORY WRITTEN IN THE CATTLE
 BRANDS OF SOUTHWEST

once. True, there is the "O' fiatten- ed at the sides, but that is called a mashed O." link or goose-egg.
 "N" is another letter that is not suspectible of many positions, for hor- izontally it is "Z". "I'' is another let ter with a limited use. It is seldom seen except in combination with other characters and is usually called bar "C" and "K" are examples of let ters that are used in four positions, For example, an ordinary "K" makes one position. Turn it to an angle of 45 degrees and you have the tumb- ling "K"; on it's back, horizontally, the "lazy K," and reversed, fourth posi- tion. There are lazy and tumbling brands in all letters except 70" and "I".
 But when the cattle business be- comes general and instead of one hum dred ranches there are thousands, new brands must be devised. The seeker for a brand naturally gets an insignia different from that of othe ranchmen, else the brand would fai of its purpose. So in the latter days the letters were finally all taken up and the necessity for individual and unique brands has led to many a strange device.
 For example, there is the Spur" ranch, the Turkey Track" ranch, the "Tumbling k', or the Lazy X". Every ranch has it's principal brand, and some have many others. Ranch own CTS who trade extensively, and who are constantly acquiring cattle with different brands, have a number of in signias on record. Often the ranch mems sons and daughters have their special brands, and the dedication of a new brand is not an unusual form of celebrating birth on the range.
 Among the peculiar brands is a pig for which means a square with it's sides extending to form the exterior angles. Crescents are common. Only one ranchman has a hatchet for a brand.
 A bow and arrow gives a name to one big Texas ranch. l.. J. Kimber- lin's ranch had crutch on the hip and a coffee-pot on the side. The coffee pot is not so intricate as one might imagine-consisting of only eight lines.
 Wine glasses are not uncommon as brand, and the J. w. Friend Cattle company in Crockett county, had a gourd. A rocking chair is the brand used by the H. P. Opp ranch in Sutton and Menard counties.
 Lee Brothers had for their brand the graceful fleur-de-lis. Anchors are com mon, but only the John w. Franks ranch in the Osage Reservation boasts of the swastika.
 A hash knife, hat, the Masonic square, a key, turkey track, bell, crossed walking sticks, an hour glass, tree, boot, slipper, flag, an ap- pie, flower, ladders, rakes, spade, a fence, a doll baby, a cotton hook, a fish hook, a bottle, bridle bits, frying pan, a pitchfork, and even a comet may be seen among the long list of brands.
 A "scruple" indicates that the ranch owner was druggist before becom- ing a cattleman. Hearts, diamonds, and clubs are found among the record of brands, but the spades are those of agricultural design.
 The tendency is toward smaller brands. Branding causes cattle to lose weight, and the larger the brand the greater the suffering of the cattle and the greater the loss of weight, so the old-time custom of great brands, cov- ering the whole side of COW, is pass ing away. Hides are more valuable today also, and the big brands injure the leather.