LECTURE LXXI. 



DELAINE MERINOS. 



Origin, History, and Development. 



The Delaine Merino is an American production, an off-shoot 

 from the American Merino the result of careful breeding, 

 selection, and feeding to a definite end. It is the successful 

 outcome of efforts put forth by a number of breeders chiefly 

 in Ohio and Pennsylvania. 



The end these breeders had in view was to produce and 

 fix the type of a breed of Merinos that would possess a smooth, 

 strong, deep, wide, somewhat larger mutton form than that 

 of the American Merino; to free it from wrinkles, and to 

 lengthen the staple and increase the weight of fleece. All 

 this they have accomplished without in any way deteriorating 

 the value of the sheep. 



The Delaine Merino gets its name from the cloths that are 

 manufactured from its wool. These are known as Delaine 

 dress goods. Formerly these goods were made all of wool, 

 but now a cotton warp is used with a woolen woof. 



There are several Delaine breeds, three of which, the 

 Standard, Delaine, National Delaine, and the Improved De- 

 laine, have associations established to guard their interests. 



These sheep are larger, smoother, and possess better mut- 

 ton forms than the American Merino. The bodies are free 

 from wrinkles, though some of them still wear these adorn- 

 ments about their necks and on their breasts. They have a 

 fleece equally as heavy but excelling that of the American 

 Merino in length of stable and scouring qualities in that it 

 possesses less yolk. 



Being larger sheep than the American Merino, they require 

 better pasture grounds. In maturing qualities they are me- 



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