374 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



The Victor Beall strain of this family is the result of a 

 cross of Spanish and Black-top Merino blood. About 

 1877, a Spanish ram, named Victor, was used in the flock 

 of Black-top Merinos owned by R. H. Russell. Fifteen 

 years before, a ram of Spanish and Black-top blood, pur- 

 chased from the flock of C. H. Beall, of West Virginia, 

 had been used on some of the Reed flock, then in the 

 hands of McClelland Brothers. The offspring of the de- 

 scendants of these two rams were very superior, and the 

 strain came to be known as Victor-Beall Delaine Merino. 



The Black-top Spanish Merino. In 1821, William 

 Berry of Washington county, Pennsylvania, purchased 

 some ewes and a ram of Mr. Dickinson, which he bred 

 very carefully. He was impressed that the sheep having 

 the darkest appearance or "top " were the hardiest and 

 best feeders. By selecting along these lines, he developed 

 a family that he called Black-top. It differs in no mate- 

 rial way from the other families, the size being perhaps a 

 little greater and the fleece a little heavier. The wool is 

 not so much laid on over the head and has a darker ap- 

 pearance on the outside. The staple should reach a 

 length of three to four inches, and the rams should yield 

 thirteen to fourteen pounds, the ewes seven to twelve 

 pounds of brook- washed wool. Black-top rams are 

 horned, while the ewes have smooth heads. The form 

 in general is of the mutton type. 



The Improved Black-top Merino also had its origin 

 in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in the hands of 

 George Black. Beginning about 1853, and continuing 

 for many years, Robert Johnston, also of Washington 

 county, used only Black-top rams on his ewes, many of 

 his rams coming from the Berry flock. His ewes traced 

 to the Dickinson flock. In 1850, Black came into posses- 



