THE WOOL BREEDS OF SHEEP 375 



sion of twenty-five Black-top ewes, that traced to the 

 Dickinson flock. On these he used rams of Berry and 

 Johnston breeding, and from this foundation developed 

 the Improved Black-top Delaine, the word " improved " 

 being used because the advocates considered this family 

 superior to the Black-top Spanish. 



460. Description. Delaine sheep have smoother 

 bodies than the American Merinos, with fewer folds and 

 wrinkles, sometimes with none. They vary considerably 

 in type, according to the individual ideals of their many 

 breeders. They are larger 



and heavier than American 



Merinos and fatten more 



readily. The weight of 



matured rams may be given 



as 140 to 200 pounds, and 



of ewes as 100 to 150 



pounds (Fig. 74). Their 



breeders have striven to 



combine mutton qualities, ^ 74 ~ Delaine Merino ram ' 



to some extent, with the production of a fine fleece. The 



breeders avail themselves rather freely of whatever Merino 



blood they fancy will improve their type. Thus, when 



the flock is losing in weight of fleece, they sometimes 



resort to the use of American Merino rams to thicken the 



fleece and make it heavier, or to Rambouillet rams to 



increase the size. The important item sought is to keep 



good size and mutton quality, while furnishing fleece of 



good length and staple, grading XX or better. 



461. Uses of Delaine Merino sheep. The Delaine 

 Merinos bear wool a little longer and coarser in fiber than 

 the American Merinos, with a little less crimp and less 

 oil, and with stronger fibers well adapted to carding. 



