MERINOS. 249 



The following Scale of Points also adopted by the Association 

 should be used in connection with the above description: 



Skin 4 Forward 49 



Head 4 Hoofs .... 4 



Nose 3 Smoothness of fleece 6 



Ears 3 Staple 4 



Horns 3 Quality of fleece 6 



Neck 4 Quantity of fleece 6 



Shoulders 5 Covering . 8 



Back . 8 Oil 5 



Loins 3 Size of animal 5 



Hips 3 Internal organs . 4 



Thighs 4 Maturity 3 



Legs 5 



Perfection 100 



Forward 49 



Dickinson Merinos are now favorably known in many parts of the 

 United States. The Record Association was organized in May, 1884. 

 Mr. H. G. McDowell, son of James McDowell, is the present active and 

 efficient secretary. 



The Black- Tops. 



This family, if the claims of its breeders are correct, furnishes a 

 good example of change wrought by slow, steady purpose in one direc- 

 tion the Black-Top Merinos being placed before the public as lineal 

 descendants of the Dickinsons just described and through them of the 

 original Humphreys importation in 1802. Referring to preceding topic, 

 will be found the Dickinson breeders' claim that W. R. Dickinson never 

 sold any of his Humphreys sheep. If this can be proved, it will leave 

 the Black- fops with a broken link in their chain of genealogy. We do 

 not undertake to decide the case, but give both statements, and invite 

 the reader to draw his own conclusions, or investigate further on his own 

 responsibility. 



Concerning the change, or, as the breeders of Black-Tops have it 

 improvement in these sheep of Dickinson descent, we may say : In 

 1821 Wm. Berry, of Washington county, Pa., purchased a choice ram 

 and a number of ewes from W. R. Dickinson's flock; and, according to 

 Vol. I. of the Black-Top Register, Mr. Berry was assured and satisfied 

 that these sheep were directly descended from the original Humphreys 

 importation made in 1802. Without discussing this question further, it 

 is certain that Mr. Berry strictly carried out his purpose to breed within 

 the flock and make all improvement by selection and care. In 1847 he 

 rented his farm and sold his flock to his two sons William and Mat- 

 thew himself moving to Canonsburg, Pa., where he remained until his 

 death, Dec. 26th, 1866. In the experience of both Mr. Berry and his 

 sons, it was noticed that the sheep with darkest "tops" were the 

 largest and made the best records in shearing. They also found that 



