EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 513 



, 12) Ears, medium size, set well apart, thickly coated 2 



(13) Neck, short on top, deep and strongly attached to the shoulders, tapering 



to head ; rams with a fold across the breast, and deep neck 4 



(14) Fleece covering over the entire body, head, and legs; skin thick and 



spongy 4 



(15) Legs, short, strong, and well apart 2 



(16) Feet, neatly shaped, thin hoof, well set uuaer the leg 4 



(17) Quarters, deep and well rounded; back, broad, straight, and strongly 



coupled to quarters 10 



(18) Weight of ewes at maturity, 100 pounds and abo\v ; rams, 150 aud above .. 8 



(19) General appearance, good carriage, bold and vigorous style, symmetrical 



form 5 



Perfection 100 



There has been an increasing demand for Delaine sheep from various 

 parts of the United States, and in many places the Washington County 

 sheep are taking possession of the ground formerly occupied by the 

 Vermont and New York Merinos. They are steadily gaining ground in 

 western Pennsylvania and in Ohio, particularly in the southern part of 

 the latter State, and have some favor in northern Ohio, where the sheep 

 husbandry was founded on the eastern Merino. A factor in the popular- 

 ity of this sheep, as well as the Dickinson Merino and the Black-Top, 

 to which it is closely allied, is that it has mutton capacity. Pittsburg 

 is regarded as one of the best mutton markets in the country, and no 

 better mutton gets to it than some which come from under the fleeces 

 of the Delaine and Black-Top sheep of Washington County. 



lu 1883, a year following the formation of the Delaine Association, 

 the Black-Top Spanish Merino breeders also formed an association to 

 perpetuate their family, claimed by them as the " oldest pure-bred fam- 

 ily in the community." The formation of this association and the scale 

 of points adopted have been noted. The Black-Top Merinos tend more 

 toward the Saxony quality in their staple than some of the other Merino 

 families bred in the county, where the length of staple has been sought 

 for without so much regard to fineness. 



A measurement of a three -year old wether from the flock of Matthew 

 Berry is given : 



Ft. In. 



Along the side 3 10 



On back from tip of nose to base of tail 4 9 



Height 2 4 



Girth 4 2 



Width 1 7 



This wether weighed 182 pounds, audon May 28, 1885, was shorn of 

 a 17-pound fleece. Breeding ewes from the same flock sheared 7 to 9 

 pounds of washed wool. 



There is a great similarity in the Black-Top and the Delaine Merino, 

 and an inexperienced eye would find some difficulty in selection. The 

 Black-Tops are about the same size as the Delaines, with slightly less 

 wool on the face and legs, and are of a darker caste. They agree iu 



