CHAPTER XLV 



THE DELAINE MERINO 



The word "delaine" is derived from two French words, de, sig- 

 nifying "of" or "from," and laine, meaning "wool" or "woolen." 

 The word in the woolen trade indicates a class of wool used to make 

 fine, untwilled worsted dress goods. A combing process takes 

 place, in which the fibers of wool are drawn parallel with each 

 other and spun at full length in the yarn, thus securing the full 

 strength of the fiber and making the strongest and most durable of 

 woolen dress goods. This was due to an invention of E. R. Mudge 

 of Boston. Previous to this time only coarse wools were combed, 

 fine wools being carded, a process inferior to combing. 



The origin of the Delaine Merino traces back to the Humphreys 

 importation of 1802 and that of R. W. Meade, about 1820. From 

 these flocks certain selections were made and types gradually 

 evolved, breeders generally keeping in mind both mutton and wool 

 production. These types, or families, existed under several names. 

 They have been established in the main by selection, and in each 

 case a type of sheep has been sought that showed some distinctive 

 mutton character and was free of folds. C type Merinos are in 

 fact true Delaines, and what is known as a light B type (that is, 

 one with very slight development of folds) in the opinion of many 

 would no doubt be regarded as a Delaine. There are, however, 

 no remarkable differences between these families ; in fact, they are 

 much alike. 



The Dickinson Delaine was named after William R. Dickinson 

 of Steubenville, Ohio, who was an extensive breeder and improver 

 of Merinos. About 1807 or 1808 Thomas Rotch, a Quaker, 

 moved from Connecticut to Stark County, Ohio, bringing with him 

 a small flock of sheep, some of which were from the Humphreys 

 importation. In 1809 Mr. Dickinson became the owner of some 

 of these imported sheep of Mr. Rotch, which he kept by them- 

 selves and carefully bred. In 1820 Adam Hildebrand became 



