THE DELAINE MERINO 



515 



McClelland, then in the hands of his sons. In 1877 R. H. Russell, 

 who began his flock in 1852 with fifty Black-Top Merinos from 

 William Davis, with C. J. McNary purchased a Spanish ram 

 named Victor, bred by J. M. Miller, which was used in their 

 flocks. Both of these rams were very prepotent and unusually 

 fine individuals. The descendants of these two rams nicked to 

 great advantage, resulting in superior Delaines that were long 

 known as Victor-Beall Delaine Merinos. It can thus be seen 

 that this Delaine fam- 

 ily was developed by a 

 combination of Black- 

 Top and Spanish blood 

 or a combination of 

 smooth-bodied with 

 wrinkled Merinos. 



Characteristics of 

 National, Standard, or 

 Victor-Beall Delaines. 

 These are essentially 

 like the Dickinson 

 Delaine. The bodv is 



FIG. 229. Chapmans 1394, a fine type of Delaine 

 Merino ram, owned by the Ohio Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station, Wooster. From photograph by 

 the author 



smooth, excepting for 



slight folds at the neck 



and perhaps at the 



breast in the form of an apron. The rams may or may not have 



horns. According to S. M. Cleaver, at one time secretary of the 



Standard Delaine Association, writing in 1 890 : 



The demand of the times calls for a plain body growing a Delaine staple. 

 Long experience teaches us that it is almost impossible to maintain density and 

 weight of fleece when wrinkles are entirely done away with ; for this reason it 

 is important to insist on the blood of wrinkly sheep in selecting the sires while 

 striving to keep the body clear of wrinkles, and the neck nearly so. It is well 

 to pay more attention to a good broad back and deep, round quarters, ensuring 

 a type easily kept in order. White the fleece will not be as heavy as in the 

 wrinkly type, it should weigh from seven to nine pounds, and sell without any 

 reduction. This will equal an oily fleece of twelve to fourteen pounds, with a 

 third taken off by the wool buyer. Plain sheep, as a rule, are better milkers, 

 more careful mothers, have better feet, and are more easily prepared for the 

 butcher's block. 



