440 SHEEP INDUSTRY OP THE UNITED STATES 



of Wiliuiugton, wliere their growth was greatly encouraged by the cre- 

 ation of Dupont's woolen factory. A celebrated floct in its day was 

 that of John Warner, of Wilmington. He began with some of the Don 

 Pedro stock, to which were added purchases from the best of the Jarvis 

 importations into Philadelphia and Baltimore, Mr. Warner making selec- 

 tion of the best offered. The flock was disposed of in 1814, soon after 

 the death of Mr. Warner, and was bought mostly by breeders of the 

 vicinity. 



The Merino iiocks were well sustained in the State until the failure 

 of woolen manufactures in 1815, when they underwent the same trans- 

 formation as in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. First they were 

 crossed by the Leicester and Southdowns, then by the Ootswolds or New 

 Oxfordshire, until there was not remaining a pure-blood or high-grade 

 Merino in the State. From 1842 to 1850 the Leicesters and Ootswolds 

 were the fashionable sheep, and the cross of the Ootswold ram on the 

 low-grade Merinos and common ewes was a favorite for the Philadel- 

 phia, Wilmington, and Baltimore markets. In 1842 Philip Eeybold, of 

 Delaware Oity, had a flock of over 600 head of Leicester sheep said to 

 be pure-bloods. He slaughtered and sold for the Philadelphia market 

 in that year a two-year-old wether weigliing alive 251 pounds. Beside 

 this home flock of 600 he had as many more divided among his differ- 

 ent farms. In 1844 100 of his Leicester ewes sheared an average ot 7 J 

 pounds of wool per head. In 1846 his son, C. Eeybold, visited England, 

 and, with the view of introducing into the country the very best breed 

 of English sheep, selected the improved Ootswold or New Oxfordshire 

 as combining the greater number of good qualities, all things consid- 

 ered. In September, 1847, he sold some of these imported rams for 

 $40 to $60 each. In February, 1848, he imported 2 rams from the flock 

 of Oharles Large, of Broadwell, Oxfordshire, weighing 344 and 288 

 pounds. These sheep became very popular in Delaware and Maryland. 

 At the Maryland State Agricultural Show in 1850 they were considered 

 the finest mutton sheep exhibited and not to be excelled in the country. 

 One fat wether slaughtered during the fair weighed 206 pounds closely 

 dressed, and won $100, a standing offer of ten years from a Mr. Turner, 

 of Baltimore, for the first sheep that would dress 50 pounds the quarter. 



The Oxfordshire Down is a comparatively new breed of sheep, and 

 originated in 1833 in the desire to construct a breed that should in 

 great measure possess the weight of the long-wooled with the quality of 

 the Down. The leader in this movement was Mr. Samuel Druce, of 

 Eynsham, Oxford, and he had as colaborers Mr. Gillett, of Southleigh, 

 Mr. Twynham, of Hampshire, and Mr. Blake, of Stanton Harcourt. The 

 foundation of the breed was a neat, improved Ootswold ram and Hamp- 

 shire Down ewes; and by careful, skillful breeding a crossbred sheep 

 was produced of great value and deserved popularity. As a number of 

 breeders were engaged in the attempt there was always an opportunity 

 of getting fresh blood by selecting sheep which suited different flocks, 



