374 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 
The Victor Beall strain of this family is the result of a 
cross of Spanish and Black-top Merino blood. About 
1877, a Spanish ram, named Victor, was used in the flock 
of Black-top Merinos owned by R. H. Russell. Fifteen 
years before, a ram of Spanish and Black-top blood, pur- 
chased from the flock of C. H. Beall, of West Virginia, 
had been used on some of the Reed flock, then in the 
hands of McClelland Brothers. The offspring of the de- 
scendants of these two rams were very superior, and the 
strain came to be known as Victor-Beall Delaine Merino. 
The Black-top Spanish Merino. —In 1821, William 
Berry of Washington county, Pennsylvania, purchased 
some ewes and a ram of Mr. Dickinson, which he bred 
very carefully. He was impressed that the sheep having 
the darkest appearance or ‘‘ top’ were the hardiest and 
best feeders. By selecting along these lines, he developed 
a family that he called Black-top. It differs in no mate- 
rial way from the other families, the size being perhaps a 
little greater and the fleece a little heavier. The wool is 
not so much laid on over the head and has a darker ap- 
pearance on the outside. The staple should reach a 
length of three to four inches, and the rams should yield 
thirteen to fourteen pounds, the ewes seven to twelve 
pounds of brook-washed wool. Black-top rams are 
horned, while the ewes have smooth heads. The form 
in general is of the mutton type. 
The Improved Black-top Merino also had its origin 
in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in the hands of 
George Black. Beginning about 1853, and continuing 
for many years, Robert Johnston, also of Washington 
county, used only Black-top rams on his ewes, many of 
his rams coming from the Berry flock. His ewes traced 
to the Dickinson flock. In 1850, Black came into posses- 
