5 14 SHEEP 



in his flock, and from 1867 to 1884 he used rams bought of 

 Matthew Berry. In 1850 George Black of Washington County 

 purchased twenty-five Black-Top ewes running back to Dickinson 

 stock, and by use of Berry and Johnston and other rams estab- 

 lished a Black-Top flock that is foundation stock in this family. 

 This Improved Black-Top family has been regarded by its pro- 

 moters as more carefully selected and bred and of higher 

 standard than the Black-Top of original foundation. 



Characteristics of the Black-Top Spanish Delaine. It is difficult 

 to distinguish this from the other Delaines, of which it is in fact 

 a family. The si::e is perhaps a trifle larger and the fleece weighs 

 somewhat heavier. The Improved Black-Top standard requires 

 a weight for mature rams of at least 180 pounds and 130 for 

 ewes. Sheep of this family also have a somewhat darker exterior 

 to the fleece and are not quite so heavily wooled over the head 

 as other Delaines. The fleece should be from three to four 

 inches long, and the rams should shear from 13 to 14 pounds 

 and the ewes from 7 to 12 pounds of "brook washed" wool. 

 Emphasis is placed on the mutton character of this family, which 

 has long been bred with that feature preeminent. Improved 

 Black-Top breeders have regarded their sheep as very similar to 

 the Southdown in size and form, while Stifl maintaining the fleece 

 of the Merino. 



The National Delaine Merino. About 1820 R. W. Meade, at 

 one time minister to Spain, imported some Merinos to the 

 United States, which were placed on the farm of Alexander 

 Wilson near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 182 1 or thereabouts 

 Alexander Reed of Washington County, Pennsylvania, bought 

 these Meade sheep and some other Merinos and placed them on 

 his farm. From this Meade importation the Delaine type was 

 first developed, tracing back to Reed stock ; but the family was 

 mainly established through the careful breeding operation of John 

 McNary, W. H. McNary, J. S. McNary, Ebenezer McClelland, 

 George Craighead, George Murray, and William Brownlee. In 

 connection with the development of this family, R. H. Russell 

 of Pennsylvania and C. H. Beall of West Virginia played an 

 important part. In 1862 a ram of Spanish and Black-Top blood, 

 purchased from Beall, was used in the flock formerly owned by 



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