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Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3057, 18 February 1892, Page 2

Just at present our sheep-owners are busy at the various sales, changing their rams and making such additions and improvements to their flocks as may suit their requirements for the ensuing breeding season. It is not an inopportune moment to remind them of the remarks made by Mr Eeynolds, at the Hamilton banquet, when dealin", with the question of frozen mutton. Mr Eeynolds clearly pointed out that if a large and profitable trade was to be established, more attention must be paid to the tastes aud requirements of our English customers, and in the case of mutton their requirements were distinctly in the direction of sheep havin" , a good dash of the Down blood°in them. All the crosses from this famous mutton breed were suitable for the English trade, and would bring a higher price, with earlier sale, than any other class. Not long since we noted in a London market report that sheep of a uniform weight of sixty pounds—which, is about the average for crossbred Down sheepwere bringing per pound more jthan heavier weights. Again in the last report from Fitter and Son, that firm states, that although the highest prices for Canterbury mutton were from 2s 4d to 2s 7d per stone of eight pounds, they could easily have placed choice short legged downs at 3s per stone, that is 4£d per pound. The question is one "of considerable moment. Our recent article on the pastoral position in New South Wales should show fiockowners, what formidable competition they are likely to meet from a subsidised trade in that quarter. It behoves our breeders, and this whether they are in a large or a small way, to take the necessary steps to produce such sheep for export, as are best calculated to maintain the position which we now possess in the British markets.