U.S.A. AGRICULTURE, 1873-1913 15 



outbreak of rinderpest in 1877 depleted the cattle 

 stock in Europe, and necessarily put a stop to all 

 exports to Great Britain from that quarter. In 

 addition, therefore, to the shipment of cereals 

 the United States found a ready market for 

 large quantities of hog products in Europe and 

 imports of live cattle to the United Kingdom 

 began. The expansion of production in America 

 was rendered possible by the rapid extension of 

 Railways in the West, the labour being drawn 

 not only from immigrants who in the early 

 'eighties came to the States in rapidly increasing 

 numbers, but also from the manufacturing centres 

 which had recently experienced a period of 

 depression. The land, the labour, and the market 

 by a series of circumstances became available 

 at the same moment and were utilised with the 

 characteristic energy of the American people. 



With the advent of the 'eighties important 

 changes in the markets which the States had 

 learnt to rely on took place. Not only was there 

 a return to normal seasons in Europe, but the 

 Governments of those countries which had begun 

 to feel the competition of American agricultural 

 products raised up a barrier of veterinary regula- 

 tions amounting in some cases to total prohibition 

 against animal imports and increased their tariffs 

 on agricultural and animal products. In 1880 

 the Italian Government set the example of 



