CHAPTER XIX 

 ARGENTINA 



IN an interesting sketch of the position of 

 agriculture in Argentina, published in the 

 Journal of the Board of Agriculture for June, 

 1903, Mr. Herbert Gibson, vice-President of 

 the Argentina Rural Society, showed that 

 several special circumstances had combined to 

 give to Argentina the position she now occu- 

 pies as a food producer — especially for British 

 markets. 



The crisis of 1890 drove the estanciero "back 

 to the land " ; and the outbreak of foot and 

 mouth disease in Argentina, which closed our 

 ports to his live-stock, was a blessing in disguise 

 to him, since it led to the inception of the 

 chilled meat trade, and the substantial develop- 

 ment of the dairy business, the latter being, 

 also, greatly facilitated by reason of the drought 

 in Australia, which gave Argentina a better 

 chance with her exports. Another most im- 

 portant element in the spread of agriculture in 



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