[24] 



her commerce. To reach Trieste a long land carriage is in- 

 dispensable. Her exports too are embarrassed by imposts 

 and ruinous restrictions of the imperial government. She 

 cannot therefore export cheap heavy articles to advantage. 



" In Southern Russia, on the Steppes and in Bessarabia, 

 sheep raising is carried on very extensively, some colonists 

 owning flocks of 20,000 head. It is the opinion of the 

 author that, taking into consideration the cost of land and 

 labor, wool can be produced cheaper in Southwestern Russia 

 than in Spain, France, Germany, Italy, or any other portion 

 of Europe, excepting Hungary. 



" Mexico is also a large wool producing country of a very 

 inferior grade, classing with that of Buenos Ayres. A great 

 deal finds its way to the United States through Texas. 



u As has been remarked, the United States probably pos- 

 sesses half the cheap fertile lands included in the wool zone 

 throughout the world. Nearly her entire territory lies 

 within it. Experience has amply proved that sheep are 

 healthy in every portion of the United States. The terrible 

 drought and predisposition to certain diseases encountered 

 by the Australian flock-master, the comparative insecurity 

 of property in Buenos Ayres, the climatic vicissitudes of 

 Southern Russia, (with- the exception of the comparatively 

 small peninsula of Tanrida), are none of them known in our 

 most favored wool growing regions. Land is cheaper here 

 and more fertile, and much nearer the great wool markets 

 of the world than in Australia. Our lands are probably as 

 cheap as those of Hungary and Southern Russia, and for a 

 long series of years to come, will be practicably as cheap as 

 those of Buenos Ayres, because the purchase of only a quar- 

 ter section (80 acres) of government lands will give the pos- 

 sessor the use of all contiguous ones until they are occupied. 



"Under all the above circumstances, we ought to compete 

 successfully with South America, Hungary and Southern 

 Russia in external markets, to undersell Australia in these 

 markets, and with the discrimination of our tariff of duties 



