ABSTRACT
The expansion of the industrial capacities of the United States, Germany, Great Britain and other European powers in the late nineteenth century created an intense demand for raw materials. These ranged from precious metals to copper, iron ore and coal, all used in manufacturing. At the same time, the surge in population and rapid urbanization in industrial states strained existing agricultural resources. To meet the new demands these states searched for regions capable of producing wheat, grains and meat in sufficient volume to feed their growing populations. Fruits, available once refrigeration appeared, joined sugar, already a longstanding export, on the dinner tables from Berlin to St. Louis.
