The incentive: plenty of fertile land for the taking.

CNN: INSIDE STORY: PHILIPPINES

The vast view still captures the wild frontier and fertile land that held so much promise for those who once sailed across the sea with only their dreams and treasured culture to guide them.

BBC: A German enclave in central Texas

The land was known for its rich, fertile soil.

FORBES: The Masters Tournament: Random Facts And A Bit Of History

No one can yet quantify the effects, but at least for a time the land will be less fertile.

ECONOMIST: Honduras and Nicaragua