136 DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL Thousands of acres of land will be brought into cultivation and noncompeti- tive production. The products of Florida are almost noncompetitive as ar as any other State in the Union is concerned. Our citrus products compete very little with the citrus products of other States of the lower Mississippi Valley and of California. Our, In the main, fnd their way to the eastern market- those of Texas, Alabama, Misesnippi and Louisiana fnd their way to the upper Mislseiippi Valley markets, and California citrus products supply the great western section of our country and the central section. Our vegetables are produced principally in midwinter, when vegetables from no other State in the Union are in any quantity on the American market. Our competitors for winter vegetables are foreign countries-Mexico and the Islands to the south of Florida-therefore the additional lands in Florida which are brought under cultivation will be prinelpally for the growth of winter vegetables and will indeed be noncompetitive with any existing arable lands in America. Some of my colleagues may not realize the large percentage of these winter vegetables that are grown in Florida. Take, for instance, in the year 1926: Florida produced 81 percent of the entire Nation's production of grapefruit; eggplants, 00 percent; table cucumbers, 41 percent; snap beans, 88% percent; peppers, 61 percent; celery, 82 percent; tomatoes, 24 percent; early Irish pota- toes, 10 percent Florida produces almost all of the other common vegetables but in a lesser percentage. The citrus fruit is one of Florida's greatest industries. In 1928 Florida had 274 car-lot packing hboses. She had 70,000 acres planted to grapefruit trees, 50,000 of which were bearing. She had 100,000 acres planted to orange trees, 95,000 of which were bearing, different varieties producing grapefruit and oranges for the market at different times of the year. For example, the early varieties of oranges placed on the market from November to January are such as Parsons, Temples, and Enterprise; midseason varieties, from January to March, seedlings and pineapples; later varieties, from March to January, Valenclas, Lue Oim Gongs, and others. Another of Florida's most lucrative products is strawberries. It furnishes the entire country with early strawberries. Plant City and other places in its vicinity begin shipping as early as November or December. My own city of Stake begins shipping a little later, and sends to cities north of Florida mil- lions of dollars worth of strawberries annually. Sanford, Fla., is a great pro- ducer of celery. I shall not undertake to enumerate the other products of Florida which would augment the great volume of commerce which would pass through this canal. The American people have expended huge sums in the construction of canals, dams, and other great and beneficial improvements. The initial cost of the Panama Canal was almost $400,000,000, which Is about three times the cost of the canal across Florida. The Conowingo, Md., cost some 52 millions; the Keokuk, in Iowa, 24 millions; the Ashokan, N. Y., 80 millions; the Boulder Dam project, more than 100 millions; the Cape Cod Canal, many millions; and scores of other great improvements which are redounding great benefits to the economic life of America. 1QADS Our Government has also contributed huge amounts toward the building of roads in America. We have now more than 358,000 miles of improved roads; some 275,000 of them hard surfaced. These roads have cost almost countless millions. Their further usefulness can be had only through the construction of a canal across north Florida. Our railroads and highways will act as feeders for tonnage traversing this canal MILLIONS IUANUD TO BAIMUADO AND INDUSTRY During the past 8 years the Federal Government has loaned millions and millions of dollars to railroad companies in order that they may continue to operate. In this way they have carried an unprecedented assistance to this great industry In our Nation, and it is only fair to expect that the Government may well contribute to the fuller development of our waterways. Mr. FElNofe Will the gentleman yield? Mr. Gami. I yield. Mr. FPsmNmor I wish to ask the gentleman if he will place In the record how many foreign bottoms would pass through that canal. I take it it would be a seaway that would be open to the ships of all nations, except in time of war?