Manufactures.—There were, in 1914, 2,518 manufacturing establishments, em ploying 55,608 wage earners. The capita] invested was $88,319,000 and the wages paid $24,822,000. The value of the materials used was $33,816,000 and the value of the finished product was $81, 112,000. The principal manufactures are naval stores, cotton-seed oil, cigars, lead pencils, refined sugar, flour, salt by evaporation, palmetto hats, braids, and wooden boxes. Lumbering is a leading industry; fishing, sponge and coral gathering afford occupations for many. Jacksonville has many canning estab lishments, and Key West and Tampa are noted for their fine cigars.
Banking.—On Oct. 31, 1919, there were 54 National banks in operation, having $6,460,000 in capital, $5,502,000 in outstanding circulation, and $25,084, 000 in United States bonds. There were also 184 State banks with $5,585,000 capital and $2,147,000 surplus. In the year ending Sept. 30, 1919, the exchanges at the United States clearing-house at Jacksonville aggregated $411,247,000, an increase over the previous year of $202, 120,000.
Education.—School attendance is not compulsory. Separate schools are pro vided for white and colored children.
There are about 200,000 enrolled pupils in the elementary schools and about 6,000 teachers. There are 100 public high schools with about 7,000 pupils. The total annual expenditure for educational purposes is about $4,000,000. The in stitutions for higher education include the University of Florida at Gainesville, the State College for Women at Talla hassee, Rollins College at Winter Park, John B. Stetson University at De Land.
Churches.—The strongest denomina tions in the State are the African Method ist Episcopal; the Methodist Episcopal, South; Regular Baptist, South ; Regular Baptist, Colored; Roman Catholic; Methodist Episcopal; Protestant Epis copal; Presbyterian ; Disciples; and Con gregational.
Finance.—The receipts during the fiscal year 1919 amounted to $6,334,025, and the disbursements to $6,369,753. There was a balance on hand January 1, 1919, of $1,861,628, and on January 1, 1920, there was a balance of $1,825,899. The public debt amounted to $601,567.
Transportation.—There are about 6,000 miles of steam railway and about 200 miles of electric railway. The Atlantic Coast Railway and the Louisville and Nashville Railway run through the State. The Florida East Coast Railway with an extension to Key West was opened in 1912. A large trade is carried on through Pensacola and other ports. Harbor improvements have been carried out at Jacksonville.
Charities and Corrections.—The char itable and correctional institutions in clude the State Institute for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind at St. Augustine, Hos pital for the Insane at Chattahoochee; Industrial School for Boys, at Mari anna; Prison Farm, at Raiford; Indus trial School for Girls, at Ocala.
State Government.—The governor is elected for a term of four years. Leg islative sessions are held biennially, be ginning on the first Tuesday in April, and are limited to 60 days each. The legislature has 32 members in the Senate and 75 in the House. There are 4 repre sentatives in Congress.
History.—Florida was discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon, March 27, 1513, on Easter Sunday, after which the pen insula was named. He and his succes sors explored a large part of Florida in search of gold and "the fountain of perpetual youth." He was killed in a fight with the natives in 1521. A Spanish force of 400 men under Panfilo de Nar vaez landed in 1528, and all but four perished. In 1539 a force of 600 under Fernando De Soto landed at Tampa Bay and moving to the N. and W., over coming the natives by treachery and violence, passed beyond the present limits of Florida. A settlement of French Huguenots was attempted In 1564, but two year& later was exterminated by the Spanish. From this time the Span ish were in absolute control, and settle ments were made at Pensacola and else where along the coast. In 1687 the first large consignment of negro slaves was brought to Florida. From 1702 to 1748 there were continued hostilities between the Spanish, French, and British along the coast, during which St. Augustine was twice besieged by the British. A truce lasted from 1748 to 1752, when war was again renewed, resulting in the exchange of Cuba for Florida, the British immediately taking possession. Shortly after the American Revolution ary War Florida was re-ceded to Spain. West Florida was sold to France in 1795. During the War of 1812 the British occupied Pensacola with the con sent of Spain. In 1814 it was captured by the United States forces under An drew Jackson. Then followed a long series of wars with the natives, the whole of Florida being ceded to the United States by Spain in 1819. In 1822 Florida was organized as a Territory of the United States. From 1835 to 1842 the Seminole Indians were in active hos tility and on their final surrender they were removed to a special reservation. Florida was admitted to the Union as a State in 1845. At the outbreak of the Civil War the principal government posts were seized by the State forces. Fort Pickens, however, was held by a Union garrison, and after being re-en forced was used as the base of opera tions in the vicinity. Jacksonville was several times occupied by the contending forces, and many minor engs4ements took place along the coast. Florida was given full civil government July 4, 1868.