Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-29
WHAT IS A spoNaE2 A sr.a repor

ehoea'oreo 10 ma out and learned tnat
what people generally know as such is simply
the skeleton of an animal. 1t is only within
very recent years that science has defined the
sponge Until lately it had been in doubt
whether the creature was animal or vegetable,
but advanced research has determined that it
belongs beyond question to the animal king
dom. At the same time it grows in some sort
AFTER the manner of a tree, and vet reproduces
Its kind by eggs.
when sponge is taken ont Of water IL is o
sort mass OF animal tissue surrounding q frame
work OF horny, glass-like or limy fiber. II is the
horny kind that is the sponge of commerce.
Inc sort used for bathing is the horny-fbered
skeleton of a most interesting marine creature,
from which all the soft parts have been re-
moved, Just as human being might be di-
vested of his flesh, leaving his bones behind
80 dehcately made is this horny structure that
IL Is soft to the touch and absorbs water readily
mere are thousands of varieties Of sponSes,
Dus not more than half dozen are useful.
Ihose that have the gass-ike skeletons look.
when Invested of their heshy parts, like bun
dies OF drawn-glass fibers.
WHAT SPONGE IS COMPOSED OF.
Asponge. as it is found growing on the bot
tom OF the sea, is composed, apart from the
skeleton that forms its frame work. Of a multi
tude OF cells. Each of these cells is occupied
oy an animal organism. but there is dispute as
10 whether the organisms are distinct individ-
uais or merely parts of one individual which is
the sponge. This contention is based upon the
same arguments involved in the controversy as
10 whether each bud on tree has or has not
an individuality distinct from that of the parent
stem: But at all events. il NAV be as we'll to
consider the sponge as single animal. growing
W the sustenance 1t obtains from the water.
look Z he fov
your path yoI will see that il is covered all
over with small holes. with here and there to-
ward the top some large ones. Now try to
reallZe that III life this creature the skeleton of
when You wash yourself with was composed
as 10 It's neShy parts of small cells. The whole
structure as Il was in life might be compared
10 city lntersected by canals. Ever so MANY
niue canals gave entrance to the sea water,
which was expelled through the big orifices.
IN this way 1t was managed that no large for
elSn OBJECTS could be sucked in. while the sew
ers. as they might be called, were wide enough
10 drive anything out by.
HOW IT rs FED
From all the cells that line the channels in
the sponge are projected little hair-ike append
ages, which keep up a continual motion, the
object OF which is to create a current of water
in through the multitudinous small canals and
out by the big pipes. So actively is this opera
ton kept up that, looking at a sponge in shall
low water. where 1t is growing. you will often
see boiling and bubbling going on as if there
was spring in ebullitioE. The object of the
animal In passing this current through its own
substance Is to bring within reach the animal
and vegetable matters upon which it feeds.
with the continuous current of water that
passes through the canals sustenance is carried
sufficient for the creature to thrive upon.
The sponge reproduces its kind mainly by
eggs. In each animal are contained both the
and sla -
out the ova to be Matched in the water At first
the young are 'free-swimming and afterward
they attach themselves to convenient spots and
grow. 1t Is also the manner of the sponge to
put forth from its own substance buds. which
become detached and develop on their own ac-
counts. There are some spOnges that grow in
1resh water, but nearly all are marine.
WHERE sPoNGEs ARE FOUND.
The commercial sponges are found altogether
In warm regions, the chief sources of supply
being the Mediterranean. the Red sea, the Ra-
hamas and Florida. 1t is from the Mediter-
ranean that the finest grades are obtained, but
10 these the best American sponges are not very
inferior: 1t is largely popular prejudice tina;
causes the best European sponges to sell for $50
varieties bring less than one-tenth Of that price.
Altogether there are six varieties of sponges
Known to commerce. The grades into which
they are divided are determined not merely by
Kind, but also by size, shape and structure. 4
sponge OF the most exquisite quality may be SO
mlsshapen as to be worthless and unmarketa-
BILE. On the nature Of the bottom upon which
sponge grows its grade commercially NAV
largely depend.
OF most interest to people in this country are
the sponge grounds of Florida, which cover
the reefs along the south end of that state ey
tending up the west shore as far as ST. Mark s
and Apalachee bay. These grounds have a
total area OF $500 square miles and sponge
fishing is carried on all over them by a large
ileet OF vessels, which rendezvous chiefly at
Key West.
HOW THEY ARE OBTAINED
A sponge-fshing craft goes out early in the
week, returning at the end of six DAYS PERTAINS
to the nearest shore and depositing its catch in
an inclosure built out into the ocean. To which
the sea has easy access. The tides. rising and
falling alternately, leave the sponges to die
and wash away their soft parts, so that at the
end OF the week, when the vessel comes bacL
with fresh load, AL of the previous catch has
been pretty well skeletonized. Depositing the
fresh-caught sponges in the ''stockade. - tbe
fishermen take the old ones and go off on an
other cruise for more, hanging the decaved
animals all over the rigging, in order that
they may become finally dried and dessicated
This may be pleasant to read about.
ties should indulge in this particu-
lar kind OF sport, inasmuch as the smell of a
dead sponge is said to be the most dreaSfni
conceivable offense to the olfactories. In this
way, bringing in one batch and taking ont
another. schooner usually manages to get a
cargo within month or two and then sets sail
for Key West. There the sponges are taken
ashore and stacked in piles on the beach &C
cording to variety. They are sold to traders.
who examine the piles and give bids ON them
in writing. After they are purchased in this
way the sponges are packed tightly in bales nv
hydraulic pressure and shipped to New York.
which Is the center Of the industry in this
country.
WHY THEY ARE GRITTY.
Until recently it has been the practice to sell
sponges in bulk by weight and the traders were
accustomed to put certain amount of sand in
each bale, because it added to the avoirdupois.
Doubtless every one has often experienced the
observation-disclosures of grit in a sponge but il Is
pleasant to know that this was purely an arti
fetal annoyance. Sponges of the Commercial
sort 90 not grow ever upon q sandy bottom
and there Is no reason why they should have
any sand In them, save for the kind considera-
ton Of the merchant. When it is Considered
how much half an ounce of sand in each snonee
would add to the weight Of a bale charits BE
allowance may be made for his motives Now
adavs the most reliable sellers Of sponpes INV
their stock by the piece instead of by the bale
and consequently one does not have To nae
quite SO much grit in bathing as formerly II
10 best always to purchase unbleached sponpes
The bleached ones look prettier, but the clio
ride OF lime employed in the process is apt to
have disintegrated their tissue, 20 that thew do
not last.
SUPPLIES ARE DnNlsHISo.
There is great danger that the supplv OF
native sponges will give out, owing to the over
- ~ l.