Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-06-05
THE SPONGE.
STRUCTURE AND GROWTH OF
THE WELL-KNOWN ARTICLE.
Natural Classificattons Still Undctcr-
mtncd-Whcre the Best Sponges
Arc Grown-Preparing Sponges
for Markct-Choicc Varieties.

theories rs to the nature ofspongcs. Some
have classcd them with the vegetable
and Others with the animal kingdom. 1
have given this matter ten years study,
having been engaged in the sponge bust
ness during that period, and I am pre-
pared to make reliable and authentic
statements of the sponge itself und its
many peculiarities.
"When the sponge is brought up alive
out of the sea it does not at all resemble
the sponge of commerce. 1t is then sur
rounded by an outer skin, simple, I'M
organized membrane, in which the pores
appear or disappear ut the animals will,
or-supposing that a sponge has no will
owing TO local environment. When
the sponge is cut open it is found to
somewhat resemble raw beef, and is in
tcrscctcd with canals and cavities, lined
throughout by sticky, glutinou,
substance called 'sarcodc,' of n
grayish brown color and of
the : consistency of trcaclc. This
the fishermen call the milk of the
sponge. BY the peculiar properties
OF digestion and reproduction which it
possesses, it sustains the life of the ami
nal and propagates its species. The
sarcodc is the only part of the sponge
that IS alive, the flexible skeleton to
which it is attached being inorganic.
Through the numerous exterior small
pores the surrounding water is drawn,
carrying with it the food of the sponge
in the form Of particles of animal and
vegetable matters. This stream of water
passes along the intcrsticial canals to the
lnncrmost part of the sponge, thus pass
ing over lurge area of tho sarcodc,
which constantly draws to itself the par
tlclcs OF matter to be presently digcstcd.
The water is then taken up by similar
series of canals, the minute vessels grad
ually branching of into larger ducts, and
forced out through the osculn ut the
surface. These latter are the larger
holes at the surface of the sponge skelc-
ton. These vigorous movements are in
duced by ciliary action; that is, the
movement i'll one direction of the tiny
filaments like cye-lashcs. 1t is believed
that the sarcodc possesses nervous
system, for ut an alarm the pores close
and the processes of Inhalation and i'm
bibition cease.
''Propayation Of the different varieties
takes place i'll two ways-by the forma-
ton OF gemmules, or by the division of
the creature. The little gcrmule, which
is yellowish capsule, floats out of the
parent sponge and attaches itself to any
suitable ncighboring object, such us
stone or rock, and here it grows, slowly
becoming larger by adding to that mar
vclous skeleton which we daily use in
our bath or Mt our toilet.
'Thc outer membrane in which the
sponge is found has to be removed soon
after the sponge is fishcd. If this be not
done, fermentation followed by speedy
qualification sets in, aud from being
tough and elastic it becomes soft and
ilabby, and with the least pressure the
fcrmented juice oozcs out, giving off
most offensive odor. 1t is then no longer
OF any use. The orgauc part of the
sponge, 1T will thus be seen, has to be
taken from it, shortly after it had been
taken from its bed. This has to be done
on the fishing grounds, sometimes long
before the boats return to port. As the
process IS necessarily rude and incom.
plete, it has to be supplemented by a
more careful cleaning process when the
sponge is received by the sponge Iner
chant.
"Ihc Mediterranean produces by far
the largest quantities and the best kinds.
they are found among the Greek and
Turkish Islands aad follow the North
Coast up to the Dardancllcs and through
these into the Sen of AIarmora, then down
the coast of Asiatic Turkey, SYRIA.
around the Island of Cypress, along the
Egyptian Coast, with some exceptions,
past Tripoli and Tunis nearly us far AS
AlSiers. On the coast of Spain, France
and Italy sponges find no home. They
are found on the Turkish side of the
Adriatic. Large quantities are found in
the West Indies, Cuba, the coasts of
Florida and Mexico. These kinds are nil
cheaper than the Mediterranean. Sponces
are also found in the Red Sea, the Indian
Ocean and Australia, but they are not of
the species or good enough to pay for
fishing.
"The chief centres of the sponge com.
merce to-day are London and New York
but Venice, Trieste and Paris have each
IN turn monopolized the chief part of the
market. The trade has undergone vari.
Gus changes and received fresh impulses
OF late years. The importation of un-
sanded Mediterranean sponges has de-
velopcd immensely. They were formerly
sanded and valued by weight, but to-day
they are almost altogether sold in a per-
iectly clean condition by the piece.
Florida, Cuba and Bahama sponges arc
sold compressed in bales by weight, with
three per cent. allowance for tare (ropc
and bagging), which mislcads the buyer,
as the actual tarc is often from ten to
hiteen per cent. on small bales of Flor
ida Sleeps wool, on which grade the
price is regulated by the amount or arti.
iicial weighing, although sizes are an
important factor in the assortments, the
strict mediums being of greater value
than the smaller or larger sizes. Under
the present system by which this grade
OF sponge is sold the trade does not buy
them Understandings.