The sun., 1895-04-14
CULTIYA7ING SPOSGEs.
Profitable Sea Gardens of This Product
Along the Florida Coast.
From the Philadelphia Times.

mas and tho Gulf coast Of Florida showed signs
to cultivate sponRes on farms or artificial beds,
and moro recently science has tried to initiate
OF tic cocosnut leaves and shelIs into spongas Of
commsFGl"i y ynns; sponge & dr farming Is now
Of sns H
planted with sponge cuttings" and seeds. Tho
wGrh is not in msny respects to oyster
water along the coast varying from ono to five
A few years ago the Fish commissioners had
their attention called to tho sponge fisheries off
the Florida coast, and after finding that the
stock. an examination OF the fisheries was made
to ascertain some way OF preserving them. The
Of the yesr Were ound o Se repro re
ductive II the proper conditions were supplied
The spongcs in the sutumn were found to do
tho spring Of tho year were libsratsd. These
spores contained the small reproductive parii-
Of III. sPonges with AID no., repro
ducs their Kind at ali. and it was found that in
to plant sponRss that produced certain cells that
containsd the ova or eEE and others that repre-
A small sponge farm was established at WASH
ington. and then others along tho Florida coast
a. n sIpsriments; These proved successful. SO
that private ipdividuals wont into the business.
Nest, and others At Ancloto Fla, and near
their seeds from the Fish commissoners. ipr but but
now they arc obtained direct from the sponge
aSssPn ct .ss Sy &: e: .pd1ps
thst s /. sSrs to supply hin With both % the male
The beds or farms are usually located at some
well protected place along the coast and fenced
The sponge seeds are kopt In small pounds !"
through the winter, where tie masses Of proto-
these spares are berated in the larger BODY y
water where they soon swim around. The eggs
attach themselves to the rocks or coral forma'
+ y'ry aGnl5 to get the right location for
the salt water flow. in freely that has natural
hard bottom is the best Rocks, Rtones. and 9TH
the sponEes to fastsn themselves 10. The lagoon
s then damned W, so that when the seed is put
simply throw their sponges in, such lagoon in
ths fai! OF the year and let the protoplasm de-
snnn velop snfre IRE tnder proper cultivation the
CARED. The "sheepswool" /, lie choicest. R With .
for from si,5O to 81 pound. The yellow"
sp"nFs l' s next in quality mi its price much
raised 10 very limited for its value is too email
to pay one for the trouble
little more 10 do with it except Mt harvesting
time thrs. xr, The sponGss grow slowly and usually
rathcre Rs "ther. are es to prsdnes rs
new seeds ana 20 reach larger size. The pick
ing of sponges in O farm OF this nature In much
simpler than to rsisr them from The deenr waters
OF the Gull. Armed with "a long loaded pole
that he needs. and in the course OF Il day
nc could gather three times the quantity
pulled UP BY the regular sponge fshermei,
of ths coast, The water is Comparatively shai-
low oyer the ARTIFICIAL beds, and not disiurb-d
by tides. floating debris or winds /, is also
very clear and pellncld, so that ono can see The
bottom for long distance down. Occasionally
ono nndt sponge farm where deem. sea sponpes
are cultivated, and II is necessary then 10 have
aiveT 20 .,th gather r them Here again the work
sharks; tides, or other inconvcnIsnces that daily
beset those off tho coast ~ ''
The value OF the sponge farm increases every
year despite the annual harvest that is tnkcr
thersfrom. Tho new sponges are spreading
ustil every square inch OF the bottom and sides
spongss. II no diseases or enemies get into the
bed, the sponges will then yield enormous crops
good-s bed ranges from 81 900 to SIC, 900,
according TO iu sizs. location. and age.