The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1895-11-07
SPONGE GARDENING.
PROFITABLE SEA FARMS ALONG The
FLORIDA COAST.

Concerning: az Article OF Vtility-Assist-
anoc EcnI-re.! the Iadustry by the Gov
ernnicnt-s Fish Commission.
Ever since the sponge fisheries Of the
Bahamas and the CALF coast cf Florida
showed signs Of becoming exhausted e.
forts havc been made u cIltivatc spons.cs
on f..l..S or artificial beds, and moro re-
Gently sc.cu,c has tried TO initiate tlie
GEM &c a-i.cle by converting the soft
fiber Of the cocOanut leaves and shells
into sponges Of commercial value.
Sponge farming is now successful in
du.irv. and hundred; If acres in the gulf
Of Mexico along the Florida coast are
planted with sponge cuttings and
seeds The work Is not dissimilar in
many respects to oyster culture. The
Young spunges are planted IN water
along the coast varying from one TO five
f..thonis III depth.
4 few years ago the fish commits
siuncrs had their attention called 20 the
Sq.a-c fisheries OF the Florida coast.
and after finding that the beds We're be
ing rapidly depleted of tie best stock,
an examination of the fisheries was made
To- ascertain snmc way II preserving
them. The specimens Of sponge taken 30
Wellington in the autumn Of the year
We're found TO be reproductive II tho
proper conditions were supplied. Tbs
sponge in the autumn were found TO de-
velop MASSES Of pru;oplasm or spores,
which in tie spring uf tEc year were lib
cra;.,L Ti..e spores contained the small
Il.
Spuu-cs developed Some of the Spun-cs
exUc-;l-cntcd with lid not reproduce
their l-.nd at all. and il waS found that
in ORDER 10 cultivate the spcnges il was
necessary To plant sponseS that pro-
dut,d certain cells that contained the
ova or egg and others that represented
spcrIuatczol-
y small sponge farm was established
ut W.:shi::-,.e... and then o;hcrS along
the FlJr.G cl;s: rs experiments. These
proved successful. SO that private indi-
vidu.,ls went into the business. There
are many acres Of sponge farms near
Key West, and others at Anclnte. Fla,
and near Tampa These farms were first
supplied with their .e,ds from the ii>h
commissioners. hut now they are OBJ
AeAAAtAA AAAfNt AAN'AAA AAAN sNNtAA-t AANAANA ~
In the :umm If the year the various
kinds # spungcs are purchased - The
sponge culturiSt, who generally takes IN
! assortment that Is sure To supply him
with both the male and female cells.
The beds. or farm. are usually locat-
ed at some well protected place along
the coast and fenced in with natural for
nations and artificial dams. The sponge
seeds are kept in small II. uuds'
through the winter where the masses uf
protupl.tsm devclcp and i.-sy.. Elrly in
the spring these spores are liberated in
tie larger bod, Il water. where they
soon swim around Thee;.. continue TO
grow rapidly, AMI ia q short time attach
/ themselves tp the rocks cr coral forlna-
tiou ,.t the bottom oi jic water
Il is very difficult u get the right
location fox au ideal sponge bed An
arm of the sea where the SaIt water
flows in freely that has a natural hlrl
bottom is the hest. Rocks, stones and
other substances can be dropped at tine
bottom for the sponges To f,lsten them
selves To. The lagoon Is then damned
up, SO that when the seed l. put in fresh
il cannot float ont To sea again. Some
simply throw their sponges III such a
/ lagoon in the fall of the year and let the
/ protoplasm develop there. Under proper
cultivation tine sponscS thus raised are
superior 10 those found in the sea- Only
the hest varieties are propagated. The
+ " "shecpSwool' Is the choicest. with a tex
ture fine. soft and strong These spongcs
sell for from $l.5O to s. pound. The
yellow" sponge Is next in quality. and
its price Is much less than the "Shceps-
wool p" The grass" sponge raised i
very limited. for It's value Is too small
to pay one for the trouble.
After the sponge farm Is once started
there is little lore To do with il except
at harvesting tmc The sponges grow
slowly and usually three wears Clapsc be-
fore any are pulled up. Then only the
choicest. full grown ones are gathered.
The others are left to produce new seeds
and 10 reach larger size The picking
Of SpOnges in farm If tins nature is
much simpler than to raise them from
the deep vdtcr, If the gulf. Armed with
long loaded pole a b1atman can easily
haul up the spJnge' that he needs. and
III the course Of a day lac could gather
INV 'iAAl'H tAe Vu'ti'ttN pu-4eu UP hN
the regular sponge fishermen OF the
coast. The water Is comparatively shall
low over the artificial beds. and not dis
turbcd by tides, floating debris or winds.
1t Is also very clear and pellucid, 50 that
OI.e can see the bottom for a long dis
tance down Occasionally one finds a
sponge farm where deep sea spongcs are
cultivated, and il is necessary. then. to
have diver TO gather them. Here again
the work Is made easier. The diver runs
10 risk from sharks, tides or other in
. conyeniences that daily beset those on
the coast
The value Of the sponge farm increases