The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-07-12
SPONGE GARDENING.
PROFITABLE SEA FARMS ALONG THE
! FLORIDA COAST.

Interesting Facts Not Generally Known
Concerning an Article of Utility-Assist-
auce Rendered the Industry by the Gov
ernment's Fish Commission.
Ever since the sponge fisheries Of the
Bahamas and the gulf coast of Florida
showed signs of becoming exhausted eff
forts have been made to cultivate sponges
on farms or artificial beds, and more re-
Gently science has tried to initiate the
genuine article by converting the soft
fiber of the cocoanut leaves and shells
into sponges of commercial value.
Sponge farming is now a successful in
dustry, and hundreds of 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
yoEng sponges are planted in water
along the coast varying from one to five
fathoms in depth.
A few years ago the fish commits
sioners had their attention called to the
sponge fisheries off the Florida coast,
and after finding that the beds were be-
ing rapidly depleted of the best stock,
an examination of the fisheries was made
to ascertain some way of preserving
them. The specimens Of sponge taken to
Washington in the autumn Of the year
were found to be reproductive if the
proper conditions were supplied The
sponges in the autumn were found to de-
velop masses of protoplasm Or spores,
which in the spring of the year were lib
Grated. These spores contained the small
reproductive particles from which the
sponges developed. Some of the sponges
experimental with did not reproduce
their kind at all, and it was found that
in order to cultivate the sponges it was
necessary to plant sponges that pro-
duced certain cells that contained the
ova or egg and others that represented
spermatozoa.
A small sponge farm was established
at Washington, and then others along
the Florida coast as experiments. These
proved successful, so that private indi-
viduals went into the business. There
are many acres of sponge farms near
Key West, and others at Anclote, Fla.
and near Tampa. These farms were first
supplied with their seeds from the fish
commissioners, but now they are OBJ
tanned direct from the sponge fisheries.
In the autumn Of the year the various
kinds of sponges are purchased by the
sponge culturist, who generally takes an
assortment that is sure to supply him
with both the male and female cells,
The beds, or farms, 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 pounds"
through the winter, where the masses of
protoplasm develop and grow. Early in
the spring these spores are liberated in
the larger body of water, where they
soon swim around. The eggs continue to
grow rapidly, and in a short time attach
themselves to the rocks or coral forma-
tion at the bottom of the water.
1t is very difficult to get the right
location for an ideal sponge bed. An
arm of the sea where the salt water
flows in freely that has natural hard
bottom is the best. Rocks stones and
other substances can be dropped at the
bottom for the sponges to fasten them
selves to- The lagoon is then damned
up, so that when the seed is put in fresh
it cannot float out to sea again. Some
simply throw their sponges in such a
lagoon in the fall Of the year and let the
protoplasm develop there Under proper
cultivation the sponges thus raised are
superior to those found in the sea. Only
the best varieties are propagated The
"sheepswool' is the choicest, with q tex
tHre fins, soft and strong. These sponges
sell for from $3.50 to So a pound. The
''yellow" sponge is next in quality, and
its price is much less than the 'sheeps-
wool" The grass" sponge raised is
very limited, for its value is too small
to pay one for the trouble,
After the sponge farm Is once started
there is little more to do with it except
at harvesting time. The sponges grow
slowly and usually three years elapse be-
fore any are pulled up. Then only the
choicest, full grown ones are gathered.
Fhe others are left to produce new seeds
and to reach larger size. The picking
of sponges in farm of this nature is
much simpler than to raise them from
the deep waters of the gulf Armed with
a long loaded pole boatman can easily
haul up the sponges that he needs, and
IN the course OF day he could gather
three times the quantity pulled up by
the regular sponge fishermen off the
coast. The water is comparatively shall
low over the artificial beds, and not dis.
turbed by tides, floating debris OF winds.
It is also very clear and pellucid, so that
one can see the bottom for a long dis
tance down. Occasionally one finds a
sponge farm where deep sea sponges are
cultivated, and it is necessary, then, to
have diver to gather them. Here again
the work is made easier 4he diver runs
no risk from sharks, tides or other in
eonveniences that daily beset those off
the coast.
The value of the sponge farm increases
every year despite the annual harvest
that is taken therefrom. The new
sponges are spreading until every square
inch of the bottom and sides of the pond
are covered with young and old sponges.
II no diseases or enemies get into the
bed, the sponges wNl then yield enor-
nous crops year after year. The annual
income from a good sized bed ranges
from 81, 900 to $4,000, according to its
size, location and age.-Philadelphi
Times.