The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-23

fectly developed. The inferiority OF the
produce may be partly dEe 10 its being
obtained exclusively from shallow waters.
for the finest kinds OF sponees Erow deep.
and possibly the introduction OF diving
might lead 10 better results. There are
also large areas OF coast hitherto uutried.
Great interest. therefore. attaches 20 an
experiment now being carried out by the
leading London firm. who have dispatched
vessel. with Greek divers. 10 the coast
or British Honduras II successful, IL will
lead 10 an important development OF the
industry.
West Indian sponges are very easily dis
unguished from the Mediterranean varie-
ties by their coarser and loOser texture.
The cheap and highly bleached articles.
mostly OF small size. which have been 50
common in the shop windows OF late
world.
The public and the shopkeepers usually
divide spOnges into two classes bleach
CO. and "unblcached:" the former are a
bright yellow color. the latter a light
Drown. and they contain sand. But the
term has only a conventional significance:
Az z! aomestic sponges are hieached. and the
uiucrence IN color merely means a some
what different process. In its natural
state. the hhrous framework which is
Wnat We know as sponge. is filled with
geiatinous huid. and covered with a thin
black cuticle, provided with numerous
holes, through which q stream OF water
flows constantly inward TO the center OF
the creature by the smaller channels. and
out again by the larger ones. Thus ii is
nourished.
In fishing. the whole thing is torn from
the rock or stone on which II grows, the
cuticle is then removed. and the Celatin-
GUS interior. known as the milk" is
squeezed out. That is the method practiced
IN the Mediterranean: but in the bahamas
the mass is left to wash itself clean in
a creek. At this stage the sponge Is of a
dark brown color. with large red ferrugf-
nous stains, which render II very insight
~, ana quite unfit for the market. These
stains are removed BY the use of various
chemicals.
The so-caled unbleached sponges are
treated with sulDhurlc acids which turns
them light brown. after which they are
washed in sea water and snrinkled with
sand, TO give them a touch of local
color, packed I'm wooden cases and shin
ped to the warehouse. The bleached vari-
ETY. on the other hand, are afterward
treated with hydrOChloric acid and soda.
This Is not done on the spot. and there
fore the sea water and sand are omitted.
There is not really much difference, ex-
cept that the "bleached" ones, having
gone through more processes. are rather
less durable.
Sponges exhibit an endless variety of
| shape. size, and texture. Some hundreds
II not thousands, of kinds are named in
the trade, but only a limited proportion
of them is available for domestic pur-
poses or these the commonest is the or
binary "honey-comb", or bath sponge,
which Is especially in demand in English
speaking countries. The most valuable
kind is the fine Turkey" sponge, much
used by ladies' and I'm nurseries. 1t is
of a very soft. close. elastic texture. and
more or less cup-shaped. It grows at
great depth, and only in certain limited
fishing grounds. One of the most curious
varieties of sponge is known as "ele-
plants ear" from its resemblance 10
that remarkable feature. II spreads out
into a thin, fiat cake several feet In diam
eter, and of a tough, leathery consistence
Much ingenuity has been expended in
trying to find some use for these and
many other eccentric kinds as well as for
the sponges for the market but hitherto
without success. A large fortune lies
awaiting somebody In the utilization OF
waste fragments left by clipping ordinary
sponge waste.