The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-04-07
SPONGE GARDENING.
PROFITABLE SEA FARMS ALONG THE
FLORIDA COAST.

Ever since the sponge fisheries of the
Bahamas and the gulf coast of Florida
showed signs of becoming exhausted ef
forts have been made to cultivate sponges
on farms OF 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
young 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 of 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
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 ut 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
tained 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-
I'd 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 oi
protoplasm develop and grow. Early il
, the spring these spores are liberated in
the larger body of water, where they
soon swim around The eggs continue tC
t;row rapidly, and in a short time attach
themselves to the rocks or coral forma'
ton at the bottom of the water.
1t is very difficult TO get the right
location for an ideal sponge bed Al
, arm of the sea where the salt water
iiows in freely that has a natural hart
I:ottom is the best. Rocks, stones anC
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 fresl
it cannot float out to sea again. Some
simply throw their spOnges in such {
lagoon in the fall of the year and let tn,
protoplssm develop there. Under prope
p cultivation the sponges thus raised ar,
superior TO those found in the SEA Onl,
the best varieties are propagated Tn,
"sheepswOol' is the choicest, with a tex
ture fine, soft and strong These sponge
sell for from 81. so TO So pound TIL
yellow" sponge is next in quality, an'
its price is much less than the "sheeps
wool The grass" sponge raised j
very limited, for its value is too small
to pay one for the trouble.
After the sponge farm is once starte'
there is little lore to do with it excep
at harvesting time. The sponges grov
slowly and usually three years elapse be
: fore any are pulled up. Then only TIT
choicest, full grown ones are gathered
The others are left to produce new seed
and to reach larger size. The picking
of sponges in a farm of this nature i
nIuch simpler than to raise them from
the deep waters Of the gulf. Armed witt
long loaded pole bOatman can easil,
haul up the sponges that he needs, an,
in the course of day he could gathe
three times the quantity pulled up b,
the regular sponge fishermen of tn
coast. The water is comparatively shal
low over the artificial beds, and not dis
turbed by tides, floating debris or winds
1t is also very clear and pellucid, so tina
ole can see the bottom for long dis
tance down Occasionally one finds
sponge farm where deep sea sponges an
cultivated, and it is necessary. then, 4
have diver to gather them Here again
the work is made easier. The diver run
no risk from sharks, tides or other in
conveniences that daily beset those of
the coast
The value Of the sponge farm increase
! every year despite the annual harves
that is taken therefrom- The new
sponges are spreading until every squar
inch Of the bottom and sides Of the pom,
are covered with younO and old sDonrpS