The Meeker herald., 1896-12-12
ARTIFICIAL SPONGE CULTURE.
4 Fsspssition to Increase tn. s.,pty
GrentIv.


4 fssDssition to Increase the supply
Greatly.
Several causes have recently combin.
"a to reduce the supply of sponges in
The American market, says the New
York Tribune. The paralysis Of all in
dustry In Cuba in consequence Of the
cavil wsr now prevailing there Ia one
q them. The West Indies, Bahamas
and Florida are the principal centers nf
production in this part Of the world.
Reckless fishing, which threatens to ex-
terminate the sponges, much as stinf-
lar proceedings do the seals on ths
coast OF Alaska, is another factor In ths
situation. These facts lend peculiar
Interest to the proposition lately made
to the United States government.
through Its consular agent at Mitylene.
BY . Greek named Charalampoe Chor-
phios, to establish the business of ar
uhcialiy cultivating sponges some
where ON the Florida coast, II he can
get concession. A great deal has been
done In the past. under the auspices of
the national and state fishery commits
sions, toward restocking American
lakes and rivers with trout, bass. shad
and salmon, with small fry hatched and
nurtured under human management.
Artificial means, too, have much to do
with culture of the oyster and the
maintenance Of the supply Of that bi-
valve. But the reasonableness Of the
project OF Mr.. Chorphios does not rest
alone on these precedents. Ichthyol0g-
ical experts in Washington are said to
have shown confidence in its practica-
bility. They say that by taking prop
e measures the Florida sponge fisher
les could be brought to high state of
productiveness in a few years. The
men already engaged in the industry
might not, however, relish this inter-
ference in behalf OF the public. Tho
tough, soft, elastic, hbrous moss, which
10 to be had at the druggists. under the
name OF sponge, is really the skeleton
which once supported whole colony
OF 3elly-like creatures which have built
up that structure. These propagate. ma
turally, in two ways. by means Of
spores or eggs and by the formation of
buds which eventually split OF from
the mature polyp. The scientific sponge
SoASuAA Apt pAOSCCuS Vu q pldu WhiSA utAi-
lies both OF those methods, but is like u
common practice In horticulture. He
simply cuts up the tenement house Of
colony into number of pieces, en-
ploying a sharp knife or razor for the
purpose and conducting the operation
while the pulpy mass is still under
water. Ha- Is also careful to leave a
portion of the original outer surface on
each fragment. Each bit may then be
loaded with a small stone or other sink
or to take 1t to the bottom again. A
few Of these sections fail to revive; but
the great majority, after an interval Of
two or three months begin to thrive and
eventually grow to considerable size.
There are hundreds Of distinct spe-
cies Of sponges. but scarcely dozen
are suited to mans use. 1t Is asserted
that those which are obtained from
Mediterranean waters are the finest in
the world: yet the delicate "sheep's
! WOOL and velvet sponges Of Florida
are wonders Of softness and beauty.
And II q system of artificial culture
should come into vogue these choice
varieties could be produced almost As
abundantly as the coarser grades are
now.