The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-02-07
Sp0NGE GARDENING.
PRoFlTAB.E SEA FARMS ALONG The
FLORIDA COAST.


Intervening Pact, Not Generally Known
Concerning. ~ ar,icis oF Utili:y-ASslst-
amer Rendered ta- Indastry by the Gov
ernnrent'- Fish Commissions.
Ever since the sponge fisheries Of tho
Bsll1rnas a;.d the gulf coast q Florida
showed signs of becoming exhausted ef-
forts have been made n caltiyate splsr,es
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 l. now a successful in
dustry. and hupdre,ls 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 70 oyster culture. The
yuung sponges are planted in water
along the coast varying from one to five
fathoms in depth.
A few years ago the fish commits
siuners had their attention called to the
sponge fisheries of the Florida coast,
and after finding that the beds We're be-
ing rapidly depleted Of the best stock.
an examination Of the fisheries was made
10 ascertain some way Of preserving
them. The specimens Of sponge taken to
Washington III the autumn of tie year
Were found TO be reproductive If the
proper conditions were supplied. The
spongeS in the autumn were found TO de-
vclop masses Of pro,uplasm or spores,
which in the spring of the year wcro lib
Grated. These spores contained the small
reproductive PARTICLES from which the
I sponges developed Some Of the spunges
experimental with did not reproduce
their kind at all, and il wls found that
in order to cultivate the spOnges il was
| necessary to plant spcngcs that pro-
I duced certain cells that contained the
ova or egg and Others that represented
I spermatuZol.
A small sponge farm was established
at Washing N, and then others along
the FloriG coast rs experiments. These
7 proved successful, so that private indi-
I viduals went into the business. There
are many acres of sponge farms near
Key West, ai,d others at Auclote, 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 GDyumn Of the year the various
kinds Of sPonges are purchased by the
I sponge culturiSt, who generally takes an
assortment that Is sure Il supply him
with both the nalo 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 10
crow rapidly. and in a short time attach
themselves u the rocks or coral fOrma-
tiun at the bottom of the water
Il Is very difficult to get the right
location for an ideal sponge bed An
arm Uf the sea where the Salt water
flows in freely that las natural hard
bottom j. lte best. Rocks, stones and
other sUhst:ucCs can ba dropped at ths
bottom for the spu;,geS u fIsten them
selves 90. The lagoon Is then damned
up. - that when the seed j. put III fresh
il cannot float ont to sea again. Some
simply throw their spongcs in such a
lagoon in tie fall If the year and Let the
prutaplasm develop there Under proper
cultivation the spungcs thus raised arc
superior to those found in the sea Only
the best varieties are propagated- The
"sheepswool' is the choicest, with tex
ture fine. soft and strong. These spongcs
sell for from 81. so 70 50 a pound Tie
yellow" sponge is next in quality, and
its price is much less than the "sheeps-
wool " The ''TaSs" sponge raised is
very limited, for its value is too small
10 pay one for the trouble.
After the sponge farm is once started
there Is little lore to do with il except
at harvesting time. Tho sponges grow
slowly and usually three years elapse be-
fore any are pulled up. Then only the
. choicest, full grown ones are gathered.
The others are left to produce new seeds
and to reach a 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 bnatman can easily
haul up the spunges that he needs. and
in the course Of a day he could gather
three times the quantity pnlled up by
the regular sponge fishermen off the
coast. The water is comparatively shall.
low over the artificial beds. and rot dis.
, turbed by tides, floating debris or winds.
Ii Is also very clear and pellucid, so that
ole can sce the bottom for q long dis
tance down. Occasionally one finds a
sponge farm where deep sea spongcs arr
cultivated. and il is necessary, then. e
have a diver to gather them. Here again
the work is made easier. The diver runs
no risk from sharks, tides or other in
conveniences that daily beser those OF