The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-09-02
CULTURE OF SPONGES.
Fish Commissions Work Of
the Florida Coast.
EETIRBHoMEsUPPL7 TO BERAIsBD

Instead Of an Importer, the United
States win soon BE an Exporter Of
sponges-Alumlnlum wire Enabled
Experimenters to Overcome Dim-
entities.
Considerable progress is being made
BY the United States government
through the fish commission in the ar.
tihcial propagation Of sponge growth
OF the coast Of Florida, ana the state
ment was made at the commission the
other day thar So successful has tile
culture been that within a few years
the United States viii produce ali tile
sponges consumed here, with balance
left over for the export trade, says the
Washington Post. At the present time
the sponge supply IS far below the de-
mand, and the United States imports
most Of those required.
The experiments have been conduct
ed for some time past under the direc-
ton Of DR.. II. F. Moore, assistant com
missioner of fish and fisheries, who has
devoted considerable hard work and
attention to the matter. The actual
work Of planting sponges in the waters
Off the Florida coast is now being con
Quoted under the supervision Of Cap
tain James "A. Smith Of the Fish Hawk
This vessel, now Ia Florida, Will return
to Washington at the close OF its pres
ent cruise, about April Is, with d large
number of specimens and considerable
data. The work accomplished BY the
experts Of the fish bureau has been
unique, but success apparently has
crowned the efforts Of the commission,
and two sponges viii be made to grow
where only one could find lodging place
before.
The sponges used in the propagation
are the sheepshead variety, the most
valuable and desirable sponge grown
In the world and one which fills prac-
tieally every commercial necessity. The
method used in planting them on the
coral reefs and rocks of the tropical
waters of the Florida coast has been
evolved after many failures by Dr.
Moore who has at last hit upon way
out Of the difficulties which filed the
path Of the commission when it first
undertook the work
In planting the sponges,' said DR.
Moore, tive have now found d scheme
which has proved satisfactory The
sponges are cut into small pieces from
one to two inches ii diameter. These
small fragments Of the living sponge,
which are dark in color with the pores
noticed in the cured sponge Of com
merce filed by fleshy matter, are firm
" fastened to pieces of coral, rock and
terra Gotta brick and dropped over
board, the work being done on board
the fish commission vessel.
''Thin aluminium wire is used to do
this, and in hitting upon this wire we
solved the difficulty. The pieces Of
sponge used have one outer skin intact,
with the other edges raw The latter,
however. quickly heal The aluminium
wire viii, Of course, pierce the sponge
and forms d small bore or hole through
them The wire corrodes, but this is
an advantage for It gradually wears
away leaving the sponge free Of any
foreign substance.
Most Of the difficulties attending
tile culture have been met with in at
tempting to find something TO bind the
sponges to the rocks which would last
long enough for the sponges to attach
themselves naturally to the new bed
The aluminium wire does this. Wood,
string, copper and iron wire and yari-
GUS other substances we found were at
tackled By the salt water aud animal
life and rendered useless.
"The experiments are being conduct
ed at Biscayne bay, Anciote keys and
off Key West The dealers are partly
responsible for the poor condition Of
the domestic sponge market. The fish
ermen take all sponges caught on their
hooks, large and small. on the principle
that If they don't some one else will
and the result is that the industry is
ruined. The commission Is doing this
work only to show the proper way TO
promote the sponge industry, and the
work Is similar to that done III the
propagation and culture Of the oyster
We will demonstrate the method to the
dealers and then let private enterprise
take the matter up.
'There is every reason TO believe that
tl,ta viii 10 aoya md that in q comm r.
atiyely short time all the sponges need
ed in the United States viii be raised
in the waters of Florida"
f,,.e Aza4c..s ~ Faster Flowers