The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-04
BY Frederic =. Haslsin.

ed last year that ii takes fifteen days
to plant an acre with. plain disks and
twelve days with spindIed disks. The
average daily wage OF 50 makes theI
difference in planting expense S. per
acre 81 ll .S
The sponge seed for planting is SCI
cured by cutting up a large Live sponge
into sections having volume of from
two to three cubic inches, much asl
seed potatoes are cut I'D for planting.
The sponge isstrimmedfr free from roots
and coral rock fragments before cut
ting, and it is considered desirable to-
leave one side OF each section covered
with the original skin Of the sponge
OF water and conveyed to the planting;
grounds. They are then quickly
strung upon the aluminium wires.l
fastened to the concrete disks, and
dropped down into the wter "a disk
is planted for each square yard, which
means $50 to the acre The water
contains plenty OF nourishment for
them, planted at this space It might
he possible to plant them even more
closely. III X @ 81
After sponge farming becomes a
regularly established industry and I
efficient methods are in full operation, i
it will be possible to do the harvestings
and planting at the same time and abyi
the same labor. When the disks bear
ing the fully grown sponges are gath
.be wired in place OF each large sponge
taken on. The disk will then be-
dropped back into the water.
Fully eighty per cent OF the p1antedl
:sponges mature. This means pro-!
.duction Of ,8T2 to the acre. The aver-f
age weight Of dry sponge is about
an ounce and a half, so that the acre
yield is over three hundred pounds
With the increasing demand fori
sponges for many purposes, Sc all
pounds is not too much to expect from
a crop Of fair quality. This gives an
income OF 81 500 for each acre for a !
sponge growing period ranging FRONT
months to three years.
or an average OF $500 a year. The
expense Of the sponge seed, the cost
of the disks and wire. as well as the
labor, must be deducted from this, |
but the sponge farmer can reasonably
expect much handsomeT profits than
the ordinary argriculturist, and i'm
.cddenta1Iy he Will not work SO hard.
Unlike other farming, sponges require1
no labor for cultivation. After they
are planted they are left alone until
they have grown large enough to harzl
vest. .3I
At least half. million acres of
shallow water thin easy reach of
Florida islands are believed to be Well
adapted for sponge farming. Each OF
these acres can produce nearly $1,000
sponges in a growing season. With
SO large an acreage to be planted, itl
is good business policy to decote the
After sufficient paintings have been
made. the sponges are to be. placed
upon the market with an assured high
price Within the next five years it
is good business policy to devote the
.sponges will be grown on these Gull
itiyated sponge lands.
Few people realize that the SPONGE
+ is an animal and not vegetable pro-
duct. The sponges on sale in the
i shops are really the skel etons of one
/ of the strangest animals in existence
The sponge is killed by exposure to
the air. although 1T does not die imr
smediately aftera-it is taken from the
water. The Heshy part is macerated
by beating with a stick and occas-
ionally submerging the sponges in
water. The sponge cleaning process
is one OF the most off ensive industries
likely to be permitted in close proxJ
unity to the Florid a winter reosrts.
ssfEs {53 ss4St
Spanish army officers have found
bomb dropping from aeroplanes an Of:
Elective means for subduing turbulent
Itrfbesmen in Southern Morocco.
In California there are $50, 900 asres|
on with grape vines are growing;
liz, 900 planted to wine grapes, ITO, OOs
to sraisin grapes and 81, 600 to- table
grapes.
Dyspepsia
s<99 tablets
vii relieve your indig estion. Many d q
y peopie ID this town ., have used them
ana Ne ha,vsey to hear, Of q case where Il
thevs have failed: We know the lor7s
mula. Sold only BY us--25cs g Dox.
Sturn,g e Wilson.