FISHERIES OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDA. 13 



Sponges fetching the price given by Mr. Buccich ought to have a very consider- 

 able size, and their slow growth justifies the supposition that even after seven years 

 they will not yet have reached that size. It must also be taken into account that 

 the market value of sponges which have been raised on pegs is one-third less than 

 that of naturally grown ones, on account of the hole in the center. The profitable- 

 ness of sponge-culture would be far more evident if there was not such a long inter- 

 val between planting and harvesting — in other words, if the sponges would grow 

 more rapidly. This was certainly looked for when the enterprise was started; but 

 it is dispiriting to have to wait for your crop for seven long years. And, in order 

 that when that period has been reached there may be crops every year, it will be 

 necessary to invest the same annual amount of capital for a period of seven years. 

 The apparatus, moreover, is not so simple that every fisherman could easily con- 

 struct it himself, for experience has shown that wood, which would be the easiest 

 material for working, can not be used on account of the ravages of the Teredo. 



As far as our present knowledge goes, it is certain that sponge-culture will not be 

 profitable for poor men, but that it can only be carried on successfully on a very 

 large scale, either by wealthy individuals or by joint-stock companies. It would 

 be very encouraging to know more concerning the progressive development of the 

 sponge in its natural condition, and especially to know that this development was 

 just as slow as that of the cuttings. Prof. O. Schmidt inclined to this opinion. 

 But if it should prove erroneous, it would be more than questionable whether it is 

 profitable to cut to pieces a sponge which uncut would have quicker reached the 

 samesize and weight than all the cuttings together in seven years. Under such cir- 

 cumstances sponge-culture had better be confined to the transformation of fiat, and 

 therefore worthless, sponges into round ones, which, though small, would find a 

 ready market. Possibly several especially misshaped pieces of sponge mi^ht be 

 made to grow together and form larger and better-shaped ones. The experiments 

 made by Cavoliui and those of Mr. Buccich, above mentioned, show that there is no 

 difficulty in doing this. 



Eeceutly Mr.Ealph M. Munroe, of Cocoanut Grove, Fla., carried on an 

 extended series of experiments in Biscayne Bay, an interesting account 



of which is given in the report on that region already alluded to. 



These experiments by Mr. Fogarty and Mr. Munroe seem to demon- 

 strate conclusively that the Florida sheepswool sponges grow very 

 much more rapidly than did those experimented with by Mr. Buccich. 

 Their cuttings grew to good commercial size in six months' time, and 

 this agrees with the observations of all the dealers and spongers who 

 were consulted about the matter. 



This rapid growth of the sheepswool sponge and the high degree of 

 success attained in the experiments which have been tried show very 

 clearly that the artificial propagation of sponges in Florida by means 

 of clippings is entirely practicable. That the adoption of methods 

 of artificial sponge-culture would inure greatly to the benefit of the 

 Florida sponge industry scarcely admits of question. Not only would 

 it permit an expansion of the trade and fishery in the interests of the 

 dealers, vessel-owners, and fishermeu, but it would furnish employment 

 to many other people, put the sponge business on a more substantial and 

 permanent basis, and invite new capital. It should not be difficult 

 to secure proper legislation on the part of the State by means of which 

 the industry would be advanced and the interests of all concerned 

 properly guarded. 



