Vol. X. No. 234. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



127 



THE SPONGE FISHERIES OF 

 THE BAHAMAS. 



An article on Sponge Culture appeared recently 

 in the Agricultural Neivs (Vol. X, p. (i^). In relation 

 to this, the following report, for UiOO-fO, on t,he sponge 

 fisheries of the Bahamas, by Sir .James Young, Chair- 

 man of the Marine Products Board, is of interest : — 



During the past nine months the Board closed the spong- 

 ing grounds, known as the Northern Bight, at Andros Island. 

 This locality for many years has yielded a good supply of 

 sponges. 



The Commissioner, Mr. Forsythe, called the attention of 

 the Board to the condition of these beds, stating that there 

 was gieat need for protecting the young sponges that remain- 

 ed, the marketable sponges having been overfished. 



This area was closed on the first day of August, and two 

 watchmen appointed to guard against poaching. 



Reports from the Acklin sponge beds, which were closed 

 to fishing on March 1, are encouraging: these beds, as well as 

 the beds in the Northern Bight, have been marked in several 

 places with buoys; specimens of the sizes of the sponges taken 

 from where the buoys were laid have been forwarded to the 

 Board. The specimens from Acklin's Island indicate that 

 the reef and yellow sponges have grown faster than the grass 

 since the destruction by the hurricane of the previous year. 



Instructions have been given to the watchmen in these 

 districts to forward specimens from the marked places 

 quarterly, so as to enable the Board to form an opinion as to 

 the time it requires for the various sponges to grow to 

 marketable sizes. 



The rigid inspection of the wool and velvet sponges 

 from the Bight of Abaco, where the restriction as to size is 

 still in force, has .shown good results, and fewer cases of 

 violation of this rule have been detected by the Inspector. 



The Board is able to report that the sponging grounds 

 along the Eleuthera shore are gradually recovering from the 

 effects of the hurricane which uprooted and destroyed these 

 grounds entirely in 1883. 



The sales of sponge on the Exchange from .January 1, 

 1909, to December 3 ], 1 909, were £71,367, against £.50,003 

 the previous year. While this is much better than the last 

 year, it does not reach the average for the past five years. 



Satisfactory results have followed the rules protecting 

 conchs from being over-fished near inhabited islands, as well 

 as the rules prohibiting the capture of small turtle. 



Most of the tortoiseshell now exported is brought to 

 market from the high seas, where the captured turtle are 

 usually of a large size. The exports for this year amount 

 to £6,107. 



The Board again expresses the hope that the Legislature 

 will soon be able to place it in a position to obtain the services 

 of a biologist, to assist and advise it in developing the 

 resources of the sea. 



The Board would further suggest that an aquarium, in 

 connexion with a biological station, would be most interest- 

 ing, as an exhibition of such a beautiful variety of submarine 

 specimens as are found in our waters would not fail to create 

 greater interest in the sea products of the Colony. 



The Board of Public Works has consented to the use of 

 Fort Montague for this purpose, the estimated cost for tanks, 

 pumps, repairs, etc., to the interior of the fort, lieing only 

 about £200. 



INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS. 



Although there has been a great boom in buff Orpington 

 ducks — a new breed with splendid credentials — I firmly 

 believe thut the Indian Runner will still remain not only 

 popular, but absolutely the best layer amongst the increasing 

 family in the waterfowl world. As its name implies, the 

 Indian Runner is built on very slim lines, and can cover 

 many acres during the day in search of food, without any 

 sign of fatigue. In appearance it is quite difterent from the 

 heavy Aylesbury and Pekiu, and somewhat resembles a soda- 

 water bottle, especially when standing erect. The colour should 

 be fawn and white. The chief characteristics are the Iiead and 

 bill, which should be long and slender, with the bill carried 

 in a perfectly straight line with the eye. The weight is only 

 about 4 fib.; often much less. As a table bird, it does not 

 rank high; but if killed when quite young, the flesh is juicy 

 and very palatable I have often been surprised at the small 

 number of farmers who keep ducks. Whether there exists 

 a belief that they are unprofitable, or that they damage the 

 land, I cannot say, but one thing is certain, that hardly one 

 farmer in a hundred keeps a flock of Indian Runners. A peculiar 

 feature in connexion with duck-breeding, and one that has 

 struck me most forcibly, is the fact that right on the edge of 

 the moors, in desolate regions, is usually found a good numlier 

 of ducks. On several occasions I have had conversation with 

 these isolated duck breeders, and find they attach great im- 

 portance to their ducks as a source of profit. 



It appears perfectly clear that if duck-keeping can be 

 profitable in these districts, there is no reason why even 

 larger profits cannot be made when the conditions are more 

 favourable. It is quite common for a good laying strain of 

 ducks to lay as many eggs daily as there are ducks, and in 

 one instance I know of, this record was beaten, but two eggs 

 a day is rather more than most people would wish from one 

 duck. 



The small poultry keeper with limited space should not 

 attempt to keep Indian Runners; they are essentially a farmer's 

 duck, and give best results when allowed to roam over green 

 fields. As a rule they care little for a large swimming place, 

 but prefer to work away at the end of a drain or in a shallow 

 stream. Like all members of the duck familj', Indian 

 Runners lay away unless kept in the house overnight. Some 

 persons who keep a small number allow them to sleep in the 

 open; this may be quite right when the weather is warm, 

 but dry sleeping quarters prevent disease and also make it 

 a certainty that no eggs are missing. 



The main secret of succes.sful hatching is plenty of 

 ventilation, a good supply of moisture, and not too high 

 a temperature. The great difficulty with all incubators 

 is the large number of dead in shell; these appear fully 

 formed, but with insufficient energy to break the shell, 

 which in duck eggs is very thick and the inner membrane 

 tough. Having had a good deal of experience in this line, 

 I firmly believe that a large number of both chickens and 

 ducklings that die in this manner are simply sutfocated 

 through want of fresh air. Fifteen to twenty minutes cool- 

 ing should be allowed twice daily during the last week for all 

 duck eggs. When the ducklings are hatched they are certainly 

 . easy to rear; there should be little loss in this direction if 

 ordinary care is taken. I., feel sure that with the present 

 great distribution of poultry literature, and the constant 

 recommendations of the press, duck-breeding will increase 

 largely. Those who take up the Indian Runner will have no 

 cause for regret. (From the Fanner and Stock Breeder, 

 January 2, 1911.) 



