AND THE ARTIFICIAL CULTURE OF SPONGES. 193 



"The first trials were made at Key "West, by the agent of Messrs. McKesson 

 and Robbins, sponge dealers, of New York, who have recently contributed to 

 the U. S. National Museum four specimens of the sheepswool variety, showing 

 the first-fruit of this important work. We have not been able to obtain a 

 detailed report of these experiments, but from a letter written at Key West, 

 and kindly furnished by Messrs. McKesson and Robbins, the following brief 

 account has been prepared — 



" The sponges were all raised from cuttings ; the localities in which they 

 were planted were not the most favourable for sponge development, and their 

 growth was, therefore, less rapid and perfect than might otherwise have been 

 the case. They were fastened to the bottom, in a depth of about 2 J feet of 

 water, by means of wires or sticks running through them. The four specimens 

 sent to Washington were allowed to remain down a period of about six 

 months before they were removed. Fully four months elapsed before they 

 recovered from the injury done them in the cutting, which removes the outer 

 * skin ' along the edges of the section, and the actual growth exhibited was 

 for about two months only. The original height of each of the cuttings was 

 about 2 1 inches. One was planted in a cove or bight, where there was little 

 or no current, and its increase in size was very slight. The other specimens 

 were placed in tide-ways, and have grown to from four to six times their 

 former bulk. Two hundred and sixteen specimens in all were planted at the 

 same date, and at the last accounts those that remained were doing finely. 



" The chief obstacle to the artificial cultivation of sponges at Key West 

 arises from the fact that the sponge fishermen infest every part of the region 

 where sponges are likely to grow, and there is no legal protection for the 

 would-be culturist against intruders. The enactment of judicious laws bearing 

 upon this subject by the State of Florida, or the granting of special privileges 

 conferring the right to occupy certain prescribed areas for sponge propagation, 

 would undoubtedly tend to increase the annual production of this important 

 fishery." 



Unfortunately, these experiments do not appear to have been carried 

 further in Florida, and no reference to their continuation is made in 

 subsequent reports of the U. S. Fish Commission. 



Memorandum by Mr. Benedict. — Through the kindness of Professor 

 Brown Goode, it is possible in this connection to add the following 

 memorandum by Mr, James E. Benedict, Assistant Curator of the 

 Department of Marine Invertebrates at the United States National 

 Museum — 



"While in Florida several years ago, I inquired particularly into sponge 

 culture. Many people denied that the experiment had ever been successfully 

 tried, showing that it had not been tried to any great extent. I was informed, 

 however, that by raising a sponge nearly to the surface, without lifting it out 

 of the water, and dividing it up, and fastening the pieces to some anchor, and 

 placing them in favourable localities, they grew rapidly. The sponge fisher- 



