83 JOURNAL OF THE 
I believe it to be eminently desirable to start a series of 
of experiments, the purpose of which shall be to discover 
how far, along what lines, and by what means sponges 
may be artificially altered by breeding. .The great vari-’ 
ability of sponges in nature leads one to believe that 
they would quickly respond as individuals to a change in 
the environment, and thus, simply by growing the animals 
in a superior locality, an improved variety, constant, as 
long as the sponges continue to grew in that locality, 
might be produced. It is quite likely that such improve- 
ments could be carried out on sponges propagated by 
cuttings as well as on those grown from eggs. In 
improving races, however,it has always been found that 
the two important means are sexual breeding trom selected 
specimens, and grafting, the latter method being 
commonly regarded as only applicable to plants. 
In the case of sponges, as in that of other organisms, 
increase of knowledge will in all probability con- 
firm the belief already fairly well grounded, that 
individuals developed from the fertilized eggs vary 
more, 1. e., exhibit more differences one from the 
other, than individuals grown from buds or cut- 
tings. Herein, to my mind, lies the advisability of 
orowing sponges from eges as well as from cuttings. 
The latter method, being quick, sure, aud simple, can at 
once be made of great practical use. Breeding from the 
egg is more complex, and must be carefully tried by com- 
petent experimenters. In the end, however, I believe 
that it will lead to great improvements in the quality of 
our sponges. 
I would suggest that,after selection of a proper locality. 
asmall plantation of sponges developed from eggs be 
started and carefully watched. As the sponges grow, it 
would be a simple matter to pick out those individuals in 
which the fiber varied in the desired direction. A small 
es 
