PORIFERA 13 



"Florida is the only State in the Union which has a sponge-fishery, 

 and there it is confined to the southwestern part of the coast, along the reefs, 

 and to the extensive rocky shoals that lie between St. Mark's and Anclote 

 Keys. The former is known as the Key ground, with its centre at Key 

 West, the latter as the bay ground, with its centre at Tampa Bay. 



" Nearly all the sponges used in the United States were brought from 

 the Mediterranean till 1852, when attention was called to the immense 

 numbers that were growing in Florida waters. As soon as it was found that 

 the quality of these compared favorably with those of Europe the merchants 

 and fitters-out of vessels of Key West engaged very actively in the business 

 of placing them on the market. At first the best qualities were bought 

 from the fisherman at 10 cents a pound. As Mediterranean sponges became 

 scarce and costly the Florida sponges came more and more into demand, 

 and their value increased proportionately. After about 18 years' fishing on 

 the known ground the supply began to fail. Then, in 1870, a new area of 

 ground, larger than the old one, was discovered, and this gave a new impetus 

 to the trade. In that year Appalachicola sent out a small fleet of sponge 

 vessels which has since been largely increased, and the industry has been 

 energetically pursued with good results. 



"The methods employed in the fishery differ greatly from those em- 

 ployed in the Mediterranean. Small vessels, carrying crews of from 5 to 15 

 men, are fitted out for trips of from four to eight weeks on the sponge grounds. 

 The crews are paired off into small rowboats, or 'dingies,' to catch the 

 sponges. One man stands in the stern, skulling the boat, while the other 

 kneels in the bottom amidship, leaning over the side, and scans the bottom 

 of the sea by means of a water-glass. When a sponge is sited the boat is 

 stopped, and the kneeling man uses a three-pronged hook, attached to a 

 slender pole 30 to 50 feet in length, to secure it. Considerable dexterity is 

 required of both men. To cure the sponges they are at first spread about 

 the vessel's deck in their natural upright position so that they will die, and 

 while decomposing allow the softened animal matter to run off freely. When 

 they have been several days in this position they are taken to the shore and 

 thrown into the water in little pens, called "kraals' (corrals), where the re- 

 maining substance is soaked and squeezed out, after which the sponges are 

 removed at intervals and beaten with a stick to facilitate the process. 



"Although most actively prosecuted during the summer, sponge fishing is 

 now followed more or less throughout the year, the vessels beginning their 

 trips during January and working the different beds successively from north 

 southward. The state of the weather greatly affects the result of the fishery. 

 In some years it has been a complete failure, while in others it has been very 

 profitable, always owing to the weather. As the natural beds of sponges 



