80 THE OCEAN WORLD. 



favourable localities. At the end of three years, when these true 

 submarine fields would be ripe for harvesting, they could be put in 

 train for methodical collection by means of diving boats. 



The toilet sponge is an article which produces a high price, often 

 as much as forty shillings the pound for very choice specimens, a price 

 which few commercial products attain, which prohibits its use, in 

 short, to all but the wealthy. It is, therefore, very desirable to carry 

 out the submarine enterprise of M. Lamiral. With the assistance of 

 the Acclimatization Society of Paris, some experiments have already 

 been made in this direction so far without any satisfactory results, it 

 is true, but everything indicates that by perseverance we shall see the 

 enterprise crowned by the success it merits. 



Such specimens as now reach our ports are chiefly distinguished by 

 their appearance, quality, and origin. 



The fine soft Syrian sponge is distinguished by its lightness, its 

 fine flaxen colour, its form, which is that of a cup, its surface con- 

 vex, voluted, pierced with innumerable small orifices, the concave part 

 of which presents canals of much greater diameter, which are prolonged 

 to the exterior surface in such a manner that the summit is nearly 

 always pierced throughout in many places. This sponge is sometimes 

 blanched by the aid of caustic substances, acids, or alkalies ; but this 

 preparation shortens its duration and changes its colour. This sponge 

 is specially employed for the toilet, and its price is high. Those 

 which are round-shaped, large, and soft, sometimes produce as much 

 as five or six pounds. 



The Fine Sponge of the Archipelago is scarcely distinguishable 

 from that of Syria, either before or after being cleansed ; nevertheless, 

 it is weightier, its texture is not so fine, and the holes with which it is 

 pierced are at once larger and less in number. It is nearly of the 

 same country as the former, in fact, the fishing extending along the 

 Syrian coast as well as the littoral of Barbary and the Archipelago. 



The Fine Hard Sponge, called Greek, is less sought for than either 

 of the preceding ; it is useful for domestic and for certain industrial 

 purposes. Its mass is irregular, its colour fauve ; it is hard and com- 

 pact, and pierced with small holes n 



The White Sponge of Syria, called Venetian, is esteemed for its 

 lightness, the regularity of its form, and its solidity. In its rough 

 state it is brown in colour, of a fine texture, compact and firm. 



