SPONGES 



The Bahamian wire sponge is of no value, but 

 there is a wire sponge in Cuba and Tarpon 

 Springs which has a small commercial value. 



One of the most perfect, if not absolutely the 

 largest, wool sponge ever found in these islands 

 is quite round and looks as if it had been care- 

 fully trimmed by a machine. It is, however, quite 

 natural and measures six feet six inches in cir- 

 cumference. It can absorb nearly fifteen gallons 

 of water. It is the property of Mr. Pritchard of 

 Nassau. 



As with most of the sea creatures very little of 

 the life story of sponges is known to us, but the 

 matter is beginning to attract students with a 

 view to making sponge farming an industry. 

 Only one is in regular working order at Tarpon 

 Springs, which has been in existence for five or 

 six years, though there are others which are in 

 the experimental stage. Mr. Christie, secretary 

 of the Nassau Marine Products Board, is in charge 

 of one of these, and it has been established beyond 

 doubt that sponge farming is practicable and 

 profitable, and will some day be extensively 

 practised. 



The best sponges live upon a mud bottom, from 

 which they absorb nourishment in the form of 

 minute organisms known as plankton. At times, 

 whether during certain seasons or after attaining 

 a certain growth is not known, the sponges give 



21 



