212 THE SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF V 



that tlie artificial hatching of the eggs of sea- fish is a 

 novelty, and distinctly a result of the application of 

 scientific knowledge. Since the culture of marine and 

 of fresh- water fishes has formed the subjects of special 

 papers at this Congress, I will not venture to say 

 anything further about it here beyond claiming it as a 

 scientific result. 



There appears to be no exhibit in the building 

 relating to the Pearl fisheries, either marine or fresh- 

 water ; in relation to these we should anticipate that 

 the application of scientific knowledge might yield 

 some very definite results (in the way of pearl- 

 production). 



Sponge fisheries are represented by collections of 

 sponges from Florida, from the Bahamas, and from the 

 Greek Islands. In the collection from Florida is a 

 specimen having a considerable scientific interest. 

 It represents an attempt at sponge -culture. Some 

 years since in the Adriatic — under the Austrian 

 Government — Professor Oscar Schmidt made some 

 experiments on the propagation of sponges by cut- 

 tings. It was found possible to cut a live sponge 

 into pieces, and affix these pieces each to a separate 

 slate by thread, when each piece would attach itself 

 to its slate and continue to grow. In this w^ay 

 ;sponges can be transported from one area to another 

 — but the total weight of sponge is not increased, for 

 the pieces of the divided sponge only produce the 

 same amount of new sponge as they would have done 

 had they never been separated from one another. 



It appears that sponge-cutting is being attempted 



