Hudson Grass 



Table 8 gives the number of demerits that is characteristic of 

 each grade of Hudson Grass sponge. This sponge shews variations ap- 

 proaching the Anclote sponge. It also approaches the Florida Yellow- 

 sponge in inside dense structure, but the outside invariably is soft 

 because of the presence of l/h inch or mo® of bridged fibers that 

 vary from individual curly hairs to branched tufts resembling feathers. 

 These tufts are more highly branched or less clumped than are those of 

 Inshore sponges. When wet, the Hudson Grass sponge is stiff er under 

 light pressure than is the Anclote sponge, but it is softer than is the 

 Anclote sponge under heavy pressure. In this properly, it resembles 

 the Florida Yellow sponge. It generally is thicker than is the same 

 width of an Anclote sponge, and it has been given a plus credit for the 

 soft outside structure as compared with that of the Anclote sponge. 

 The Hudson Grass sponge tends to hold much sand and shell in the lower 

 grades, often is torn, is split fairly easily, tends to be brittle, 

 drains cut a fair amount of water on being tipped, and shows more holes 

 as the grades go dcwn e 



Table 8. — Average number of demerits characteristic of each 

 ~grade of Hudson Grass sponge 





Average demerits 



Demerits recom- 



Recommended mid- 



Grade 



found by grading 



mended to be taken 

 as characteristic 



point to next 

 lower grade 





Number 



Number 



Number 



Cuts 









No. 1 

 No. 2 

 No. 3 

 No. U 



636 



672 



789 



Not available 



6U0 

 670 

 820 

 890 



655 

 7U5 

 855 

 960 



Mediterranean Bengasi 



Table 9 gives the number of demerits that is characteristic for 

 each grade of Mediterranean Bengasi sponge. As compared with the Rock 

 Island sponge, the Mediterranean Bengasi sponge, in general, was paler, 

 was more rounded, was flatter, held more water per unit volume, was 

 less compressible, was less elastic, was more readily split, recovered 

 its shape more slowly after being pressed, contained more small holes, 

 contained less surface webbing, and had more discoloration. No new 

 fault became particularly prominent as the grades went down. 



32 



