Am.  Jour.  Pimrui.  \ 
January,  1895.  J 
The  Florida  Sponge  Industry. 
•5 
vessel,  where  they  are  spread  carefully  on  the  deck  in  their  natural 
upright  position,  so  as  to  allow  the  slimy  matter,  called  "  Gurry," 
by  the  sponger,  to  run  off.  During  the  first  stages  of  decomposition 
they  have  a  very  unpleasant  odor,  something  like  decayed  fishy 
matter.  After  the  dingies  collect  sufficient  sponges  to  make  a 
vessel  load,  they  are  taken  to  what  are  called  sponge  crawls,  which 
is  an  enclosure  of  about  10  to  12  feet,  made  generally  by  placing 
stakes  in  the  beach  where  the  water  is  from  2  to  3  feet  deep. 
Sponges,  after  being  kept  on  the  decks  of  the  vessel  from  one 
to  two  days,  will  generally  be  sufficiently  cured  to  be  taken  to  the 
crawls,  and  then  they  are  kept  there  for  a  few  days  and  then 
thoroughly  washed  and  pounded  with  a  flat  stick.  They  are  then 
placed  upon  strings  of  about  6  feet  in  length  and  taken  to  the 
markets,  where  they  are  sold  at  auction.  They  are  generally  sold 
in  lots,  and  then  carefully  trimmed  and  packed  in  bales  weighing 
from  15  to  100  pounds  each,  according  to  quality,  the  cheaper 
grades  being  generally  packed  in  the  larger  bales. 
The  principal  varieties  of  sponges  found  in  Florida  are  the  follow- 
ing :  Sheep-wool,  yellow  and  grass.  The  Florida  sheep-wool  are 
the  best  quality,  being  of  very  fine  texture,  soft  and  very  strong  and 
durable.  The  yellow  sponge  is  of  fine  quality,  but  not  strong  in 
texture,  and  not  near  as  soft  or  durable  as  the  sheep-wool  sponges. 
The  grass  is  very  much  inferior  to  the  others,  not  being  as  strong 
nor  so  desirable  in  shape,  and  being  easily  torn. 
There  are  no  sponges  found  in  the  world  to  equal  the  Florida 
sheep-wool  for  softness  and  strength,  and  no  better  bath  sponge 
can  be.  found  than  a  good,  solid  Florida  sheep-wool,  although  they 
are  generally  sold  for  washing  carriages,  etc.  In  former  years 
Florida  sponges  were  loaded  with  lime  or  sand  in  order  to  decrease 
the  price,  but  of  late  very  few  loaded  sponges  have  been  placed 
upon  the  market. 
Sponges  in  great  variety  are  also  found  in  many  places  in  the 
West  India  Islands,  also  in  Cuba.  The  Cuban  sponges  are  the  next 
best  to  the  Florida.  The  principal  varieties  found  in  Cuba  or  the 
West  Indies  are  sheep-wool,  reef,  yellow  and  grass,  also  velvet, 
which  are  next  best  to  the  sheep-wool. 
The  finer  grades  of  sponges  are  found  principally  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, such  as  the  fine  surgeon's,  toilet,  bathing  and  nursery 
sponges,  and  they  are  very  much  higher  in  price  than  any  others. 
