Show THE WORLDS BIGGEST SPONGE description of at a arlie arize talc taker ei med iter a noan sponger curlo atle P found t that is the la largest florida sponge in i till the world said al a william catreet dealer to a 1 reporter the sponge looked like the thatched roof of a small cabin and measures eight feet in circumference when wet we have one in philadelphia on temporary exhibition there that is ten tell feet in ill circumference it is ii from the mediterranean this sponge lias has taken medals in fra france nce Amster amsterdam daill new orleans Orlean sand and other places wo we would not take tor for it it holds fifteen gallons of water the was then shown hown the smallest which is as bias big aa a chestnut and never grows auy any larger it is taken on the erects and is sold for a slate sponge the mediterranean sponges con tinned the informant are taken in the grecian archipelago aymen by men in diving suits who go into much deeper water than they do in florida there most of them are taken with grappling irons hi the same way as oysters they can be seen with the eye at the bottom clinging to the rocks S when one is ia dislodged another grows in its place taking from six months to a year A great many are also abo taken in the bahamas the market for that is nassau new providence key west is the market for tile the florida sponges which are taken all along tho the coast trieste and london are the maikels for the mediterranean sponges some are taken ofle off the coast of china arcady are any curiosities found in them wo we had ono one once that 4 largo larga jug it was a fine sponge arid and had bad grown completely aroun around d it they J are arc frequently full of shells when a sponge is first taken out nit of the water it is as black as ink and it lias has to be treated by various processes until it becomes tho the color commonly seen A sponge is the lowest order of animal life being considered partly animal and partly vegetable A number of minute animals live lire ill it the blis busness is about half a cen tury rury old in ill this country sponges are sold by tho the bide bale in this country arid and by the case in ill europe they weigh frain 25 to pounds when sold by weight the dealers are allowed to sand band them about 23 25 per cent prices range from 10 to al allo 0 o tile the latter lafter for very fine toilet sponges there are many grades such as silk velvet cup glass bath surgeon slate etc 91 when is the active season spring and fall are the active active seasons for selling for gathering gat liering the iatter latter part of t tho L 0 year INTo november vember and december is the active although some fishing is carried on all the year new york mail and express |