Show sponges 0 have natural nursery on coral isles at turnoff Tur neffe e a group of coral islands about 30 miles off the coast of british honduras a genuine sponge nursery has been established strains of wild sponges most suited to modern tastes were first selected and now in a shallow blue lagoon forming a natural nursery thousands of pedigree sponge fragments are steadily growing each is weighed down with a cement disc As these animal cuttings attain maturity a matter of four years growth they will again be drastically dismembered and planted in adjacent lagoons sponges die quickly upon exposure to light they are black skinned and thickly gelatinous when brought up by shark defy ing divers formerly their skeletons were simply dried and bleached in the sun today a dip in secret chemicals before trimming operations adds both to their lust erand purity |