8 SIX'’TH REPORT OF THE SHELL FISH COMMISSIONERS 
assessments. ‘The difficulties involved in the work have been fully 
presented in their previous reports, and need not be repeated 
here. While there may be a few cases of over-valuation of 
grounds, they are convinced that under estimates are far more 
frequent. Wherever an error has been made in the assessment 
the Commissioners have always been ready to correct it if their 
attention is called to it in time. 
The tax list the past year (1885-6) amounts to $9,407.77, 
showing an increase over the previous year’s list of $1,517.05. 
This gain is not due to any increased estimate of old grounds, 
but to the increased area of new grounds: 
The first tax, 1882-3, amounted to. - = = = - $3,681.47 
The second tax, 1883-4, amounted to = = = - 6,447.07 
The third tax, 1884-5, amounted to = = - - 7,890.72 
The fourth tax, 1855-6, amounted to = - - = 0,407-77 
On all these taxes there remains unpaid about $750, most of 
which is on the last year, 1885-6, and will probably he paid in 
the course of the present year. 
SPAWNING. 
From trustworthy reports it seems certain that, while the con- 
dition of the oysters has been excellent the past season, the 
spawning has been far less abundantly and uniformly distributed 
than it was the previous year. The usual preparations were 
made by the oyster growers to catch a set; but many were dis- 
appointed. A few had a good set, but the greater number either 
had a light set or none at all. 
Various reasons are assigned for this. The chief reason 
probably is that the oysters during the winter were poor, and 
they entered the spawning season in a feeble condition, not at all 
favorable for breeding. Hence the spawn were sparse and de- 
bilitated. Another cause assigned is the unfavorable state of the 
weather during the spawning season. A cold rain fell, and this 
was fatal to the floating spat. The rivers, too, were low, and 
there was not the usual supply of fresh water. 
But whatever may have been the causes of failure, they were 
doubtless transitory and exceptional. All industries which are 
largely dependent upon favorable meteorological conditions for 
success are subject to more or less uncertainty. The farmer has 
his good and bad years for crops; the fisherman has his seasons 
of abundance alternating with seasons of scarcity; and the oys- 
terman, in availing himself of nature’s helps, must expect a like 
