212, SEVENTH REPORT OF THE SHELL FISH COMMISSIONERS 
uninterruptedly. Look at this: Of the 83,834 acres of ground 
designated, 63,820 are uncultivated—three-fourths of the whole! 
Now the Commissioners know that a large part of the one- 
fourth reported as cultivated has been left without attention, and 
the stars have thus multiplied, and the oystermen have suffered 
seriously. No doubt many of them feel poor and they are poor. 
The Commissioners recognize the fact that these losses from stars 
materially affect the value of oyster grounds; and although they 
believe, aside from stars, that their estimates of value have been 
right, they have been led to reduce their estimates for the current 
year from 20 to 30 percent. because of stars. This has been 
done after consultation with many of the most intelligent and 
judicious cultivators. So that the tax to be laid the current year, 
it is estimated, will probably not exceed six cents an acre. 
No doubt many men went into the business without experience 
—many without means to protect their grounds—and they have 
suffered losses. Nevertheless, the greater number of cultivators 
have made money; though not so much, perhaps, as to meet their 
over sanguine expectations. If there were no other evidence of 
this, the new houses, and wharves, and factories, and steamers 
built by them would be conclusive. In the year 1884 there were 
forty steamers engaged in the industry; in 1885 there were forty- 
nine, and in 1886 there were sixty! ‘True, two or three were 
owned in New York; but New Yorkers have considerable interest 
in Connecticut grounds. 
The Commissioners present the facts: it is for the State to say 
whether or not any tax shall be raised on the grounds, what it 
shall be, and how it shall be ascertained. ‘The present system is 
full of uncertainty, perplexity and difficulty. The appraisal of 
any property on shore is facilitated by inspection. It has a re- 
puted value among those who are in its neighborhood, and a fair 
approximation may be secured without serious effort. But these 
oyster lots are out of sight—in some instances twenty fathoms 
under water. The man who knows their value best is the owner, 
and he is not inclined to tell about it. Indeed, the greater num- 
ber of oystermen fail to put a valuation on their lists, and many 
fail to make any list at all. ‘The Commissioners have some gene- 
ral facts bearing on the question of value, obtained in various 
ways; but with the best knowledge they can obtain they some- 
times err in their estimate, getting it either too high or too low. 
