OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. Ti 
tivate. The element of speculation is therefore to a great ex- 
tent eliminated. This leads to the conclusion that the business 
will hereafter be conducted upon a sounder basis. It will, how- 
ever, require some time before the area of oyster grounds in Long 
Island Sound shall all be cultivated to the best advantage. The 
great “set” of 1890 not only benefits the owners of oyster 
grounds, but the great body of toilers who work for day wages 
are also reaping a harvest. During the month of October from 
two hundred to two hundred and fifty boats (and on one occa- 
sion a gentleman counted two hundred and seventy) have been 
daily at work on the great Stratford natural bed, gathering 
enormous numbers of the young oysters, and all making excep- 
tionally good wages. The steamers are not allowed to dredge 
upon the natural beds, but they station themselves in the vicinity, 
and their owners purchase the oysters from the sail-boat dredgers 
for the purpose of planting for a year or two on their own 
grounds. 
TAXATION OF OYSTER GROUNDS. 
Under the provisions of the new law, the assessment of oyster 
grounds within the exclusive jurisdiction of the State was made 
by Mr. Frederick Botsford, Clerk of Shell-fisheries. He used 
the former assessment made by the Commissioners of Shell- 
fisheries as a basis of his action, and made such alterations as 
seemed to him warranted by the present condition of the grounds, 
increasing the value of some and decreasing that of others. After 
he had completed his valuation of the oyster grounds, the Shell- 
fish Commissioners sent notices to all of the owners that they 
would meet as a Board of Relief on certain specified days, and 
hear all persons who felt aggrieved by the action of the assessor. 
Quite a number of them appeared on the dates appointed and 
asked for reductions in some of the assessments. Mr. Botsford 
was present at these meetings, and generally, after a careful 
consideration of each case, the Commissioners were able to agree 
upon figures which were satisfactory to all interested. There 
are, however, in the oyster business, optimists and pessimists, as 
in almost all other branches of industry, and it is possible that 
all were not entirely pleased. It would be too much to expect 
