220 Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners 



SECTION 96. The Board of Shell Fish Commissioners shall 

 cause an accurate survey of and delineation upon the maps and 

 charts aforesaid of all bottoms of the tributaries of the Chesa- 

 peake Bay where grass- grows and it is profitable to scrape for 

 soft shell or shedder crabs, and shall have such bottoms prop- 

 erly designated by permanent objects on the shore, as provided 

 hereinbefore for natural oyster beds, bars and rocks, which said 

 crabbing sections shall be exempt from leasing for oyster 

 , culture. 



SECTION 97. One of th^e steamers of the State Fishery Force 

 shall be kept in commission under the command of the Deputy 

 Commander and subject to the control and direction of the 

 Commissioners from the first day of April in each year, until 

 the first day of October following, to assist the Board in the 

 performance of the duties imposed upon it by this Act, and the 

 Deputy Commander in each of the several districts of this State 

 shall also be subject to the control and direction of the said 

 Commissioners during the closed season for the taking and 

 catching oysters with rakes and tongs, during the time the said 

 Commissioners shall be engaged in the respective districts in 

 locating natural oyster beds, bars and rocks-, and shall give the 

 said Commissioners every assistance in their power. 



SECTION 98. After the survey provided for herein shall have 

 been completed, it shall be the duty of the Board of Shell Fish 

 Commissioners to lease, in the name of the State of Maryland, 

 tracts, or parcels, of land beneath the waters of this State, 

 whether within the limits of the counties, or elsewhere, in the 

 area to be opened for oyster culture, according to the provisions 

 of this Act, provided that no tract so leased, if situated within 

 the territorial limits of any county in this State, shall contain 

 less than one acre of land, and if situated in any other place, no 

 tract so leased shall contain less than five acres. It shall be the 

 duty of said Commissioners to require that the tracts so leased 

 shall be as nearly rectangular as is convenient. It shall be the 

 duty of the said Commissioners to demand from each lessee 

 payment of the rent each year in advance. No person shall be 

 permitted, by lease, assignment, or in any other manner, to ac- 

 quire a greater amount of land than ten acres situated within 

 the territorial limits of any of the counties, or one hundred 



