THE OYSTER. 22/ 



of his own water-front, to a specified distance — say 

 one hundred yards — beyond low-water mark ; and 

 any citizen of Maryland should be permitted to pur- 

 chase from the State, at a nominal price, the right to 

 cultivate oysters upon an area not to exceed fifteen 

 acres, on any bottom not already appropriated or set 

 apart as public ground. 



In all these cases the right to cultivate oysters 

 should be made as much like a title to real estate as 

 possible, and the State treasury should look for its in- 

 come from future taxation of the property rather than 

 from the price of the franchise. After the planting in- 

 dustry has become well established it will be able to 

 bear its proper share of the burden of taxation, but an 

 infant industry should not be hampered or taxed for 

 the sake of public revenue. 



These provisions, if sustained by a sound and liberal 

 public sentiment, would put it in the power of any 

 citizen to engage in oyster-planting, and thus to pro- 

 vide for the support of his family. 



The encouragement of oyster-farming upon the 

 bottoms in the open waters of the bay now remains to 

 be considered. 



After the natural beds have been surveyed and 

 mapped and set apart as public grounds, provision 

 should be made, ultimately, for the encouragement of 

 private oyster culture upon all bottoms, outside those 

 limits, not otherwise appropriated. 



As nearly all of this book has been devoted to the 

 subject of oyster-farming, it is not necessary to add 

 anything more to show its great importance. Its en- 

 couragement is a matter of vital interest to every citi- 



