Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners. 55 



14, in which the value of oysters is considered to be sixty cents 

 per bushel. 



Seven of the lots leased in Queen Anne's County waters under 

 former law for the purpose of oyster culture were retained by their 

 respective lessees under the Haman Oyster Culture Law. The lease 

 to one of these lots has been declared void, and rents for two others,, 

 amounting to $53.76, are in arrears. 



The following table shows the maximum and mean ranges of the 

 tides as calculated from observations made during the period oc- 

 cupied by the survey in Queen Anne's County at the various tide 

 observation stations. The circulation of water over an oyster 

 ground and the availability of the oyster food supply to the oysters 

 upon it is largely dependent upon the rise and fall of the tide and 

 these observations therefore indicate to some extent the value, for 

 oyster production, of the various grounds which will be opened for 

 lease. 



Maximum Minimum 



Locality. Period of Observation. Range. Range. 



Cliffs Wharf June 2-30. 1909 3.10 feet 1.40 feet 



Love Point Light June 9— Aug. 4 2.40 feet .88 feet 



Bloody Point Light. . . Aug. 30— Oct. 5 2.70 feet 1.01 feet 



Claiborne Wharf Aug. 17-31, Oct. 19, Nov. 29. . 3.55 feet 1.29 feet 



St. Michaels Dec. 3-17 3.57 feet 1.12 feet 



THE WYE RIVER AND MILES RIVER. 



(Shown on chart of natural oyster bars No. 32.) 



A line about two-thirds of a mile in length, connecting Bennett 

 Point on the north with the nearest point on the opposite shore, 

 is considered in this report to mark the mouth of Wye river and to 

 divide the oyster bottoms of the Wye, from those of Miles river. 

 Something more than one mile above this line the Wye river divides 

 into two branches of about equal size, which, on account of the 

 existing controversy and confusion which has arisen from the use 

 of Back Wye and Front Wye to designate these branches, it is pro- 

 posed to call "Branch South of Wve Island" and "Branch West of 

 Wye Island." 



Oysters grow in the waters of the Wye river and its branch 

 south of Wye Island to a point about five miles above the mouth of 

 Wye river proper, and in the branch west of Wye Island 

 to a point about two and one-half miles above a line connecting the 

 southernmost point on Wye Island with the nearest point on the 



