Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners. 



79 



counties only and in one of these counties, Worcester, no lands have 

 been leased, although it is a well known fact that oyster culture is 

 being successfully carried on in Worcester County waters on a fairly 

 extensive scale. The Oyster Culture Law, in its present form, fails 

 to provide means of compelling compliance with its leasing provis- 

 ions on the part of individuals who use oyster lands belonging to 

 the State, and the oyster planters of Worcester County and many 

 planters in other counties, are taking advantage of this imperfection 

 in the law. The Commission has recommended* that the law be so 

 amended as to make it impossible for a citizen to appropriate and 

 use oyster lands belonging to the State without full compliance 

 with all the provisions of the law. 



Many citizens of the State have been deterred from entering the 

 field of oyster culture also because of the failure of the law to grant 

 privileges to oyster planters known to be essential to success in 

 oyster culture, and not until these privileges have been granted and 

 all of the lands of the State suitable and available for the p-irprses 

 of oyster culture have been opened for lease, will it be time to judge 

 of the possibilities of oyster culture in Maryland. 



APPLICATIONS FOR LEASES. * * 



TO LANDS FOR THE PURPOSES OF OYSTER CULTURE RECEIVED BY 

 THE BOARD OF SHELL FISH COMMISSIONERS TO 

 SEPTEMBER 30, 1910, FROM: 



Lessees Under 

 Former Law. 



Counties. No, 



Anne Arundel 2G 



Baltimore 



Calvert 93 



Charles 23 



Dorchester 163 



Kent 4 



Queen Anne's 15 



Somerset 301 



St. Mary's 73 



Talbot 84 



Wicomico 71 



Worcester 



Acres. 

 112.20 



323.46 



105.65 



776.35 



17.75 



61.87 



1526.37 



250.46 



365.35 



346.70 



Total 853 3885.16 



Residents Under 

 Present Law to 

 Dec. 15, 1908. 



No. 

 63 



Acres. 

 358.75 



3.00 



40 350.00 

 3 13.00 

 2 10.00 



109 734.75 



Residents Under 



Present Law 



Since Last 



Report. 



No. Acres. 



25 170.00 



23 192.70 

 1 10.00 



No. Acres. 

 114 640.95 



45 437.00 

 3 23.00 



16 160.00 



116 516.16 



24 115.65 



163 776.35 



5 20.75 



15 61.87 



3S6 2313.37 



79 286.46 



86 375.35 



87 506.70 



113 992.70 1075 5613.61 



* See page 105. 



* * When, in 1006. opportunity was given to the 4009 holders of oyster lots un- 

 der former law to retain their lands under the present law, 853 only made appli- 

 cation and 472 finally executed new leases with the State. 



