Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners. 117 



costs incurred in the proceedings under said petition, and the bal- 

 ance to be returned to said petitioners. 



Section 95. The said Board shall be authorized to call to their 

 assistance the County Surveyor of any county, whenever in their 

 judgment his assistance is necessary, and shall pay him for his 

 services such compensation as is authorized by law for his services 

 in other proceedings. 



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 Chesapeake 

 Bay where grass grows and it is profitable to scrape for soft shell 

 or shedder crabs, and shall have such bottoms properly 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 the 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 Com- 

 missioners 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 Com- 

 mander 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 of 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 assist- 

 ance 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 Com- 

 missioners 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 



