OF MASSACHUSETTS. 13 



rights over oysters and quahaugs; c^lass 2 would be primarily 

 for the planting of quahaugs and oysters, with possible rights 

 over clams and scallops. 



The grants should be leased for a limited period of years, 

 with the privilege of renewal provided the owner had fulfilled 

 the stipulated requirements of the lease. In order, however, 

 that these leases should not degenerate into deeds, to be handed 

 down from father to son, it might be necessary to assign a 

 maximum time limit during which a man might remain in 

 control of any particular lease. This would be merely fair 

 play to all concerned, for it would not be just to allow one man 

 to monopolize a particularly fine piece of property, while his 

 equally deserving neighbor had land of far less productive value. 

 In connection with this clause should follow some provisions 

 for payment of the value of improvements. Should there be 

 more than one claimant for lease of any particular area, some 

 principle of selection, such as priority of application, highest 

 bid, etc., should be established. 



That there may be no holding of grants for purposes other 

 than those stipulated in the agreement, there should be a cer- 

 tain cultural standard of excellence to be decided upon relative 

 to the use made of the granted areas. A clause of this kind 

 is necessary in order to keep the system in a proper state of 

 efficiency, and to insure the development of the shellfish in- 

 dustries. 



A11 taxes on the capital invested in these grants and taxes 

 upon the income should go to the town in which the leasehold 

 is situated. In addition, there should be a just and equable 

 revenue assessed by the State on every grant, as rent for the 

 same. This rent should be apportioned according to a fixed 

 scale in determining the relative values of the grants, and 

 should be paid annually, under penalty of forfeiture. The 

 revenue might be divided into two parts: one part to go to 

 the State department having the control of the shellfisheries, for 

 the maintenance of a survey, control and protection of property 

 on leased areas, and other work; the second part to go to the 

 town treasury of the community in which the grant is located, 

 to be expended under the direction and control of responsible 

 State officials in restocking barren flats and otherwise develop- 



