The most important legislation proposed at the next session will
contemplate the raising of sufficient funds to transplant seed oysters and
plant oyster shells, in order to replenish the depleted oyster rocks. There
are only two ways to do this work: First, by enactment of a law where-
by the State retains ownership of the shells; second, by sufficient an-
nual appropriation each year for a period of .10 years or more.

The State Game Department secured from broodstock of Chinese
Ringnecked and Mongolian Pheasants at the State Game Farm 12,450
eggs, hatched 7,028 chicks and liberated 4,650 eight-week-old birds, which
was an increase of 1,750 over the distribution of 1921,

There was also raised at the State Game Farm 17 Golden, 6 Silver
Pheasants, 3 Reeves and I Lady Amherst, which are used as show birds,
and 22 Bob White Quail or Partridges. During the season of 1922 there
were 11,324 pheasant eggs shipped to interested persons who agreed to
hatch the eggs and rear the young birds until they were old enough to
care for themselves and liberate in the covers for propagation purposes.
The Department also distributed 10,317 bob white quail or partridges,
1,609 cottontail rabbits, 628 Snowshoe Hares and 12 raccoons.

The Department bus established a game refuge covering about 6,000
acres on Meadow Mountain in Garrett County and there we have quite
a herd of the Virginia white-tailed deer.

THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
UTILITIES

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
Munsey Building, Baltimore, Md.

William Milnes Maloy, Chairman......1928.......................................Baltimore
Ezra B. Whitman..................................1924....................................Baltimore
J. Frank Harper.................................1926...........................................Centreville
Frank Harper, Executive Officer...............................................Baltimore
N. Charles Burke, General Counsel...................... Towson, Md.
Herbert R. O'Conor, People's Counsel...........................Baltimore
Benjamin T. Fendall, Secretary, Munsey Bldg,.......Baltimore
H. Carl Wolf, Chief Engineer................................... Baltimore

Governor appoints three, one of whom he designates Chairman;
one for two, one for four, and one for six years; and, as these terms
expire, the successor is appointed for a term of six years. (Ch. 180,
1910.)

This Board has the supervision of railroads, ateam and electric,
common carriers in general, gas corporations, electrical corporations,
telephone companies, telegraph companies, water companies, steam
heating and refrigerating companies, express companies, sleeping car
companies, steamship, steamboat, motorboat and sailing boat com-
panies and automobile bus companies doing business as common car-
riers, provided any of the aforementioned companies are doing busi-
ness within the State of Maryland. Its supervision and jurisdiction
covers the service furnished, the rates charged, capitalization, issue of
stocks and bonds, the right to exercise franchises granted by the
counties or by the cities, the right to fix rates for service, fix stand-
ards for service and general supervisory and regulatory powers.
In the matter of permitting the companies to exercise franchisee