1600 OYSTERS.

the duty of the board of shell fish commissioners to begin the leasing of
barren bottoms in the manner and upon the terms provided in the pre-
ceding section; provided, that such leasing shall then commence only in
those areas in which the survey provided for in this sub-title shall have
been completed.

1900, ch. 711, sec. 100.

102. For a period of four months after the said survey shall have
been completed, or after any area shall have been opened to leasing
under the preceding sections, citizens of Maryland residing in any part
of the State who, at the time of the completion of said survey, or at the
respective times of the opening for oyster culture of several areas, as
the case may be, may be owners of land having a water front upon any
part of the said areas so opened to oyster culture, shall have the exclu-
sive right to rent any land open to oyster planting under the provisions
of this sub-title, adjacent to their lands. And for an additional period
of six months, after the expiration of the said period of four months,
all boatmen, residents of this State, who shall be engaged in the business
of dredging, scraping or tonging for oysters at the time of the comple-
tion of the said survey, or at the respective times of the opening for
oyster culture of several areas, or if said survey shall be completed, or
the said areas shall be opened to oyster culture during the closed season
for dredging, scraping, or tonging, as the case may be, then the persons
so engaged at the end of the last dredging, scraping or tonging season,
shall have the like exclusive right in the order of their respective appli-
cations, as the same may be received and opened by the commissioners,
to rent any adjacent lands; provided, that in no event shall any such
landowner, boatman, or any other person, be permitted to rent or to
acquire more than ten acres, or one hundred acres, as the case may be,
dependent upon the situation of the land which is leased or acquired;
and provided, further, that no such riparian landowner as is mentioned
in this section shall be entitled to rent the amount of ten acres, or one
hundred acres, as the case may be, unless the water front of the land so
owned by him, if fronting on water within the territorial limits of a
county, be at least two hundred yards, or if fronting on waters in any
other place, be at least seven hundred yards. The owners of land having
a less water front than is mentioned above shall be entitled to rent a
proportionately less amount of land, dependent upon the length of the
front upon water within county limits or elsewhere.

1906. ch. 711, sec. 101.

103. Blank forms of application shall be furnished upon reasonable
charges, to be prescribed by the board of the shell fish commissioners, to
any person desiring the same. All such forms shall be printed and
shall be substantially in the following language: Application for a lease
to the board of shell fish commissioners of Maryland. The application
of ———— a resident of ———— county, in the State of Maryland,