2292 ARTICLE 72.

missioners is hereby directed to submit a plan to the next Session of the
General Assembly of Maryland providing for the assessment of rentals
for leased bottoms in accordance with the value of these bottoms for the
cultivation of oysters.

An. Code, sec. 101. 1906, ch. 711, sec. 98.

117. In case the survey provided for by this sub-title shall not have
been completed within one year from April 2, 1906, then it shall be 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 preceding sec-
tion; provided, that such leasing shall then commence only in those areas
in which the survey provided for in this sub-title shall have been com-
pleted.

An. Code, sec. 102. 1906, ch. 711, sec. 100. 1912, ch. 539, sec. 100.

118. For a period of thirty days 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 respec-
tive times of the opening for oyster culture of the 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 exclusive right
to rent any land opened to oyster culture under the provisions of this
sub-title, adjacent to their lands. And for an additional period of thirty
days after the expiration of the said period of thirty days, 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 completion of the said
survey, or at the respective times of the opening for oyster culture of the
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, scrap-
ing or tonging, as the case may be, then the person so engaged at the end
of the last dredging, scraping or tonging season shall have the like ex-
clusive right in the order of their respective applications, as the same
may be received and opened by the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners to
rent any adjacent lands; provided, that in no event any such landowner,
boatman or any other person be permitted to rent or acquire more than
thirty acres, one hundred acres, or five 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 thirty acres, one hun-
dred acres, or five hundred acres, as the case may be, unless the water
front of the land so owned by him, if fronting on water within the terri-
torial 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.