ART. 72. ] LOCATING OYSTER BEDS. 113

shall be set aside for the rights of the applicant, he or she
shall have an undisputed right to said grounds during his or
her natural life; and provided further, that all persons locating
or appropriating such lot or lots shall pay an annual tax of one
dollar for each and every acre so appropriated or taken up, to
he paid annually on or before the first day of July in each year,
for the next, five years; and after the year 1911 the said lots or
appropriated ground shall be subject to such changes in the rate
of annual tax as may be determined by the board of county
commissioners of said county, not exceeding the rate of five
dollars per acre for any one year, and in the event that the
annual tax should not be paid to the said county commissioners
on or before July 1 of each year, then such lots shall revert in
common to the free use of the citizens of said county, and be
subject to re-location, as hereinbefore provided. The rental
received from such lots shall be applied by the county commis-
sioners to the permanent repairs of public roads in said county;

and it is further provided: Any person who may be convicted
of taking oysters from any grounds so located shall, upon con-
viction in the circuit court for said county, be sentenced to the
house of correction for not less than one year nor more than
two years; and nothing in this section shall affect or repeal
the rights of those who had located oyster lots on five acres or
less prior to the passage of this sub-title; provided, that such
appropriation shall not have been of a natural bar or bed, in
which event the said location or appropriation shall under
proper proceedings in the circuit court for said county be
declared forfeited and open to the general public; and pro-
vided further, that the owners of any such lots previously
located shall pay annually the tax provided for in this section.

Approved April 3, 1906.

1904, ch. 341, sec. 55 A. 1906, ch. 758.

64. Repealed.

1900, ch. 468.

67 A. All oysters taken from any natural rocks, beds or
shoals in the waters of the Potomac river shall be culled on
their natural rocks, beds or shoals as taken, and oysters whose
shells measure less than two and one-half inches in length,
measuring from hinge to mouth, and all shells shall be included