Any person desiring to lease tidelands or beds of navigable waters for the purpose of planting and cultivating oyster beds, or for the purpose of cultivating clams and other edible shellfish, shall file with the department, on a proper form, an application in writing signed by the applicant and accompanied by a map of the lands desired to be leased, describing the lands by metes and bounds tied to at least two United States government corners, and by the reference to local geography as shall suffice to convey a knowledge of the location of the lands with reasonable accuracy to persons acquainted with the vicinity, and accompanied by a deposit of ten dollars. The deposit shall be returned to the applicant in case a lease is not granted.