THE STORY OF OUR PUBLIC DOMAIN 43 



logical Survey passes on proposed irrigation and 

 power projects and stock raising applications, but 

 not metalif erous mineral entries and coal, homestead 

 and desert applications. It restores to entry lands 

 formally set apart under improper classification, 

 and those set apart which fail to qualify. It acts as 

 general adviser to the Land Office. 



"Classification," writes Milton Conover, "is re- 

 quired in the matter of agricultural lands, mineral 

 lands, coal lands, and lands used for public and 

 quasi-public purposes. The agricultural lands in- 

 clude those used for homesteads, forest homesteads, 

 enlarged homesteads, desert lands, reclamation lands, 

 isolated tracts, and timber and stone lands. The 

 mineral lands embrace those containing veins of 

 quartz or other rock in place, or lodes, building stone, 

 oil deposits, salines, and other lands which are valu- 

 able chiefly because of their mineral deposits, 

 whether those deposits are metaliferous or not. 



"The coal land is classed separately because the 

 laws regarding it are so different from the other 

 mineral laws, the coal lands being administered un- 

 der special legislation rather than under the general 

 mining laws. 



"Public and quasi-public lands include rights of 

 way granted to railroads to the extent of one hun- 

 dred feet on either side of the centre line of the road 

 bed; rights of way for canal and ditch companies 

 which are formed for irrigation purposes ; pipe lines, 

 flumes, tunnels, water plants, conduits, dams, reser- 



