188 CLASSIFICATION OP THE PUBLIC LANDS. 



than 0.4 per cent of the early designations. Since the first general 

 designations were made numerous requests for the designation of 

 additional areas have been received, and the work incident to the 

 designation of lands under the enlarged-homestead acts now consists 

 largely of the consideration of such requests, with office and field 

 studies to determine whether the lands involved may properly be 

 designated. XHe office studies include investigation of township 

 plats, topographic maps, records of irrigation projects, rainfall and 

 stream-flow data, and other sources of information from, which a 

 conclusion as to the suitability of the land for designation may be 

 reached. In case field examination is made, the results are used in 

 the office studies preceding designation. 



Not all nonirrigable lands, however, may properly be designated, 

 for it would obviously be useless to designate lands that could not be 

 entered under the acts. Unsurveyed lands are not designated and 

 newly surveyed lands are, by departmental order, withheld from 

 designation until six months after the filing of the approved plats of 

 survey in the local land office. Patented lands are, of course, not 

 lands of the United States and are therefore eliminated from pro- 

 posed designation. Lands on which there is sufficient rainfall for the 

 production of ordinary crops without recourse to unusual methods of 

 cultivation are not designated. Lands on which there is merchant- 

 able timber or which contain valuable minerals other than coal (in 

 Utah coal, oil, or gas) are not properly subject to designation. Coal 

 lands and in Utah coal, oil, or gas lands may be designated and en- 

 tered subject to the terms of the acts providing for agricultural en- 

 tries of the surface rights on such lands. Lands included in with- 

 drawals or reservations of any kind or in Carey Act segregations are 

 not properly subject to designation. Lands entered and in process of 

 acquisition under the public-land laws may be designated if other- 

 wise subject to the act, but lands included in subsisting entries under 

 the desert-land act, being prima facie irrigable lands, are not prop- 

 erly subject to designation. Lands including sections granted to 

 States as school lands are not designated unless they are excepted 

 from the school grant. 



Although no form of petition is specified for the use of those re- 

 questing the designation of lands under the enlarged-homestead acts, 

 it is desired, in order that the Survey may have such information 

 concerning the character of the land as the petitioner can supply, 

 that such petitions be made on the usual form of application for 

 entry of such lands, wherein the applicant sets forth under oath state- 

 ments as to important features of the character of the land. Where 

 this form is not used an affidavit setting forth essentially the same in- 

 formation is requested of the petitioner. 



