14 
FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 
tions a systematic plan has been followed' to secure a 
representation of the rocks, minerals, and fossils of each 
formation in the State. The collections will be added to 
as opportunity permits. 
The Relation of the State Survey to the Ownership 
of Mineral-Bearing Lands. 
The relation of the State Survey to the ownership of 
mineral-bearing lands is specifically defined. The Survey 
law provides that it shall be the duty of the State Geolo¬ 
gist and his assistants, when they discover any mineral 
deposits or substance of value, to notify the owners of the 
land upon which such deposits occur before disclosing 
their location to any other person or persons. Failure to 
do so is punishable by fine and imprisonment. It is not 
intended by the law, however, that the State Geologist’s 
time shall be devoted to examinations and reports upon 
the value of private mineral lands. Reports of this char¬ 
acter are properly the province of commercial geologists, 
who may be employed by owners of land for that purpose. 
To accomplish the best results, the work of the Survey 
must be in accordance with definite plans by which the 
Stage’s resources are investigated in an orderly manner. 
Only such exarbinations of private lands can be made as 
constitute a part of the regularly planned operations of 
the Survey. 
Samples Sent to the Survey for Examination. 
Samples of rocks, minerals and fossils will be at all 
times gladly received, and reported upon. Attention to 
inquiries and general correspondence are a part of the 
duties of the office, and afford a means through which the 
Survey may in many ways be useful to the citizens of 
the State. 
The following suggestions are offered for the guidance 
of those submitting samples: 
