The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-11-04

Large areas of public lands here stofore withheld from all forms of en- try because Of the possible presence Of mineral deposits are now open to az ricultura1 settlement under a law which went into effect July 1T, 1914 Entry under the new act involves the retention by the Government of title to certain specified minerals believ- ed to underIie the lands. This sort of agricultural entry of coal land has been allowed since June 22,1 191O, and Of oil land in Utah since August 24,s 1912 The present law extends this right of non-minera1 entry to all pub lie lands withdrawn, classified or valuable for phosph hate nitrate, pot ash, oil. gas. or asphaltic minerals Any form of non-nninera1 filing may be made ho1nestead. desert-land, timber and stone, State sslection or any other-the Governm ment reserving the mineral deposits for which the. lands are Believed to be valuable and the right to prospect. for and mine them. If, for example, a man should make entry in one of the great plaos- phate fields of Florida. Idaho, Utah, Wyomind, or Montana his patent would give him the right to the sur face and to all minerals which might thereafter be found except phosphate Or if his homestead should be in one Of the oil fields of CaIifornia, We ming, Utah, Colorado or Louisiana he would receive patent to every-a thing but oil and gas Before the Government or it's assignee comes on his land to prospect for phosphate or for oil. the entryman is secured against any damages which he may sustain in the course of the prospect ing or mining.
 VIII Open up Dry Farming Areas.
 Inasnaueh as large Withdrawals of mineral lands have been made in the arid and semi-arfd Western States, where entries may be made under the, enlarged hom estead acts, the recent law will considerably extend the area open to dry-farming homesteaos. Many applications for the designation of Plands as subject to enlarged- homestead entry have in the past been refused because the lands were withdrawn, but these applications may now be granted, and those whose ap- ground should resubmit them to the Director of the Geological Survey. In this connection the Director reiterates q former statement to the effect that no definite form of petition is re- quired, and that there is no necessity for employing the services of an at. torney to draw up petitions He sug- gests, however, that the following rules be observed:
 Each application should be limited as far as possible to the specific tract desired for entry and should contain the applicants postoffice address and a description, by section. township. and range of the applicants original homestead entry and the date of this entry, as well as a description. also by legal sub divisions, of the land de- sired for additional entry. Informa- ton as to the possibility of trrtgating the land should also. be furnished and should include the distance and d1rec- tion Of the nearest stream or exist ing or proposed irrigation canal, the elevation of the lowest point of the land above such source of water sup ply. the depth at which water can be reached by wells sunk on the land, and all available information concern ing attempts to obtain water by this method. The general character of the land, both Of the hom esteader's g original entry (if he has made one1 and of the land desired for addt- tional entry, should also be descrfb- ed, to aid the Geological Survey in reaching a decision as to Its non irrigability. It should be noted that at present -on1y entrymen who have not made final proof are entitled to make additional entry.
 This information should be enbod-