The board of county appraisers shall appraise such lands of this state in its county as the board of university and school lands may direct. On or before the first day of July of the year in which the appraisals are made, the board of appraisers shall make a return of all such appraisals in the form prescribed and on the blanks furnished by the board of university and school lands.
N.D.C.C. § 15-04-06