At any time after the filing of a petition for the organization of a reclamation district and not less than thirty days prior to the time fixed by the order of the department for the hearing upon said petition, and not thereafter, a petition may be filed in the office of the department wherein the proceeding for the creation of said district is pending, signed by not fewer than the owners of thirty percent of the acreage of lands in the district, exclusive of land in cities and villages, who have not signed the petition for creating the district, protesting the creation of the district. The protesting petition shall list each tract or tracts of land and the total acreage of each signer opposite his name.