Soil Sampling in Relation to Soil Heterogeneity

Abstract

Abstract Seven cultivated fields, pastures, and orchards—ranging from 2 to 35 acres in size—were sampled for one or more of the following: soil pH, soil moisture, and extractable K, Ca, Mg, and P. Cores 1 inch in diameter were obtained at various depths in a two‐ and three‐stage sampling scheme. For fairly uniform fields, the efficiency of multistage sampling relative to simple random sampling was found to be high. The data show that a convenient multistage sampling method could be used in many physical and chemical sampling surveys of fairly uniform fields or fields that could be stratified into uniform sections.