The Soil Survey Manual provides in a single volume the major principles and practices needed for making and using soil surveys and for assembling and using data related to them. The Manual is intended primarily for use by soil scientists engaged in the classification and mapping of soils and in the interpretation of soil surveys. Although the Manual is oriented to the needs of those actively engaged in preparing soil surveys for publication, workers and students who have limited soils experience or are less familiar with the soil survey process also will be able to use the information. The Manual is the primary reference on principles and technical details. The increased use of soils for purposes other than farming has prompted new interpretations, more collaboration with professional people of other disciplines and more adaptation of soil surveys to the concepts of other disciplines. These and other changes of two decades of work have made major revision of the Manual essential. This edition retains the practice of defining terms and concepts within the context of the explanatory text. In addition, many soil scientists in all the countries tested the definitions, concepts and techniques before they were printed in this current edition.
