The particle size analysis of soils and its use in forensic science--the determination of particle size distributions within the silt and sand fractions.
Methods are described for the determination of the particle size distributions in small soil samples using a Coulter Counter Model ZB for the silt fraction (60μm–2μm) and conventional sieving for the sand fraction (2mm–60μm). An examination of the reproducibility of the methods using duplicate 1·5g samples of eighteen different soils has shown that they are highly reproducible and that the differences between the soils were easily demonstrated both in the silt and sand particle distributions. The methods have also been shown to be reproducible for sample weights as low as 200mg of whole soil.
A Colorimetric Method for the Determination of Soil Saccharide Content and its Application in Forensic Science
A colorimetric method for the determination of soil saccharide content and its use in discriminating between soils has been examined. The variation of saccharide content within a given dry-soil colour has been determined and found to be quite considerable. However, some correlation was found to exist between saccharide content and dry-soil colour. Although the effect of this correlation has not been fully examined it probably means that the good discrimination available varies between dry colours, No correlation was found to exist between saccharide content and pH of the soil when these two properties were studied for a collection of twenty-four soils, thus showing that the discriminations available by each method are truly complementary. A study of the effects of storage of a moist soil in a sealed polythene bag indicated no change in saccharide content for up to 14 days' storage.
VARIABILITY OF SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES IN TWO UNCULTIVATED BROWN EARTHS
Summary 
 
The variability in pH, loss-on-ignition, exchangeable cations, extractable phosphate, and soil moisture, has been studied for the 0.15 cm horizon of uncultivated, unfertilized Brown Earths at two upland grassland sites in North Wales. The results show that there is a high degree of variability in samples taken at the same time on circles of 1 m radius at all sampling locations. For example, coefficients of variation for exchangeable cations (except sodium) average 33 per cent for twenty-two samples taken on the same occasion at three locations. This spatial variability prevented detection of any additional seasonal trends during a 22-week summer sampling period. It is essential to consider the importance of spatial variability in any pedological or ecological study.