Key Points High-quality soil should have good drainage and tilth, a dark color, a pleasant smell, and signs of life.Avoid soil that is compacted, visibly sandy, and shows no signs of active soil ...

A person holds two overflowing handfuls of rich brown soil. - William Edge/Shutterstock We can all imagine what healthy soil looks like: Rich, crumbly, and dark brown, bursting with nutrients and ...

Soil color could replace expensive chemical tests, helping farmers monitor fertility and carbon faster and more safely.

Without t.p.; title and author from ms. note on first page. Text leaf captions all begin: Provisional names for soil colors ... Apparently produced in co-operation with personnel of the USDA soil ...