USDA Calibrated Soil Kit

Soil scientists, geologists, and engineers can practice and calibrate the accuracy of their soil texturing skills!

The USDA Soil Texture kits consist of eight air-dried soil samples which have been calibrated and confirmed for fine-grained percentages using a hydrometer. Each approx. 250ml sample comes in a canister along with a sample ID. The sample ID has the USDA Textural Name and the precise grain size percentages. Texture ranges from loamy sand to silt loam to clay.

Each kit includes a quiz sheet and an answer sheet listing of the Texture Class name contained within the kit, as well as sand, silt, and clay fraction percentage.

Skill Improvements in:
Soil Science and Soil Classifying
Agronomic Studies
Septic System Design and Performance for Perc Tests
Required Supplemental Classification for Engineering Projects

Soil specimens collection: Red River Valley near Fargo, North Dakota; near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; in the Missouri River bottom near Onawa, Iowa, and near Ames, Iowa.