Computer programs to assist the automation of soil description

. Computer-compatible proformas have been designed to incorporate soil descriptions into automated soil information systems. This paper presents two systems designed to replace proformas by enabling the direct entry of soil descriptions into computers. One, CASTS (Computer Aided Soil Thin Section description), is in essence a computerized glossary of the terms used to describe soil thin sections. The terms are organized into menus that are presented to the user in a fixed, logical sequence. The system runs on an Apple microcomputer or VAX minicomputer. The other, SPR (Soil Profile Recorder), is for use in the field on the Husky Hunter lap computer. The program enables descriptions from soil auger-borings to be recorded, and has facilities to manipulate entries and transmit them to a central information system. These computer systems are compared with the proformas, and recommendations are made for incorporating improvements in future versions.