SummaryThe organic phosphorus contents of a range of soils were determined by the extraction method of Mehtaet al.(1954) and by the ignition method of Legg and Black (1955) and the results compared with those obtained by an extraction method using Na2EDTA and caustic soda. The two extraction methods compared well, especially on soils over pH 5. Lower values were obtained by the ignition method on the more acid soils. The Na2EDTA method caused less hydrolysis of added glucose‐I‐phosphate than did either of the other methods. In combination with caustic soda Na, EDTA was less effective than Na2E