Soil testing is viewed as the application of Soil Science Research. Thus, the history of soil testing is interwoven with the growth and development of soil science. Soil testing as a recognized sub‐unit of soil science emerged in the early 1940's with agriculture's transition from subsistence to production farming systems. Soil testing today enjoys popularity in direct relation to the research data base and the extent to which the crop production limiting soil factors are manageable and ameliorating materials are available at a reasonable cost.