An extracting solution containing 0.5% α-α'-dipyridyl and 2 N barium chloride buffered at pH 7.0 with about 3% barium acetate was proposed for the determination of ferrous iron chelated by soil organic matter in paddy soils. It was found that the solution can extract the chelated, water-soluble and exchangeable ferrous iron,leaving the ferrous precipitates and ferric compounds unattacked. Two extractions with soil:solution ratio of 1:20 and stirring for 30 minutes are found satisfactorily. The amount of ferrous iron extracted correlated fairly well with the organic matter content of the soil.No chelated iron was found in the extractant from water-logged soils after having organic matter destroyed previously by hydrogen peroxide.