Principal component analysis,cluster analysis,discriminant analysis and a graphtheoretical method were used for the classification of forest soils in region of the Hongduan Mountains.30 forest}oil profiles were divided into six groups based on their chemical and physical properties.The results obtained from the numerical methods well conformed to the most importanr genetic conditions of the soils,i.e.the forest vegetation types.In the high-mountain forest region of Southwest China,the major soil forming processes are eluviation (acid leaching) and humification.Results of principal component analysis of 6 physical and chemical indexes of the soils indicated that the soils grouping could reflect the major processes mentioned above,while discriminant analysis of the soils gave the distinct delimition of each soil group.The two methods in combination may be the basic methed for soil numerical classification.