An image analysis technique was used to automate the quantification of root material extracted from soil samples collected from a grid pattern adjacent to growing plants. Root distribution from conventionally tilled and subsoiled plots was observed from measurements of the silhouette area and length of the root material. These measurements were made from a digitized image of the root material acquired by scanning a photographic print with a hand scanner. Silhouette area of the roots was evaluated by counting the black root pixels in the image and root length was estimated by implementing the line-intersect technique. Analysis of a limited number of samples indicated that the majority of roots in conventionally disked treatments was concentrated in the upper 30 cm of the profile. Root distribution in subsoiled treatments was less dense overall but the concentration was greater at the 60 cm depth than the conventionally tilled treatments.