The soil is classified on the basis of the proportion of particles of various sizes.
If soil contains greater proportion of big particles it is called sandy soil. If the proportion of fine particles is relatively higher, then it is called clayey soil. If the amount of large and fine particles is about the same, then the soil is called loamy. Thus, the soil can be classified as sandy, clayey and loamy. The best topsoil for growing plants is loam.
Loamy soil is a mixture of sand, clay and another type of soil particle
known as silt. Silt occurs as a deposit in riverbeds. The size of the silt particles is between those of sand and clay. The
loamy soil also has humus in it. It has the right water holding capacity for the growth of plants.