Appendices - Soil Essentials: Managing Your Farm's Primary Asset - page 172

Texture
symbol

Field texture
grade

Behaviour of moist bolus Approximate clay

content (%)

FSCL Fine sandy

clay loam

Coherent bolus; fine sand can be felt and heard when
manipulated; will form a ribbon of 38-50 mm.

30-35%

SC Sandy clay Plastic bolus; fine to medium sands can be seen, felt or

heard in clayey matrix; will form a ribbon of 50-75 mm.

35-40%

ZC Silty clay Plastic bolus; smooth and silky to manipulate; will form a

ribbon of 50-75 mm.

35-40%

LC Light clay Plastic bolus; smooth to touch; slight resistance to

shearing; will form a ribbon of 50-75 mm.

clay: 35-40%
silt: 25%+

LMC Light

medium
clay

Plastic bolus; smooth to touch; slight to moderate
resistance to forming a ribbon; will form ribbon approx.
75 mm.

40-45%

MC Medium

clay

Smooth plastic bolus; can be moulded into a rod without
fracturing; has moderate resistance to forming a ribbon;
will form ribbon of 75 mm or more.

45-55%

MHC Medium

heavy clay

Smooth plastic bolus; can be moulded into a rod without
fracturing; has moderate to firm resistance to forming a
ribbon; will form ribbon of 75 mm or more.

50%+

HC Heavy clay Smooth plastic bolus; can be moulded into a rod without

fracturing; has firm resistance to forming a ribbon; will
form ribbon of 75 mm or more.

50%+