Re: What does loam mean?

Q:  What does loam mean?

Loam is a mixture of sand and clay soils, but it also contains large 
quantities of HUMUS, or decayed organic material, which loosens and aerates 
clay soil and binds sandy soil particles together.  In addition, humus 
supplies plant nutrients.  Thus, soil structure can be improved by digging 
in COMPOST, MANURE, PEAT MOSS, and other organic matter

This definition was clipped from an electronic encyclopedia Grolliers New 
Electronic Ed 1995
The matter here is a function of what soil is.  Functionally we determine 
soils in relationship to how well they grow plants for our needs. 

Soil does 4 things:
[1] It supplies support for the plant such that it does not fall over.
[2] It supplies water for the plant roots
[3] It supplies Ionic nutrients to the roots (plant food)
[4] It controls the temperature of the plant a lot.
We can grow plants entirely without soil but we have to supply all of these 
needs by other means.  Hydroponic farming does this.
Humus supplies a bacterial mat which meters out water, ions, keeps the soil 
strong enough to support the plant and even controls the temperature 
somewhat.   Thus a loamy soil is very much liked by those who grow plants. 
 The mixture of clay and sand is usually easy to till and the humus 
supplies much nutrient and good stable growing conditions.

Hope this helps and I would suggest you may find many sites on soil if you 
use a standard web browser using the key words, Agriculture, soil, humus 
and farming. 

Hope this helps 
Paul Noel