The information for the following story is from Reader's Digest New Illustrated Guide to Gardening in Canada.

All About Soil

Soil -- some people call it earth, some call it dirt, loam, or clay. Some call it mud or muck. Some talk about the "ground," "earth," or "soil." All these terms can be very confusing for those of us who thought soil was simply soil.

Whatever it may be called, soil is so essential to our planet that life in the world would not exist without it.

Soil covers all of the Earth's surface and supports plant life. It can be just a few inches deep or many feet deep.

When we travel the countryside, we notice the difference in soils. Soils vary in color and texture -- they may be grayish-brown or yellowish, or they may be reddish or dark brown. To understand what makes them differ, first we must understand what soil really is.