I have a lot of organic matter in my soil. The organic matter holds the moisture but not like a sponge. It can't be wrung out. The water seems to become more a part of the soil than a separate element held in pockets. A sandy soil will dry sooner than a clay soil because the soil particles are larger creating larger spaces between them.
Clay soil has very small particles and practically no spaces.
A clay soil will always be late soil to work in the spring because it doesn't let the winter's precipitation pass through it. Clay soil can be made earlier by the addition of organic matter. Mort is a husband and father. He authored a book, Gardening For Independence and was named Environmentalist of the Year by Down East Magazine in 1987. He is a consultant for organizations.