These master horizons are designated by the letters O, A, E, B, C, R, and W. Horizons assist with soil identification. They give clues to how the soil formed, how water will flow through the soil, what chemical properties the soil might have, and how stable the soil is. This is a layer of water, either within a soil or above the soil surface. The symbol is not used for soils that have intermittent ponding. One of the first things you may notice about a soil is a change in color with depth.
Color is one of the clues to determining a soil s horizon.
The diagram shows the pattern of master horizons in a typical soil. A soil report may have combinations of these horizons, such as a BC horizon, that would indicate a transitional zone. Horizons also have modifiers on them, such as a Bt horizon. The texture of a soil is the proportion of sand, silt and clay. Sands have a gritty feel, silts are smooth and powdery, while clays can be considered the glue that holds the particles together.