To determine soil texture, squeeze a moist, but not muddy ball of soil in your hand. Then rub the soil between your fingers. Spit on a small sample of dry soil if water is not available.
Sandy soil feels gritty and loose.
It won't form a ball and falls apart when rubbed between your fingers. Loam soil is smooth, slick, partially gritty and sticky and forms a ball that crumbles easily. It is a combination of sand and clay particles. Clay soil is smooth, sticky and somewhat plastic feeling. It forms ribbons when pressed between fingers.