Soil moisture retention curves, presented for a few alluvial, black, red, laterite and lateritic, mountain and forest, desert and saline soils of India, show that most of the moisture is released within a tension of I to 2 atmospheres. The retention curves for the surface and sub-surface layers are of similar nature, differing only in relative retentivity. Variations in moisture retention of the soils within the same group are as great as between soils of different groups. On the average, the available moisture is high in black, mountain and forest soils and low in laterite soils. In all the soil groups, moisture retention is mainly a function of amount and nature of clay and to some extent of organic matter. But fifteen atmosphere percentage and hygroscopic coefficient are mainly influenced by clay content. The lj3-atmos-phere percentage is higher than moisture equivalent. Significant positive correlation between moisture equivalent and organic carbon has been obtained in coarse textured soils only. Correlations between clay plus silt content and 1110, 1/3 and 15 atmosphere percentages are positive and highly significant. Above one atmosphere, moisture content is a linear function of log. tension.
