This article deals with the structural characteristics of the fertile paddy soils in the southern region of Kiangsu province. Pre liminary experiments show that the bulk density of the arable soil-layer in wheat-planting season attains<1.20 gm.cm^-3,total soil porosity<55% (V),non-capillary porosity>5% (V),compressive strength of airdry soilclods 26-30 kg·cm^-2. The correlation between the compressive. strength of soil clods and the quantity of the clay particles(<0.001mm) on the one hand and the physical clay particles on the other is significantly positive,while the quantity of non-capillary porosity is negative. The correlation between the compressive strength and quantity of organic matter and total porosity of soils is nonsignificant.