Smitty Two wrote:
In article ,
Major Debacle wrote:

The decomposed granite worked like a charm! The old gent at the rock
place said that stabilizer wasn't needed. Turns out it's just powdered
seed hulls.

Well, I'm glad you liked it. And I'm glad you installed it properly,
wetting and tamping. People who don't like it are usually the ones who
don't install it properly.

Powdered seed hulls, huh? Somebody's leg got pulled pretty hard, I
guess. DG is, uh, decomposed *granite*, just like the name says. That'd
be mineral, not vegetable.

The 'stabilizer' is sold to be mixed with the DG. It is powdered seed
hulls. Turns out that 'Stabilizer' is the registered trademark of the
stuff:

Stabilizer®
stabilizes soil by binding soil particles

Can you bind soil particles in a completely natural way? You can with a
very special seed from a special plant. When you crush this seed into
different grades of powder and blend that powder in a proprietary
process using a perfected recipe, Stabilizer is created. It’s so natural
that it is edible, and actually good for you (Lawyers Disclaimer: DO NOT
EAT STABILIZER). When Stabilizer mixes into a soil; it works its way
into the spaces between soil particles, also known as pore spaces. Much
like the chaperon between you and your dance partner at the school
dance. Unlike the chaperon, Stabilizer strengthens the weaknesses of the
party. You could say that it stabilizes the soil.

A good party needs to bring its guests together... with sponges. Once
Stabilizer is activated by water, it swells like a sponge. Soil
particles stick to Stabilizer. The swelling action pulls the particles
and binds them together. Binding soil particles does different things
depending on the type of soil and the amount of Stabilizer in the soil.
An aggregate and a higher amount of Stabilizer can achieve a very hard
surface. A baseball infield mix with a lower amount of Stabilizer can
achieve a firm, yet forgiving surface. But can it keep that surface
stable in many weather conditions?

A good party can be ruined by too many or too few refreshments. When a
soil is hit with too much water, Stabilizer drinks as much as it can and
allows the rest to drain. The soil remains stable, without becoming too
muddy, because Stabilizer keeps the soil particles bonded. This also
works in dry periods. Stabilizer is like a camel, after it drinks water;
it stores the water, reducing loose and dusty soil.

Where can you use Stabilizer? Explore the application pages for a few
examples, but we really want you to discover your own uses. Twenty six
years of doing this and you hear some crazy things. Like our friends
that realized Stabilizer binds so well, it can embalm the deceased. No
joke, we’re dead serious. But it may be a good idea to stick with soil,
request a free sample or check out your application and imagine what you
can do with Stabilizer.

http://www.stabilizersolutions.com/technology/view/1
--
When asked, years afterward, why his charge at Gettysburg failed,
General Pickett said: "I've always thought the Yankees had something to
do with it."