This was in Matthew Brady's Column of July 2001. In it he mentions Samuel Hammond; A butcher named Samuel Hammond, with a shop at 33 Fourth Street, took up a new hobby in 1889, and six years later 550 varieties of cacti were growing in the yard and greenhouses behind his modest brown house at 2033 Howard Street. Upon entering the yard one friend said that he fancied himself in the dried-up bed of an ocean, and all the bulbous, spiny and star-like forms were sea creatures. Hammond warned his guest that the cacti had been known to send their spines through the sole of a thick work boot and might even "jump at you if you come too close" A few notes: 1) I know nothing more that this. 2) The last time I checked he did not have a e-mail address. 3) So to get hold of him you can e-mail the paper at <letters@sfindependent.com> or call them at 415 826 1100 4) As to how much help he will be I do not know. For a number of months ago I gave him some informantion, one of them being on a story that he had ran with some more information on it, which a ran and did not either mention where he got or thank me. The other two he did run, so again how much help he will be I DO NOT KNOW. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/