> > 
> > > > A better choice (if you have the time & money) would be Bolivia. I
> > > > had the good fortune of seeing literally *tons* of T. peruvianus
> > > > last week, up close & personal. There are a number of valleys
> > > > 10-20km south of La Paz absolutely *filled* with T. peruvianus,
> > > > every 25 feet or so -- huge, candelabra-branched specimens, some
> > > > 15 feet tall and 10 feet around. For the price of a round-trip
> > > > ticket, you could harvest enough T. peruvianus there to keep you
> > > > and your closest friends happy for a lifetime.
> > > > 
> > > > Unfortunately, I didn't see even *one* T. pachanoi -- although
> > > > La Valle de la Luna is advertised as a hotbed of "San Pedro."
> > > > Lots of T. peruvianus, though. As an aside, past experience indicates
> > > > T. peruvianus is sub-par compared to T. pachanoi, though once you
> > > > get past the sharp spines, the flesh is not nearly as bitter as T.
> > > > pachanoi and somewhat less emetic (probably on account of its
> > > > generally lower alkaloid content).
> > 
> > > Popular wisdom and various sources indicate yhe reverse to be true:
> > > that peruvianus has 3x the alkaloid content. What do you base
> > > your  decisions on?
> > 
> > I see your "popular wisdom" and raise you The Facts. Here are
> > actual mescaline samples (from our own San Pedro FAQ -- I love
> > FAQ's!) about T. pachanoi's and T. peruvianus' mescaline content:
> > 
> > "species		%age fresh	%age dry		citation
> > 
> > peyote		?		1-6% (rarely >1%)	XXX
> > pachanoi	0.12%		2% 			CF
> > peruvianus	0.05%*		0.82%		P&M
> > peruvianus >0.0005%	>0.01%*			Ag
> > pachanoi	0.02%*		0.331%			C&M
> > pachanoi	0.02%*		0.357%			T&H
> > pachanoi	0.006%*-0.14%*	0.1-2.375%		H&B
> > 
> > Ag: Agurell, S. 1969 "Cactaceae Alkaloids.  I."  Lloydia 32:206-216
> > 	Found no detectable mescaline at all in T. peruvianus.
> > CF: Friedberg, Claudine.  1959 "Rapport sur une mission au
> > 	Perou..." Travaux de l'Institut Francais d'Etudes Andines 
> > 	AFAIK, this is the earliest measurement of M content in
> > 	pachanoi.
> > C&M: Crosby & McLaughin 1973 "Cactus Alkaloids XIX.  Crystallization
> > 	of mescaline HCl and 3-MEOtyramine HCl from T.  pachanoi"
> > 	Lloydia 36:416
> > H&B: Helmlin HJ & Brenneisen R,  J Chromatogr 1992 Feb 28; 593 (1-2): 87-94
> > 	Samples of T. pachanoi were taken from private collections,
> > 	shopping malls & florist's shops.
> > P&M: Pardanani & McLaughlin.  1977.  "Cactus Alkaloids.  XXVI.
> > 	Mescaline and Related Compounds from Trichocereus peruvianus"
> > 	Lloydia Vol 40 #6.  This seems to be the sole primary cite
> > 	on which all claims of peruvianus potency is based.
> > T&H: Turner & Heyman 1960 (cite by C&M) "the presence of
> > 	mescaline in Opuntia cylindrica (sic)" J. Org. Chem. 25: 2250
> > XXX: cited by C&M, these figures are widely quoted but I have
> > 	not examined C&M's primary sources for them."
> > 
> > As detailed, There's a good deal of variablity in both T. pachanoi
> > and T. peruvianus (and peyote). Based on published samples (not
> > to mention personal, empirical evidence), T. peruvianus generally
> > has a lower alkaloid content than pachanoi.
> > 
> > > Also, please describe the visual appearence of T. peruvianus. 
> > 
> > What obligation do I have satisfy this importunance -- especially
> > when you shot your first claim from the hip, without doing the most
> > basic research?
> > 
> > > Various reports have described it as columner, standing. I have
> > > a book with a photo of reputed peruvianus which shows it as
> > > column, but horizontal. Spreading across ground under its own
> > > weight.
> > 
> > As "the map is not the territory," a picture-book cannot possibly
> > capure the variation within a species. I'd recommend studying
> > these plants in their native habitat before jumping to conclusions.
> > 
> > --Meta
> 
> You seem to have taken offense where none was implied. You shouldn't
> be insulted if someone asks for a description of physiological differences
> between said species. I am curious, that's all.