European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 1, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A. Re ii by Jules Loh associated press it stood like a crowned Monarch. 191oet  upraised in regal Benediction its realm Wasan acre and a Hall of Tamo desert Llovia at .1sutxiitun Plant Nursery in Nevada the Nursery we Kors saluted it each Lime they parsed Brenas Dias.  they did pot discover until later that inuit Esplund d Saguaro callus was a victim of a lucrative form of crime which authorities say is on a rapid increase in the american Southwest callus rustling this Monarch s  the isolated splendor of Arizona s sonata desert. The double is said John Koeter of the  Fiah and wildlife service it s Olmos impossible to prove that a particular callus was uprooted illegally they Don t have brands on Thorn you know. The Crooks Are aware o this and that s Why it s big business this time Ujj we Gol  big business Yos though not in comparison with the j Lillic in drugs 01 even illegal Birds smuggled through the american soul West. But those slates Are lacing j dwindling wait supplies and Are encouraging developers resort operates and homeowners to turn to desert plans Lor their landscaping. As a result the Legal Trade in callus in Arizona just one state has grown to Ghoul $2 million a year. Tho illegal Trade. According to stale experts is probably Hall again a much the callus in Iho nut Sory had a Slicker Price As it were of $15.000. Moreover Tho sleuths who pursue Cactus rustlers scorn every bit As determined As yesterday s cattle rustler Possea and today s narcotics detectives and the crime just As pernicious they View Iho illegal ripping of a fragile plan Oul of a Lia Gile desert As a desecration a ruthless violation of a Cash Oral of nature. All they have to do a took South across the mexican Border to see Iho unholy bleakness of Iho very same desert practically Laid Bare by callus rustlers and smugglers. Such was their dedication that fuck played Only a minor role in catching the thieves who stole the great Caelum thai wound up in the Las vegas Nursery thai capture came about because of an observant Nalbro Lover my Oregon whose outrage Sot on Tho it f ? " f \ f i j r 1 i iti5 a. I to f 3 i j 4 i 1 if Joti i 1 1 ii 1 ,. It 1 \ i it " " 1 t f i ,1 i 1 1 1 1 \ it i Fth Illi a i \ t thief s Trail Wiwi Ilo a Only lion Izreo Stales and Tho i t � led Oral government. Then Hunt took Highl months it led 1 to the nation s first and Only felony conviction to Date i � i or the Crima of Caelum mailing 1-7 1 i of All the  Vari Olios of cac Tims the one that i t 4 i 1 comes to mind Wilh the very word is the Saguaro,1 j 1 ii cereus gig Antous. The giant of Iho desert pronounced. 1 Suh Wah row.1 u. L j if 3 1 i if you see a guards growing in the wild you Are 1 1 looking Al Southern Arizona their Only natural Home on i j 1 Uii Planel. If you see them Al Sunset the Needles i t 1 covering their giant torsos and uplifted arms Roft ocl an1 t1 1 i 5 1 Aura of Gold in Moonlight Silver. They seem to possess 1 1 a mystical Quality. 2 i. The Papago indians who Harvest callus i Hurt to 3 a i , i 3j Lesidante of oui Tisino. Aria. Had a special name Loi s j fhe one tracked to Hal Nevada Nursery old j f  i 1 a Saguaro grows Only an Inch or less a year in the 1. I c t i 1 c ii j1 j i j i \ arid desert. Thai would make old grand cd ?00 yes it old Saguaro Don l even develop their characteristic 1 i arms until they Are at least 70, j old Granddad blood in Uller remoteness 20 Miles 4 cast of Quad Lusile an old slag Cooch Stop on whal la 4 now 1-10. But old Granddad which blood there before j fhe first Stagecoach arrived was t visible trom any j Pavo Road. Roy and Rosslee Mckell from Baker or Hoard about the Iraj Eslic Saguaro when they first wintered near Quarti sle Bach in 1977. It was not like any other Saguaro we had Ever seen j mrs. Crockett said. She and Hoy of course took. Snapshots of each other standing next to old \ Granddad. Each Imler i hereafter the Crockell drove 1 their camper to southwestern Arizona and each year made a trip Oul to visit old Granddad and make t Ena Shols. J and indeed in was like no other Saguaro they had seen or were Likely Losco. It was a crested Saguaro. The rarest of the ram according to Victor Gass curator of the desert botanical gardens in Phoenix maybe one Saguaro in 200,000 develops a cheat. And old Granddad had the most developed Crest Gass or any of his colleagues 1 had even seen. A Crest is a fan shaped growth on the top of Tho Tinl Hwi by Petitf is a Page 16 the stars and stripes sunday May 1,1988