192 ox THE CULTIVATION OF CERTAIN FUNGI. 



been to sow barren soil of tbe rigbt sort witb acorns. In the 

 course of years Truffles are found among the roots of the young 

 trees. But this plan has only been proved to be successful in 

 places vrhere the Truffles had once, at some previous period, been 

 indigenous. Other similar experiments have been tried, with 

 more or less success. Whether or not Truffles have really been 

 induced to grow where none ever grew before is doubtful, but it is 

 certain that judicious treatment has done much to augment the 

 crops yielded by natural Truffle-grounds. Much investigation and 

 patient experiment are yet needed to make Truffle culture prac- 

 ticable and satisfactory, in spite of the attention that has been 

 already devoted to the subject.^ 



It would be very advantageous if a means could be found for 

 cultivating the Morel (Morchella esculenta). It is solely a spring 

 mushroom, and affects certain localities, in which it reappears 

 most years during May and early June, often in profusion. Both 

 in flavour and nutritiousness it is superior to the Pratelle. As it 

 was noticed that Morels Avere most abundant in forest clearings, 

 particularly where the brushwood had been fired, such places have 

 been made merely to promote the growth of Morels, and with suc- 

 cess. In Germany, the sale of Morels is so profitable that special 

 enactments are enforced, to prevent the peasantry from burning 

 the woods down right and left, in order to insure crops. A French 

 gentleman, M. Geflin, is said to have been successful in raising 

 Morels. He prepares a bed exactly as if for Pratelles, and he 

 sows this with Morels chopped up into pieces. Darkness and 

 moisture are essential to the plant, and must be secured to it. 

 Plentiful watering is necessary, but the bottom of the bed must 

 be so arranged as to provide free drainage. By this means con- 

 tinuous crops are secured from April to the middle of July, and 

 M. Geflin is stated to have succeeded in reaping rich harvests. If 

 this expedient is reliable, it should be widely carried out. The 

 Morel is a most desirable mushroom, and ranks only second to the 

 Truffle in the opinion of epicures. It may be added that Helvels 

 grow under much the same condition as Morels, and might most 

 likely be i-aised in a similar way. They are of excellent quality, 

 though less esteemed than the other. 



' See, on this head, Broome, On Truffle Culture, in " Jl. Hort. Soc," i., p. 15, 

 18G6; Cordier, Les Clunnpi/inons, clinp. xiii., 1876 ; Eavel, Culture dc la Truffe, 

 1857 ; Do Borch, Sar lea TrvJJ'cs du Fiemont, 1780 ; Vittadiui, Monogra^hla 

 Tuberacearum, 1831. 



