﻿OF 
  BRITISH 
  FUNGI. 
  1 
  15 
  

  

  foot 
  of 
  the 
  common 
  oak. 
  It 
  has 
  been 
  remarked 
  that 
  

   the 
  truffles 
  produced 
  about 
  the 
  latter 
  trees 
  are 
  larger 
  

   and 
  more 
  irregular 
  in 
  form 
  than 
  those 
  of 
  the 
  evergreen 
  

   oak, 
  which 
  are 
  nearly 
  always 
  spherical. 
  The 
  planta- 
  

   tion 
  of 
  vines 
  in 
  these 
  truffle-plots 
  has 
  been 
  found 
  

   advantageous 
  ; 
  so 
  that, 
  in 
  some 
  cases, 
  rows 
  of 
  vines 
  

   alternate 
  with 
  those 
  of 
  oaks. 
  As 
  a 
  remunerative 
  

   speculation, 
  however, 
  thus 
  far 
  the 
  experiment 
  has 
  not 
  

   been 
  altogether 
  successful. 
  

  

  M. 
  de 
  Gasparin 
  says, 
  " 
  A 
  sow 
  is 
  employed 
  to 
  search 
  

   for 
  the 
  truffles. 
  At 
  the 
  distance 
  of 
  twenty 
  feet 
  she 
  

   scents 
  the 
  truffles 
  and 
  makes 
  rapidly 
  for 
  the 
  foot 
  of 
  the 
  

   oak, 
  where 
  she 
  finds 
  them, 
  and 
  digs 
  into 
  the 
  earth 
  with 
  

   her 
  snout. 
  She 
  would 
  soon 
  root 
  up 
  and 
  eat 
  her 
  treasure 
  

   were 
  she 
  not 
  turned 
  aside 
  by 
  the 
  light 
  stroke 
  of 
  the 
  stick 
  

   on 
  her 
  nose, 
  and 
  given 
  an 
  acorn 
  or 
  a 
  dry 
  chestnut, 
  

   which 
  is 
  her 
  reward." 
  

  

  The 
  truffles 
  are 
  gathered 
  at 
  two 
  periods 
  of 
  the 
  year. 
  

   In 
  May 
  white 
  truffles 
  only 
  are 
  found, 
  which 
  never 
  

   blacker, 
  and 
  have 
  no 
  odour 
  ; 
  these 
  are 
  dried 
  and 
  sold 
  

   for 
  seasoning. 
  The 
  black 
  truffles 
  are 
  dug 
  up 
  a 
  month 
  

   before, 
  and 
  a 
  month 
  after 
  Christmas, 
  when 
  they 
  have 
  

   become 
  hard 
  and 
  acquired 
  all 
  their 
  perfume. 
  

  

  In 
  order 
  that 
  all 
  who 
  are 
  fortunate 
  enough 
  to 
  find 
  a 
  

   dish 
  of 
  fresh 
  truffles 
  may 
  be 
  able 
  to 
  cook 
  them 
  to 
  the 
  

   best 
  advantage, 
  let 
  us 
  commend 
  them 
  to 
  a 
  few 
  of 
  the 
  

   most 
  approved 
  methods. 
  If 
  one 
  should 
  desire 
  a 
  ragout, 
  

   then 
  let 
  the 
  tubers 
  be 
  well 
  washed 
  and 
  afterwards 
  

   soaked 
  in 
  oil, 
  then 
  cut 
  them 
  in 
  slices 
  about 
  a 
  quarter 
  

   of 
  an 
  inch 
  in 
  thickness, 
  place 
  them 
  in 
  a 
  stewpan, 
  with 
  

  

  i 
  2 
  

  

  