MUSHROOM GROWING 



but since the latter term is now preempted 

 by the homogeneous group of fungi already 

 discussed, it is preferable to employ one of 

 the two terms of Arabic origin, "terfas" or 

 ^^kames." Moreover, as noted earlier, the 

 terfas were known to the early Greeks, but 

 there is apparently no evidence that the Eu- 

 ropean truffles were. 



It is only within the past twenty years that 

 much definite knowledge has been gained 

 concerning the distribution and real value of 

 the commoner species. This is not remark- 

 able, for the habitats of the terfas are not 

 to be visited by western scientists without 

 great consumption of time and considerable 

 expense. Our present knowledge of these 

 plants has the freshness of a recent discovery 

 as yet imperfectly investigated. We must 

 be content to wait some years longer perhaps 

 before any great confidence may be placed 

 in the matter of species limitations, or de- 

 tailed biological relationships. 



Use by the early Greeks. Terfas or kames 

 were evidently always abundant in many 



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