FUNGI. 301 



spots reputed to be affected oy them, but without suc- 

 cess. One friend of mine, an eminent Fungologist, has 

 found them repeatedly, but he goes on excursions on 

 purpose to search for them. On such occasions he carries 

 a rake, and this attracts the notice of the idle boys who 

 come in his way ; and the result is often that he proceeds 

 with an extensive guard of honour. Such a guard is 

 trying in the extreme to a man who wishes to concen- 

 trate his attention on one particular search, and it tried 

 my distinguished friend accordingly. The next day he 

 prepared his defence, filling his pockets with apples ; then, 

 when his tormentors had gathered in good numbers, he 

 flung the apples far and wide, and while they sought and 

 scuffled for the tempting fruit, he fled and eluded all 

 pursuit. 



Many attempts have been made to cultivate truffles, 

 but no great success has attended them. A number 

 were planted in a beautiful deep dell in Somersetshire, 

 called Goblin Combe ; but we sought in vain afterwards, 

 no harvest seemed to result from the seed-time. The 

 best plan of sowing it is to steep ripe truffles in water, 

 and when they have rotted there, pour the water over 

 the ground. These fungi are in great request in the 

 Italian markets ; one kind commanding the price of nine 

 shillings per pound. Another kind which is esteemed 

 there has a strong, flavour of garlic. Strasburg pie is 

 greatly indebted to truffles for its excellence, and they 

 enter largely into the composition of many famous dishes 

 on the Continent. The Ked Truffle (T. rufuni) is found 

 near Bath, but it is not an edible species. 



The Phacidiacei order is the third in the Ascus class. 



