114 ON THE MEDICINAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL 



relates an instance of a poor, crippled boy who could detect truf- 

 fles witli a certainty superior even to that of the best dogs, and so 

 earned a livelihood. They have been successfully cultivated by 

 Boridiolz, See Koques' Hist, des Champ. They are preyed ujjon 

 by a species of Leiodes. Crypt. Eng. 228. According to Bouillon- 

 Lagrange they contain an acid liquor, a black oil, a heavy mat- 

 ter, albumen, carb. of ammon. Cit. in Roques' Hist, des Champs. 

 389. The Romans sent to Africa iov truffles. 



" * * Tii^i iiabe frumentum, Allcdius inqiiit, 



O, Libye ! disjunge boves, dum tubera mittas." 



Juv., Sat. V. 



The Count de Noe has communicated to the Horticultural So- 

 ciety a plan by which we obtain them by planting the skins of 

 the truffles, which are followed in the second season by the 

 plants. 



Tuber moschatum, Bull., Champ. 479 ; D. C, Fl. Fr. Musk- 

 scented Truffle. Grows beneath the soil. 



When fresh the flesh is soft, and it exhales a strong odor, like 

 musk. Although it may be used without inconvenience, yet it is 

 not very agreeable. Roques' Hist, des Champ. 416. 



Tiiber griscum, Pers., Syn. 127 ; Roques' Hist. TrutHe Grise, 

 De Borch. Found principally in Piedmont and in France. 



It possesses a fine delicate taste ; and some amateurs prefer it 

 to the l)lack truffle of Perigord, on account of the lively and pen- 

 etrating odor wliicli it exhales. George IV. and Louis XIV. are 

 both said to have been very fond of this species. 



Tiiber nivemn^ Desfont., Fl. Atlant. Q. 430. 



Tliis plant is very delicate, and is good as an article of food. 



Large puff-ball, some- 

 times many feet in cir- 

 cumference. !N^. C. to 

 Pa. Schw. 



Lycojyerdoii gigantemn ? Batsch, 

 " Proteus. 



" jpusilluin. 



Bovista gigantea, Nees. 



It was formerly used as a styptic ; and recently M. Chatenay, 

 a pliarmaceutist at Berne, lias found the poM^dcred phmt to arrest 

 hnsmorrhagcs on the spot by its being inhaled into the lungs. 

 Tlie plant also possesses a narcotic quality ; and hence the smoke 

 was employed for stupefying bees, the plant having been prei^ared 

 by drying in an oven. 



Dr. Toll employs a syrnp made with it, to arrest the pains 



