1014 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



and they are most numerous in tlie best ground, wliile very scarce in 

 the poor soil. I met with some instances where the Dative bread had 

 become curved on one side from growing round a decaying root, in 

 otlier cases it had completely enveloped the rhizome of a bracken 

 fern. Among the solid specimens there are others in a more or less 

 decomposed state, and it w^ould appear that this decay may take 

 place very quickly. When cut across in the fresh state it has some- 

 thing of the consistency of cheese or stiff gelatine, but on exposure 

 to the air it soon becomes hard and horny. While the outer surface is 

 dark, and may peel off in flakes, or even form a sort of rind, the 

 inner substance is yellowash-white, and marbled throughout with 

 chalky-white lines, which give it an irregular honeycombed appear- 

 ance. So far there is nothing to indicate the true nature of the 

 structure, but if a small portion of this whitish substance is teased 

 out and examined under the microscope, it is seen to consist of a 

 tano-led mass of branching filaments, just like the spawn of a mush- 

 room. It is, in fact, a compact mass of fungus tissue, and Avhen the 

 fungus threads become closely wound and dense, so that the outer 

 layer of threads turn brown or black and hard, while the inner 

 remain whitish and comparatively soft, such a body is known as a 

 Sclerotiunt, from the Greek word meaning hard. It is a form of the 

 fungus in which it stores up as much uutriment as possible in its 

 mycelial threads to enable it to withstand the varied changes of 

 climate, the hard outer coat protecting the dormant inner portion until 

 suitable conditions arise for its further development. There are num- 

 erous similar cases knowu, however, only the sclerotia do not attain 

 such a size, and, ])orhaps, the ergot of rye is the most familiar example. 

 In the truffle, to which this form was long supposed to be allied, 

 there is nothing in common but the undergrouud habit, and the edible 

 properties which, however, are too superior to be strictly comparable. 

 In the inner tissue of the truffle there are reproductive bodies in the 

 form of little bags containing spores, which separate it at once from 

 this form. 



Edible Qualities- 



When one sees this fungus, as is frequently the case, in the hard 

 and dried up condition which it assumes with age, there is little to 

 suggest that it might be used for food. It has then a dark brown 

 wrinkled skin, which may peel off in flakes, and the white substance 

 enclosed is so excessively hard that, like the cheese in Tartary, it 

 requires an axe to cut it. But when fresh and soft it is somewhat of 

 tlie consistency of cheese, and looks more appetising. I have several 

 times had an ojijiortunity of testing its edible qualities, having found 

 fresh specimens exposed in road-cuttings or having them sent to me 

 while still soft. 



In the raw state it reminds one of rice or tapioca, and has a 

 decided flavor of cocoanut ; although it loses this with age. When 

 toasted like a piece of bread it is not unlike passover cake to the 

 taste, and when boiled it becomes tough. I consider it rather insipid, 

 no matter how prepared, and not at all appetising. There is no 



