496 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Aug., 1918. 



de Petrarque in the village ! I was informed by Mons. Taccusel, how- 

 ever, that the imposing ruins, which are a marked feature in the 

 landscape (Fig. 4), and which are known locally as the Chateau de 

 Petrarque, was never occupied by the poet; this castle was the ancient 

 residence of the Bishops of Cavaillon. 



Several interesting cultures, many of which are novel to an Aus- 

 tt-alian, are in evidence in this region, where the fertile irrigated flats 

 contrast strongly with the dry, almost barren, hillsides. Amongst 

 others, silk and truffles may be briefly mentioned. 



Concerning truffle culture, little is known to the average Aus- 

 tralian. This is becoming quite a regular industry in Yaucluse. M. 

 Taccusel informed me that he was replacing some of the vines in drier 



Fig. 5. Harvesting Truffles with the aid of a pig. 



situations, where the yield was poor, by evergreen oaks. It is on the 

 roots of this small tree that this highly valuable fungus lives a s _ a 

 parasite, forming the tubers, or truffles, which, at the time of my visit, 

 were worth 13s. per lb., though in years of plenty the price falls to 

 aibout one-third of this. Eemarkable progress has been made recently 

 in the establishment of artificial truffieres, in other words, evergreen 

 oak plantations, with a view to truffle production. Small trees, 4 to 8 

 feet high, often bear a truffle on their roots of up to 1 lb. in weight. 

 The harvesting of the crop is most interesting. Being underground, 

 the tuber can only be located, thanks to the keen sense of smell of pigs 

 or dogs; both animals are used for the purpose. Gathering, with the 

 assistance of a pig, is shown in Fig. 5. 



