CHAP. CV. CORYLA‘CER. FA‘GUS. 1975 
for it; but, in those countries where truffles abound, in the 
month of October (which is their season for ripening), all the 
inhabitants repair to the woods, slightly stirring, or rather 
scratching, the ground in those places which experience points 
out to them as the most likely to contain the tubers. The high 
price of, and constant demand for, truffles, both in France and 
other countries, render this a very lucrative employment; and 
experienced hunters are rarely deceived in the places where 
they make their search. Nees von Esenbeck relates an instance 
of a poor crippled boy who could detect truffles with a cer- 
tainty superior even to that of the best dogs, and so earneda ape 
livelihood. (Eng. Fi., vol. v. p. 288.) Truffles are generally —— 1903. 
found, in France, in light dry soils, and particularly in forests on mountains. 
They are most abundant in the vicinity of Grenoble, Avignon, Périgueux, and 
Angouléme ; and on the mountains of Vivarais, Cevennes, 
and Jura. In England, they are tolerably abundant in 
beech woods on light soil; but they are very rare in Scot- 
land. The truffles of commerce are generally those of 
Angouléme and Périgueux. The signs which are con- ‘f 
sidered, in France, to indicate the habitats of truffles 
are: 1. The absence of plants on the surface of the 
ground ; the quantity of nourishment required by the truffle generally famish- 
ing their roots. 2. The cracking and undulations of the surface of the soil, 
which appears as though it had been slightly raised by moles, or some 
other animal under ground, in little hillocks, which are generally very small, 
being seldom larger than a common hen’s egg; where they are much raised, 
the truffle is generally found only 2 in. or 3 in. below the surface. 3. The 
appearance of numerous columns of small flies, which are attracted by the 
smell of the truffle, and seek it in order to deposit their eggs. Pigs are 
so fond of truffles, whenever they have once tasted them, that, when they find 
them, though they are muzzled, they keep rooting up the earth with their 
snouts, and are quite insensible to the calls of their masters, to whom they are 
perfectly obedient at all other times. Many persons have attempted to pro- 
pagate truffles artificially; and Bulliard and Baril have, to a certain extent, 
succeeded, but not sufficiently to make the culture of the root become 
general. The mode of propagation employed was, taking the earth up in 
places where truffles were generally found, in the month of May, when the 
first traces of them were discoverable; and, after placing this earth in a 
garden, covering it with decayed beech leaves, which were shaded and kept 
moist, in order to imitate the temperature of the natural habitat of the tuber. 
In this manner truffles were produced, but neither in greater abundance, nor 
of better quality, than in their native woods; and the trouble and expense of 
rearing them was considerable. Other methods have been tried in Germany, 
as noticed in Bornholz’s Triifflebau, &c. (see Gard. Mag., vol. ii. p. 480.) ; 
and the culture has even been undertaken in England, though without 
success. (See Gard. Mag., vol. iii. p. 102.) Truffles are often preyed upon 
by a species of Leiddes. They are very difficult to keep, and they are seldom 
ood more than ten days or a fortnight. The best way of keeping them entire 
is, to leave them in the earth in which they are found till they are wanted for 
the table, or to bury them in sand immediately on taking them out of the 
ground; by which last method it is said to be possible to keep them two or 
three months. The most general way of keeping them is, however, to cut 
them into very thin slices, and either to dry them in an oven, or fry them in oil, 
and then preserve them in waxed paper or glass bottles. Truffles are never 
eaten raw: when fresh, they are cooked like mushrooms ; or capons or turkeys 
are stuffed with them : but they are principally used dry for flavouring ragotts, 
and other made dishes. It is said that a spirituous liquor may be extracted 
from them. (See Nouv. Cours d’Agri., art. Truffle noire ; Fischer’s And/eit. zur 
Triifflejagd, &c.; Bornholz Der Triifflebau, &c.; Bulliard’s Hist. des Champ. de 
