CHAP. CV. 



CORYLA^CE^. FAMOUS. 



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 earned a ^^^^^ 

 liveUhood. (Eng. FL, 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, Perigueux, and 

 Angouleme ; 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 

 Angouleme and Perigueux. The signs which are con- 

 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 theu- masters, to whom they are 

 perfectly obedient at all other times. Many persons have attempted to pro- 

 pagate truffles artificially; and BuUiard 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 

 V 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 Trufflebau, &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 Leiodes. They are very difficult to keep, and they are seldom 

 good 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 hke mushrooms ; or capons or turkeys 

 are stuffed with them : but they are principally used dry for flavouring ragouts, 

 and other made dishes. It is said that a spirituous liquor may be extracted 

 from them. (See Kouv. Coiirs d'Agri., art. Truffle noire ; Fischer's Aiileit. zur 

 Triifflejagd, &c. ; Bornholz Der Trufflebau, Sec. ; Bulliard's Hist, des Chamj). rfr 



