392 Inst 7-ucti 0)1 s for TTuJfle-Searchlng. 



(See F. C. Medicus, Pflcmzcn-phiisiologische Abhandlungen^ 3tes 

 bandchen ; Leipzig, Graf, 1 803 ; Borkhausen's Botanical Dic- 

 tiojua-y (Borkhausen's JVorlbiw/ie, Giessen, 1797, 2ter theil, 

 seite 210.); and Funke's Lexicon of Nnhiral Histo)-y : in which 

 works are found, at length, the different opinions of their au- 

 thors on the formation of fungi). In the eleventh edition of 

 the Sxjstema Plantarum of Linnaeus, truffles are arranged in the 

 class of plants with invisible organs of fructification, and their 

 place is there assigned in the genus of dust or globular fungi 

 (Lycopt^rdon) ; in the family of subterraneous globular fungi 

 (Lycoperdon subterraneum), which comprehends three species, 

 the name Lycoperdon Tiiber being given to them. 



Later botanists have established a new genus, viz. Tuber, 

 comprehending four species, and have called the edible truffle, 

 Tuber gulosorum. The French call them truff'es ; and the 

 Italians, tartufi. 



We shall distinguish and describe two kinds which are found 

 in the neighbourhood of the Rhine, although our principal 

 object is the black edible truffle. 



§ 3. Description of Trnjfies. — The edible trnjjle is, as has been 

 already mentioned, a globular fungus. When ripe, it is covered 

 with a black, or often a dark brown, nearly regularly shaped 

 (generally having six sides), chapped, hard, and rough rind or 

 shell, which has nearly the appearance of a fir cone before it 

 opens. Later botanists in their description of this rind are often 

 indistinct, and call it merely wrinkled. Geoffroy the younger, 

 as early as the year 1711, in his treatise entitled Observations 

 sur la VegetatioJi des Triijfes, very correctly observes its regular 

 form, saying : *' Les Truffes sont couvertes d^une espece de croute 

 dure, chagrinee, et gercee a sa supeijicie, avec quelque sorte de 

 regular it e, telle a peu pres qiHon V apper^oit dans la noix de ci/pres." 

 No fibre, no small root, is to be seen on this rind, and when the 

 truffle is carefully dug out, it generally leaves the form of its 

 rind behind it, just as if it had been pressed against the clay or 

 loam, for the purpose of making an impression. Its shape is 

 sometimes globular, or of a longish round or oval, but some- 

 times like that of a kidney, and it has on the surface an appear- 

 ance like tuberous plants, sometimes having protuberances and 

 sometimes depressions. The truffle, when cut, shows a differ- 

 ence in its texture and colour. It is generally of a netted, cel- 

 lular, veiny consistence. It is often watered, of a dirty white, 

 sometimes flesh-coloured, or clouded with grey; but most 

 generally, and especially in the vicinity of the Rhine, marbled 

 of a dark or light brown, and, when this is the case, is always 

 strongly veined with white, or mottled like the nutmeg. This 

 difference of colour depends upon the earth in which the truffle 

 is produced, upon its situation, upon the place in which it is 



