Varieties of the Dog. 43 



preservation and production. They can dry it, or pre- 

 serve it in oil, vinegar, or brine ; and in neither case does 

 the conserve lose much of its aroma, flavour, or nutritious 

 quality. One Italian species is produced by scattering a 

 shallow layer of soil upon a porous slab of stone, and 

 occasionally moistening it with water ; another, by slightly 

 burning, and subsequently watering, blocks of hazel-wood; 

 and a third (a species of Agaricus) is cultivated by placing 

 the grounds of coffee in places favourable for its growth. 

 The market returns of Rome show that as much as 

 ;£'4,ooo a year are expended on these productions ; and 

 that the peasantry of France, Germany, and Italy in many 

 places subsist to a great extent upon them, is an estab- 

 lished fact. 



The truffle — an edible underground fungus — is classed 

 by Berkeley with 7norel, as one of the Ascimycetes^ because 

 in these, " spores," or organs of reproduction, are arranged 

 in asci (tubular sacs, or vesicles). The best writers on 

 fungi have arrived at this learned conclusion ; but in spite 

 of all their discoveries, and their elaborate remarks on 

 " spheroidal ceUs," and " spores," and " fructification 

 taking place in some particular membrane," we believe 

 attempts to cultivate the truffle have failed. 



Science has ascertained that it forms an intermediate 

 link between the animal and vegetable kingdom, for it 

 does not absorb carbonic acid from the air and give out 

 oxygen, but, like animals, it absorbs oxygen and gives out 

 carbonic acid. 



The truffle is found in many districts of France, Spain, 

 and Italy ; and in other parts of these countries, doubtless 

 (as in England), it exists, though it has not been dis- 

 covered. 



In this country it may be found on almost every chalky 

 down, especially where plantations of beech flourish, and 

 in many gentlemen's parks, and on lawns. Hampshire, 

 Wilts, Dorset, and Kent, all these counties produce truffles 

 of rich quality and in great abundance. Beneath the 

 beech, the cedar, the lime, the oak, the hazel, the Scotch 

 fir, it is frequently to be found in clusters, one, two, or 

 three feet apart. It is known to be in Tedworth (the seat 



