TRUFFLES AND TEUFFLE DOGS. 261 



on fungi have arrived at this learned conclusion ; but, in spite of all their dis- 

 coveries, and their elaborate remarks on " spheroidal cells," and " spores," and 

 " fructification taking place in some particular membrane," we believe attempts to 

 cultivate the truffle have failed. 



Science has ascertained that they form an intermediate link between the animal 

 and vegetable kingdom, for they do not absorb carbonic acid from the air and give 

 out oxygen ; but, like animals, they absorb oxygen and give 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 

 discovered. 



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 at Tedworth (the seat of the late Mr. T. Assheton 

 Smith) ; at Charbro' Park, Dorset (the seat of Mr. Drax) ; at Olantigh Towers, 

 in Kent ; and at Holnest House, in Dorset (both seats belonging to the same 

 gentleman) ; whilst Kingston Lacey, in Dorset (the property of the Bankeses), 

 produces both morels and truffles. Truffles are also found at Eastwell Park, Kent ; 

 at Sir J. Sebright's, in Beechwood Park; at Lord Barrington's; at Lord Jersey's; 

 at Longleat, Wilts ; at the Countess of Bridgwater's ; at Lord Winchilsea's ; and, 

 we believe, at the Earl of Abingdon's seat, near Oxford. 



In some of these localities they are found in beds of twenty, thirty, or more. 

 Sometimes they are discovered singly, in most unpromising situations and of 

 extraordinary size ; occasionally they are on the surface of the earth, half eaten by 

 hares, squirrels, rats, mice, or rooks their natural enemies. Sometimes they are 

 raked up with the dead leaves by the gardener; and one of the finest we ever 

 dug was found by a truffle dog close to an old gate post ; whilst within a fortnight 

 of the writing of this article a keeper picked up a large truffle dropped from a fir 

 tree by a squirrel. 



They are in season from November until March, and when fit for the table 

 are nearly black. Cut open, they are of a close texture, marbled or spotted, 

 with a grey tint. In the summer they are white inside, and give but little smell, 

 and are unsavoury. They vary in size. Occasionally they are so minute as to be 

 scarcely visible, frequently as large as a walnut, and they are commonly as large as 

 a moderate-sized potato. 



We have questioned two experienced truffle diggers, and gather from them the 

 following information : 



Truffle digging gives employment to many hands during winter, and in the 

 early months of spring lOOlb. a week is not an uncommon amount when a man has 

 a good dog, and works hard ; and instances have been known of a man digging 351b. 

 or even 401b. in a day, where truffles were unsuspected, and the ground had not 

 been "worked." 



