Cultivation of Tricffles. 423 



less kinds as are frequently met with near them, especially as, in 

 doLibrful cases, the smell decides nothing; for the edible truffle 

 first receives, when it is become ripe, that smell which designates 

 it, so as not to be mistaken. In oriler that no useless truffles 

 may be brought into the plantation (viz. the swine truffles), not- 

 withstanding they would come quickly forward, let those be 

 thrown away respecting which it is uncertain whether they are 

 of the edible kind or not. If the place be known where half- 

 grown truffles are, let them be taken up on a showery day, 

 or at least a cloudy one, in such a manner as that they 

 may remain completely enveloped in a ball of earth, and be 

 as little as possible exposed to the access of the air. If the 

 earth is very loose, so as not to hold firmly together ; or if, 

 through previous drought, it had lost its natural vicidity, which 

 it has not fully recovered again through the last rain ; the place 

 where the truffles are must have a great deal of water poured 

 over it a few hours before they are taken up. The fimgi 

 will then be easily taken up, together with the earth about 

 them, and put into a wooden case, which must be filled with 

 moist wood earth, from the place of growth of the truffles, and 

 closely fastened down. Truffles may thus be sent many miles, 

 without any danger of their perishing. Only upon long journeys, 

 which last several days or weeks, the case must often be 

 opened, for an hour at a time, and the earth from time to time 

 be moistened with fresh river-water, that the truffles may not be- 

 come mouldy and putrid. This practice is necessary with respect 

 to the white truffle, which has hitherto been considered to grow 

 only in Upper Italy, but can, nevertheless, be transplanted, as 

 well as the black sort. 



When the truffles have reached their appointed destination, 

 the case must be immediately opened in an airy but shady place, 

 and the earth moistened, if necessary; after which, they inust 

 be planted as soon as possible in the situation intended for 

 them. It is not advisable to distribute the truffles over the 

 whole of the bed ; it is better to plant them upon a small part 

 of it. As, upon a newly made bed, the matter in the earth 

 has not taken the direction necessary to the production of this 

 species of fungus, it is easily conceivable that a single truffle 

 cannot act sufficiently to produce this direction, but that the 

 united power of several is requisite. In the earlier attempts, it 

 was, indeed, expected from a single fungus, or even from pieces 

 cut off, that they should exert this power upon the new soil ; but 

 the expectation was continually frustrated. According to the 

 nature of the soil, whether more or less moist, the truffles are 

 set from 2 in. to 4 in., or, at the most, 6 in., deep. The soil in 

 which they were enveloped in their journey is left upon them, 

 and the utmost efforts are made to prevent their being exposed 



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