4<26 Cultivation of Truffles. 



pact. In the first case, it contains too much sand, and must be 

 mixed with clay or loam ; but a too compact soil has in its com- 

 position too little sand, and requires an addition of loam or 

 meagre clay. If marl is to be met with in the neighbourhood, 

 especially calcareous marl, it much improves the mixture ; but, 

 if there is none at all in the vicinity, its place must be supplied 

 by calcareous stone or pieces of chalk reduced to powder. All 

 these species of soil must, at the same time that the earth from 

 dung is prepared, be brought together in a heap, to which must 

 be added as much of the parts of plants, viz. the refuse of the 

 vegetables used in the kitchen, leaves, sawdust of oak or other 

 deciduous trees (but not of pines), or wood earth from falls of 

 wood, as the different soils occupy in space. Such a heap of 

 soil must be turned over every week, and moistened in dry 

 vs^eather ; and, if not in the shade, must be protected by a high 

 wall from being suddenly dried by the rays of the sun. It is 

 advisable, every time that it is turned over, to cover it with young 

 oak leaves, and to mix them well with it the next time it is 

 turned over. For want of the leaves of this species of tree, 

 those of other trees (for instance, hornbeams, beeches, elms, 

 hazels, and others) may be taken. The heap having been assi- 

 duously and carefully wrought over, the earth, in the course of 

 the summer, will have become very rich in vegetable soil, and in 

 the autumn may be applied to the making of the truffle bed. The 

 mode of making it differs from that which has already been de- 

 scribed for soil in lofty woods, in nothing, except that, instead of 

 the wood earth, which is there made use of, this artificial earth 

 is taken. 



If all the precepts which have been given have been observed 

 in planting the truffles, the proprietor of artificial groups of 

 trees may enjoy the pleasure of raising fresh tubers, as well as the 

 proprietor of wood soil. It is advisable not to make the first plant- 

 ation too large, in order at first to have merely a nursery from 

 which truffles may be taken at any time. When this is once 

 upon an estate, larger plantations may be made, which are not 

 restricted to the pleasures of the table, but also increase the 

 income. 



Plantations of truffles in lar^e gardens are combined with 

 more circumstances and greater difficulties. Here is a want of 

 wood soil, oaks, and hornbeams, which must be supplied or new- 

 planted. It would be too tedious a process to plant an oak in a 

 garden, and wait for its spreading so far as to afford the shade 

 necessary to a plantation of truffles. An old pear tree, a high- 

 trained apple tree, or several plum and cherry trees, will answer 

 the purpose. In the south of Germany, sweet chestnut and 

 almond trees attain such a height and spread of boughs, as to 

 supply the place of the oak, and are preferable to the before- 



