TRUFFLES. 165 



temper may be taught to hunt and find truffles. The 

 education of the dog commences when he is about 

 three months. old. At first he is taught to fetch a 

 truffle, and when he does this well and cheerfully, his 

 master places it on the ground, and slightly covers it 

 with earth, selecting one of peculiar fragrance for the 

 purpose. As the dog becomes more expert and 

 keen for the amusement, he buries the truffle deeper, 

 and rewards him according to his progress. He then 

 takes him where he knows truffles to be abundant, or 

 where they have been previously found by a well 

 broken animal, and marked. Thus he gradually 

 learns his trade, and becomes (as his forefathers have 

 been for many generations) the bread winner for his 

 master and his master's family ; unless he is so 

 fortunate as to become attache to some lordly 

 mansion, or possibly to a royal palace, in which case 

 he is a fortunate dog indeed." 



In i860 it is recorded that a truffle was found in 

 Germany which weighed one pound seven ounces, 

 whilst Wallroth writes of them as having been found 

 formerly weighing two pounds each. 



Experiments in truffle cultivation have often been 

 made in France. In the South they are said to be 

 raised by watering the soil with water in which the 

 skins of truffles have been rubbed. In Vaucleuse 

 crops have been raised in a meadow manured with 

 truffle parings; and there also seedling oaks have 

 been reared for the production of truffles at their 



