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solid grains. These scarcely visible glands were formerly said 
to be the seeds or germs of the young Truffles. The less the 
inside of the truffle is coloured by dark veins, the more tender 
and delicious is its flesh, The blackish external rind is hard, 
and very rough, by means of fine fissures, grains, and protuber- 
ances; and forms, with its small facets, which are almost hex- 
agonal, an appearance by which it somewhat resembles the fir- 
apples of the larch. Whilst the Truffle is young, its smell re- 
sembles that of putrid plants, or of moist vegetable earth. 
When it first approaches the point of time at which it has at- 
tained its full growth, it diffuses an agreeable smell which is 
peculiar to it, resembling that of musk, but which lasts only a 
few days; it then becomes stronger, and the nearer the fungus 
is to its death and its dissolution, which speedily ensues, so 
much the more unpleasant is its smell. Whilst young, the flesh 
is watery, and its taste is insipid: when fully formed, its firm 
flesh, which is like the kernel of the almond and the nut, has 
an extremely aromatic and delicious taste; but as soon as the 
fungus begins to decay, and worms and putrescence to attack 
it, its taste is bitter and disagreeable. Wherever Truffles are 
produced, there they are to be found the whole year through, 
from the beginning of spring till late in autumn; but in the 
greatest plenty from towards the end of the month of August to 
the latter end of October. They thrive extremely, like all fun- 
gi, in warm moist autumns, and are then most delicious. After 
warm continuing showers, they are found nearer the surface of 
the soil, sometimes so high that they form little hemispherical 
mounds of earth, in which small clefts are produced by the 
sun’s rays. If the soil is loose, and dry weather succeeds, the 
earth which was raised up falls down, and the Truffle is seen 
half-uncovered. Nevertheless, these Truffles are of small value, 
as they are generally either dead or worm eaten. The favourite 
habitat of Truffles is a somewhat moist light wood-soil, which is 
defended from the immediate effect of the burning rays of the 
sun by large oak trees, standing at a distance from each other, 
but is not deprived, by thick bushes, of the free access of cur- 
rents of air. Where, in woods, there are places bare of timber 
trees, and with but few bushes, or covered with pollarded wood 
that does not stand thick, they tlirive under an oak, beech, 
whitethorn, and even under a fruit tree, and sometimes attain 
