The seven VEGETABLE FAMILIES. 193 
is, that the Bleb v/herein they are contained, as in a Seed-Vel?el, is part 
of the inner Membrane of the great Veflcl Itfelf, and that Membrane is 
no where flronger than in the place of their connedicn. Maceration 
anfwers the purpofe of leparation on ail common occafions, but the whole 
fubftance of the Truffle is tough, and remains a longtime unaltered in 
water. 
With great difficulty, after very long maceration of extreamly thin 
flices of the Truffle, they may be thus fepnrated impeifedly. Lay a 
thin macerated dice on a Plate of Glafs before the Microfeope : firfl: wafli 
it feveral times in clean water, and then lay on it a large drop of filtred 
water. This care is needful, that no fmall bodies may be accidentally on 
the Glafs. Then obferve with the Microfeope where the edge of the 
piece is broken and mofi; ragged ; lay the Glafs upon white Paper, and 
with a Camel’s-hair Pencil very gently rub and fweep, as it were, that part, 
carrying the Ihort ftrokes outward. On laying it before the Microfeope 
again, there will be feen fome feparated Seeds ; but they will not float loofe, 
the Bleb or Film wherein the few are contained, as in a Capfule, comes 
off entire. Thus, however, we have them feparate from the Plant. We 
fee this Capfule now diftindly : It is a delicate, colourlefs, tranfparent 
Membrane, and is a little inclining to oval : at the fmaller end there is a 
plain Neck, by which it was originally faftened to the Membrane whence 
it rofe ; and the Coat is, in this part, lacerated. The Seeds lie regularly in 
this Capfule, with a fmall opening between them in the center, and a great 
deal of fpace outv\ardly. 
When we have fufficiently examined thefe Seeds in their Capfules, the 
way to get fome of them loofe is this : in a drop of the fame kind of 
water, lay another very thin piece of the macerated Truffle; obferve 
the thinned edge of this, and with a fmall Pencil of Hog’s-briflles damp 
upon the Truffle in the water, and by this means a great many of the 
Seed-Veffels will be loofened, fome of which the ends of the Bridles will 
have burd, and the Seeds will then be vifible didindlly, for many will get 
out of tkem, and float loofe in the water. 
To fee the Progreffion of the Seeds in growth, we fliould take the 
Truffle in three dates for this experiment : the fird when it is full of 
very young Seeds ; the fecond when they are half grown ; and the third, 
when entire. Thefe were the obfervations I made on them. 
In thofe Truffles which have the Seed very young, the Bleb which 
holds them is fmall ; and each Seed, when feen feparate, is a roundidi 
VoL. I. C c pellucid 
