The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-26

We do not like to lose q good thing, even II
it is yellow fever times, and therefore we
republish the following article, clipped from
Harper's Weekly, handed us by q friend:
TEUFFLES.
OF the many varieties of tlutlle the black
Is the most esteemed Although found under
many other trees, it is mostly in the neigh
borhood Of the oak; and the soil which suits
it best is dry and calcareous. 1t disappears
on the granite formation; it prefers the CEN
tire and the south Of France, and, accord
ing to popular opinion, good trul1los
are only to be got where the wine is good.
Trutlle hunters pay much attention to GER
such as the impoverished state of the herb
age, or even It's complete absence.
Flies also Indicate the habitat OF the trut1les,
lowering over the spot, and this is reckoned so
sure sign that when a proprietor desires to
gather u few trut1les he allows himself to be
altogether guided by the flies. They are Of o
brownish color, and about as large as house
flies, though more elegant in shape Poach-
ers, afraid of detection when trutfle-hunting
with the help Of a pig ora dog, quietly avail
flies.
TrulIles are discovered, in general, by
means OF q pig, which hunts against the
wind, like the dog, and smells the scent some
times at the distance Of from forty, to fifty
yards. 1t goes straight to the truffie, and,
turning it up with its snOut, looks for the re-
| ward Of g few acorns. II these be withheld,
| it grunts disapproval and refuses to hunt.
| The trullle dogs, chiefly used by pOachers
| on moonlight nights, are either hairy Iittie
terriers or spaniels, which are very fond of
| their occupation, sometimes barking loudly
on the discovery of a fine truf1e, or Sinking
with their tails between their legs when the
hunt has been a failure.
In Provence, POitou and elsewhere the truf-
lie is reared artiiicially by sowing acorns
from oaks at the foot Of which truf1les have
been found. Many hundreds Of acres have
| been thus rendered productive OF truf1les
| Until they appear the ground is slightly dug
in spring and autumn; but when they make
their appearance, in the fifth or sixth year,
perhaps, only the spring digging is practiced
experience showing that stirring the ground
later than May Is Injurious. Except leaves
of the oak and the chestnut many use nc
manure. Cutting down or pruning the trees
is forbidden, and it is a curious circumstance
that the trule ring enlarges in proportion to
the spreading of the roots.
| OF its alinentary virtues there is no ques-
should silence those who say that it is indi
gestible. "What' he one day asked Portal
his physician, ''do you think OF trutfles? ]
wager you forbid them to the SICK But
"Truflles are not what foolish people think,
replied the king, as he finished a large plate
Of trulles stewed in champagne.
| Those unable to indulge in such an expen'
sive mode OF preparation will rejoice to learn
that trut1les roasted in the embers are great
delicacy.
Paulet gives this recipe for tsuf1es a 10
1narechate: Wash thoroughly with brush
put to each a pinch of salt and also Of black
pepper; wrap them separately in several
folds Of creased paper; put them in an iron
pot or pipkin, and cover them with red hot
embers, taking care to enyelop them thor
oughly by shaking; let them stand an hour
when served, retain the inner paper case
| "Most certainly" says Mrs. Hussey, sthey