Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-11-12
TRUFFLES.
from the New York Tribun


The importation of ftruffes to this coun
try is on the Increase said Jacob Meyer,
who, until recently, was engaged in raising
them in Germany, near Hanover. They
are looked upon as q great luxury IN Eu-
rope, and have often wondered why they
were not more used mere"
"What are truttles ?'
! "They arc Il fungUus growth, similar to
| the mushroom, and are found generally in
sol! impregnated with lime, and always in
| the neighborhood Of oak or beech trees.
! They are found under the ground, at dis
tance varying from an inch to foot, and
are supposed TO be 4 parasite living IN their
carly stage upon the roots of trees. They
are oblong or spherical, and vary from the
size of an English walnut to that of a large
rotate. Quite frequently l have known
| them to weigh two pounds, and once found
one that weighed three and half pounds.
Some are of dull white color, but the black
| or brown trutfie ha.; the finest flavor and
| brings the best price. Their surface is
rough and covered with eXcresences re-
ser1bing warts, and judging from the exte-
rior they would not be selected as an article
Of food Internally they resemble dark
coored marble and are different from other
known forms Of fungi.
"But little is known about their propaga-
ton and growth. The reproductive portion
is found in minute sacs, which contain
number Of spores, and are thickly scattered
| through the numberess small veins that
traverse the mass in every direction. In
growing they are not attached to any other
body, and lie loosely imbedded in the
earth
"In what localities are trutiles found?"
| r., he, otact f1Sin
| in southern France, and these are also OF
| parts of England, Germany, Italy, Aus
| trala and Africa. l never heard Of any
being discovered in this country. My ex-
uerience here where have endeavored 10
transplant them, as we'll as in Germany,
! where I spent many years in futile efforts
| 10 cultivate them arti!icially, has led me to
approve the common opinion Of trutfle hun
| tiers, that Il lruiile is the most contrary
| thing in the world. When forced or coax
ed no, ore will appear; and frequently a
| field will be unexpectedly filled. No one
knows where they come from. have taken
! :; smal. lluflle cut OF the ground, filed up
| the hole, and the next day taken u larger
uue from exactly the same spot. Remov-
,pg this second one, have taken third
| and still larger one from the same spot Oh
| the next day. Then for five days not
| Sign of q trufile could b" seen. On the sixth
day small trutfle would be found i'll ex-
actly the same spot, and the others would
pc found as before. They would alternately
appear aud disappear in this manner Tor
| about three mouths, and then hually dlsap-
pear altogether. y: times they grow so
| quickly rs to awaken astonishment, and
| again will increase in size with the slowness
Of II century plant.
II have had some success in raising them
bv taking the water in which the pairing of
truflles had been stepped and sprinkling it
| over truffle bed that had been worked
out. In some parts of France acorns sowed
upon q calcareous soil have yielded trutfies
after tbs sapings had attained three of four
| Years growth: but attempts to raise them
in large quantities will surely fall. Mush
rooms are cultivated with good results, be-
cause the vegetative portion of the plant is
easily obtained for planting. The vegeta-
tive portion OF trutfles has not yet been
obtained, and, consequently, all expert
| menis with them have been futile.
''The odor of the truffle is aromatic, pecu.
liar to itself, and will speedily penetrate
| every room in house. 1t produces nausea
in some people, and in others sense OF
| light. .headedness."
|
them?"
ayes. In England and Germany dogs
are trained to find them, generally poodles
or spitzdoss a truffie is given to one of
these dogs to play with, and then is taken
| into field and planted in sight of the dog.
When feeding time comes, the dog is taken
to where the truffle is buried, and he is
given to understand that his getting food
depends upon finding the trutfie. Some
dogs are remarkably apt, and will gather
the idea in few trials, while others will
never comprehend your meaning. AS soon
as they are trained they are turned loose
in a trufile bed aud will move rapidly
around with noses close to the ground until
they scent the peculiar truffie odor. They
will then begin to scratch up the soil, and
care must be taken to stop them or they
will tear the trufile to pieces. good dog,
however, will stop scratching as soon as the
truffle comes in view. Sometimes they are
buried so deeply that the dogs cannot reach
them. They will then lie down by the hole
and patiently wait for help. In tho south
ern part of France and Italy, sows, which
are passionately fond of truff1es, take the
place of dogs, and search for them as an
article of food. Hunters follow around
and gather the truffles as soon as the soWs
begin to root.
1.-THE truffle bed l had in Germany cost
me for rent, think, $780, sold the truffles
in Hanover for Sl5O pound and made
considerable money. They will average
about four to the pound There is a COM
pany at Perigord, France, who are large
purchasers of truffies. They cook them
and put them up in sealed tin cans by q
secret process. The strong odor is not
noticeable in the canned goods, and they
have not the delicious flavor of the fresh
truffles. The French use more of them than
any other nation, and they are almost the
only consumers in this country. The only