Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-07

Dslseaciss % High valus That Grow Fron
the B1ss q m Insect.

y
the Biss q IN Insect.
TINTED STATES CONSUL KNOWLES AT
~ Bordeaux has sent to the Department a
State very interesting account Of the truf1e
industry Of France. Few people know what
trufhss really are. beyond the fact that they
are sort Of fungus, but naturalists have dis-
covered that their origin ID very curious in
deed. During the months Of July and August
little blus-wingsd fiy makes its way into the
soti at the base Of oak trsss. With in sting a
pierces some portion Of the root, makes an in
cision and therein lays in eggs Prom this
incision OF scar there exndes . viscous SUBJ
stance, which. ciinging 70 the root, grows into
Q trufie.
The ancient Romans. at Who's sumptuous
oanquets trufiies played an important part,
supposed that they were brought into existercs
oy thunder. However. there are certainly
three species Of trufis found in France-shs
black and most common, the white and the
trude rail, which has n flavor Of garlic. They
are found In all soils, but chiefly In oak forests
or where the earth is damp and calcarsoua,
thriving best in an almost sterile soil
WHAT rRuFrLE LooKs LIKE
In appearance the ordinary truf1e IL about
the size Of . walnut, with . rough, brown,
warty surface, closely akin 10 the potato. which
IL hkewiss resembles in Consistency, though
not in color. Not yielding to sultiv.tion. they
must be sought for in chance places. nor il the
method OF obtaining them the less interesting.
II 10 known that the pig has vigorous spps-
tits for this snbterranean morsel. 90 thai, az
the day dawnS out he is led 20 perform a duty
which, though disappointing to him. 10 lu-
crstive 10 his master. Az the scent OF the fox
leads bounds 10 the trail. 80 the odor OF trufies
Yker 10 rhar kal h.A II.
sniffs about this way and that until he locates
the desired object, when he immediately begins
to root up the earth with his snout. He 10
closely watched during the operation by his
owner. who, upon the swine uprooting the
trufie, whacks HIM sharply over the nose with
a stick. The soft, moist fungus is dropped from
the animal g jaws and, before he can again pick
IL up, 1t is bagged by the hunter. The beast
then proceeds TO another spot, where. hidden a
few inches below the surface Of the ground, are
more OF the epicurean dainties. And thus, after
numerous repetitions of the same performance,
the animDl gives up in disgust and submits to
being led back to his pen; but on the morrow,
thanks TO the pigs short memory, the occur
rences Of the day before are completely forgot
ten. and he experiences again the same hope
and disappointment
DOGS TRAINED TO HUNT THEM.
Recently it has been found that dogs could
be trained to perform the duties that are in
stinctive to the pig and SC great is the demand
in France for the truffle that many of the canine
species are now, in certain districts, possessed
OF this estimable talent. To begin with. finely
cut or sliced truff1es are mixed daily with their
food, until at length they develop a liking for
the flavor. Afterward their owners conceal. in
some portion OF a field where trufies are sup
posed TO exist. little tin dish of filet aux trues
covering the same with a few handfuls Of earth
The dog is then brought out and urged to hunt
for the dish, goaded by an empty stomach.
When he at length finds il he is caressed by his
master and thus in the space Of a few weeks he
VIII readily learn to hunt for the vegetable
itself.
Truffies are seldom found twice in the same
place. A field that may yield a great quantity
this year will be quite fruitless the next.
Though Alexander Bornholz, German
scientist, claims to have transplanted and
raised the article in question. repeated expert
ments to that end have proved but failures.
The very fact that the truffle is rarity and
that 1t grows only in certain districts has been
enough to make it an object sought after clan
destinely by peasants or those who carry them
to market There are poachers for truiies as
wei as for game, who hunt by night with their
dog or porker,a plague TO landowners. Scarcely
Is there a canning establishment at this nome nj
IN France thar does not, among other alimen-
tary products, preserve this dainty. Ii has be-
come as indispensable to the dinner table of
the noblesse as the aromatic sprig of garlic to
the frugal repast Of the peasant.
THE ANNUAL PRODUCTION.
The annual production is valued at about
s3,0O0,O00. The article is sold in the depart
ments where found at 81 per pound and at
almost double that price at the principal
markets Of the larger cities. Not alone do
truffies thrive in France, they are found in
Italy, Spain and Holland, but are Of differen,
quality compared with the French, lacking the
delicate and Incompatible favor.
In tie United States, especially in California.
some attention has been given within the past
few years to the gathering and preserving of
truffies. and number of western packers have
gone to Bordeaux in order to inform them
selves regarding the canning process. II lie a
very simple one, the truffies being partially
boiled, as tomatoes, asparagus and other vege-
tables. and then Jared and sealed in their own
diluted juice. All sorts OF meat and game
products are also ''truffied," the vegetable
being cut into small squares and inserted into
the substance Of the article preserved.