Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-10-16
WE MAY GROW TRUFFLES
A LOT SENT HERE FROM FRANCE
FOR EXPERIMENTAL PURPOSES.


The United States Department of
Agriculture has received from Pro-
fessor Walter II. Swingle, one of the
agriculture explorers sent abroad to
look for rare and valuable seeds and
plants likely to be grown with profit
in this country, a number of seeds,
plants and articles of food which it is
thought may prove of value to the
American producer and consumer.
All of these will be experimental with
by the Division of Seed and Plant In
PRODUCTION within short time.
lFAmong the things sent over from
France are lot Of truffies, an article
of food which can in all probability be
produced with profit here. In France
the trufle industry is growing rapid
ly, and promises within short time to
become one of great value to agricul-
turists. Professor Swingle believes
that we can produce in this country
all the truffies we need, whereas now
we import every one that goes on the
table. The truffle industry in France
has in the last few years increased
rapidly, and now amounts to more
than $5, 200, 00G annually, and such is
the demand for truffles that from a
mere side-issue on the part of farmers
their cultivation has developed into a
regular business of great profit.
Truffie raising is very interesting.
and in order to carry it on success
fully one must have considerable skill
and patience. Truffies, it is we'll
known, are fungus growth like
mushrooms, but instead of growing
on the surface they are found from
ten to twelve inches below the ground
clinging to roots of trees, and it re-
quires the aid of trained hogs or dogs
to discover them. The odor is very
strong and penetrating, and is gener-
ally esteemed powerfully fragrant. In
its uncooked state the truff1e is con-
sidered by some to possess very
agreeable taste. Like mushrooms
there are various species, some of
which are worthless and dangerous,
but these are easily distinguished
from the edible truffie. Truffles are
raised in England, Italy and France,
but the French truffie is by far the
best. Professor Swingle procured
his truffies from the choice of the
Paris markets, and if the department
succeeds in introducing them into
this country they will be of the best
quality. A few years ago good truffies
were rarely found in English markets;
they could be obtained only in
France, but as the demand increased
the French turned their attention to
the cultivation of the tuber, and now
forests are being planted every year
solely for raising them. Forests that
were long thought to be valueless for
the timber growing in them have late
ly been Sound to possess great value
for the production of truffies. Indeed,
truffie forests within the past few
years have increased so much in value
that the taxes upon them have been
quadrupled.
The truffie grows from July still
autumn or winter, is found only in
oak, beech and birch trees, and re-
quires peculiar soil, rich clayey
earth. Professor Harkness, of the
Academy of Sciences, believes that the
forests of California and the Caro-
linas can produce the finest kinds of
truffies. There are species of truffles
now found in California, but they are
hardly fit to eat, and in order to in
troduce the industry into this coun-
try it will be necessary to plant the
imported tubers, and experiment
with them on different kind of trees.
1t is thought that there are plenty OF
trees in the forests of this country
that will produce good truflesSand if
they are once successfully grown it
will afford large source of income to
agriculturists, for as their various
uses become better known the de-
mand will increase accordingly. In
France the best truffies are sold for as
much as 81 pound. Inferior truffies
can be be bought from 81 up; and
the wholesale price varies from sixty
cents to $2 pound.
The French truffle is globular in
shape, and in color bright brown
or black with polygonal warts cover
ing it. The mature flesh is blackish
gray, marbled with white veins. The
ordor is very pleasant, especially
when the tubers are young, and then
somewhat resembles that of straw
berry. With age the odor gets very
strong, but is never offensive. There
is another trufle found in France,
which sometimes grows in cultivated
fields where there are willows, oaks
and poplars. 1t is known as
the false truffle, and is some
times found on the surface
of the ground. 1t is gathered quite
extensively in Epping Forest by
Italians and Frenchmen, and sold to
the inferior restaurants of London
where Continental dishes are served.
1t is a worthless, offensive, and, pos
sibly dangerous fungus. Some per-
eat trufiles raw, raw, sliced, and dipped
in oil or egg, but the more general
uses are in connection with game,
eggs, etc., although the increased pro-
duction has naturally extended their
use as food, and now in France and
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