The sun., 1899-08-16
NAY GROW TRUFFLES HERE
LOT SENT FROM FRANCE FOR PUR-
POSES OF EXPERIMENT.

The United States Department Of Agri-
culture has received from Prof. Walter T.
Swingle, one Of the agricultural explor-
ers sent abroad to look for rare and valu-
able seeds and plants likely to be grown
with profit in this country, a number of
seeds, plants, and articles OF food which 1t
Is thought may prove OF value to the Anne
rican producer and consumer. All Of these
will be experimental with by the Division OF
Seed and Plant Introduction within a short
time.
Among the things sent over from France
are a lot OF truffies. an article OF food
which can In all probability be produced
with profit here. In France the trufhe In
dustry is growing rapidly, and promises
within a short time to become one OF
great value to agriculturists, Professor
Swingle believes that we can produce In
this country all the truff1es we need, where
as now we import every one that goes
on the table. The trufie industry In
France has In the last few years increased
rapidly, and now amounts to more than
S., 900 900 annually, and such is the demand
for trufies that from 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 successfully one must
have considerable skill and patience. Truf-
fles, 1t is well known, are fungous 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 1t requires the aid
OF trained hogs or dogs to discover them.
The odor Is very strong and penetrating,
and Is generally esteemed powerfully fra
grant In its uncooked state the truffle Is
considered 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 truf-
fie. Trufles are raised In England, Italy,
and France. but the French trufle Is by
far the best. Professor Swinge procur
ed his truffies from the choice Of the Paris
markets, and II the department succeeds
in introducing them into this country they
will be OF the best quality. few years
ago good truffles were rarely found in Eng
lsh markets; they could be obtained only
in France, but as the demand increased the
French turned their attention to the culti-
walton Of the tuber, and now forests are
being planted every year solely for rails
ing them. Forests that were long thought
to be valueless for the timber growing In
them have lately been found to possess
great value for the production OF trufies.
Indeed, truffle forests within the past few
years have increased 80 much in value that
the taxes upon them have been quadrupled.
The truffe grows from July till autumn or
winter. Is found only in oak, beech, and
birch trees and requires peculiar soil.
a rich, clayey earth. Prof. Harkness OF the
Academy OF Sciences believes that the for
ests Of California and the Carolinas can
produce the finest kinds OF trufhes. There
are species of truff1es now found in Call
fornia but they are hardly fit to eat, and In
order to introduce the industry into this
country 1t will be necessary to plant the
imported tubers, and experiment with
them on different kinds of trees. 1t Is
thought that there are plenty OF trees In
the forests of this country that will pro-
duce good truffles. and II they are once
successfully grown 1t will AFFORD a large
source OF income to agrcuturists, for as
their various uses become better known
the demand will increase accordingly. In
France the best trufies are sold for as
| much as 81 a pound. Inferior truffies can
be bought for from 81 up. and the Wholesale
price varies from so cents to 81 pound.
The French trufiie is globular in shape.
! and in color a bright brown or black with
| poygonal warts covering 1t. The mature
| flesh is blackish gray, marbled with white
veins. The odor Is very pleasant. especially
when the tubers are young, and then some
what resembles that OF a strawberry. With
| age the odor gets very strong, but is never
offensive. There Is another truffie found In
| France, which sometimes grows In culti-
| waited fields where there are willows. oaks.
| and poplars. 1t Is known as the false truf-
| fe and is sometimes found on the surface
Of the ground. 1t is gathered quite exten-
| sively in Epping Forest by Italians and
| Frenchmen, and sold to the inferior restau-
| rants OF London where Continental dishes
| are served. 1t is worthless, offensive, ana
| possibly dangerous fungus. Some persons
eat truffles raw. sliced. and dipped In oil
| or egg but the more general uses are in
| connection with game, eggs, ETC., although
| the increased production has naturally ex-
France and England there are dozens OF
ways OF preparing the trufie by Itself. and
all are said to be appetizing and delicious
| When the truffle Is eaten raw the taste Is
| sweet and sugary.
| 1t is by the odor OF the truffie that Its
| presence in the earth Is detected, but man
| alone cannot readily discover It, Squirrels
| hogs, dogs and other animals frequently dig
| up trufies and devour them, and II mas
been necessary to train the hogs and dogs
| to point out the places where they grow
without eating them. Pigs Will always
eat truffies and dogs will do so occasion
ally, and 1t Is, therefore. usual to give the
| trained pig or dog a small piece OF cheese
| or some like reward eacn time IL Is sue
| cessful in finding one.
Trufies are reproduced by spores. bodies
which serve the same purpose as seeds In
towering plants In true truff1es the spores
| are borne In transparent sacs from fouI
! to eight spores in each. These sacs are
| imbedded in vast numbers-in the flesh OF
the truffie In false trufies the spores are
free, and borne on minute spicules. or sup
ports
| partment a strawberry which possesses pc
culiar and valuable qualities. 1t is PLAN
| that produces berries for four months In thu
year The fruiting season OF the ordinary
strawberry in this country is not longer thar
month, and It can be seen that II this berr!
Is grown in the United States 1t will become
very popular. especially with small gardeners
who raise the berries for home consumption
The berry is Of good size and has a delicious
taste. Professor Swingle cotained the berry
from NJ. Vilamorin, French seedsman ant
plant grower and its origin possesses con
siderable interest Several years ago an ole
Catholic priest living in France became AZ
ardent grower OF strawberries, and was con
tinually experimenting in their cultivation
One day while walking in the forest he found
A berry which he had observed frequently be
fore and had noticed that 1t was contlnu
ously towering. Upon closer examination h
found that II was a wild strawberry. and h
concluded to experiment with 1t. BY grow
ing 1t with another berry which he had lonl
been cultivatlng. he found that he could pro
duce the present continuous fruiting straw
berry. For years he grew these berries 70