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tree' because it alone regularly produced over
a kilo of perfect truffles each year. The
Mayor and civic dignitaries of the Acqualagna
provided a small reception in the evening at
which Dr. Tocci, the Director of the Experi-
mental Centre for Truffle Cultivation gave an
illustrated talk. Meanwhile, the town square
was being transformed with wooden structures
and festoons for the start of the National
Truffle Fair.
A short journey next morning to Bt. Angelo in
Vade, not far from the fabulous town of Urbino,
birthplace of Raphael and one of the legendary
places of the Renaissance, with its Ducal
Palace, architectural wonders and great art
heritage.
St. Angelo in Vade, in the upper Pesaro
Appenines of the Marches, is a rich zone -for
the quality truffles and the Truffle Research
Centre is established there. Dr. Tocci and
associates organised an impressive tour where
the various stages of the work in both
laboratory and field were explained.
A surprise 'Italian breakfast' had been laid on
with regional air-cured hams, meats, truffle
with chicory and fennel salad, truffle and
thrush pate, rolled pork with red pepper
stuffing, local cheeses, conference pears and
muscat grapes, Monte—Conero wine, cake and vino
Santo (a rich sweet 'Marsala' type dessert
wine). Hospitality and friendliness
overflowed and speeches were called for from
each national representative. The amusing
Chinese speaker likened his presence to that