62 THE WONDERFUL HOUSE THAT JACK HAS 



Next to wheat, no vegetable product is more com- 

 monly used in this country than potatoes. Although 

 they may seem one of our most valuable food friends, 

 the amount of building substances potatoes contain 

 is really very small. About three-fourths is water, 

 a little less than one-fifth starch, and nearly one- 

 hundredth, salts. If a person were compelled to rely 

 on potatoes alone for food, from twelve to fifteen 

 pounds would be required daily. Why, then, is this 

 tuber so commonly eaten? Simply because it grows 

 well in a great variety of soils and climates, and 

 also keeps in good condition throughout the winter. 

 Besides, as its starch digests readily, and its min- 

 eral salts are valuable, the potato becomes a very 

 useful food when eaten with meat, butter, and other 

 foods that supply what it lacks of fat and proteid. 



Much of the valuable part of potatoes is often lost 

 in their preparation for the table. When they are 

 pared and soaked in cold water before cooking, or 

 placed in cold or moderately warm water to boil, 

 there is likely to be much loss of the nutritive parts. 

 These are best retained when potatoes are boiled or 

 baked with the skins on. They should be put into 

 very hot water for boiling, or into a hot oven for bak- 

 ing, so that the surface may quickly become hardened, 

 and the loss of useful materials prevented. Baked 

 potatoes are considered the most easily digested, and, 

 whether boiled or baked, those that are of a mealy 

 texture when served are to be preferred to the soggy 



