VARIETIES 



73 



when cooked. Mealiness is due to the union of the 

 starch grains in a cell into one mass, and the rup- 

 ture of the cell 

 walls during cook- 

 ing. Sogginess 

 occurs when the 

 cell walls retain 

 their form. Opin- 

 ions differ as to 

 what constitutes 

 good cooking 

 quality. Amer- 

 icans like a white, 

 mealy, or flour>% 

 potato. The 

 French prefer a 

 yellow, soggy 

 potato which re- 

 tains its shape 

 when boiled. 



Good cooking 

 quality can be de- 

 termined by cook- 

 ing. The common 



FIG. 19 — SECTION OF A POTATO OF 

 GOOD COOKING QUALITY 

 (Compare with Fig. 18.) 

 The desirable features of this tuber are well- 

 netted skin, showing maturity; large Internal 

 Cortical (/.C)and External MeduUarj' (£".A/.) 

 layers, which are rich in starch ; small pith 

 area {I.M.), with marked uniformity in cellu- 

 lar structure. The different layers nearly ap- 

 proach each other in appearance, and cook 

 uniformly. 



method is to take 



a sample and steam or boil some of the potatoes. 

 When cooked the potato should be drj^ and floury, free 

 from wetness, and readily break to pieces on slight 

 pressure, or be readily reduced to a coarse meal free 

 from hard lumps. The particles should glisten as 

 though crystalline, and the potato should have a white 

 color, which is retained when cold. Potatoes which 



