12 BULLETIN 1055, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
facturers who use potatoes in large quantities are agreed that the old stock is 
preferable for chips to the immature potatoes of the spring or early summer. 
Use potatoes high in starch. A waxy or soggy potato does not make good 
chips. Select a variety that is known to be mealy when baked or boiled. - 
The raw flesh should be firm and crisp when sliced with a sharp knife.. 
Use large or medium-sized round, smooth potatoes with shallow eyes. The 
size and shape do not affect the cooking quality, but they do influence the 
quantity and appearance 
of the chips. Round po- 
tatoes are better than 
long ones, as there is 
less waste in peeling, 
especially if a vegetable 
peeler is used. Deep 
eyes are objectionable, 
because of the difficulty 
of paring and the waste 
involved and because 
they make ragged-look 
ing slices. 
Care should be 
taken not to cook too 
many chips at once. 
The fat should be 
deep enough to cover 
the shces completely, 
and allow them to he 
flat and be crusted 
over quickly. If the 
kettle is too full, the 
water on the raw 
shces will bubble 
high and splash over 
the sides of the pan 
or vat. They cook 
quickly, the time re- 
quired varying with 
Hig. 9. 
Small hand-power vegetable peeler. The potatoes the size of the kettle 
are thrown by centrifugal motion against the carborun- and the quantity of 
dum lining, which nicks off the skin in small bits. Fresh 1 = 
water drips through the perforated pan at the top, carry- 01 and potatoes used. 
ing away .the skins through the rubber waste pipe at the Three to five minutes 
base. . 
is a good average. If 
they take longer something is wrong; either the oil is not hot enough 
or the quantity of potatoes cooked is too great in proportion. 
CAUSES OF FAILURE IN MAKING CHIPS. 
The troubles of commercial manufacturers are generally due to one 
or more of the three following causes: (1) The use of a potato 
