DARWIN'S EXPERIENCE WITH POTATOES.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 February 1919, Page 6

DARWIN'S EXPERIENCE WITH POTATOES.

Pew people, probably, have had euch an experience with potatoes as once befell Charles Darwin when crosing the Andes (says a writer i the "Manchester Guardian ). * exploring party had put some ma pot to prepare for a meal in the usual way hut they Wxmdned for some hours m * water they were nearly as hard as ever. The pot was left on the fire all night, and next morning it was filing again, and yet the potatoes were not cooked. The cooks camejo the conclusion that w« pot.'' which was a new one, did not ehoosc to boil potatoes. Darwin, of course, knew that the failure was to be attributed to the diminished pressure of the atmosphere at high altitudes, one result of which is mat the boiling point of water is considerably lowered. It is said that on the high tablelands of Peru, at an elevation of from 10,000 to 14,000 ft. above the level of the sea, neither eggs, potatoes nor meat can be sufficiently boiled, so that whoever wishes to eat «u warm dinner there must have it either baked or roasted.