Scrub potatoes well with a small scrubbing-brush. Pare them, and if they
are inclined to be black when cooked, let them stand an hour or more in
cold water before cooking them. Cook them in a large amount of boiling
salted water in a cooker-pail. When they have boiled one minute put
them into the cooker for from one and one-half to three hours, depending
upon their quantity, size, and age. New potatoes will not require so
long to cook as old. Large potatoes cut into pieces will cook in one
hour.