Museum of Weird Books of Weird Books

Storage of potatoes: Post-harvest behaviour, store design, storage practice, handling By A. Rastovski, A vanEs et al. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen, Netherlands, 1981 This homely volume was sadly discarded by the Ellensburg, WA Public Library before being rescued by Pistil Books.
	The mottled potato-brown cover of this volume seems to depict a vast store of potatoes as seen from above. Some swinging doors in the lower right hand corner sweep a potato-free arc as they open, demonstrating the latest in potato storage industrial design. Inside the cover awaits the exciting answer to the question, "Just what is 'potato behavior'?" Next Back to the top
An entire section of this book is devoted to diseases and defects liable to affect potatoes during storage. Such potato ills include gangrene, silver scurf, potato tuber moth, weight losses, mother tuber, and black heart. Here we see a close-up photo of the dreaded "watery wound rot". Not something you'd want to see on your plate next to your roast beef. Next Back to the top
	In order not to put off the reader with only dry technical descriptions of potato culture, the authors include artistically rendered graphics such as this one depicting the starch synthesizing mechanism during tuber growth. Next Back to the top
An interesting history of potato storage from the time of the Queches of the Andes (who trod on potatoes with their bare feet in order to make a flour) to the most modern air-cooled storage building is profusely illustrated with examples of potato stores through the ages. Here is a lovely drawing of a 19th century potato hut from the Netherlands and the attending potato maiden. Next Back to the top
	Modern potato technology is sophisticated and state-of-the-art. Here a glass mercury thermometer accurately records the temperature in the steamy potato pile. Next Back to the top
Don't think potato behavior is only about production for consumption, however. Potatoes are varied and many-splendored and sponaneously create beautiful tuber sculptures. Remember, potatoes have more eyes than we humans do. Next Back to the top