Old potatoes should be put into cold water, and when the water boils the time should a good deal depend upon the size of the potatoes.

When the potatoes are large, the chief principle to be borne in mind is, do not let them boil too quickly or cook too quickly.
We must avoid having the outside pulpy while the inside is hard.

The water, which should be slightly salted, should more than cover them, and, if the potatoes are very large, directly the water comes to the boil it is a good plan to throw in a little cold water to take it off the boil.

It is quite impossible to lay down any exact law in regard to boiling potatoes.
We cannot do more than give general principles which can only be carried out by cooks who possess a little common sense.
Small new potatoes are an extreme in one direction.

They should be thrown into boiling water, and are generally cooked in about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour.