Roses all Winter 273 



down for any length of time unless artificial heat 

 is used. Indeed, for some time after the fires 

 are started in the fall, a crack of air should be 

 left on all night, until the nights are so cold that 

 the pipes are kept fairly warm. The object is 

 to prevent heavy condensation. It is much 

 better to have Rose foliage dry during the night. 

 A word of warning against careless airing. No 

 matter how careful all other details have been 

 carried out, careless airing — uneven tempera- 

 tures — will destroy or cause the whole thing to 

 be a complete failure. And particularly so 

 through the short days. However, the methods 

 of airing are so simple that any one with judg- 

 ment can do the work successfully. When we 

 once get down to regular rose house temperature 

 maintain 56 to 58 degrees at night with a raise of 

 10 degrees during the day or, with sun heat, 15 

 degrees. The main point in airing is when the 

 thermometer goes 4 or 5 degrees above night 

 temperature, put on a crack of air, but not to 

 the extent to lower the temperature. Allow 

 the thermometer to climb up gradually: also 

 gradually increase the ventilation until the 

 maximum is reached, then hold steady by adding 

 more air or reducing as the case may be. The 

 same method should be followed in the afternoon, 

 bringing the vents down by degrees. 



