To those who work in chemistry, whether as amateurs or professionals, there is no more useful piece of apparatus than a flask. Anyone who can procure old electric light globes can make all the flasks he needs in a short time and at practically no expense. Globes of various dimensions, from the small 2 candle-power to a 32 candle-power, may be used, thus giving a number of different sizes.

All the apparatus or tools needed are a Bunsen burner if gas is available, if not, a gasoline torch, and a three-cornered file. First hold the base of the lamp in the flame a few moments, until the wax holding it on is sufficiently softened to allow of pushing off the brass base with the tang of the file. Clean most of the wax-off the glass, and with the file carefully make a scratch all around the glass just back of the place where the tube holding the filament is sealed in. The end will then, if struck a light glancing blow, break out, leaving a clean round hole. With a little practice this can be accomplished quickly and neatly. Now hold the sharp edges of the opening in the globe in the flame until soft, and quickly, with the tang of the file, smooth down and turn out the edge into a sort of a flange, taking care to keep the hole round. When the globe has cooled, hold it with a cloth and place the large end in the flame until it softens. Then press it down on a dry board until the bottom is sufficiently flattened to make the flask "steady on its legs." The flask is now finished with the exception of annealing. Winn several of the flasks are finished, they should be placed in a vessel of brine and gradually heated up to the boiling point, and then set aside to cool. They can now be used in the same way as the ordinary commercial flask.