In the older type of arc lamp it was necessary to "trim" the lights by replacing the carbons every day; but recently lamps have been perfected in which the carbons last from one hundred to one hundred and twenty hours. In these the arc is enclosed in a glass globe which is made as nearly air-tight as possible with the necessary feed devices. This closed chamber is fitted with a valve opening outward, which allows the air to be forced out by the heat of the lamp, but does not admit a return current. In this manner a rarefied chamber is produced in which the carbons are oxidized very slowly; yet there is no diminution in the brilliancy of the light. Early in the history of electric lighting it became apparent that the proper construction of the carbon electrodes was a highly important item in the manufacture of a lighting apparatus. The value of carbons depends largely upon their purity and freedom from ash in burning, and it required a countless number of experiments to develop the highly efficient carbons now in general use. Davy made use of pieces of wood charcoal in his experiments, but these were too fragile to be of practical value, even if their other qualities had been ideal. Later experimenters tried various compounds, and in 1876 Carré in France produced excellent carbons made of coke, lampblack, and syrup. From these were developed the present carbons, usually made by mixing some finely divided form of carbon, such as soot or lampblack made from burning paraffin or tar, with gum or syrup to form a paste. Rods of proper size and shape are made by forcing this paste through dies by hydraulic pressure, subsequently baking them at a high temperature. Sometimes they are given a coating of copper, a thin layer of the metal being deposited upon them by electrolysis. EDISON AND THE INCANDESCENT LAMP The familiar incandescent electric-light bulb seems such a simple apparatus to-day, being nothing apparently but a small wire enclosed in an ordinary glass bulb, that it is almost impossible to realize what an enormous amount of money, energy, and that particular quality of mentality which we call "genius" has been required to produce it. First and foremost among the names of the men of genius who finally evolved this lamp is that of Thomas A. Edison; and only second to this foremost name are those of Swan, Lane-Fox, and Hiram Maxim. But Edison's name must stand preeminent; and there are probably very few, even among Europeans, who would attempt or wish to deny him the enviable place as the actual perfecter of the incandescent-light bulb. [Illustration: THOMAS A. EDISON AND THE DYNAMO THAT GENERATED THE FIRST COMMERCIAL ELECTRIC LIGHT.]