Pumice is volcanic glass, so if you don't live near a volcano, you might want to visit your local pharmacy
![Wink ;)](https://thevespiary.org/talk/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
As the abstract clearly states, the pumice is soaked in the acid, and the alcohol vapor is passed through it, the pumice promotes the reaction. If you want to know more about pumice, you'll have to research it yourself, SWIL thought this was an elegant way to make ether for bees, since it's yield is quantitative, the ether produced is rather pure, and the materials are rather easy to find
![Wink ;)](https://thevespiary.org/talk/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
Eliminating the boat seems feasible, just put some glass wool in the bottom of the reaction tube, fill it with the treated pumice, heat it with nichrome wire, and boil ethanol through it into a still head, condenser and receiving flask
![Grin ;D](https://thevespiary.org/talk/Smileys/default/grin.gif)
Senderens did it for eight consecutive days, which should provide enough ether for most bees' needs