Abstract: An improved method for melting silica material in a crucible and drawing off a fused silica tube therefrom having reduced air lines or striations. Bubble formation in the silica melt in the crucible is considerably reduced by supplying the exterior of the crucible with an atmosphere of hydrogen in a carrier gas of argon or certain other noble gases. The fused silica melt is discharged from the crucible around a hollow mandrel and a gas mixture of hydrogen in argon is fed within the hollow mandrel to the interior of the issuing silica tubing while the above atmosphere of hydrogen in argon is passed over the exterior of such silica tubing to form a silica tube product with markedly reduced striations.