Abstract: an apparatus electrically heats a wire containing treating agents to a preselected temperature while controllably passing the heated wire into molten metal of a mold. The apparatus includes an insulated guide tube which has inlet and outlet contact orifices and wire feed apparatus for urging the wire through the guide tube at a preselected rate. A power supply is connected to the inlet and outlet contact orifices and the wire is in contact with the inlet and outlet orifices and forms an electric circuit. The circuit delivers electric current to the wire of a magnitude sufficient for increasing the temperature of the wire to a preselected temperature at the outlet orifices prior to entry of the wire into the molten metal.