8 N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 204 



but has since been made a part of the matron's room. (Fig. 1, A). The emer- 

 gence lasted for only a short time. While it caused anxiety to the hospital 

 staff, notliing further was seen of the insects on that occasion and it was 

 supposed that they were no longer present. 



In the winter of 1918 their work was discovered in serious degree. At that 

 time articles were being moved from one of the shelves in a store room in 

 the basement of the administration building (Fig. 2, A.B.). As this task was 

 in progress the partition to which the shelving was attached gave way. Some 

 of the lath and plaster were removed, and it was found that the studding 

 had been practically destroyed. The writers of this bulletin were then 

 called into consultation and the work of eradication and control began. 



The species of termite concerned proved to be the form commonly found 

 in the central and northern states, Leucotermes flampes Roller. 



Workmen employed by the hospital began tearing out the basement par- 

 titions. As this job proceeded, more and more evidence of the extensive 

 mining that had been accomplished by the termites was laid bare. Prac- 

 tically all of the partitions in the main part of the basement of the adminis- 

 tration building had been attacked. (Fig. 2, A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H.). A 

 brick partition separated this part of the basement from the boiler room. 

 (Fig. 2, I.) But in the boiler room planks used to enclose a coal bin were 

 found infested. The supports of two stairways, leading into the basement 

 (Fig. 2, F. H.), had been attacked. 



In the basement floor there are several hand holes, where turns occur in drain 

 pipes and the like, located beneath the floor. These hand holes had wooden 

 hnings and in each case this wood was thoroughly infested. 



The floor of the basement was cement. But the various wooden par- 

 titions had been built before the cement was poured. Therefore, the studding 

 of the partitions was in direct contact with the sandy soil which underlies 

 the basement. This may have furnished the means of entry by which the 

 termites got into the basement, but of this no certain statement can be made. 

 The basement floor is at a depth of four or more feet below the level of the 

 ground outside. It may be that the termites burrowed beneath the base- 

 ment wall and the cement floor and came up into the partitions, or it may be 

 that they found access through some crack in the foundation walls where 

 a partition was close by. In any event they had fairly riddled most of the 

 partitions in this basement. 



As the wood partitions were removed it was discovered that the insects 

 had burrowed into some of the wood beams that support the floor timbers 

 and the structure above. These wood beams rest on brick pillars. They 

 are 10 x 12 inch timbers and for the m ost part are 18 feet in length. Two of 

 these timbers had been so hoUowed out by termites that they were structurally 

 worthless. 



In addition, it was discovered that the lower layer of the double flooring 

 of the first or main floor of this building had been attacked. This lower 

 layer is made up of soft wood boards. Above these is a hardwood flooring. 



This led the search to the first or main floor where parts of the hardwood 

 flooring were torn up in order to discover to what extent the boards under- 



